Duel to the Death (Ali Reynolds Series Book 13)

J.A. Jance is the New York Times bestselling author of the Ali Reynolds series, the J.P. Beaumont series, and the Joanna Brady series, as well as five Southwestern thrillers featuring the Walker family. Born in South Dakota and raised in Bisbee, Arizona, Jance lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington. Visit her online at JAJance.com. Praise for Clawback: “’Clawback’weaves high-tech hacking into an elaborate puzzle that is equal parts financialthriller and first-rate mystery. A lesson in pace and plotting from a grandmaster of the genre.” ― The Providence Journal “Fans will enjoy this highly personal case.” ― Publisher's Weekly “Entertaining and instructive. . . . Jance makes it interesting; she never forgets the human side.” ― San Jose Mercury News Praise for J.A Jance: “Incredible. . . This is a gem by a winning author. . . . Yet another terrific book byJance that fans and readers will absolutely cheer about.” ― Suspence Magazine, On Cold Betrayal “Jance skillfully avoids the predictable. . . . Her crisp plotting, sharp characters and realistic dialogue carry Moving Target through its many surprising twists.” ― South Florida Sun Sentinel, on Moving Target "Jance adroitly combines well-rounded characterizations and brisk storytelling with high-tech exploits, arson, kidnappings, and a shootout for an entertaining and suspenseful addition to this solid series." ― Booklist, on Moving Target "Jance delivers a devilish page-turner." ― People "Jance starts her books fast . . . and keeps things moving with cinematic panache. . . . You want an accessible thriller? Jance is your gal . . . Engaging and entertaining." ― Los Angeles Times "Compelling... Satisfying." ― USA Today "Characters so real you want to reach out and hug—or strangle—them. Her dialogue always rings true." ― Cleveland Plain-Dealer “Loyal fans and newcomers alike will be glad to join feisty Ali in her latest adventure.” ― Kirkus Reviews --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Duel to the Death 1 For ten years after earning her MBA, Graciella Miramar lived what seemed to be a perfectly normal and circumspect life in Panama City, Panama, sharing a two-bedroom condo unit with her invalid mother, Christina. El Sueño, their aging condominium complex, was located on Calle 61 Este, well within walking distance of Graciella’s account manager job with a financial firm located in a low-rise office building on Vía Israel a few blocks away. Anyone observing Graciella out on the street would have found her totally unremarkable. She wore no wedding ring, but the clothing she favored—modest dresses topped by cardigans and worn with sensible shoes—gave her a somewhat matronly appearance that belied the fact that she was in her early thirties. Her long dark hair was lush enough and could have been cut and styled in an attractive fashion, but she insisted on wearing it pulled back into a severe bun that would have done credit to a librarian. It was a look she had originally adopted in order to stay below the touchy/feely radar of her boss, Arturo Salazar, who was well known for making inappropriate sexual advances. In the long run, though, she had maintained the plain-Jane look because it helped keep other people at bay as well. Had anyone interviewed Graciella’s neighbors, including the other residents on El Sueño’s fifth floor, he or she would have heard them sing her praises. She was quiet and soft-spoken. They regarded her as a kind young woman and a devoted daughter who was spending what should have been the best years of her life caring for a troubled, housebound mother. For years the older woman’s only regular excursions outside the building had come about on those Sunday mornings when Graciella had bundled her mother into a cab to take them both to mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe on Calle 69 Este. Yes, Graciella Miramar was an altogether ordinary young woman who, for all intents and purposes, appeared to be living an altogether ordinary life. There was nothing in her actions or demeanor that suggested what she really was—a stone-cold killer in the making, waiting patiently for the proper time and place when she would strike out and claim her first victim. And even then, after it happened, the people around her and the ones who knew her best never suspected a thing. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. From the Artist J.A. Jance --This text refers to the audioCD edition. Read more