"THE SEARCH," by Clair M. Poulson, Covenant Communications, $16.99, 240 pages (f)
Private investigator Jayden Spaulding is hired by professional basketball player Nadia Fairchild to help find Nadia's mother and a fellow basketball player whom she coached in Clair M. Poulson's new novel, "The Search."
Nadia, Jayden and Bullet, Jayden's trusty dog, seek to unravel the mysterious disappearances. Connected to them and opening the novel is a murder that happened nearly two years earlier. The plot plunges Nadia and Jayden, who are both members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, into unrelenting opposition, break-ins, ransom letters and death threats from unsavory sorts who want to keep their secrets hidden.
"The Search" has some engaging points and charmingly weaves a romance between Nadia and Jayden that readers in the dating scene may appreciate — and may possibly roll their eyes at. It works as a suspense novel with hints of romance and a few references to prayer and deity that are part of the characters' lives.
Most of the novel is devoted to the main plotline of Jayden and Nadia uncovering the mystery in classic fashion — a questioning investigator, a ravishing damsel, dramatic turns of plot and suspicious characters. There is also a dash of charm in the development of the characters and the unraveling of the plot. Instead of pulse-pounding tones and intense shifts, there is a steady drive to the end of the novel.
Having written more than 20 novels, Poulson has added another engaging tale to his already expansive repertoire of mystery and suspense.
"The Search" has no sexual content or foul language. There are several scenes that include mildly described violence.
Brandon Schembri is a graduate from the University of Utah and lives in Salt Lake City. His email is b.schembri1@gmail.com.