Sins and fortunes of the father come into play when, in the blink of an eye, celebrity journalist Rick Hoffman loses his job, fiancée, and apartment, moves back into the long-vacant family home in Cambridge, Mass. and discovers millions of dollars hidden in the walls, apparently by his father. But the news of the hidden loot somehow surfaces and lures several very tough guys prepared to kidnap and torture Rick to get their hands on it. Finder uses breakneck pacing to keep his thriller on track, and reader Kearney, employing a crisp, no-nonsense delivery, keeps the story flowing fast and clear. For the exposition and for many of the characters-including women such as Rick's faithless ex-fiancée and his just-reacquainted high school heartthrob-Kearney settles on a serviceable natural voice. But the hard-boiled types-the thugs, a half-friendly FBI agent, an extremely wealthy ex-cop, and the power broker pulling all the strings-are treated to the kind of gruff, very heated brogue one might hear unleashed in a Boston bar on the feast of St. Pat's. A Dutton hardcover. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

*Starred Review* Finder can make reading about someone walking across a room excruciatingly suspenseful. In this, the tenth of Finder's stand-alone thrillers, decay is the predominant theme. Rick Hoffman is haunted by the fact that his original values have been lost. He started out as an investigative journalist, and did well at it until he was seduced by money into working for Back Bay, a glitzy Boston monthly. Now he's out of work, his job eliminated; his girlfriend no longer interested; his apartment no longer affordable. He has no choice but to move back into his childhood home, which is falling apart and empty. In trying to find out what creatures are scrabbling around inside the walls, Rick discovers a stack of money running into millions. He races to get the money out of the house (a somewhat sketchy neighbor was with him when he made the discovery) and into a safe place. But other people are right behind him. Rick's challenge is to stay one step ahead of his pursuers while figuring out the backstory on the money. He uses his investigative-journalism background in intriguing and totally believable ways, but the bad guys seem to be just as intelligent. This is a thriller that is as much about redemption as it is about escape. A remarkable, exciting read.--Fletcher, Connie Copyright 2015 Booklist

After losing his job and being kicked out by his ex-fiancée, Rick Hoffman is forced to sleep on the couch in his dilapidated childhood home. When he decides to fix up the house so it will finally sell, he discovers a giant stash of cash hidden in the walls. Unable to communicate after a devastating stroke, his father can't explain the funds, so Rick must channel the dogged journalist he once was and investigate. His probe turns dangerous as he uncovers a web of cash banks, payoffs, and enigmatic Boston bigwigs and their hired muscle. Rick is repeatedly threatened and beaten but remains determined to learn the truth about his father's past. In the end, it all comes down to a tragic accident, widespread corruption, and a man trying to do the right thing. VERDICT Rick's initial reckless spending and some questionable decision making don't make him especially likable, but his extreme persistence will win over readers as he wises up and acknowledges his short-comings. Details about Boston and the Big Dig (a megahighway project) enhance the setting of Finder's latest nonstop page-turner that is sure to be popular with his fans and thriller aficionados. Try as a read-alike for Matthew Quirk. [See Prepub Alert, 12/15/14.]-Emily Byers, Tillamook Cty. Lib., OR © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.