When 8-year-old Davi is abducted on Market Street in San Francisco, her mother, lawyer Karen Clark, is gripped by fear. Karen has moved to the city from Chicago hoping to make a "fresh start" after the death of her husband.
The abductor, disguising his voice, calls Karen and reveals where he's left Davi. Karen and her friend Abby rush to find Davi, cruelly left alone in a barren parking lot--but unharmed. Karen's panic subsides until she finds a crude note pinned to Davi's shirt: "You're next, Karen."
Haunted by the note naming her as the next victim, Karen begins working with SFPD Detective Greg Chan to discover who abducted her daughter--and why. Their only clues are Davi's recall of a brown sofa and the words "RED DIANA."
Karen and Greg spend weeks trying to discover the meaning of "Red Diana." Is "Diana" the name of a street in San Francisco? Does it refer to the Roman goddess of the hunt, portrayed in famous works of art? These attempts to find the abductor lead nowhere.
Karen searches her brain to think of possible abductors. Disgruntled clients in her past? Weirdos encountered since she moved to San Francisco?
In a brief respite, Karen reconnects with Brad, a law-school classmate visiting San Francisco. The feelings they had for each other reawaken, and Karen goes to Brad's room at the Palace Hotel, relishing the intimate time they spend together. But the respite ends, and Karen doubts that she'll ever see Brad again.
When Karen and Greg Chan reach a dead end, Karen risks her safety by going forward on her own. She's met someone who promises to lead her to the abductor. In the sumptuous Victorian home of a wealthy entrepreneur who has offered to help her, she discovers the shocking answers she's been seekig.
Set in San Francisco, with flashbacks to Chicago and New York, this chilling psychological thriller explores themes like the desire for revenge, the terrible burden of guilt, the tyranny of unethical lawyers and corrupt judges, the love between parent and child, the shattering pain of losing a loved one--and the many routes survivors take to deal with their loss.
Featuring a story packed with suspense, an original and compelling storyline, vivid characters, and a satisfying ending, this novel by author Susan Alexander is must-reading.
Please note: Karen Clark is also the protagonist in another riveting thriller by Susan Alexander, "A Quicker Blood." The suspenseful story in "RED DIANA" takes place 12 years later.