Reads of the week

Guilty Minds (Dutton), by Joseph Finder

[Photo provided to China Daily]

Corporate fixer and private intelligence operative Nick Heller returns in a tale of scandal and manipulation in Joseph Finder's Guilty Minds.

Heller lives in a world of separating lies from the truth, and this latest case has him scrambling both with deception and a ticking clock. A gossip website is about to report that the chief justice of the US Supreme Court has had secret liaisons with a high-priced escort in a prestigious Washington, DC, hotel. If the story leaks, it will destroy the judge's career and reputation.

Heller is hired to find out the truth and stop the story before it breaks. What he discovers is someone behind the scenes who wants to discredit the chief justice. But the reporter and her editors who run the website don't believe Heller, forcing him to scramble as time begins to run out.

Nick Heller is a breath of fresh air in the world of private investigators as he will go to any length to succeed for his clients. His background and skills are an asset, making him almost a superhero. Finder provides background into the operation of internet news and online media along with the world of corporations and politics and how they mix and clash.

Guilty Minds is a compelling thriller.