Sisterly love fuels Rita Farmer in her third outing (after The Actress, 2008, and The Extra, 2009). Even though she's younger, Rita a divorced single mom and sometime actress now studying law has felt protective of her sister, Gina, since a traumatic childhood event. So when Gina and boyfriend Lance de Sauvenard take off for the wilds of the Pacific Northwest to scout locations for his brother Kenner's independent movie, Rita worries; and when she doesn't hear from Gina, she takes off on a search, along with her six-year-old son, Petey, and his best friend, Daniel. Meanwhile, PI George Rowe, hot-tempered Rita's on-again-off-again lover, is hired by Seattle matriarch Bertrice de Sauvenard, who now runs the family lumber business, to check suspicions about her late husband's right-hand man. As Rita and George connect and their concerns intersect, they find more to worry about in the wilderness than the elements. Sims' plotting and dialogue are brisk and sharp, and the characters of Rita and George both interestingly introspective raise this well above the genre norm. Crime fiction as smart as it is compelling.--Leber, Michele Copyright 2010 Booklist

Sims's smart third Rita Farmer mystery (after 2009's The Extra) finds Rita savoring some stability as an L.A. law student and single mom after years of angst with an alcoholic ex. Then the disappearance of her sister, Gina, thrusts the former actress into her most dramatic role to date. When days pass without word from just engaged Gina and her wealthy fiance, Lance de Sauvenard, who's scouting locations in the storm-lashed Washington State wilderness for his filmmaker brother, Kenner, headstrong Rita resists reaching out to PI George Rowe, her erstwhile beau, and instead enlists her game six-year-old son, Petey, and gay TV actor friend, Daniel, in the hunt. Raging rivers prove to be among the lesser perils these babes in the wood face in a forest primeval harboring scoundrels ready for their Coen brothers closeup-and just maybe a murderer. Sims orchestrates the action-and occasional comic relief-for maximum impact, with characters you hope will survive to enjoy another day. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Feisty Rita Farmer (The Extra, 2008, etc.) adds hatchet-brandishing to her repertoire.Between law school exams during a lull in her so-so acting career, Rita starts worrying about her big sister Gina, who hasn't called. Two days go by, and Rita is sure Gina and her boyfriend Lance de Sauvenard have gotten lost scouting locations around Hackett, Wash., for Lance's brother Kenner's art film. Rita, her son, Petey, and her best friend, Daniel, head north to find Gina. First they find lots of rain and little cell reception. Then they come upon a guy named Joey nearly drowned under a cliff. Finally, Lance's body washes up. Meanwhile, Mrs. de Sauvenard asks p.i. George Rowe, who's been investigating a financial boondoggle, to go find Kenner, who seems to have vanished. So George heads north toward Rita. To get to Kenner and Gina, they'll have to outwit renegade loggers, a task that requires Rita to impersonate a Native American wielding a hatchet, George to warble like an ornithologist, Daniel to hike miles back to dry land and young Petey to draw a picture that puts everything in focus.Like George, you just have to love Rita, who's a great mom, a devoted sister and a helluva actress, even if Spielberg hasn't cast her yet. Deftly plotted, often droll, but so rainy throughout that you might want to read it with a pair of dry socks by your side.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.