Voodoo Ridge (Cordell Logan Mystery)
Freed’s third Cordell Logan mystery finds the pilot-sleuth up in the air again, both aeronautically and personally. Flying to Lake Tahoe in his creaky Cessna to remarry his ex-wife, Savannah, Logan spots a shiny piece of metal where it shouldn’t be, high in the Sierra Nevadas. Evidence of a plane crash? Logan dutifully reports the sighting to the authorities and accompanies police into the mountains in search of the wreckage. They find the downed plan, and it turns out to be not just any plane but, rather, a long-missing aircraft carrying mysterious but apparently highly sought-after cargo. And, one more thing: they also find the body of a recently shot young man. It only gets worse. Soon enough, Savannah has been abducted, and Logan’s wedding weekend is looking like a world-class disaster. Freed has a serious surprise in store for the reader this time, and he skillfully builds up to the shocker. The unusual pilot-sleuth premise, the jaunty style, and the genuine suspense combine to make this one a thoroughly entertaining installment in what has become a fine series. --Bill Ott