The prologue starts in Golden Branch, Oregon 1976 where Gary Headly, an FBI agent with other FBI and ATF agents is engaged in an ambush attack on a house in the middle of woods where a group of vigilantes called The Rangers of Righteousness and their leader Carl Wingert are present. After the attack nearly all the vigilantes are dead but Carl Wingert and his lover, Flora Stimel escape. From the blood on the mattress it is revealed that Flora had given birth just before escaping.
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Dawson Scott is a well known journalist who returns home after nine months in war torn Afghanistan is asked by his godfather Gary Headly, soon to be a retired FBI agent to go to Savannah, Georgia and cover the trial of a man accused of killing his wife and lover, former Marine Captain Jeremy Wesson. Initially Dawson is reluctant but eventually agrees when Headly tells him that DNA of Jeremy matches the DNA of the DNA found on a mattress from the Carl Wingert's hideout in 1976.
When Amelia, Jeremy's ex-wife appears in court Dawson is becomes more interested in the case. He then follows Amelia to her beach house in Saint Nelda's island where she is spending the summer with her two boys, Grant and Hunter and their nanny Stef. He befriends them and another elderly neighbor Bernie. After a storm in which Stef turns up dead and Dawson is suspected of killing her.
It later turns out that Jeremy is not dead and he is the son of Carl Wingert. Before the divorce from Amelia Jeremy was acting as if he had PTSD so he could get a divorce. Carl and Jeremy are working together to kill Amelia and get her sons. It is also found that the elderly neighbor was Carl who disappeared after the storm. Jeremy had killed Stef mistaking her for Amelia.
In a house in the marsh and woods Dawson finds Jeremy left to die with a gunshot wound. Carl enter hospital as a cancer and tries to hurt Headly by killing Dawson but is shot in the process it is then revealed that on the day of ambush in 1976 Flora gave birth to Dawson.
Best part of story, including ending:
I like this book of the unexpected plot twists and also due to the romance between Dawson and Amelia
Best scene in story:
My favorite scene is the climax where Dawson and Amelia spend the night and Carl then tries to kill Dawson. It is then revealed that Dawson is Carl's son whom he left on the day of the ambush under the floor boards.
Opinion about the main character:
Dawson is a very likeable character specially his relationship with Amelia's sons.
