Running on Empty by Karin Fitz Sandford

Running on Empty, the second in a series, is an enjoyable return visit to Karin Fitz Sanford’s Wine Country. This well-written mystery includes a current suspicious death as well as a 16-year-old murder, doubling the intrigue.

Ex-FBI agent Anne McCormack, who now works as an estate liquidator, teams up with her retired detective uncle, Jack, to solve the cold case murder of the wife of Lino Pardini, owner of a prestigious winery, lawyer, and financier. When Lino dies suddenly, it’s discovered that he has bilked his clients of a fortune. His widow, Renee, is left penniless and dealing with shame as his estate is liquidated to compensate his investors for some of their losses. Renee, along with Anne, searches their property in hopes of finding cash he stashed away for some purpose known only to Lino.

The story is told from Renee’s point of view as well as Anne’s, as they become friends while trying to locate the missing money and to find out what really caused Lino’s death and why. Both come across as strong women despite their flaws and sometimes questionable morality. In addition, we see the point of view of Dave Silver, with whom Anne shares a mutual attraction and who has a past that is suspect. I enjoyed the building of Anne and Dave’s relationship as Dave’s involvement in the cold case is investigated by Anne’s uncle. Uncle Jack wants to bring closure to the cold case he investigated years ago, suspecting Lino of killing his wife but not having proof; he also has a personal stake in the financial fallout as his wife invested their savings in Lino’s Ponzi scheme. Author Fritz Sandford shows how easily one’s life can be turned upside down both by their actions or by circumstances they don’t control, and how that affects those dear to them.

The title, Running on Empty, is itself a clever clue to the unravelling of the mystery (or mysteries) in this case. Who killed Lino’s wife? How did Lino die? Where is the money he stashed away and why did he hide it? Piece by piece, the truth is unravelled, with twists thrown in you won’t see coming. Set against the beautiful landscape of the Santa Rosa area, Running on Empty will have you questioning everyone’s motives and their innocence.