One wrong word

Healed from a checkered past, Arden Ward is in a good place. She is successful in her career as a crisis manager, protecting high-profile clients from PR disasters. But when Arden ends up in a disaster of her own--accused of an affair with a mogul she's never even gone near--her life goes sideways. Her boss fires her, but he gives her two weeks to work on a final case. This one involves Ned Bannister, a real-estate tycoon who has just been acquitted of a vehicular homicide. Despite the exoneration, Bannister's wife, Cordelia, is still being ostracized by her PTA and socialite peers. Arden jumps right in, but then Ned's lawyer is mowed down in another hit-and-run. Accused of yet another crime, Ned goes to Arden, and they begin working together while being pursued by the assistant DA and the police. Ryan (The House Guest, 2023) has built a solid repertoire of unique thrillers, and this one is no exception. Fresh twists, including the unexpected friendship between Arden and Ned, keep the plot barreling forward.