A World of Hurt

Kara Johnson, 27, is a drug runner with nothing left to lose. Her girlfriend took the blame when a big drug shipment was captured. Kara is distraught over the woman’s death and searching for revenge, she reluctantly joins a DEA taskforce. The task force is looking to shut down the drug trafficking ring and find the money stashed by its kingpin. Police officer Max Summerlin joins the effort, working with Kara as they run down possible leads. Their adversarial relationship does not help the situation, and Kara’s grief, the disapproval of Max’s wife, interagency politics, and COVID-19 further complicate matters. Suspects keep dying without giving up any intelligence, and when Kara and Max start to close in on the money, they become targets. Mejia creates an enticing story of love and loss, trust and suspicion, revenge and redemption. Her characters are interesting, with quirky and unusual ailments and gifts. Narrators Justis Bolding and Brian Hutchison expertly deliver alternate chapters to drive the story forward from their characters’ perspectives.