Look For Me (DD Warren #9) by Lisa Gardner

 "Mistakes, regret, repair. Family isn't a destination. It's a journey."

It is a perfect fall Saturday in Boston when peace is shattered in a Brighton neighborhood. A family of 4 is shot in their home. No forced entry, no witnesses. The oldest daughter, 16-year-old Roxanna Baez, is missing. When Detective DD Warren gets the call, her first thought is -- is Roxie a lucky near-victim or the perpetrator? Joining the police in the hunt and Amber Alert is Flora Dane (from FIND HER); she's the leader of a survivor group having escaped her captor after 472 days. She teaches women how to live again after their horrible experiences. Seems that Roxy had reached out to her group before that day's tragic events. The search is on and the narrative focuses on procedures and investigative techniques along with a very stark and scary portrayal of the foster care system.

I've read this author before, but have not managed to read all the books in any particular series. I don't feel that I missed anything significant by coming back in at #9. There's enough backstory to fill in the gaps. DD is now a mom and she's not quite as edgy as in previous books, but still tough and sure of herself and her job. She's not that excited to be working with Flora, but realizes that Flora and Sarah can help in this situation. The reader understands why Flora and Sarah do what they do - which is a sort of vigilantism and self-defense tactics not totally limited by laws and protocols that the detectives have to follow.

Anyway, the mystery of Roxy and the murders is solved as the layers are peeled back to reveal the truth about "family." None are perfect and all require a lot of work and forgiveness. I was unsurprised by the conclusion and I can't say this was really suspenseful, but it was a meaty plot with many complex issues. Most notably that of the foster care situation -- for which I have no answers, only sadness.

I'll definitely pick up another title by this author and thank NetGalley and Dutton for the e-book ARC to read and review.