The Odds of Dying: A Cal Claxton Mystery (Cal Claxton Oregon Mysteries Book 11)

The Buddha was right. Nothing is as it seems

It's early spring in Oregon and Cal Claxton and his girlfriend, Zoe Bennett, are enjoying a day of skiing at Timberline on Mt Hood when Cal receives a shocking phone call. Aurora, the young Goddaughter of his private eye and best friend, Hernando Mendoza, is in a coma in the ICU. Cal and Zoe rush to the hospital, where they join Nando and his assistant, Esperanza, the mother of Aurora. The young college student and her boyfriend, Gavin, were victims of a fentanyl overdose involving pot gummies. Gavin didn't make it. Cal and Nando vow to Esperanza and subsequently to Gavin's father that they will find the person or persons responsible for the overdose.

A Portland homicide detective and Cal form an uneasy alliance because Gavin's father is an influential builder of AI data centers and has heard of Cal's crime solving talents. Cal quickly learns that Gavin and his company have enemies-an environmentalist with eco-terrrorist leanings and most of the irate citizens of the small town where a data center is planned. There's also the spurned lover of Gavin who'd been fired from her prime corporate job by his father. At the same time, there are also suspects among members of a Portland surfing club Gavin belonged to. Could one of the members have used the spiked gummies to avenge a love triangle involving Gavin, Aurora and himself?

Leads are few and far between, and the one person who may hold the key remains in a deep coma. Meanwhile, Nando is arrested for the murder of a drug dealer who could be involved in the case. Suddenly Cal is on his own as the stakes in this case skyrocket. Will Aurora recover enough to give Cal the impetus he needs to crack this case?