The Lost Witness by Robert Ellis

The Lost Witness by Robert Ellis is this author's second crime thriller with main character, Lena Gamble the maverick detective and member of LAPD’s elite Robbery Homicide Division.

Lena had brilliantly and courageously solved the case of a brutal psychopathic killer only months earlier but unfortunately offended and embarrassed some department big wigs in the process. Since then she has been assigned to mundane cases to discourage her and force her resignation. Suddenly Chief Logan requests her to work a particularly brutal murder where the victim is surgically sliced into pieces, stuffed in garbage bags and placed in a dumpster. Lena is annoyed with the chief and his pompous adjutant, Lt. Ken Klinger when they order her to give them frequent progress reports but she relishes the chance to work an important case.

Security cameras pick up images of a young man witnessing the dumping of the body but the witness does not come forward. The murdered woman is initially thought to be a prostitute living alone in a rundown apartment near Venice beach. But the name of the person who had lived at that address is found to be deceased and the recent dead girl an impostor. The detective discovers the victim was not a prostitute but the disgruntled mother of a child who died from an FDA approved drug manufactured by Anders Dahl Pharmaceutical. As the evidence leads Lena to Anders Dahl Pharmaceutical and CEO, Dean Tremell, the heat is turned up on Lena by her superiors. She learns that Tremell, a billionaire, is a strong financial supporter of many politicians including the DA and a U.S. Senator. A reporter tells Lena of a conspiracy theory he has involving Tremell’s company, a pediatrician, and a former U.S. Senator. As more bodies turn up connected to the conspiracy, Lena finds her own life in jeopardy and doesn’t know who she can trust even within her own department.

Greed, conspiracy, brutal slayings, sexual depravity, self serving politicians: Ellis employs all the tantalizers. That combined with his heroine’s relentless pursuit of justice with disregard for personal welfare, ignite this supercharged novel and leave you wanting more. Welcome to my A list Mr. Ellis.