Avoidable Contact

The 24 Hours of Daytona endurance race provides the backdrop for Kaehler;s entertaining third Kate Reilly mystery (after 2013;s Braking Points). Kate;s beau, Stuart Telerday, should have been on hand, but just as the day is getting started, cops turn up announcing that he was badly injured in a hit-and-run. Kate soon receives a set of mysterious text messages suggesting that the supposed accident was, in fact, attempted murder. Complicating matters emotionally"and perhaps giving Kate a motive for hurting her boyfriend"is the kiss that Stuart admits he shared with another woman the night before. If that isn;t enough to handle, one of Kate;s teammates is killed on the track. Snappy dialogue, a smart and affable heroine (who calls to mind auto racer Danica Patrick), and pacing reminiscent of 24 combine to make this entry as exciting as a spin around the speedway.