THE EMPTY KYAK

For Detective Ebony Jones, crime is always personal. But this time, it strikes too close to home.

A pop-up thunderstorm marched its way across the Hudson River, ambushing a young couple’s kayaking trip. The woman miraculously made it back to shore, but her fiancé remains missing. Ebony and her partner are the first responders who rush to the river to assist in rescuing the capsized boater.

The victim’s identity shocks Ebony to the core. Kyle Emory, the ex-boyfriend of her estranged best friend, attorney Jessie Martin, is the man who never made it out of the water. The accident ignites a firestorm between the two friends, pitting them against each other in a race to discover whether Kyle survived or whether he met his untimely demise. Under pressure from the chief and the DA, Ebony needs to solve the mystery, while Jessie seeks justice for the sake of the daughter she shares with Kyle.

The investigation leads them through the dark worlds of social media, online sports betting, and extreme sports. Along the way, they uncover lies and betrayals, and gather a list of dangerous suspects who are all linked to the accident survivor, Kyle’s mysterious fiancée. Even more, the discovery that Kyle possessed his own life-shattering secrets has trapped Ebony between her career and her lifelong friendship with Jessie. Yet neither Ebony nor Jessie will stop until they discover the truth about the drowning. Even if it destroys their friendship and their lives.

But the evidence is as murky as the secretive Hudson River. Only the river knows whether Kyle’s tragic death was an accident, a suicide, or something more sinister.

. . .

"Three strong women follow their own inexorable paths to justice in The Empty Kyak, and it's a pleasure to cheer them on. The Empty Kyak is not only a compelling and believable mystery, but a sharply drawn portrait of women's friendships." 

~ Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author

of House on Fire

“Twisty personal relationships build to a satisfying, stunner finale in The Empty Kyak.”

~ Lisa Black, New York Times bestselling author

of the Locard Institute series

"Poignant in places, nail-biting in others, the tension and turmoil add up to some fine high-stakes suspense."

~ Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author

of The Last Kingdom

“Millman's narrative is evenly paced and gracefully rendered, with suspense sustained throughout. The Empty Kyak utilizes familiar mystery elements to strong effect. Millman keeps readers guessing with potential leads, red herrings, and dead ends.”

~ The Booklife Prize

“In Jodé Millman’s propulsive thriller The Empty Kayak, a drowning investigation leads to legal wrangling. The prose is emotive and sensory...and in effect, the book doubles as a study of how women assume power, while also showing how such roles affect their lives and relationships.”

~ Foreword Reviews

“"The Empty Kayak by Jodé Millman is a wonderfully tense mystery with a strong focus on relationships and careers destroying lives...The suspense draws you deeper into this gripping tale; you won’t put it down until you’re done.” (5 Stars)

~ Readers Favorite