Vengeance Beyond Reason — Joani Ascher

Wally Morris, a nursery school teacher, mother and new grandmother, has a penchant for solving puzzles. She has a desire to help people that borders on meddling and she hates loose ends. The murder of a college freshman and the disappearance of one of Wally's former students are loose ends of the worst kind.

Wally's way to deal with problems, even other peoples', is to get involved. She is able to keep track of the investigation through Elliot Levine, one of the detectives assigned to the case, who becomes progressively friendlier with one of her daughters. Wally suspects the murder and disappearance are connected and sets out to prove that the string of murders from New Jersey to the Midwest are related. Her relentless questions and prodding finally point the police in the right direction. But will they be too late?