In A Family Way — James Calder

A Bay Area filmmaker-turned-P.I. examines the world of reproductive science as he investigates a murder in this hard-boiled-mystery.

It's a parent's nightmare: the fertility doctor who tinkers with the very essence of a child. The Bill Damen series leaps onto a bigger and more ambitious canvas with the filmmaker-turned-sleuth's third case, one where life and death are chillingly intertwined. His cousin's young daughter, Margaret, is kidnapped and murdered. Exposing a shadowy underworld of embryo engineering, Bill finds that the circumstances of Margaret's birth have everything to do with her death. With the help of his new assistant, the dynamic and gorgeous Clementine, Bill's investigation reveals that the latest reproductive technology is a dangerous new weapon in an ageless battle . . .

Tagged by Booklist as “fast-paced . . . with likeable good guys, nasty villains . . . and plenty of plot twists,” the series grapples with the hard truth that science may change, but human nature does not.

Praise for In a Family Way

“As Bill works the case, he comes to rely on his new assistant, the smart, flamboyant, and mysterious Clem, who adds considerable zest to this third installment in an increasingly entertaining series. Details of assisted reproduction and embryonic engineering frame the story, and fast pacing, lively characters, and a vivid sense of place keep the reader turning the pages.” -- Booklist