Ava Martinez thought her last case was behind her. Until a message arrives about a long‑lost uncle, a sudden death, and an inheritance wrapped in secrets.
When Ava travels to New Mexico during the world‑famous Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, she expects a simple estate handoff. Instead, she steps into a landscape where hundreds of balloons rise like surveillance eyes over a desert hiding something far darker.
Her uncle didn’t just leave her land. He left her a trail of clues—and a warning.
Beneath the festival’s breathtaking spectacle lies a volatile network of narco routes, human trafficking corridors, corrupt federal alliances, and rival factions fighting for control of the sky. As Ava follows Miguel Serrano’s final messages, she’s pulled into a deadly game where every ally has an angle, every secret has a price, and every move exposes her to enemies who know the terrain far better than she does.
When the mass ascension begins, the conspiracy erupts. And Ava must decide who she can trust before the next revelation drops her from the sky.
A high‑altitude conspiracy thriller filled with atmospheric danger, buried legacies, and relentless twists—perfect for fans of Michael Connelly, John Grisham, and Tony Hillerman.
Bill Bennett is an award‑winning indie author of geopolitical and eco‑thrillers, recognized on the Eric Hoffer Award Grand Prize Short List, First Horizon Award Finalist, 2nd Runner‑Up, Killer Nashville Readers’ Choice Award, and Author of the Year Finalist by the International Impact Awards. A retired military officer, licensed attorney, and global IT executive, Bennett writes suspense grounded in scientific realism and the collision between technology, nature, and power.