Forensic psychologist Dr. Sylvia Strange is called in to assess whether convicted rapist Anthony Randall’s confession is legally valid. Her expert findings result in the confession being thrown out—and Randall walks free. Santa Fe erupts in outrage. Then Randall turns up dead. When other violent offenders begin disappearing, Sylvia recognizes a chilling pattern: someone is taking justice into their own hands. The investigation moves disturbingly close to home when Sylvia’s troubled probation client, Kevin Chase, disappears into the orbit of a self-styled avenger known as the Protector. As law enforcement closes in, Sylvia begins to question who she can trust—and when her closest friend, Rosie Sanchez, suddenly disappears into the remote New Mexico wilderness, the case becomes terrifyingly personal. Set against the stark beauty of the Southwest high desert, Acquired Motive is a psychologically charged thriller about vigilante justice, buried secrets, and the treacherous line between protecting the innocent and punishing the guilty. When vengeance masquerades as justice, no one gets to walk away clean. Experience the 2nd thriller in the bestselling series readers can’t put down. Sarah Lovett delivers an unforgettable exploration of obsession, justice, motives, and the dangerous attachments that define us.