Unearthing Ingleside

Lota Greggins fought tooth and nail to become the youngest investigative journalist at Los Asilo's top paper, The Global Gloom. She gave up everything for the job, living by one rule: no attachments. Friendships faded, nights blurred into deadlines, and headlines became her only companions. But when her biggest case unravels, and her reputation is left in ruins, Lota escapes to the sleepy town of Ingleside, chasing rumors and faint threads of the case that might redeem her.

Aimless for the first time in years, Lota finds the grief, anguish, and loneliness she's buried deep within her bubbling to the surface, not to mention a deep vulnerability. After a chance encounter with a man whose grounding presence gets under her skin, Lota can't shake the feeling that something about Ingleside is different-or maybe, after everything that happened in Los Asilo, she is.

After three months undercover, Lota's longing for connection becomes impossible to ignore. She invites Silby Townsend and friends over for drinks, and the voice of her younger self finally stirs, echoing within her after years of silence. That same night, she discovers a thread tying her failed case to Ingleside. When a desperate midnight call ends with Silby in a coma, Lota's age old mantra about keeping her distance shatters, and the boundaries between her heart and her work begin to blur.

After her would-be lover jeopardizes Silby's safety, Lota finds herself an official part of the investigation. With a real clue and a seat on the team, the hunt begins in earnest. As secrets in Ingleside tangle with the mysteries of her own heart, Lota must decide: can she crack the case without shattering her vow to stay detached, or will she discover that her fear of connection is her greatest obstacle?