Karin Fitz Sanford - "The Last Thing Claire Wanted"

An unsolved murder. A Ponzi scheme. And a heist that has ex-FBI agent Anne McCormack racing throughout the wine country.

Northern California. It’s been sixteen years since socialite Dinah Pardini’s body was found dumped in the backroads of Northern California’s wine country. But is her murder linked to the diabolical Ponzi scheme that now engulfs Santa Rosa, nearly bankrupting many citizens Anne knows and loves?

The ex-FBI agent-turned-estate liquidator certainly believes so and starts putting the clues together—which drives her into dangerous territory, both of the body and spirit. Anne will have to keep her wits about her if she plans on outracing thieves and solving Dinah’s murder without becoming a victim herself, for dark forces are working against her at every turn and she’s running out of people to trust.

“Full of fun clues, quirky characters and a great sense of place, Running on Empty is the perfect visit to California’s wine country.”

–Rhys Bowen, New York Times bestselling author of the Royal Spyness and Molly Murphy mysteries, and The Venice Sketchbook

“The title of this latest Wine County Cold Case may be “Running on Empty,” but the story’s certainly not. A full-bodied mystery with depth and bite, and a plot that’s meaty and lush. Savory, smoky, and smooth, from the first sip to the last.”

–J.R. Sanders, Shamus Award-winning author of the Nate Ross mysteries

“With a freight train of a plot worthy of any seasoned crime writer—think Elmore Leonard, Karin Slaughter, and Raymond Chandler—Sanford delivers a timeless thriller and heroine in feisty, brilliant, and flawed ex-FBI agent Anne McCormack, who finds herself entangled (again) in a web of mystery and deception in Northern California's wine country. The setting is but one of this book’s plentiful charms. There is a cold case—the decades-old murder of a socialite—and a devastating Ponzi scheme that will have readers turning pages well into the night. Full of zigzagging cliffhangers, Running on Empty hooks readers from the first sentence and never lets up—not even when it looks like our heroes have run out of gas. I loved this book.”

–David Samuel Levinson, author of Tell Me How This Ends Well.

“In this fast-paced, cold-case whodunit, Karin Fitz Sanford will keep you guessing to the end. Mystery and wine country—a terrific combo.”

–Vinnie Hansen, author of the Carol Sabala Mystery Series, Lostart Street, and One Gun.

An ex-FBI agent. A dying matriarch. A family secret that keeps killing.

Northern California. Anne McCormack has plenty of her own problems—a vile ex-husband, a rocky exit from the FBI, and a struggling new estate-sales business. But when finding a watch leads her to a prominent Wine Country matriarch, she can’t say no to the dying woman’s plea to solve her young son's decades-old murder.

Teaming up with her retired-cop uncle, Anne convinces the DA to reopen the cold case and is sworn in as a temp-hire detective. But as she wades through suspects, witnesses, and shocking evidence implicating those closest to the dead child, she fears it’s too late for justice.

“With vivid and gripping characters, an intricately woven plot, and a history that sticks its claws in you and doesn’t let go, Karin Fitz Sanford leaves readers with something truly remarkable. A brilliant debut!”

–Amanda Jayatissa, ITW Thriller Award-winning author of My Sweet Girl and You’re Invited

“The Last Thing Claire Wanted will keep you on the edge of your seat. In a suspenseful tale of dark secrets threatening an entire family, former FBI Agent Anne McCormick finds out that not all secrets are meant to be discovered. Sanford’s rich characters coupled with crisp pacing and twists you won’t see coming make her an author to watch.”

–James L’Etoile, author of Dead Drop, and Black Label

“With beautiful prose and enough twists and turns to keep me reading long into the night, Karin Fitz Sanford’s thrilling debut novel explores the lasting effects of trauma and the extraordinary lengths to which people will go to protect their family and legacy. Anne McCormack is a flawed but likeable protagonist, relentless in her pursuit of the truth, even as deceptions and danger mount all around her. I can’t want to see what other long-buried secrets Anne uncovers in her future adventures.”

–Daniel K. Miller, author of Fire on the Firth and Loch and Key

Karin Fitz Sanford was born in Nyack, New York, but grew up in Northern California’s Wine Country, the setting for her two mysteries, Running on Empty and The Last Thing Claire Wanted.

After studying at University of Portland, she worked as an advertising copywriter for various Northern California ad agencies before starting her own award-winning agency in Walnut Creek. Having run her agency for over twenty years, she now devotes herself full time to writing. When she isn’t writing or reading, Karin can be found hiking, home remodeling, planning trips, or binge watching Schitt’s Creek. Karin lives in Santa Rosa, California, with her husband, and is currently at work on her third novel.

Running on Empty

A Wine Country Cold Case

An unsolved murder. A Ponzi scheme. And a heist that has ex-FBI agent Anne McCormack racing throughout the wine country.

Praise for “Running on Empty”

The Last Thing Claire Wanted

A Wine Country Cold Case

An ex-FBI agent. A dying matriarch. A family secret that keeps killing.

Praise for “The Last Thing Claire Wanted”