The Missing American by Kwei Quartey

[Jen K]

Gordon Tilson is a retiree in DC. He did Peace Corps in Ghana and married the love of his life there but now he is a widower who helps others on social media. He meets Hellene, another lovely Ghanaian lady, on the internet and falls for her. So much so that he sends money for her sister's hospital bills and decides to travel to Ghana to help her in person. He finds a bigger story of internet fraud and decides to do something about it.

Emma Djan grew up on her father's stories as a homicide policeman in Ghana and follows her dream to be like him graduating from the police academy and starting on the Kampala force. It didn't work out and she is very lucky to land a position as a private investigator and her first case is finding Gordon Tilson who has gone missing.

I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure. There were lots of small world coincidences linking everyone to make the story tie up but I loved learning more about life in Ghana at all levels. It was a great setting which added some local twists to the investigation. Emma was great. I would have loved to get deeper into her character and story but she was lovely. I actually had to pause at the end as I was afraid for what would happen. I would read the next in the series.