A Very Private High School

A Very Private High School

Santa Monica, California, is home to the homeless, a city of haves and have nots, ripe for dirty politicians, psychopathic homeowners, car thieves, and celebrity troublemakers. A vicious carjacking maims a firefighter that Homicide Detective Dave Mason of the Santa Monica Police Department used to tomcat around with.

Carjackers up the stakes when a hit-and-run linked to them leads Mason to an elite private high school where a boiling controversy is already erupting over financial shenanigans. A hit-and-run fatality of the school’s administrator leads Mason to take a very close look at student activities and fundraising practices at the very private school.  What he finds ties together some seeming coincidences that make this story much bigger than the puzzling violent deaths.

The investigation suggests the school’s director likes bad boys and dark, hidden places. On sketchy evidence, Mason needs to convince the brass that funds from the embezzlement are filtering into an international theft operation.

Everything changes when Ginger, the love of Mason’s life–and the school’s fundraiser– disappears.

Reviews

By Donna · ★★★★☆ · January 10, 2017

In Santa Monica, California, Homicide Detective Dave Mason investigates carjackings, a hit and run killing, and the disappearance of the bookkeeper at a private school. Dave’s ex girlfriend Ginger is engaged to a millionaire and just started as a fundraising consultant at the same elit… …more

By Susan · ★★★★★ · August 07, 2015

I love Mar Preston’s books! A Very Private High School is another in her Dave Mason series, set in Santa Monica and featuring Major Crimes detective Dave Mason, other characters in his department, girlfriend Ginger, and characters connected to the private high school of the book’s title. These st… …more

By Diana · ★★★★☆ · August 08, 2016

I enjoyed this one, although my husband did give me a hard time since he said the title made it sound like a bad porn novel. I hadn’t read any crime thrillers for a while, so it was a nice change of pace. I found the action to be engaging and the mystery compelling…although maybe a touch too ea… …more