In the Highlands, grief runs deep—and betrayal deeper

Some monsters live in the water. Others sit in offices of power. After the events of Chain Reaction, Neil vanishes without a trace, and the inseparable trio is suddenly two. Haunted by grief and suspicion, Sri and Matt follow a trail into the Scottish Highlands — a land of mist, myth, and treachery.

Whispers of a creature lurking in the loch mask a far more chilling reality: betrayal. Inspired by the real Novichok poisonings in Salisbury, The Loch Paradox draws from the shadowy world of Russian espionage, double agents, and international power plays. What begins with a legend soon reveals itself as a ruthless conspiracy involving oligarchs, state secrets, and the kind of enemies who wear tailored suits, not scales.

As Sri confronts her own guilt and grief, the investigation spirals toward revelations that test loyalties, friendships, and the fragile line between truth and illusion. Darker, more emotional, and more politically charged than its predecessors, this third book in The Diary of a Sloppy Sleuth series is a story of monsters — human and otherwise — and the price of standing against them.