Intrigue lurks in the most beautiful place on Earth.

A scenic trip to a volcanic crater on Oahu turns tragic when two men disappear after a sudden clash. They're supposed to be part of a group dedicated to preserving the Hawaiian Islands, but each of them is hiding secrets.

Pari Malik is on the case, and she fears the worst. These same men had been at the center of an attempted murder case a year earlier. Nathan, the esteemed leader of a historic island preserve, had been stabbed and left for dead. Augustin, an enigmatic groundskeeper and womanizer, had been the prime suspect. Now both men have vanished and Pari's looking for answers.

Deception and tangled relationships abound. To solve the mystery Pari will need to dig deep within herself to deal with the complex emotions the case uncovers.

Van Argan's enthralling debut novel Lurking on the Tightrope is full of surprising twists and revelations. It is the first book in the Pari Malik mystery series and can be read as a stand-alone story.