"THE PRICE OF JADE," by Liz Hastings, Covenant Communications, $16.99, 261 pages (f)

Debut author Liz Hastings weaves a tale of mystery and suspense in “The Price of Jade.”

Matt Miller has planned a historical tour of Guatemala for his family. Matt served as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Guatemala and returns frequently with his work as a gem trader. Matt gets caught up at work and is unable to leave the United States with his family.

He sends his daughter, Melissa, and his wife, Cathy, ahead of him on the tour. His plan is to meet up with them as soon as he can.

Tragedy strikes on the first day of their dream vacation. Melissa disappears. Cathy is given the runaround by local government authorities, who say that Melissa is a runaway. Cathy knows better. A determined Cathy sets out to find her daughter without their help.

Matt drops everything and immediately flies out to aid in the search. Using his connections both from his mission and his business dealings, the search continues. Some of these characters have subplots that develop as the story moves on.

Hastings interweaves historical events with modern times and switches the point of view between several characters. This technique creates an enjoyable journey as the reader connects with several of the characters and learns about the political unrest and history of the country of Guatemala. Hastings explores themes, including family, faith and forgiveness.

While geared toward a Latter-day Saint audience with frequent references to church practices, the book could easily appeal to a wider audience.

"The Price of Jade" contains no swearing but does reference acts of war, including rape and murder, though they aren't described in detail. There are some intense scenes, as well as human-on-human and animal-on-human violence.