The Lemon Twist - Paperback

by Élan Les Vies (Author)

"My name...is Sam Sailor. Like the others...I am trapped here. And will die here."

In 1984, Iris Sailor's brutal fall on the ice unravels everything--her memory, doping secret, and figure skating career. Dumped by her coach/boyfriend and banned from competing, Iris finds herself utterly alone, wishing there was some way she could reconnect with her estranged sister, Sam.

When she returns home after her fall from grace, she finds an old postcard tucked alongside the rest of her mail. Strangely, the card advertising Nova Bay is postmarked September 14, 1981--the same day Sam disappeared. As she's about to chuck it in the trash, Iris realizes there's only one word scribbled on the back: HELP.

Tracing clues to a briny Northern California cove, Iris discovers a series of cassette tapes left behind by Sam, who narrates the story of her disappearance three years before. To uncover Sam's fate--and reclaim her own--Iris must piece together fractured memories and let go of the past before her sister and future are lost forever. But will she sink or swim under waves of crippling fear and dark family secrets?

Author Biography

Élan Les Vies is a Californian author of mysteries and thrillers. The recipient of ThrillerFest's 2026 Barbara Peters / Poisoned Pen Scholarship, his writing is shaped by the duality of his upbringing, split between a coastal suburb and a border reservation. He is also recognized by his stage name, The Coyote, for his cinematic 1960s sound and nostalgic Southwestern brand. Élan currently lives between San Diego and Paris, France, with his wife, Clémence, and his Australian Shepherd, Sam.