The timeline is post-Castro Cuba and Erica Stevens has just lost her father. She doesn't believe he died of a heart attack. She suspects he'd been murdered. Erica embarks on a whirlwind journey to find her father's killer. Though she's hindered by a past she can't escape, it's that mysterious past that fuels her determination. Her love/hate relationship with her fears only complicates her dangerous mission. Erica's life is soon plunged into chaos when she uncovers an illegal black market masterminded by Cuba's Secretary of Health and Human Services, a powerful and dangerous government official whom she vows to bring to justice. Her unflinching resolve may force her to expose her past to the one man she loves but has spent a lifetime pushing away. By Reason of Sanity combines suspense with juicy characters and plot twists and keeps you on edge right up to the shocking finale. This is Laurie Ellis's third mystery novel. As in her previous works, she captures the psychological underpinnings that make her characters so believable. Her extensive research and personal contacts provide added interest and historical footnotes to her novels. Among her various writing honors is the Katherine Anne Porter literary award received in 2002.