Part of KEY News, book 8
First published 2005
Diane Mayfield brings her children and sister to Ocean Grove, New Jersey for what should be a working vacation. The KEY News correspondent plans to investigate teenage girls making false abduction claims for her television news magazine Hourglass. She secures an exclusive interview with a young woman who claims she was kidnapped and held captive for three days, though authorities dismissed her story. Just after Diane finishes taping, another girl vanishes from the coastal community. The small town, already suffering through extreme heat, descends into panic as residents fear for their safety. Police and Diane rely on the first victim as their only witness, searching desperately for clues about the perpetrator. The investigation becomes personal when Diane realizes the danger threatens not just the community but her own family. She must uncover the truth behind the disappearances before the predator strikes again, potentially targeting those closest to her.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: investigation, personal-stakes
Setting: New Jersey, Ocean Grove
Period: contemporary
352 pages · Hardcover · St. Martin's Press
Content warnings: kidnapping