First published 2015
The maternity ward at Brewster Hospital becomes a crime scene when nurses discover an infant missing from its crib and a snake coiled in its place. The small Rhode Island town erupts in fear and speculation. A brutal murder follows, the victim scalped in a savage attack that sends shockwaves through the community. Strange hippies have recently arrived in Brewster, and residents whisper about occult practices and devil worship. Coyotes prowl the streets at night, adding to the atmosphere of dread. When someone hangs a cat, the town descends into full panic mode. Neighbors eye each other with suspicion as theories multiply about who might be responsible for the escalating violence. The residents of Brewster must confront the possibility that evil has taken root in their quiet community, forcing them to question everything they thought they knew about their hometown and each other.
Genres: suspense, mystery, horror, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, suspenseful
Tropes: small-town-secrets, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Brewster, Rhode Island
Period: contemporary
544 pages · Paperback
Content warnings: gore, violence