First published 2017
Bart Hardin faces his most complex case yet when a killer strikes in the shadowy world of Times Square after dark. The murder expert must navigate the district's maze of neon-lit streets, seedy establishments, and dangerous characters as he pursues a cunning adversary who seems always one step ahead. The killer's methods reveal a twisted intelligence that challenges even Hardin's considerable skills at reading crime scenes and human nature. As bodies pile up and false leads multiply, Hardin realizes he's dealing with someone who understands the art of murder as well as he understands the science of detection. The investigation pulls him deeper into Times Square's nocturnal ecosystem, where tourists and locals, predators and prey, all move through the same electric-bright darkness. Each clue the killer leaves behind appears deliberate, part of an elaborate game that tests Hardin's reputation as an expert in violent death. The case becomes personal as Hardin discovers the murders follow a pattern that strikes at the heart of everything he believes about justice and human evil.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: cat-and-mouse, detective-story, serial-killer
Setting: Times Square
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
158 pages · Paperback · Wildside Press
Content warnings: graphic-violence, murder