First published 1997
Paul Madriani finds himself in an unusual position when the rural college town of Davenport, California erupts in violence. Four brutal murders shake the community within five days, all linked to the Putah Creek Killer. As special prosecutor, Madriani must secure a conviction against the prime suspect, a college security guard with mounting evidence against him. But his opponent, defense attorney Adrian Chambers, carries old grudges and a troubled history with Paul. The case grows more complex when two additional bodies surface. These final murders show different patterns that trouble Madriani. He begins to suspect a second killer walks free while he prosecutes the first. During the trial, Madriani must juggle competing demands: convicting one murderer while identifying another who remains at large. The deeper he digs, the more disturbing the truth becomes, reaching far beyond what anyone in Davenport anticipated.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, legal-thriller
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: California, Davenport
Period: 21st-century
399 pages · Hardcover · Círculo de Lectores
Content warnings: violence