by Andrew Gross
First published 2011
Jay Erlich receives devastating news. His nephew has been discovered dead at the bottom of a cliff at Morrow Bay. The death appears to be suicide, but Jay grows suspicious as buried secrets surface. His older brother Charlie lived a troubled past in California during the 1960s, falling under the influence of a dangerous cult leader. That encounter destroyed lives and left Charlie scarred for decades. Charlie eventually married and raised a family, living quietly away from his dark history. Now Jay travels west to support his grieving brother and investigate the circumstances of his nephew's death. His search pulls him deep into Charlie's hidden past and toward a chilling possibility that the death was not suicide at all. Jay risks his own safety and family to uncover the truth. His investigation leads him toward a notorious killer who spent decades in prison and may have reached beyond bars to claim another victim. The quest forces both brothers to confront the demons that divided them years ago.
Genres: fiction, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: California, Morrow Bay
Period: 1960s
340 pages · Hardcover · William Morrow
Content warnings: abuse, violence