First published 2018
Virginia Troy runs a Seattle art gallery while carrying scars from her childhood in a cult. A fire destroyed the compound years ago, killing her mother and other members. Now one of Virginia's artists has killed herself by jumping into the sea. Before her death, the painter sent Virginia a disturbing canvas filled with fiery, nightmarish images. The artwork makes Virginia question whether the artist really committed suicide. The painting also forces her to confront buried memories of that long-ago fire. Private investigator Cabot Sutter survived the same cult fire as a child. Virginia turns to him for help decoding the mysterious artwork. As they dig deeper into the painting's meaning, someone begins targeting Virginia. The threat suggests she possesses dangerous knowledge about their shared past. Working together, Virginia and Cabot uncover clues that lead them back to the cult's dark history. Their investigation reveals that one man from their childhood still holds power over their lives and threatens everything they value.
Genres: suspense, mystery, contemporary, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, shared-past
Setting: Seattle
Period: contemporary
336 pages · Paperback · Piatkus Books
Content warnings: abuse, child-abuse