Part of Alex Delaware, book 9
First published 2002
Dr. Alex Delaware rarely takes private patients these days, but Lucy Lowell presents an unusual case. Detective Milo Sturgis refers the young woman after she serves as a juror in a brutal serial killer trial. Lucy survived the courtroom ordeal, but now a recurring dream plagues her nights. She sees a child alone in dark woods, witnessing some secretive, disturbing act. The nightmare grows stronger each time, bleeding into her daily life and leaving her shaken. Delaware recognizes the signs. The dream carries too much emotional weight to be mere fantasy. Its vivid details and psychological grip suggest Lucy may be reliving a buried childhood memory. If Delaware is right, Lucy didn't just imagine a crime in the forest. She witnessed one. As the psychologist digs deeper into Lucy's past, he must help her confront the possibility that her mind has locked away the memory of murder. The investigation will test both doctor and patient as they uncover what Lucy's unconscious mind has been trying to tell her.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, psychological-thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: psychological-mystery, unreliable-narrator
528 pages · Paperback · Ballantine Books
Content warnings: murder, violence