First published 2013
Dana Cutler returns to Virginia empty-handed after chasing a stolen Ottoman gold scepter across the Pacific Northwest. She walks straight into the Blair murder case. Horace Blair stands accused of killing his wife Carrie just days before their tenth wedding anniversary would have triggered a twenty million dollar payout from their prenuptial agreement. The millionaire has hired Charles Benedict, a magnetic defense attorney who moonlights as both an amateur magician and a professional killer. Benedict orchestrated the entire scheme, framing Blair for a murder that serves as his most elaborate illusion yet. Cutler sees through the deception but faces a cunning adversary who combines legal brilliance with lethal skills. Benedict has crafted what appears to be the perfect crime, complete with motive, opportunity, and a wealthy defendant. Cutler must outmaneuver a psychopath who kills for money while maintaining his respectable public facade. The case becomes personal as Benedict turns his deadly attention toward the investigator threatening to expose his plot.
Genres: crime, action, mystery-thriller, legal-thriller
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: cat-and-mouse, enemies-to-lovers
Setting: Virginia, Pacific Northwest
Period: Contemporary
312 pages · Hardcover · Harper
Content warnings: violence