by Ted Dekker
First published 2010
FBI Special Agent Brad Raines stares at another crime scene in Denver. A fourth beautiful woman lies dead with a bridal veil placed beside her body. The serial killer moves faster now, and Raines has no leads. He turns to the Center for Wellness and Intelligence, a psychiatric facility housing mentally ill patients with exceptional abilities. There he meets Paradise, a young woman who survived watching her father murder her family. Paradise has schizophrenia, but she also possesses something extraordinary. When she touches a dead body, she can experience that person's final moments. Raines asks for her help, and as he spends time with Paradise, he begins to question which side of the hospital walls holds true sanity. The killer accelerates his pace, crucifying his victims in ritualistic murders. When a beautiful forensic psychologist who works with Raines becomes the next target, the case turns personal. The FBI believes the Bride Collector plans to kill seven women total. Paradise may be the only person who can stop him before he completes his deadly mission.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, psychological-thriller
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Denver, Center for Wellness and Intelligence
Period: Contemporary
432 pages · Hardcover · Center Street
Content warnings: mental-illness, murder, violence