First published 1997
On a windswept island off Ireland's west coast, locals whisper about Clement Ford. The mysterious recluse they call the Sea Wolf has grown unexpectedly generous with his neighbors, and everyone wonders why. One dark night, a stranger from Ford's past steps onto the island. By dawn, three people lie dead and Ford has vanished without a trace. Chief Superintendent Peter McGarr arrives to investigate the bloodbath. Working alongside his perceptive wife Noreen and his Murder Squad team, McGarr must reconstruct the violent night's events. The deeper he digs into Ford's background, the more questions surface. Ford's true identity remains shrouded in secrets, and his sudden disappearance suggests he possesses something valuable enough to kill for. McGarr faces a puzzle with deadly stakes: discovering who the Sea Wolf really is and what treasure or knowledge made him worth murdering three people to reach.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, suspenseful
Tropes: disappearance, investigation, mystery
Setting: Ireland, West Coast, Island
Period: 20th Century
304 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Avon
Content warnings: death, murder