First published 2023
A desperate father contacts private detective Cormoran Strike when his son Will disappears into the Universal Humanitarian Church, a religious group operating from rural Norfolk. The organization presents itself as a peaceful movement working toward global betterment, but Strike uncovers something far more troubling beneath its charitable facade. Unexplained deaths shadow the group's history, and sinister currents run through its daily operations. Strike's partner Robin Ellacott makes a bold decision to infiltrate the cult directly. She travels to Norfolk and embeds herself among the members, living under false pretenses to locate Will and gather evidence. The mission pushes Robin into psychological territory she never anticipated. The cult's influence proves more dangerous and insidious than either detective expected, testing Robin's resilience and threatening to consume her completely as she struggles to maintain her cover while searching for the missing young man.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, infiltration, psychological-manipulation
Setting: Norfolk, Universal Humanitarian Church
960 pages · Hardcover · Mulholland Books
Content warnings: death