First published 2014
Helen West seeks tranquility in her new gated community. She finds a dead woman instead, buried in a makeshift grave near her house. The corpse belongs to the wife of the developer who constructed their wealthy enclave. Helen draws on her prosecutorial experience and partners with detective Geoffrey Bailey to solve the killing. Their investigation peels back the polished veneer of suburban perfection. Manicured gardens hide ugly truths. Expensive houses shelter residents with murderous secrets. Neighbors attack each other with accusations. Trust evaporates as suspicion spreads. Helen and Geoffrey discover jealousy, illicit affairs, and lies woven throughout their community. The case forces them to suspect everyone, even those they called friends. Helen reconstructs the victim's last days and confronts a harsh reality. The most beautiful places often shelter the most deadly threats.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, detective
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-detective, small-town
Setting: Gated Community
240 pages · Paperback · William Morrow Paperbacks