First published 2025
FBI Special Agent Laurel Snow investigates a string of murders across the rural Pacific Northwest. The killer targets men with community ties, leaving their bodies near churches and charitable organizations with valentine candy hearts forced down their throats. The case becomes personal when Laurel discovers her unknown father, a former pastor, among the victims. She must uncover the truth about his past while tracking down his murderer. Her investigation grows more complex as her sociopathic half-sister Abigail manipulates the situation, determined to prove both sisters inherited their father's dark nature. Washington Fish and Wildlife Captain Huck Rivers assists Laurel despite their conflicting investigative styles. His instinct-driven approach clashes with her analytical methods. The killer begins targeting Huck's own secrets, placing both investigators in mortal danger. Laurel faces the challenge of solving multiple murders while confronting family secrets and protecting her partner from a predator who knows too much.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Pacific Northwest, Washington
Period: Contemporary
526 pages · Library Binding · Thorndike Press Large Print
Content warnings: murder, violence