Synopses & Reviews
In this Edgar Allen Poe Award-winning novel, Irene Kelly is on the hunt for the body of a murder victim…with the killer as her guide: “a journey into the heart of darkness” (Los Angeles Times).For four long years, no one has known what became of Julia Sayre, since this mother of two disappeared. Despite Irene Kelly’s best efforts, until now only one person has known where to find Sayre: her killer. Nick Parrish, brilliant and sadistic, already faces the death penalty in a torture-murder case. Now he wants to cop a plea—life imprisonment in exchange for directing police to the isolated mountain grave where he buried Julia Sayre. The D.A. agrees to the deal and forms a specialized team of law enforcement and forensic experts to accompany Parrish on his grisly journey.
When the Sayres pressure the D.A. to include Irene on the expedition, their wishes are honored over the protests of the team. From the start, Parrish makes Irene the object of his unnerving attention. His knowing smile and relentless stares make her wonder if heavy chains, armed guards, and a protective search dog will be enough to keep him at bay. But Nick Parrish’s deadly plan to regain his freedom is already in motion, and Irene will need all her courage and ingenuity to remain the reporter—not the victim—in tomorrow’s headlines.
Review
Michale Connelly Gripping....compelling....Jan Burke doesn't come up for air until every detail is nailed down and the case is closed tight. She has created a richly detailed Southern California landscape where the buried past pulses beneath the crimes of the present, always waiting to erupt and drag us back.
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Los Angeles Times Ever since her auspicious debut, Jan Burke has raised the emotional ante with each succeeding book....Burke is a witty and resourceful writer.
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Clive Cussler Jan Burke weaves a spell of enchantment and chilling suspense.
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USA Today Burke weaves a compelling tale, delivered at a fast-paced clip. The suspense is high and the characters complex. Jan Burke is on the fast track.
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The Washington Post Intelligent and deftly paced thriller-cum-procedural...a first-rate series.
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James Ellroy Deft, witty, wise and very well crafted...should push Jan Burke to her rightful place at the top of the heap in the current bumper crop of women's crime writers.
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Kathy Reichs author of Déjà Dead An intricately plotted story with feisty, intelligent, and eminently likable characters.
Synopsis
In this Edgar Allen Poe Award winning novel, Irene Kelly is on the hunt for the body of a murder victim with the killer as her guide: a journey into the heart of darkness (Los Angeles Times).
Only one person knows where Julia Sayre is: her killer. Four years ago, the young mother of two disappeared, a story that soon became a personal mission for Irene Kelly. But the search for Julia proved fruitless. Now on death row for unimaginable acts of torture and murder, inmate Nick Parrish is plea-bargaining for a life sentence, promising to lead investigators and Irene into the dark isolation of the Sierra Nevadas, where they will discover what really happened to Julia Sayre. But Parrish has other terrifying secrets and plans, and now his deadly focus is on a new potential victim Irene Kelly."
Synopsis
Only one person knows where Julia Sayre is: her killer. Four years ago, the young mother of two disappeared, a story that soon became a personal mission for Irene Kelly. But the search for Julia proved fruitless. Now on death row for unimaginable acts of torture and murder, inmate Nick Parrish is plea-bargaining for a life sentence, promising to lead investigators—and Irene—into the dark isolation of the Sierra Nevadas, where they will discover what really happened to Julia Sayre. But Parrish has other terrifying secrets and plans, and now his deadly focus is on a new potential victim—Irene Kelly.
About the Author
National bestseller Jan Burke is the author of a dozen novels and a collection of short stories. Among the awards her work has garnered are Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar® for Best Novel, Malice Domestic’s Agatha Award, Mystery Readers International’s Macavity, and the RT Book Club’s Best Contemporary Mystery. She is the founder of the Crime Lab Project (CrimeLabProject.com) and is a member of the board of the California Forensic Science Institute. She lives in Southern California with her husband and two dogs. Learn more about her at JanBurke.com.