Synopses & Reviews
#1 New York Times bestselling author Tami Hoag brings back her fan-favorite Minneapolis investigators Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska in the haunting new thriller The 9th Girl.
"Kovac had seen more dead bodies than he could count: Men, women, children; victims of shootings, stabbings, strangulations, beatings; fresh corpses and bodies that had been left for days in the trunks of cars in the dead of summer. But he had never seen anything quite like this . . . "
On a frigid New Year's Eve in Minneapolis a young woman's brutalized body falls from the trunk of a car into the path of oncoming traffic. Questions as to whether she was alive or dead when she hit the icy pavement result in her macabre nickname, Zombie Doe. Unidentified and unidentifiable, she is the ninth nameless female victim of the year, and homicide detectives Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska are charged with the task of not only finding out who Zombie Doe is, but who in her life hated her enough to destroy her. Was it personal, or could it just have been a crime of opportunity? Their greatest fear is that not only is she their ninth Jane Doe of the year, but that she may be the ninth victim of a vicious transient serial killer they have come to call Doc Holiday.
Crisscrossing America's heartland, Doc Holiday chooses his victims at random, snatching them in one city and leaving them in another, always on a holiday. If Zombie Doe is one of his, he has brought his gruesome game to a new and more terrifying level. But as Kovac and Liska begin to uncover the truth, they will find that the monsters in their ninth girl's life may have lived closer to home. And even as another young woman disappears, they have to ask the question: which is the greater evil--the devil you know or the devil you don't?
Review
“One of the most intense suspense writers around.” —
Chicago TribuneReview
“A mesmerizing psychological drama on loss, guilt, frustration and implacable, unexplainable evil.”
Kirkus, on
Down the Darkest RoadReview
“Newcomers will have no trouble getting into this suspense novel rich in pre-DNA detecting methods.” —
Publishers Weekly “…the story zooms along to a satisfyingly creepy conclusion.” — USA Today
Review
“…the story zooms along to a satisfyingly creepy conclusion.” —
USA Today on
Secrets to the GraveReview
“Once again, bestselling Hoag plots craftily and creates characters readers root for.”—
Kirkus Reviews (Starred)
on
Deeper than the DeadReview
“The chilling premise and exciting twists make Hoag's latest a thriller in every sense of the word. Guaranteed to be in high demand.”—
Booklist on
Deeper than the DeadReview
“Stunning…Here [Hoag] stands above the competition, creating complex characters who evolve more than those in most thrillers. The breathtaking plot twists are perfectly paced in this compulsive page-turner.” —
Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Review
Praise for
Down the Darkest Road:
“A mesmerizing psychological drama on loss, guilt, frustration and implacable, unexplainable evil.” - Kirkus
“Hoag keeps tight control over her plot in this book, raising the tension with every page that turns. She knows her characters, both good and bad, and intensifies the conflict in the most absorbing way. Not every writer of suspense can manage it so successfully, but Hoag does it from beginning to end.” —Huffington Post
Review
Praise for THE 9TH GIRL
“Hoags prose is martial-arts quick and precise, her humor is high-voltage, and her insights into the misery of high school, the toxicity of divorce, and the extreme psychosis of a serial killer are knowing and thought-provoking…one of her very best.” - Booklist
"The 9th Girl...is cannily plotted and peppered with some of the sharpest dialogue in the business." - Entertainment Weekly
"Outstanding! Tami Hoag continues to set the standard for excellence in her genre." - Suspense Magazine
"Gripping"- Publishers Weekly
Review
“Once again, bestselling Hoag plots craftily and creates characters readers root for.”—
Kirkus Reviews (Starred)
"The chilling premise and exciting twists make Hoag's thriller in every sense of the word. Guaranteed to be in high demand" - Booklist
Review
Praise for The 9th Girl “Cannily plotted and peppered with some of the sharpest dialogue in the business.”—Entertainment Weekly (A-)
“Thought-provoking.”—Booklist
“A smartly written one-day read.”—Suspense Magazine
“A gripping plot.”—South Florida Sun-Sentinel
And for Tami Hoag
“One of the most intense suspense writers around.”—Chicago Tribune
“One of the hottest names in the suspense game.”—People
“Ms. Hoag knows how to take her readers on a frightening ride.”—New York Journal of Books
“Hard to put down.”—The Washington Post
“A snappy, scary thriller.”—Entertainment Weekly
“A chilling thriller with a romantic chaser.”—New York Daily News
“Leave[s] the reader panting and turning the pages as fast as possible.”—The Boston Globe
“[A] no-holds-barred, page-turning thriller.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer
“Slick and satisfying.”—The Cleveland Plain Dealer
“An exciting page-turner.”—The Kansas City Star
Review
Praise for Cold Cold Heart “A top-notch psychological thriller.” -- Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Nobody writes about the psychological aspects of working in law enforcement better than Lisa Gardner.... She's written another thriller that will keep fans gasping while drawing new readers into the vivid psychological narrative."
— Associated Press on Fear Nothing
"In this strong addition to the series, Gardner retains her place on thrillerdom's top tier."
— Booklist (starred review) on Fear Nothing
"Her most intriguing and complex novel to date...Only an author as talented as Gardner could make the book so intensely satisfying."
— Huffington Post on Fear Nothing
"When it comes to delivering riveting, complex female protagonists, Gardner is in a class by herself."
— RT Book Reviews on Fear Nothing
"Gardner repeatedly ratchets up the tension."
— Publishers Weekly on Fear Nothing
“If you think Gardner pulled out all the stops in D.D.s previous cases...you aint seen nothing yet. Better fasten your seat belt for this roller-coaster ride through family hell.”
— Kirkus (starred review) on Fear Nothing
"Lisa Gardner delivers an intelligent, sophisticated, psychological thriller in her latest installment Fear Nothing...Gardner continues to show why she is on the short list of top thriller writers today."
— Suspense Magazine
"Lisa Gardner is her absolute best in Fear Nothing."
— Bookreporter.com
“Lisa Gardner, the master of the psychological thriller, has delivered another tour de force with Touch and Go...Gardner does an amazing job of creating realistic situations and characters with emotional resonance. The constant surprises will shock even the most jaded thriller reader.”
— Associated Press
“Returning home after a date night meant to repair their marriage, Justin and Libby Denbe are abducted along with their teenage daughter from their glamorous Boston townhouse, leaving cops with no motive or ransom demand. The suspense crackles as the Denbes grapple with their captors bewildering brutality. But what gives the story heart is Libbys dawning realization that her family may have been broken long before their kidnappers appeared.”
— People on Touch and Go
"[A] no-holds-barred stand-alone from Thriller Award-winner Gardner... The suspense builds as the action races to a spectacular conclusion and the unmasking of the plots mastermind."
—Publishers Weekly
“[A] thrill ride... Even readers who figure out the ringleader long before [Investigators] Tessa and Wyatt will get behind on their sleep turning pages to make sure they're right."
—Kirkus Reviews
"Gardners depiction of a woman in the midst of emotional chaos is spot on, as usual, and she proves herself just as capable when it comes to creating intriguing men. Readers will want to see more of Wyatt, just as they grew to appreciate Bobby Dodge in Gardners earlier books." —Booklist
“New York Times best-selling author Gardner always plays in the big leagues, but this scare-your-socks-off thriller is a grand slam, packed with enigmatic characters (some good, some crazily evil), expert procedural detail, and superb storytelling.”
— Library Journal on Catch Me
“Gardner has become one of the best psychological thriller writers in the business. The compelling characters, the shocking plot and the realistic atmosphere of how police operate make this a "must read" for any suspense aficionado.”
— Associated Press on Catch Me
“The creepy meter is off the charts—though not sensationalized—with children the target of physical, psychological, and sexual abuse at the hands of both strangers and parents. And, somehow, miraculously without any contrivance, Gardners conclusion delivers a welcome glimmer of hope.”
— Booklist (starred review) on Catch Me
“Gardners sixth Det. D.D. Warren thriller grabs from the get-go.”
— People on Catch Me
“Lisa Gardner is a writer who gets better and better with each new book...[Catch Me] is full of twists and turns, but best of all, it is filled with fascinating characters who come to life on her pages.”
— Huffington Post on Catch Me
“Irresistible.”
— Kirkus on Catch Me
Review
Praise for CRASH and BURN "This page-turner, with its contemporary, hard-edged flavor, is sure to satisfy Gardners ardent fan base."
-- Booklist
Synopsis
#1 New York Times bestselling author Tami Hoag returns with her second thriller in the Deeper than the Dead microseries, exploring the early days of forensic investigation, the characteristics of innocence-and the nature of evil. Marissa Fordham had a past full of secrets, a present full of lies. Everyone knew of her, but no one knew her.
When Marissa is found brutally murdered, with her young daughter, Haley, resting her head on her mother's bloody breast, she sends the idyllic California town of Oak Knoll into a tailspin. Already on edge with the upcoming trial of the See- No-Evil killer, residents are shocked by reports of the crime scene, which might not have been discovered for days had it not been for a chilling 911 call: a small child's voice saying, "My daddy hurt my mommy."
Sheriff's detective Tony Mendez faces a puzzle with nothing but pieces that won't fit. To assist with his witness, Haley, he calls teacher-turned-child advocate Anne Leone. Anne's life is hectic enough-she's a newlywed and a part- time student in child psychology, and she's the star witness in the See-No-Evil trial. But one look at Haley, alone and terrified, and Anne's heart is stolen.
As Tony and Anne begin to peel back the layers of Marissa Fordham's life, they find a clue fragment here, another there. And just when it seems Marissa has taken her secrets to the grave, they uncover a fact that puts Anne and Haley directly in the sights of a killer: Marissa Fordham never existed.
Synopsis
California, 1985-Four children and young teacher Anne Navarre make a gruesome discovery: a partially buried female body, her eyes and mouth glued shut. A serial killer is at large, and the very bonds that hold their idyllic town together are about to be tested. Tasked with finding the killer, FBI investigator Vince Leone employs a new and controversial FBI technique called "profiling", which plunges him into the lives of the four children-and the young teacher whose need to uncover the truth is as intense as his own. But as new victims are found, Vince and Anne find themselves circling the same small group of local suspects, blissfully unaware that someone very near to them is a murderous psychopath...
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Synopsis
Marissa Fordham is dead, but her daughter is found at the crime scene, injured but alive. Now sheriff's detective Tony Mendez and child advocate Anne Leone begin to peel back the layers of Marissa's life. And the shocking truth they discover puts them directly in the sights of a killer with a stunning secret to keep; because Marissa Fordham never existed...
Synopsis
#1 New York Times bestselling author Tami Hoag brings back her fan-favorite Minneapolis investigators Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska in the haunting new thriller The 9th Girl.
The ninth unidentified body to turn up in Minneapolis in 2012 is nicknamed Jane Doe 9. Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska take on the case and discover a shocking fact: This victim has been found without any identifiable characteristics, except for those that peg her as an adolescent girl. Before the investigation is through, the case will take the two detectives deep into the life and death of a teenage girl who wanted nothing more than to be “normal.” They will come perilously close to the bullies who tormented her, the twisted family dynamics that may have contributed to her death, and ultimately to the haunting details of a young love that just may hide the secret of Jane Doe 9’s terrible fate.
Synopsis
The #1 New York Times bestselling author joins the Dutton list with the thriller her millions of fans have been awaiting for two years.Tami Hoag is in a class by herself, beloved by readers and critic s alike, with more than 22 million copies of her books in print. With Hoag’s first novel for Dutton, she proves anew why the Chicago Tribune called her “one of the most intense suspense writers around.”
California, 1984. Three children, running in the woods behind their school, stumble upon a partially buried female body, eyes and mouth glued shut. Close behind the children is their teacher, Anne Navarre, shocked by this discovery and heartbroken as she witnesses the end of their innocence. What she doesn’t yet realize is that this will mark the end of innocence for an entire community, as the ties that bind families and friends are tested by secrets uncovered in the wake of a serial killer’s escalating activity.
Detective Tony Mendez, fresh from a law enforcement course at FBI headquarters, is charged with interpreting those now revealed secrets. He’s using a new technique—profiling—to develop a theory of the case, a strategy that pushes him ever deeper into the lives of the three children, and closer to the young teacher whose interest in recent events becomes as intense as his own.
As new victims are found and the media scrutiny of the investigation bears down on them, both Mendez and Navarre are unsure if those who suffer most are the victims themselves—or the family and friends of the killer, blissfully unaware that someone very close to them is a brutal, calculating psychopath.
Synopsis
#1 New York Times bestselling author Tami Hoag returns with her second thriller in the Deeper than the Dead microseries, exploring the early days of forensic investigation, the characteristics of innocence-and the nature of evil. Marissa Fordham had a past full of secrets, a present full of lies. Everyone knew of her, but no one knew her.
When Marissa is found brutally murdered, with her young daughter, Haley, resting her head on her mother's bloody breast, she sends the idyllic California town of Oak Knoll into a tailspin. Already on edge with the upcoming trial of the See- No-Evil killer, residents are shocked by reports of the crime scene, which might not have been discovered for days had it not been for a chilling 911 call: a small child's voice saying, "My daddy hurt my mommy."
Sheriff's detective Tony Mendez faces a puzzle with nothing but pieces that won't fit. To assist with his witness, Haley, he calls teacher-turned-child advocate Anne Leone. Anne's life is hectic enough-she's a newlywed and a part- time student in child psychology, and she's the star witness in the See-No-Evil trial. But one look at Haley, alone and terrified, and Anne's heart is stolen.
As Tony and Anne begin to peel back the layers of Marissa Fordham's life, they find a clue fragment here, another there. And just when it seems Marissa has taken her secrets to the grave, they uncover a fact that puts Anne and Haley directly in the sights of a killer: Marissa Fordham never existed.
Synopsis
The #1 New York Times bestselling author joins the Dutton list with the thriller her millions of fans have been awaiting for two years.Tami Hoag is in a class by herself, beloved by readers and critic s alike, with more than 22 million copies of her books in print. With Hoag’s first novel for Dutton, she proves anew why the Chicago Tribune called her “one of the most intense suspense writers around.”
California, 1984. Three children, running in the woods behind their school, stumble upon a partially buried female body, eyes and mouth glued shut. Close behind the children is their teacher, Anne Navarre, shocked by this discovery and heartbroken as she witnesses the end of their innocence. What she doesn’t yet realize is that this will mark the end of innocence for an entire community, as the ties that bind families and friends are tested by secrets uncovered in the wake of a serial killer’s escalating activity.
Detective Tony Mendez, fresh from a law enforcement course at FBI headquarters, is charged with interpreting those now revealed secrets. He’s using a new technique—profiling—to develop a theory of the case, a strategy that pushes him ever deeper into the lives of the three children, and closer to the young teacher whose interest in recent events becomes as intense as his own.
As new victims are found and the media scrutiny of the investigation bears down on them, both Mendez and Navarre are unsure if those who suffer most are the victims themselves—or the family and friends of the killer, blissfully unaware that someone very close to them is a brutal, calculating psychopath.
Synopsis
#1 New York Times bestselling author Tami Hoag brings back her fan-favorite Minneapolis investigators, Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska, in a haunting new thriller. On a frigid New Years Eve in Minneapolis, a young woman is found brutally murderedthe ninth so far this year in a string of grisly slayings. Homicide detectives Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska fear that its the work of a serial killer they call Doc Holiday, a transient who has brought his gruesome game to a new and more terrifying level. But as Kovac and Liska uncover the truth, they find that the monsters in the ninth girls life may live closer to home. And even as another young woman disappears, they have to ask the question: Which is the greater evilthe devil you know or the devil you dont?
Synopsis
The #1 New York Times bestselling authors latest stand-alone thriller, with a cameo by her fan-favorite character, Boston Detective D.D. Warren
My name is Nicky Frank. Except, most likely, it isnt.
Nicole Frank shouldnt have been able to survive the car accident, much less crawl up the steep ravine. Not in the dark, not in the rain, not with her injuries. But one thought allows her to defy the odds and flag down help: Vero.
Im looking for a little girl. I have to save her. Except, most likely, she doesnt exist.
Sergeant Wyatt Foster is frustrated when even the search dogs cant find any trace of the mysterious missing child. Until Nickys husband, Thomas, arrives with a host of shattering revelations: Nicole Frank suffers from a rare brain injury and the police shouldnt trust anything she says.
My husband claims hell do anything to save me. Except, most likely, he cant.
Who is Nicky Frank, and what happened the night her car sailed off the road? Was it a random accident or something more sinister given the womans lack of family and no close friends? The deeper Wyatt digs, the more concerned he becomes. Because it turns out, in the past few months, Nicky has suffered from more than one close accident. . . . In fact, it would appear someone very much wants her dead.
This is my life. Except, most likely, its not. Now watch me crash and burn.
About the Author
Tami Hoag is the #1 international bestselling author of more than thirty books. There are more than forty million copies of her books in print in more than thirty languages. Renowned for combining thrilling plots with character-driven suspense, Hoag first hit the New York Times bestseller list with Night Sins, and each of her books since has been a bestseller. She lives in Florida.