FROM SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE TEMPERANCE BRENNAN SERIES Sometimes, revisiting the past is the only way to rescue the present . Winter has come to North Carolina and, with it, a drop in crime. For a while, temporarily idle forensic anthropologist Tempe Brennan is content to dote on her daughter Katy, finally returned to civilian life from the army. But when mother and daughter meet at Tempe's place one night for dinner, they find a box on the back porch. Inside: a very fresh human eyeball. GPS coordinates etched into the eyeball lead to a Benedictine Monastery where an equally macabre discovery awaits. Soon after, Tempe examines a mummified corpse in a state park, and her anxiety deepens. There seems to be no pattern to these random killings, except that each mimics in some way a killing that a younger Tempe witnessed, analyzed, or barely escaped.
Who or what is targeting her, and why? Helping Tempe discover the answers is Detective Erskine 'Skinny' Slidell, retired but still volunteering with the CMPD cold case unit - and still displaying his gallows humour. But as the two infiltrate a bizarre survivalist's lair, even Skinny's mood darkens. And then Tempe's daughter Katy disappears. Electrifying, heart-stopping and compulsive, this is Tempe's most personal and dangerous case yet . PRAISE FOR KATHY REICHS 'I await the next Kathy Reichs' thriller with the same anticipation I have for the new Lee Child or Patricia Cornwell' JAMES PATTERSON 'Over the course of twenty books, Kathy Reichs and Tempe Brennan have thrilled readers with pacey, mazey tales . We readers are truly grateful' IAN RANKIN 'Reichs, skilfully using the conventions of the mystery novel, forces the reader to face up to the obscene realities of death time and time again. At work and a play she gets under your skin' THE TIMES 'A thrilling read from one of my favorite writers' KARIN SLAUGHTER, #1 internationally bestselling author of The Last Widow and The Good Daughter 'One of the absolute best thrillers of the year! I can't recall when this many twists have been so masterfully woven into a novel.' JEFFERY DEAVER, #1 internationally bestseller author of The Bone Collector and The Never Game 'The Queen of forensic crime' EVENING STANDARD 'So many pulse-pounding twists and surprises--it kept me guessing till the end!' R.
L. STINE , bestselling author Goosebumps and Fear Street 'You will find it hard to put down' MARK BOWDEN, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Last Stone and Black Hawk Down.