- Table View
- List View
A Cold Christmas (Police Chief Susan Wren Mysteries)
by Charlene Weir...roasting on an open fire... It's a frigid December in Hampstead, Kansas, and as if the bitter chill isn't bad enough--the flu has taken out half of police chief Susan Wren's force. As she wrestles with a new job offer from her old San Francisco precinct, her silent prayers that the weather will put a freeze on crime are dashed when the body of a repairman is found stuffed in a basement furnace of struggling single mom Caley James. Though his head is burned beyond recognition, the identification found in the victim's wallet leads to a few dark surprises--and a disturbing connection to Caley's ex-husband. As the holiday blues, job indecision...and a deepening mystery with no shortage of suspects make the season more murderous than merry, Susan must harness all her street smarts to pull off her own Christmas miracle....
Cold Clay (Shady Hollow series)
by Juneau BlackA MURDER TO SOLVE. A REPORTER ON THE CASE.CRIMES OF THE PAST WON'T STAY BURIED . . .In the woodland community of Shady Hollow, you'll discover a secret. Moose and mice, owls and bears live side by side in civilised harmony. The town has a coffee shop and a bookshop, a haberdasher and a bank. Life is peaceful, until a skeleton is found buried deep under an apple tree. Danger has returned to Shady Hollow.Ace reporter Vera Vixen only wants a good news story as harvest time arrives with the promise of glorious feasts ahead. But the discovery of the body casts a darker shadow. Soon enough, the coffeeshop's owner is being dragged down to the police station. Vera can't believe gentle Joe the moose is a killer. To get to the bottom of the matter, she will have to dig into the secrets her neighbours would rather leave buried forever . . .Entertaining and perceptive, Cold Clay is fast-paced and witty, with characters that jump off the page and a hugely satisfying mystery to solve. Once you've met the residents of ShadyHollow, you won't forget them.
Cold Clay: Shady Hollow 2 - a cosy crime series of rare and sinister charm (Shady Hollow series)
by Juneau BlackThink Agatha Christie meets Beatrix Potter, but the animals have moved beyond Mr MacGregor's vegetable patch to a place much more sinister . . .A MURDER TO SOLVE. A REPORTER ON THE CASE.CRIMES OF THE PAST WON'T STAY BURIED . . .In the woodland community of Shady Hollow, you'll discover a secret. Moose and mice, owls and bears live side by side in civilised harmony. The town has a coffee shop and a bookshop, a haberdasher and a bank. Life is peaceful, until a skeleton is found buried deep under an apple tree. Danger has returned to Shady Hollow.Ace reporter Vera Vixen only wants a good news story as harvest time arrives with the promise of glorious feasts ahead. But the discovery of the body casts a darker shadow. Soon enough, the coffeeshop's owner is being dragged down to the police station. Vera can't believe gentle Joe the moose is a killer. To get to the bottom of the matter, she will have to dig into the secrets her neighbours would rather leave buried forever . . .Entertaining and perceptive, Cold Clay is fast-paced and witty, with characters that jump to life and a hugely satisfying mystery to solve. Once you've met the residents of Shady Hollow, you won't forget them.(P) 2022 Penguin Audio
Cold Clay: A Shady Hollow Mystery (A Shady Hollow Mystery #2)
by Juneau BlackThe second book in the Shady Hollow series, in which some long-buried secrets come to light, throwing suspicion on a beloved local denizen.It's autumn in Shady Hollow, and residents are looking forward to harvest feasts. But then a rabbit discovers a grisly crop: the bones of a moose. Soon, the owner of Joe's Mug is dragged out of the coffeeshop and questioned by the police about the night his wife walked out of his life—and Shady Hollow—forever. It seems like an open-and-shut case, but dogged reporter Vera Vixen doesn't believe gentle Joe is a killer. She'll do anything to prove his innocence ... even if it means digging into secrets her neighbors would rather leave buried. A VINTAGE CRIME/BLACK LIZARD ORIGINAL.
Cold, Cold Bones (A Temperance Brennan Novel #21)
by Kathy Reichs#1 New York Times bestselling author Kathy Reichs returns with her twenty-first taut novel of suspense featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan who, after receiving a box with a human eyeball in it, uncovers a series of ever more grisly killings eerily reenacting the most shocking of her prior cases.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 humor. But as the two infiltrate a bizarre survivalist&’s lair, even Skinny&’s mood darkens. And then Tempe&’s daughter Katy disappears. At its core, Cold, Cold Bones is a novel of revenge and why revisiting the past may be the only way to rescue the present.
Cold, Cold Bones: 'Kathy Reichs has written her masterpiece' (Michael Connelly) (A\temperance Brennan Novel Ser. #21)
by Kathy Reichs'This page-turning series never lets the reader down&’ HARLAN COBENIN A PROFESSION LIKE THIS, YOU'RE BOUND TO MAKE ENEMIES . . . An eye . . . It all starts when Dr Temperance Brennan finds a box on her porch. Inside is a fresh human eyeball with GPS coordinates etched into it. They lead her to a macabre discovery in a Benedictine Monastery, and soon after she discovers a mummified corpse in a state park. . . . for an eye There seems to be no pattern to these killings, except that each mimics a killing connected to something a younger Tempe experienced, or barely escaped. Someone is targeting her, and she needs to figure out why before they strike again. And then her daughter Katy disappears. Someone is playing a dangerous game with Tempe. And they won&’t stop until they have taken everything from her . . .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 'A thrilling read from one of my favorite writers' KARIN SLAUGHTER '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
Cold, Cold Bones (A Temperance Brennan Novel #21)
by Kathy Reichs#1 New York Times bestselling thriller writer Kathy Reichs returns with her twenty-first novel of suspense featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan who, after receiving a box containing a human eyeball, uncovers a series of gruesome killings eerily reenacting the most shocking of her prior cases. &‘Kathy Reichs has written her masterpiece&’ MICHAEL CONNELLY Winter has come to North Carolina and, with it, a drop in crime. Freed from a heavy work schedule, 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, 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 the subsequent killings uncovered, except that each mimics in some way a homicide that a younger Tempe had been called in to analyze. Who or what is targeting her, and why? Helping Tempe search for answers is detective Erskine &“Skinny&” Slidell, retired but still volunteering with the CMPD cold case unit—and still displaying his gallows humor. Also pulled into the mystery: Andrew Ryan, Tempe&’s Montreal-based beau, now working as a private detective. Could this elaborately staged skein of mayhem be the prelude to a twist that is even more shocking? Tempe is at a loss to establish the motive for what is going on…and then her daughter disappears. At its core, Cold, Cold Bones is a novel of revenge—one in which revisiting the past may prove the only way to unravel the present. Kathy Reichs&’s first novel Déjà Dead, published in 1997, won the Ellis Award for Best First Novel and was an international bestseller. Cold, Cold Bones is Kathy&’s twenty-first entry in her series featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan. Kathy was also a producer of Fox Television&’s longest running scripted drama, Bones, which was based on her work and her novels. One of very few forensic anthropologists certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology, Kathy divides her time between Charlotte, North Carolina, and Montreal, Québec. Visit her at KathyReichs.com or follow her on Twitter @KathyReichs.
Cold, Cold Bones (A Temperance Brennan Novel #21)
by Kathy Reichs&“Reichs has written her masterpiece—smart, scary, complicated, and engrossing.&” —Michael Connelly &“This page-turning series never lets the reader down.&” —Harlan Coben &“The crowning achievement of a master storyteller.&” —Nelson DeMille #1 New York Times bestselling thriller writer Kathy Reichs&’s twenty-first novel of suspense featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan who uncovers a series of gruesome killings eerily reenacting the most shocking of her prior cases.Winter has come to North Carolina and, with it, a drop in crime. Freed from a heavy work schedule, 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, 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 the subsequent killings uncovered, except that each mimics in some way a homicide that a younger Tempe had been called in to analyze. Who or what is targeting her, and why? Helping Tempe search for answers is detective Erskine &“Skinny&” Slidell, retired but still volunteering with the CMPD cold case unit—and still displaying his gallows humor. Also pulled into the mystery: Andrew Ryan, Tempe&’s Montreal-based beau, now working as a private detective. Could this elaborately staged skein of mayhem be the prelude to a twist that is even more shocking? Tempe is at a loss to establish the motive for what is going on…and then her daughter disappears. At its core, Cold, Cold Bones is a novel of revenge—one in which revisiting the past may prove the only way to unravel the present.
The Cold, Cold Ground: A Smashing Detective Story (Black Mask)
by Keith Alan Deutsch William Campbell GaultA singer is missing, and the man looking for her is about to find troubleMortimer Jones drives a Duesenberg, a behemoth of a car that seems to come from another era. Jones is the same way. In a city of tough guys, Jones has a soft touch. In a town of loudmouths, he is the rare PI who knows how to stay mum. When Flame Harlin goes missing, her aunt trusts no one but Jones to find her. Flame is a nightclub singer, with looks to spare and a smidgen of talent, and some of the town's deadliest men are hooked on her charm. Loving Flame Harlin is dangerous--and looking for her may be too.When another PI on the same case is killed, Jones gets cautious. Whether dead or alive, Flame Harlin does not want to be found.
Cold Cold Heart (Kovac & Liska)
by Tami HoagIn COLD COLD HEART, Tami Hoag - the Sunday Times bestselling author of A THIN DARK LINE - with the gripping follow-up to THE 9TH GIRL. Dana Nolan has escaped from notorious serial killer Doc Holliday. But can she ever be safe?She was the only one to make it out alive.Dana Nolan was a promising young TV reporter until she was kidnapped by a notorious serial killer. A year has passed since she survived the ordeal, but Dana is still physically, emotionally, and psychologically scarred.She thought it was over. In an attempt to put herself back together, Dana returns to her hometown. But it doesn't provide the comfort she expects: she struggles to recognize family and childhood friends and begins experiencing dark flashbacks. But she's not sure if they're truly memories or side effects of her brain injury.She was wrong.Dana decides to use her investigative skills to piece together her past and the event that made her become a reporter in the first place: the disappearance of her best friend, Casey Grant, the summer after high school graduation.But now, old friends seem to be suspects, authority figures part of a cover-up. Dana begins to question everything she knows. And is the truth really something too terrible to be believed?New York Times bestseller Tami Hoag takes the reader behind the picket fences of small-town America, she finds the most gruesome killers and twisted predators. Gripping to the end, and full of tension and suspense.
Cold Cold Heart (Kovac & Liska)
by Tami HoagIn COLD COLD HEART, Tami Hoag - the Sunday Times bestselling author of A THIN DARK LINE - with the gripping follow-up to THE 9TH GIRL. Dana Nolan has escaped from notorious serial killer Doc Holliday. But can she ever be safe?She was the only one to make it out alive.Dana Nolan was a promising young TV reporter until she was kidnapped by a notorious serial killer. A year has passed since she survived the ordeal, but Dana is still physically, emotionally, and psychologically scarred.She thought it was over. In an attempt to put herself back together, Dana returns to her hometown. But it doesn't provide the comfort she expects: she struggles to recognize family and childhood friends and begins experiencing dark flashbacks. But she's not sure if they're truly memories or side effects of her brain injury.She was wrong.Dana decides to use her investigative skills to piece together her past and the event that made her become a reporter in the first place: the disappearance of her best friend, Casey Grant, the summer after high school graduation.But now, old friends seem to be suspects, authority figures part of a cover-up. Dana begins to question everything she knows. And is the truth really something too terrible to be believed?
Cold Cold Heart
by Tami HoagA thrilling novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Tami Hoag, &“one of the most intense suspense writers around&” (Chicago Tribune).Dana Nolan was a promising young TV reporter until a notorious serial killer tried to add her to his list of victims. Nearly a year has passed since she survived her ordeal, but the physical, emotional, and psychological scars run deep. Struggling with the torment of post-traumatic stress syndrome, plagued by flashbacks and nightmares, Dana returns to her hometown in an attempt to begin to put her life back together. But home doesn&’t provide the comfort she expects.Dana&’s harrowing story and her return to small-town life have rekindled police and media interest in the unsolved case of her childhood best friend, Casey Grant, who disappeared without a trace the summer after their graduation from high school. Terrified of truths long buried, Dana reluctantly begins to look back at her past. Viewed through the dark filter of PTSD, old friends and loved ones become suspects and enemies. Questioning everything she knows, refusing to be defined by the traumas of her past, Dana seeks out a truth that may prove too terrible to be believed...
A Cold Cold Heart: A Stunning Thriller You Won't Want to Put Down (DI Gravel Books #3)
by John NichollA detective&’s hunt for a serial killer takes him unsettlingly close to home in this psychological thriller from the author of Portraits of the Dead.Detective Inspector Gareth Gravel couldn&’t be happier to have his daughter Emily home after finishing law school. Her company is a welcome respite from his latest case—hunting a vicious and demented serial killer. But when Emily accepts a job with the solicitor Charles Turner, Grav&’s work and home life merge in the most disturbing way possible. Emily has become the killer&’s latest obsession, and the madman will stop at nothing to make his grotesque fantasies come true. But as Grav&’s investigation uncovers more victims, the killer makes a bold attempt to derail his progress. Now it&’s up to Grav to catch a killer who is hiding in plain sight.
Cold, Cold Heart: A Short Story
by Karin SlaughterFirst comes love.Then comes marriage.Then comes revenge.In this sensational short story from the bestselling author of The Kept Woman and Pretty Girls, fifty-two-year-old Pam has done her utmost as a loyal wife to her now ex-husband John. He dropped her cruelly . . . but with a terminal illness about to claim his life, Pam now sees an opportunity to settle the score, in a way that no one--not their children, not her ex, and certainly not the reader--will see coming . . . Surprising, suspenseful, and diabolically clever, Cold, Cold Heart offers old fans and new readers alike a taste of the writer Gillian Flynn calls "one of the finest crime novelists at work today."
The Cold Cold Sea: page-turning crime drama full of suspense
by Linda Huber'I couldn't put it down. The Cold Cold Sea is gripping from the first page until the last... Highly recommended.' --Rebecca Muddiman'Breathtaking and utterly compelling... Linda's narrative voices are flawless and the rhythm of her prose is pitch perfect.' --Debi Alper'I could not put this novel down! Disturbing and compelling... a psychologically astute, edge-of-the-seat story.' --Hilary JohnsonThey stared at each other, and Maggie felt the tightness in her middle expand as it shifted, burning its way up... Painful sobs rose from her throat as Colin, his face expressionless now, reached for his mobile and dialled 999.When three-year-old Olivia disappears, her parents are overwhelmed with grief. Weeks go by and Olivia's mother refuses to leave the cottage, staring out at the turbulent sea and praying it didn't claim her precious daughter's life.Not far away, another mother watches proudly as her daughter starts school. Jennifer has loved Hailey for five years, but the child is suddenly moody and difficult, and there's a niggling worry of doubt that Jennifer cannot shake off. As she struggles to maintain control there are gaps in her story that even she can't explain.Time is running out for Maggie at the cottage, and also for Jennifer and Hailey. No-one can underestimate a mother's love for her child, and no-one can predict the lengths one will go to, to protect her family.A psychological page-turner, perfect for fans of Linda Green, Alex Marwood and Sophie Hannah
The Cold, Cold Shoulder (Pageturners)
by Anne SchraffFreddy Paine has disappeared! Suspecting foul play, two of his roommates begin to investigate. Why will no one help them? The manager of their boarding house brushes off the boys’ questions. Others just seem disinterested, until they find the body! Written specifically for struggling readers to explore genres, like mysteries and science fiction, these fast-paced books hold student interest until the last page. Questions at the end of each title promote cognitive development by making students think about vocabulary, comprehension, character, and plot.
Cold Comfort: A chilling and atmospheric crime thriller full of twists (A Sergeant Gunnhildur Novel #2)
by Quentin BatesFollowing her promotion and working now from Reykjavik, Gunnhildur is given responsibility for two cases - the first in tracking down an escaped convict who's keen to settle old scores, and the other, the murder of a TV fitness presenter in her city centre apartment. With the police short staffed and underfunded following the financial crash, Gunnhildur and her team set about delving into the backgrounds of both, where they uncover some unwelcome secrets and some influential friends of both who have no wish to be in the public eye.Set in an Iceland that is coming to terms with the deepening recession, Gunnhildur has to take stock of the whirlwind changes that have taken place as she investigates criminals at opposite ends of the social scale as some uncomfortable links appear between the two cases.
Cold Comfort: A chilling and atmospheric crime thriller full of twists (Gunnhildur Mystery #2)
by Quentin Bates'Superior crime fiction set in Iceland' The Times'As chilling as an Icelandic winter' S. J. BoltonFollowing her promotion and working now from Reykjavik, Gunnhildur is given responsibility for two cases - the first in tracking down an escaped convict who's keen to settle old scores, and the other, the murder of a TV fitness presenter in her city centre apartment.With the police short staffed and underfunded following the financial crash, Gunnhildur and her team set about delving into the backgrounds of both, where they uncover some unwelcome secrets and some influential friends of both who have no wish to be in the public eye.Set in an Iceland that is coming to terms with the deepening recession, Gunnhildur has to take stock of the whirlwind changes that have taken place as she investigates criminals at opposite ends of the social scale as some uncomfortable links appear between the two cases.The second dark and atmospheric thriller in Quentin Bates's Icelandic crime series. A chilling page-turner perfect for fans of Jo Nesbo, Henning Mankell and Søren Sveistrup's The Chestnut Man.Praise for Quentin Bates:'A great read - leaves you craving the next installment' Yrsa Sigurðardóttir'A perfect book to curl up with in front of the fire' The Bookbag'Well written and absorbing' Woman's Way'Captures the chilly spirit of Nordic crime fiction . . . Fans of Arnaldur Indridason's Reykjavík mysteries will want to add Bates to their reading lists' Booklist'[A] crackling fiction debut ... palpable authenticity' Publishers Weekly'A superb new series' Eurocrime
Cold Comfort (The Officer Gunnhildur Mysteries #2)
by Quentin BatesOfficer Gunnhildur, recently promoted from her post in rural Iceland to Reykjavík's Serious Crime Unit, is tasked with hunting down escaped convict Long Ommi, who has embarked on a spree of violent score-settling in and around the city. Meanwhile, she's also investigating the murder of a fitness guru in her own city-center apartment. As Gunna delves into the cases, she unearths some unwelcome secrets and influential friends shared by both guru and convict. Set in an Iceland plagued by an ongoing financial crisis, Gunna has to take stock of the whirlwind changes that have swept through the country--and the fact that at the highest levels of power, the system's endemic corruption still leads, inevitably, to murder.From the Hardcover edition.
Cold Comfort: A Detective Barry Gilbert Mystery (The Detective Barry Gilbert Mysteries #1)
by Scott MackayArthur Ellis Award finalist: A Toronto cop investigates the death of a politician’s stepdaughter in a novel “as crisp and snappy as a Canadian winter” (Kirkus Reviews). In the midst of a record-setting spell of frigid weather, the stepdaughter of a government official is found dead on a snow-swept harbor pier, and overworked and underpaid Detective Barry Gilbert is called to investigate. The Metropolitan Toronto Police Force is beset by threats of staff cuts, so their work is challenging enough. But this case involves some additional enigmas—like the question of why the victim’s pet parrot was also killed, or why the autopsy indicates that she froze to death before she was shot. So begins a treacherous trail of evidence that leads Gilbert to the coldest zones of the human heart, in this “excellent procedural” (Library Journal).
Cold Comfort
by Charles ToddIt's 1915, and the Great War is barely six months old. Lieutenant Ian Rutledge has left behind his career at Scotland Yard and is now serving in France. He's temporarily with the sappers--men digging underground tunnels toward the German lines to set off explosions under the enemy trenches. In his sector, Rutledge and his men set their charges and get out of the tunnel as fast as possible. But the charges don't go off. It's madness to go back down and find out why, but Rutledge and Private Williams volunteer. They barely make it back before the tunnel blows up. Rutledge suspects that two Welsh miners cut the fuse too long, even though they deny it.Then Williams confides to Rutledge that these same men, half brothers Taffy Jones and Aaron Lloyd, have tried before this to kill him. And they're determined enough to risk other men's lives as well. Rutledge discovers in the midst of a raging battle that murder has made its way to France, and he must find a way to prove it.
Cold Company
by Sue HenryMultiple award-winning author Sue Henry takes us into the heart of America's last frontier with a gripping tale of suspense set in a rugged land that appeals to the adventurous and strong ... and to those who are drawn to darkness. Famed Alaskan "musher" Jessie Arnold thinks she's finally put her dark past behind her. But the excavations on her new cabin unearth a decades-old skeleton entombed in a crumbling basement wall -- along with a butterfly pendant necklace worn by the alleged victim of a brutal serial slayer who preyed on area women twenty years earlier. Pulled once more into a murder investigation against her will, Jessie fears a grim, half-forgotten nightmare has been reborn. For, in this stark and lonely place, in the first days of the all-too-brief Alaskan summer, another woman has disappeared without a trace. The signs suggest the unthinkable: an insatiable human monster has returned. And the clues she's uncovering hint that Jessie Arnold may well be his next victim.
Cold Conspiracy: Risk Everything (the Risk Series: A Bree And Tanner Thriller) / Cold Conspiracy (eagle Mountain Murder Mystery: Winter Storm W) (Eagle Mountain Murder Mystery: Winter Storm Wedding #3)
by Cindi MyersThe body count is mounting.And a deputy is the killer’s next target.Capturing the Ice Cold Killer is the greatest challenge Eagle Mountain has ever seen. Thankfully, Deputy Jamie Douglas is determined to see justice done. Nate Hall is visiting for a wedding, and the vacationing lawman is more than willing to help. As a blizzard ravages the town, keeping everyone trapped with a killer, evidence begins to accumulate about a mysterious conspiracy. Can Jamie and Nate get to the truth before more innocent people wind up dead?
Cold Copper Tears (Garrett, P.I. #3)
by Glen CookShe was tall, blonde, and offering P.I. Garrett an irresistible fee to take a case that seemed open and shut. But in a town of elves and humans, thugs and swindlers, Garrett had learned to take a long, hard look before saying yes...
Cold Courage (Studio #1)
by Pekka HiltunenA gripping psychological thriller debut by award-winning Finnish author Pekka Hiltunen—skillfully paced, intense, and intelligentWhen Lia witnesses a disturbing scene on her way to work, she, like the rest of the city of London, is captivated and horrified. As details unfurl in the media, the brutal truth emerges—a Latvian prostitute has been killed, her body run over by a steamroller and then placed in the trunk of a car to be found. As the weeks pass and no leads are found, the news story dies, but Lia finds herself unable to forget. When she meets Mari, another Finn living in London, she thinks it fortuitous, but Mari has engineered the meeting for her own advantage. There is much more to Mari than meets the eye: she possesses an unnatural ability to "read" people, to see into their innermost thoughts and preempt their actions. Mari heads up a unit she calls the "Studio"—a group she employs made up of four disparate people: a hacker, a set designer, a private detective, and an actress. They are loyal to Mari, and she has bound them to her by granting them life-changing favors. When Lia shares the thoughts plaguing her about the murder, Mari thinks she and the members of the Studio can help where the police have failed. But Mari and Lia are about to set foot into extremely dangerous territory, especially as Mari is not above using the Studio to unscrupulous ends.