In a small town burdened by its labels, sheriff's detective Nick Fourcade grapples with a gruesome murder while investigating the sudden disappearance of hometown hero Marc Mercier. Simultaneously, detective Annie Broussard, returning to work after a traumatic attack, takes on the case of B'Lynn Fontenot, whose son Robbie, a recovering addict, has gone missing. As both detectives delve into their cases, they uncover a web of deceit, jealousy, and hidden truths that intertwine their investigations, revealing the dark undercurrents of their community.
When Detective Nick Fourcade enters the home of Genevieve Gauthier outside the sleepy town of Bayou Breaux, Louisiana, the bloody crime scene that awaits him is both the most brutal and the most confusing he's ever seen. Genevieve's seven-year-old son, P.J., has been murdered by an alleged intruder, yet Genevieve is alive and well, a witness inexplicably left behind to tell the tale. There is no evidence of forced entry, not a clue that points to a motive. Meanwhile, Nick's wife, Detective Annie Broussard, sits in the emergency room with the grieving Genevieve. A mother herself, Annie understands the emotional devastation this woman is going through, but as a detective she's troubled by a story that makes little sense. Who would murder a child and leave the only witness behind? When the very next day P.J.'s sometimes babysitter, thirteen-year-old Nora Florette, is reported missing, the town is up in arms, fearing a maniac is preying on their children. With pressure mounting from a tough, no-nonsense new sheriff, the media, and the parents of Bayou Breaux, Nick and Annie dig deep into the dual mysteries. But sifting through Genevieve Gauthier's tangled web of lovers and sorting through a cast of local lowlifes brings more questions than answers. Is someone from Genevieve's past or present responsible for the death of her son? Is the missing teenager, Nora, a victim, or something worse? Then fingerprints at the scene change everything when they come back to a convicted criminal: Genevieve herself. The spotlight falls heavily on the grieving mother who is both victim and accused. Could she have killed her own child to free herself of the burden of motherhood, or is the loss of her beloved boy pushing her to the edge of insanity? Could she have something to do with the disappearance of Nora Florette, or is the troubled teenager the key to the murder? How far will Nick and Annie have to go to uncover the dark truth of the boy?
Tami Hoag returns to the bestselling series of her career with a Kovac and Liska case that will delight fans and new readers alike. It was a shocking crime. A middle-aged couple - hacked to death in their own home - with a samurai sword. Normal people. Who were they? And why were they targeted? It was a shocking crime. But it wasn't the first. Twenty years ago a policeman was murdered in his own back garden and the killer was never caught. One woman might link these mysteries. But she is being watched. Can Detectives Nikki Liska and Sam Kovac find her before it is too late? Suspense fiction doesn't get smarter than this. Taut, tense and terrifying, Hoag weaves a relentlessly thrilling tale which twists and turns with every page
#1 New York Times bestselling author Tami Hoag delivers a shocking new thriller...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 surviving 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 as dark as the heart of a killer, 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 and struggling against excruciating odds, Dana seeks out a truth that may prove too terrible to be believed..
Detective and mystery stories. Suspense fiction. The 3rd in a trilogy of crime novels, which can also be read as a standalone. Lauren Lawton and her daughter Leah move to a new town in the hope of a fresh start, 4 years after Lauren's older daughter disappeared. But is her younger daughter now in danger? 'Hoag's books should come with a health warning. Too much tension and suspense can cause heart problems.' Guardian.
A woman lies on her kitchen floor, lacerated and naked. A four-year-old girl rests her head on the woman's bloody shoulder. A whisper hangs in the air: My daddy hurt my mummy¿ With a clue like that, finding the perpetrator should be easy. But nobody knows who Haley's daddy is and she won't say a word about it. Anne Leone, a child advocate, realises that unravelling the child's secrets will be difficult. But no one knows just how difficult. As FBI profiler Vince Leone begins to build up a picture of the killer he has one huge problem. Despite being well-known in her small town, Haley's mother seems never to have officially existed¿
Reilly's Return explores the journey of a woman in search of sanctuary and stability as she reconnects with a man who embraces a riskier lifestyle. This classic novel delves into themes of love, personal growth, and the contrasts between safety and adventure, showcasing the complexities of their relationship as they navigate their differing worlds.
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Tami Hoag comes a classic novel of mismatched lovers who give a whole new meaning to the phrase “Fake it till you make it.” Sensible corporate lawyer Alaina Montgomery has been frustrating her matchmaking friends for years. But this time they’ve really tried to set her up with the wrong guy: Dylan Harrison, a free-spirited single dad who runs a ramshackle bar and bait shop. Appropriately enough, she meets him on the way to a science-fiction-themed masquerade party. When cops mistake the costumed pair for a lady of the evening and her client, Alaina and Dylan end up in jail together. And soon they hatch a plan to foil the matchmakers once and for all by pretending to be a couple. What begins as a good-natured ruse quickly blossoms into a real romance, as these two polar opposites discover that desire can’t be so easily disguised.
On the damp, leaf-strewn ground a gruesome trophy is displayed. It's a young woman. Although her battered body has been buried, her head is propped on a stone like an offering, her mouth and eyes glued shut, her eardrums destroyed. This killer has struck this peaceful town before - and the savagery he inflicts on his victims is increasing. Vince Leone, a pioneering FBI profiler, is called in to try to unlock the mind of the killer - a strategy that pulls him deep into the devastated community. Suspicions thicken, secrets spill out and reputations shatter as Vince draws ever nearer to evil.
