After her mother's savage murder, Kate Teague becomes the killer's next targetAsh falls on the cemetery like grey snow, blown in from a wildfire that burns a mile off. A crowd has turned out to watch Kate bury her mother, not because they loved her-nobody loved her-but out of curiosity. This town has never seen a murder so brutal. Suspecting a mugging gone wrong, the police comb the area for drug addicts. But then they find the rich old lady's purse, full of cash and credit cards. The purse surfaced on the beach of Kate's family home three days after the attack, which means the murderer is nearby-and heiress Kate appears to be the next target. After the first attempt on her life fails, Kate starts her own investigation. Everyone in town had a reason to hate her mother, but why would anybody try to kill Kate Teague? "Hornsby captures her setting and characters well, writes with panache, and maintains suspense with a smooth hand." -Library Journal "Hornsby gets better and better at her craft." -Publishers Weekly "Hornsby's style has grace and holding power." -Kirkus Reviews Wendy Hornsby (b. 1947) is the Edgar Award-winning creator of the Maggie MacGowen series. A native of Southern California, she became interested in writing at a young age and first found professional success in fourth grade, when an essay about summer camp won a local contest. Her first novel, No Harm, was published in 1987, but it wasn't until 1992 that Hornsby introduced her most famous character: Maggie MacGowen, documentarian and amateur sleuth. Hornsby has written seven MacGowen novels, most recently The Paramour's Daughter (2010), and the sprawling tales of murder and romance have won her widespread praise. For her closely observed depiction of the darker sides of Los Angeles, she is often compared to Raymond Chandler. Besides her novels, Hornsby has written dozens of short stories, some of which were collected in Nine Sons (2002). When she isn't writing, she teaches ancient and medieval history at Long Beach City College.