A fearless exploration of the line between mental illness and true evil, a place many thriller writers visit but without the kind of fearless insights Tawni] O Dell reveals in this powerful novel ("The New York Times Book Review").
Dr. Sheridan Doyle a fastidiously groomed and TV-friendly forensic psychologist is the go-to shrink for the Philadelphia District Attorney s office whenever a twisted killer s mind eludes other experts. But beneath his Armani pinstripes, he s still Danny Doyle, the awkward, terrified, bullied boy from a blue-collar mining family, plagued by panic attacks and haunted by the tragic death of his little sister and mental unraveling of his mother years ago.
Returning to a hometown grappling with its own ghosts, Danny finds a dead body at the infamous Lost Creek gallows where a band of rebellious Irish miners was once executed. Strangely, the body is connected to the wealthy family responsible for the miners deaths. Teaming up with veteran detective Rafe, a father-like figure from his youth, Danny in pursuit of a killer comes dangerously close to startling truths about his family, his past, and himself.
With poignant achingly beautiful prose ("San Diego Union") and rich, compassionate storytelling ("Entertainment Weekly"), O Dell weaves a masterful, thrilling tale reminiscent of Gillian Flynn s "Gone Girl," where the past and present collide to put Lost Creek s long-lived ghosts to bed."