Law professor Jennifer Bolton and her engineer husband, Phil, are the targets of a terrifying home invasion. She is forced to cooperate with her captors, unaware of their murderous agenda. Days later, Righteous ("a refined villain reminiscent of Die Hard's Hans Gruber" -- Kirkus Reviews) takes control of Essex State Prison, for a self-proclaimed "greater good." Newark police detective Ted Carson not only gets bested by the meticulous ringleader at the scene, but also finds he's been targeted himself, and becomes ensnared in a web of lies. Shocked by the growing body count and connections to the Boltons' kidnapping, Carson seems to lose ground with every new development. Righteous has even baffled the medical examiner and Forensics.
The killer's only misstep was provoking Jennifer Bolton, stirring her desire for vengeance. Her keen intellect and compelling insights steer Carson toward the most unlikely of suspects--and into a world she knows too well, a world only she can help him navigate. Carson's only choice is to risk everything to partner with her. As the rogue duo get closer to uncovering Righteous's identity, the danger to Bolton intensifies; as Carson grows more attracted to her, the weight of his lies takes a greater toll. Every line he's never crossed before starts to blur. Will his transgressions be worth it? Or will Righteous always stay one step ahead?