'An engrossing read that kept me guessing throughout’ Patricia Gibney

'Breathtaking… Had me guessing until the very end… Utterly compelling’ Rachel Lynch

'Razor-sharp thriller-writing… a gripping and emotional story that built to a shocking ending’ B P Walter

From the bestselling author of the DCI Matilda Darke series and Dr Olivia Winter series, comes a standalone thriller to keep you up all night!

A GRUESOME MURDER

Twenty years ago, a young girl vanished from a quiet street in Northumberland. When her body was found in an attic close to her home, the whole neighbourhood was shocked.

A DEVASTATING SECRET

For her entire life, Dawn Shephard has never known her father. But when news breaks that a murderer is about to be released from prison, her mother has no choice but to reveal his identity.

THE ORIGINS OF EVIL

As Dawn digs into her father’s history, she lands on a chilling connection. And the closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous it becomes. Just how far will she go to discover if a killer’s blood runs through her veins?

Praise for Michael Wood:

‘Guaranteed to chill the blood’ David Jackson

'Nobody is better at taking the reader on a skin-crawling journey into the psychotic mind of a serial killer!’ M. K. Hill

‘Michael Wood gets better with every book’ Alex Marwood

‘Chilling, unnerving [and] pacey’ John Marrs

‘I was hooked from the first page… mind-blowing’ Angela Marsons

‘A twisty, taut page turning thriller with a shock ending’ David Fennell

Michael Wood is a freelance journalist and proofreader living in Newcastle. As a journalist he covered many crime stories throughout Sheffield, gaining first-hand knowledge of police procedure. He also reviews books for CrimeSquad, a website dedicated to crime fiction.