“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.

Recommended to book clubs by 0 of 0 members.