When DCI Jane Hacker learns that her mother is terminally ill, she ups sticks and returns to her hometown to care for her. She is determined to give her a good death, despite their turbulent relationship. But no sooner is Jane back in Burnley than she gets pulled into a disturbing and dangerous case. Jane intuits that a spate of recent suicides is actually the handiwork of a devious serial killer. All of the suspects in the case are steeped in death because of their jobs - abattoir worker, hospice nurse, local priest. Is it possible that this regular exposure has made them inured to death? Or even addicted to it?

Autorentext

M.J. Arlidge has worked in television for the last twenty years, specialising in high-end drama production, including prime-time crime serials Silent Witness, Torn, The Little House and, most recently, the hit ITV show Innocent. In 2015 his audiobook exclusive Six Degrees of Assassination was a number-one bestseller. His debut thriller, Eeny Meeny, was the UK's bestselling crime debut of 2014 and has been followed by ten more DI Helen Grace thrillers - all Sunday Times bestsellers.

Alex Khan has spent over a decade working in Information Systems Security for a number of government organisations, and is currently specialising in Terrorism Studies. A lifetime passion for writing was sparked by the encouraging words of an English Teacher in school, and eventually led to Alex successfully completing an MA in Creative Writing. His debut, UNTIL DEATH, was described by multi-million-copy bestselling Angela Marsons as 'brilliantly original'.

Klappentext

The Lancashire town of Burnley is a typical British melting pot. Where drugs, violence and human trafficking rub shoulders with grand houses and rolling moors... and now two people have been found dead - are they suicides or is there something darker lurking in this community?

DI Jane Hacker grew up in Burnley but fled to London after the death of her teenage brother. Now, she's back caring for her sick mother and heading up a crime unit that doesn't trust her instincts.

It's time Jane finally faces up to the truth of the town's past and present to track down a sadistic killer, before it is too late.

Zusammenfassung
The gripping and emotional new standalone thriller from MJ Arlidge, writing in partnership with Alex Khan