The girl trips over branches, losing her footing. The darkness swallows her and she grabs thin air as she falls, her scream piercing the night. When she slams into the bottom of the pit, her heart hammers. She can't believe what she's seeing-a pile of perfect white bones...

In the small town of Crooked Creek, where the Appalachian Mountains climb into the clouds, nineteen-year-old Mandy's Spring Break takes a sinister turn. Detective Ellie Reeves races straight to the scene, driving through the winding roads to the abandoned orphanage.

Ellie saves the teenage girl but discovers human remains that have been there for thirty years, ever since the home for children closed down. Her heart shatters at the thought that they might belong to the helpless orphans.

Working day and night on the case, Ellie searches for the orphanage's files, but they have been stolen-somebody is clearly trying to cover their tracks. As she interviews the residents of the mountain community, Ellie finds out that almost everyone connected to the children's home has disappeared.

Then a woman is found dead, her body marked with a strange symbol. When Ellie learns that the victim used to work at the orphanage, it's clear that a twisted killer is trying to stop the truth coming out.

Ellie vows to solve this case that spans decades, and when her research into the meaning of the symbol leads her to a local business at the heart of recent controversy, she's on the right track. Can she bring the secrets to light before another innocent person is murdered? And when she gets too close to uncovering the truth, will she survive?

A totally gripping and pulse-pounding crime-thriller that will have you holding your breath as you race through the pages! Perfect for fans of Lisa Regan, Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh.

Readers absolutely love Rita Herron:

"WoW! WoW! WoW! What an absolutely mind-spinning, gripping story!... I had a really hard time putting my e-reader down to do my adult responsibilities." NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Omg omg omg... Man oh man, this book gripped me... This is edge-of-your-seat stuff... You won't get anything else done throughout the day as you can't put this book down... Amazing." NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"I was literally hooked ... So many twists and turns... I stayed up all night reading!... This book is unputdownable, giving you a rollercoaster ride with twists and turns you never would expect!" Tropical Girl Reads, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Wow!... I literally haven't been able to put this book down! This has completely gripped me and has been utterly impossible to put down." Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"This book was so damn good! I just couldn't put it down until I finished it!... Had me hooked right from the start... Amazing!!" Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Such a rollercoaster ride!... I was literally hooked... An unputdownable thriller!!!" @RubieReads, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐