Fifteen years ago, he confessed to the murder of his wife and children.

As a teenager, Hayley DaSilva walked into a nightmare; discovering the bodies of her mother, twin brother, and friend all brutally slaughtered in her home… and her nine-year-old brother missing. Her father, Leonard DaSilva, confessed to the murders, but Ethan was never seen again.

He lied. But why?

Now, Hayley has fled her dreadful past in Thamespark - until the call from Detective Sebastian Locke. Little bones uncovered in a shallow grave belong to Ethan… and the investigation reveals holes in the case that prove Leonard’s confession was false. He didn’t kill his family. So why did he say he did?

As DI Locke and the squad realise that a killer has been hiding in plain sight in the sleepy commuter town of Thamespark, the previously cold case becomes an urgent investigation. But as the squad gets closer to the truth of who really murdered the DaSilvas, it becomes clear that the culprit won’t hesitate to spill blood to keep their shocking secrets hidden…

An absolutely unputdownable police procedural with a shocking twist, introducing Detective Sebastian Locke. Fans of Karin Slaughter, Cara Hunter and Sharon Bolton will love this.

'A fabulous introduction to DI Sebastian Locke...a new hero (and fictional crush!) is born. A cast of liars and cheats makes for a thrilling and tantalising tale. My heart broke with Ethan’s story and those little bones.' Sam Holland

‘A perfect blend of mystery and psychological thriller…Dramatically and emotionally stirring, the unearthing of buried trauma is so deftly handled whilst also providing edge-of-your-seat thrills.’ Dominic Nolan

Praise for NJ Mackay:

‘Cracking thriller and a great female protagonist.’ C.J. Tudor

‘I couldn’t put it down… a must read… Niki is brilliant and talented.’ Phoebe Morgan

‘A cracking read’ Harriet Tyce

‘Grips you from the first line through to the nail-biting conclusion.’ Victoria Selman

‘So well plotted that you’ll find yourself staying up reading half the night.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

‘Really brilliant read. Got straight into it from the first page - really kept you guessing right till the end.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

‘Brilliant book. Didn’t want to read it all in one go as I was enjoying it so much.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

‘Couldn’t put it down, such a good plot and the ending was totally mindblowing.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review