Phoenix detective Veranda Cruz’s pursuit of justice and revenge pits her against her most lethal adversary yet in a gripping thriller by the bestselling author of The Cipher.

An explosion at a storage unit in Phoenix nearly kills Detective Veranda Cruz and her team. Evidence at the scene points to the Villalobos crime family’s most feared enforcer, Salazar. But he’s not the only one who wants Veranda dead.

Daria Villalobos is determined to inherit her father’s criminal empire. She’ll crush anyone who gets in her way, including members of her own family. To prove she’s ready to take the reins, Daria intends to scorch the earth under Veranda’s feet. Nothing is off limits as Daria sets out to destroy everything and everyone Veranda holds dear.

With two killers after her, Veranda will have to be every bit as cunning and ruthless as they are. Is the enemy of her enemy her friend or have Salazar and Daria combined forces to lure her into a deadly trap?

Revised edition: This edition of Death Blow includes editorial revisions.

<p>Isabella Maldonado is an award-winning international and <i>Wall Street Journal</i> bestselling author whose books are published in twenty-five languages. Her work includes the Nina Guerrera series, the Daniela Vega series, the Veranda Cruz series, and the Sanchez &amp; Heron series with <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author Jeffery Deaver.</p><p>Isabella wore a gun and badge in real life before turning to crime writing. A graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico and the first Latina to attain the rank of captain in the Fairfax County Police Department near the nation’s capital, she retired as the Commander of Special Investigations and Forensics. During more than two decades on the force, her assignments included hostage negotiator, department spokesperson, and precinct commander. After retiring, Isabella moved to Phoenix, where she began her second career as a novelist, using her law enforcement background to bring a realistic edge to her writing. For more information, visit www.isabellamaldonado.com.</p>