With shaking hands, she tells herself she can do this. There's nothing she won't do for her daughter. But will she ever forgive herself for what happens next? When a woman is brutally snatched from her home in broad daylight, DS Malkie McCulloch must race against time to find her before it's too late. The victim is a carer, mother and wife living a quiet life in rural Scotland. But someone wanted to hurt her badly enough to risk everything. As Malkie pieces together the scattered clues she left behind, the case takes a devastating turn. What started as a simple shoplifting incident has spiralled into something far more dangerous, connecting to the violent death of a local security guard and a web of secrets that threatens to destroy everyone it touches. With his personal life in turmoil – a newly discovered relative, a deepening relationship with fellow trauma survivor Deborah, and the haunting reopening of his mother's suspicious death – Malkie fights to stay focused on finding the victim alive. As winter temperatures plummet, his investigation reveals a story of family betrayal and desperate love that shows just how far a parent will go to protect their child… The fourth book in a gripping Scottish crime thriller series featuring DS Malkie McCulloch, a brilliantly complex detective who will risk everything to protect the innocent. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, JM Dalgliesh and JD Kirk.