From a national bestselling author, an "intricate, suspense-filled" thriller featuring investigator Joe Gunther as he hunts chat rooms for a killer ( Publishers Weekly ). News travels fast in the small state of Vermont. In this tight-knit society, police officers and investigators maintain a kinship that transcends the boundaries of their jurisdictions. When an unidentified body is found in the town of Brattleboro, local police and the Vermont Bureau of Investigation both appear at the scene. But before investigator Joe Gunther gather evidence of murder, a family emergency sends him to his hometown, where the lives of his mother and brother have been threatened. Gunther reaches out to a network of police officers who know him only by name and reputation as he attempts to discover the source of this imminent danger. Meanwhile, his investigative team chases an elusive murderer who has no apparent ties to the victim. In a state that is more like a neighborhood community, secrets are difficult to keep, and it's sometimes impossible to know who can be trusted. Gunther soon finds himself opposing criminals more menacing than any he has ever encountered in order to save those he holds closest to his heart. Praise for Archer Mayor and the Joe Gunther series: "Mayor's skills are equal to the vigor of his imagination, and we take his word for every twist, every turn, every thunderbolt." ― The New Yorker "The writing is strong, with sharp social observations throughout. Gunther grows on you from novel to novel." ― Washington Post Book World "Archer Mayor's unassuming voice and down-to-earth style stamp his regional crime novels with a sense of integrity." ― The New York Times Book Review