Oak Knoll is still recovering from the rampage of a serial killer when a year later, violence rocks the town again. Marissa Fordham, a young single mother and artist, who was apparently liked by everyone in the community, is viciously stabbed to death. The only witness is her four-year-old daughter, Haley, who was found at the scene, nearly dead herself from someone's attempt to choke her.

Law enforcement officials, already working full time to prepare for the upcoming trial of the See-No-Evil killer, start a new investigation. Tony Mendez, the sheriff's detective, calls upon his mentor, Vince Leone, a former star FBI profiler, for help once again. Vince has been in Oak Knoll not only to help with trial preparations but also because he fell in love with Anne Navarre, a school teacher who was nearly a victim of the serial killer. Still dealing with the emotional aftermath, Anne immediately bonds with Haley as a fellow survivor, insisting on caring for her until Marissa's relatives can be located. But as investigators delve into Marissa's life, they discover she wasn't who she claimed to be and Haley might not even be her daughter. Meanwhile, a killer once again roams the streets of Oak Knoll...

Few writers do thrillers as well as Tami Hoag. This book, the second in a "microseries," is set in the 1980s (as was the first, DEEPER THAN THE DEAD), which offers an intriguing slant on "old-fashioned" police methods, before technology such as DNA testing, cell phones and computers became commonplace. Anne's bonding with Haley provides some quieter, gentler moments in what can be a pretty brutal story at times, and obviously the involvement of such a young child raises the stakes for everyone. My only quibble was a side plot that seemed like overkill (no pun intended), and I felt it took away from my enjoyment of the main story. However, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a gritty, suspenseful mystery with interesting characters and superb plotting.