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.
#1 New York Times bestselling author Tami Hoag returns with her second thriller in the Deeper than the Dead microseries, exploring the early days of forensic investigation, the characteristics of innocence-and the nature of evil.
Marissa Fordham had a past full of secrets, a present full of lies. Everyone knew of her, but no one knew her.
When Marissa is found brutally murdered, with her young daughter, Haley, resting her head on her mother's bloody breast, she sends the idyllic California town of Oak Knoll into a tailspin. Already on edge with the upcoming trial of the See- No-Evil killer, residents are shocked by reports of the crime scene, which might not have been discovered for days had it not been for a chilling 911 call: a small child's voice saying, "My daddy hurt my mommy."
Sheriff's detective Tony Mendez faces a puzzle with nothing but pieces that won't fit. To assist with his witness, Haley, he calls teacher-turned-child advocate Anne Leone. Anne's life is hectic enough, she's a newlywed and a part-time student in child psychology, and she's the star witness in the See-No-Evil trial. But one look at Haley, alone and terrified, and Anne's heart is stolen.
As Tony and Anne begin to peel back the layers of Marissa Fordham's life, they find a clue fragment here, another there. And just when it seems Marissa has taken her secrets to the grave, they uncover a fact that puts Anne and Haley directly in the sights of a killer: Marissa Fordham never existed.
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