Fifteen years ago, Liss Kehoe's life changed forever when her husband's mistress, Ashley Hay, showed up at her door and handed Liss her son Callan. Then Ashley vanished and Liss stepped in as Callan's mother, willing to devote her life to his safety and well-being. Now, the aftermath of an accident leads to the discovery of a submerged car containing Ashley's remains. Testing reveals she was murdered. Readers can speculate all they want, but there is no clear suspect. With the exception of Callan and the current chief of police, almost any of the characters in this chilling story could be the murderer. How is this even possible?
One of the things I found fascinating about THE DEATH OF US by Lori Rader-Day is how well so many fraught relationships are depicted. Somehow, amidst the crumbling marriages, deeply buried secrets, and unanswered questions, life has still managed to go on in this small town. With the gruesome discovery of Ashley's body, the time has come for answers and for reasons of his own, one man is determined to find them.
THE DEATH OF US comes with a strong sense of foreboding with good reason. Shocking secrets and episodes of depravity are revealed and as for the unanswered questions, the answers are shocking, too. There are frightening moments and even more lives are threatened. Well plotted, readers never know what is going to happen next and that is what makes this story well worth reading. For those who want an engrossing psychological thriller, THE DEATH OF US is that story. Highly recommended.
From the award-winning author of Death at Greenway and The Lucky One comes a chilling suspense novel in which the discovery of a submerged car in a murky pond reveals betrayals and family secrets that will tear a small town apart.
One rainy night fifteen years ago, a knock at the door changed Liss Kehoe’s life forever.
On that night, Ashley Hay stood on Liss’s front porch and handed over her brand-new baby Callan.
She was never seen or heard from again.
Since then, Liss has raised Callan as her own, and loves him as fiercely as any mother would. But in the back of her mind, she’s always wondered whether Ashley is still out there somewhere—and feared what might happen if she comes back.
When Ashley does reappear, it’s not in the way Liss expected. After all these years, Ashley’s car has been found… in the quarry pond on Kehoe property. But the discovery of the car dredges up more questions than answers. What really happened on the night of Ashley’s disappearance? Was it a tragic accident, or something far more sinister? Someone in town knows the truth, and they’ll go to great lengths to keep it quiet.
As tensions rise in the small community, Liss must fight to protect her family and keep her own secrets hidden—or risk losing everything she loves.
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