In her work as a researcher, Brodie Farrell is used to finding things – her agency specialises in tracking down the weird and the wonderful for clients who have exhausted all the usual options.  Her only stipulation is that she never looks for people: bitter experience has taught her that the consequences of her actions may never justify the fee. Asked to locate the whereabouts of a missing relative, Brodie’s first instinct is to turn down the request out of hand.  However, this matter has been referred to her by Superintendent Jack Deacon, a man whose judgement Brodie trusts and admires.

The details of the case are tragic and shocking.  Two young girls have been abandoned, and without a guardian they will be taken into care.  The girls’ mother has been brutally stabbed to death after their father discovered the evidence of her latest affair with a young farm-hand.  Although missing, there is little doubt of his guilt.  If Brodie can find their estranged aunt and persuade her to care for her nieces then the future of Juanita and Emerald will be more secure.  In the short-term, Brodie’s friend Daniel Hood agrees to act as tutor for the girls.

As Jack Deacon tracks the missing father and Brodie sets about finding the aunt, Daniel uses his skills not just as a schooteacher but as the survivor of an equally horrific situation to befriend the two sisters and help them deal with their grief.  But when the autopsy report throws up some unexpected results and an intruder breaks into the family home in the dead of night, Brodie realises that tracking a missing aunt is the least of her worries.  Concerned for Daniel and the girls, she begins to uncover some disturbing mysteries that set her on a very dangerous path indeed…

‘a disturbing case of mayhem in the wilds of Ulster’ Publishers Weekly

‘Spooky, sinister and suspenseful, Bannister’s latest is a stunning psychological thriller that will keep readers guessing from page one. … White-knuckled suspense, startling twists, and a gut-wrenching climax make for an outstanding read.’ Booklist

‘A cleverly plotted story of revenge with an interesting twist’ Susanna Yager,The Sunday Telegraph

‘A trio of main protagonists is a fresh and unusual set-up and one that is handled very neatly… A thoughtful and intriguing read’ Sherlock Magazine

‘What makes this mystery so compulsively readable is its sinister, disturbing tone and the perceptive psychological insights Bannister brings to her characters. This is an unusual mix of psychological suspense with a traditional mystery framework.’ Deadly Pleasures

‘Bannister’s characters are nicely drawn and she makes some very shrewd observations on human nature along the way…a thoughtful and intriguing read.’Sherlock Magazine

‘ Bannister has cleverly combined the police procedural with the amateur sleuth…It is Jo Bannister’s skill in exploring the living texture of this trio that makes this book a striking addition to her exceptionally well drawn series.’Mystery Women Magazine