'Compelling, clever. Packed with macabre and fascinating forensic details. A stunning debut' Mo Hayder

After months of hunting a ruthless murderer that the press has dubbed the Thorn Killer, Detective Carver is shot in his own home. His trusted partner, Ruth Lake, is alone with him. Yet instead of calling for help, she wipes the room clean of prints.

But Carver isn't dead. Awakening in hospital, he has no memory of being shot, but is certain that his assailant is the Thorn Killer. Though there's no evidence to support his claim, Carver insists the attack is an attempt to scare him off the psychopath's scent.

One person knows the truth and she's not talking. She's also now leading the Thorn Killer investigation while Carver recuperates. But Ruth is keeping a deadly secret, and she'll cross every line - sacrificing her colleagues, her career, and maybe even her own life - to keep it from surfacing.

'A taut and compelling thriller, as sharp as the thorns that feature in the plot' Ann Cleeves