From Publishers Weekly

In her newest, Gardner (The Perfect Husband) indulges her fascination with the dark side of family life, where the ties that bind also gag, choke and strangle. Professional event planner Melanie Stokes does not suspect that the death of a serial killer in a Texas electric chair 20 years before could have any relevance to her neatly ordered existence. But as it becomes clear that the life she's known (as the adopted daughter of Boston cardiologist Harper Stokes and his trophy wife, Patricia) is based on ugly secrets and bloody lies, her world unravels. With the help of FBI Agent David Riggs, who makes up for his lack of physical agilityAthe result of ankylosing spondylitis (bad back problems)Awith finely honed reflexes, street smarts and pure sex appeal, Melanie unearths what an intricately planned 25-year-old cover-up can't hide: the gruesome truth about her parentage. Once again, Gardner serves up suspense at a furious pace. (July)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"A dark, powerful tale of nerve-shattering suspense."—Tami Hoag

"Readers get loads of angst, great procedural stuff, some hair-raising action scenes, and a villain to keep you awake at night. What more can any thriller reader want?"—_Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine_

"Gardner delivers a streamlined bang-up addition to the oeuvre of Tami Hoag, Karen Robards, Elizabeth Lowell and, these days, even Nora Roberts."—_Publishers Weekly_

"Scary, gritty, terrifying. Lock the door, leave on a light."—_Oakland Press_

"A page-turner."—_Rocky Mountain News_

“[A] suspenseful, engrossing page-turner…Totally absorbing, it’s one of those books that keeps you up late, enslaved by the ‘just one more chapter’ syndrome.” —_Mystery News_

“Sheer terror…a great read.”–_Iris Johansen_“Sheer terror…a great read.”—Iris Johansen

From the Paperback edition.