When softhearted handyman Cedric O'Toole agrees to help Barry Mitchell renovate his farmhouse, he finds himself facing old fears. Not only did Mitchell bully Cedric all through school, but his life has been troubled ever since. Now, just out of prison, he's broke and his parents have gone missing, leaving a cloud of suspicion hanging over his head. But when Barry warns him not to touch the boarded-up door in the cellar, the ever-curious Cedric can't resist. The small storage room, obviously unused in years, contains jars of preserves, barrels of dried apples and a pile of small bones. As he sets out to discover who died and how, Cedric uncovers a tale of violence, deception and abuse. And he learns just how far Barry will go to keep a tragic family secret from coming to light.

Barbara Fradkin was born in Montreal and attended McGill, the University of Toronto and the University of Ottawa, where she obtained her PhD in psychology. Her work as a child psychologist has provided ample inspiration and insight for plotting murders, and she recently left full-time practice in order to be able to devote more time to writing. Barbara has an affinity for the dark side, and her compelling short stories haunt several anthologies and magazines, including Storyteller, Iced (Insomniac Press, 2001), and the Ladies Killing Circle anthologies, including Fit to Die, Bone Dance and When Boomers Go Bad, published by RendezVous Press. Her detective series features the exasperating, infuriating Ottawa Inspector Michael Green, whose love of the hunt often interferes with family, friends and police protocol. The series includes Do or Die (2000), Once Upon a Time (2002), Mist Walker (2003), and Fifth Son (Fall 2004). Once Upon a Time was nominated for Best Novel at the Arthur Ellis Awards, Canada’s top crime writing awards, and her latest title, Fifth Son won this prestigious award in 2005. The fifth in the series, Honour Among Men, (2006), repeated the honour, the only time that consecutive novels by the same author have won the award. The sixth and seventh novels, Dream Chasers and This Thing of Darkness, followed in 2007 and 2009.

Barbara Fradkin's profile page

• Short-listed, The Crime Writers of Canada Arthur Ellis Award - Best Crime Novella

"A fast-paced story aimed at adult readers, including ESL students, reluctant readers, adults who struggle with literacy and anyone who wants a high-interest read they can finish in one sitting. In the latter category, it will also suit teen readers who enjoy intrigue and are looking for a mystery that will hold their interest but not take up a huge chunk of their time...And though the plot is not complicated, Fradkin draws on her experience as a psychologist to weave subplots into the main thread and knot them in a twist at the end...Recommended."

CM Magazine

"Fradkin successfully brings back her handyman/inventor hero in his second outing (after The Fall Guy)...Plenty of suspense and action are packed into a short and satisfying story."

Library Journal

"Fradkin has written a fast paced novel that will thrill young adult readers. Suspense fills every chapter and the reader finds themselves rooting for Rick to solve the mystery and get out alive. This mystery adventure is a sure page-turner...Recommended for any high school or public library. It will relate well to young adult and adult readers."

TriState YA Book Review Committee