You never know who’s listening.

To Stella Dixon, sneaking her teenage brother out of their parents’ house for a beach party was harmless fun—until Max disappeared without a trace.

Six years later, Stella’s family is still broken, and she can’t let go of her guilt. The only thing that keeps her going is helping other families find closure through A Killer Motive, her true crime podcast.

In a bid to find new sponsors and keep making episodes, Stella goes on a local radio show. But when she says on air that if she had just one clue, she’d find Max and bring whoever hurt him to justice, someone takes it as a challenge.

A mysterious invitation to play a game arrives, with the promise that if Stella wins, she’ll get information about what happened to Max. Stella thinks it’s a sick joke…until Max’s best friend vanishes. And she’s given new instructions: tell nobody or people will die.

Desperate and unable to trust anyone, Stella agrees. But beating a twisted, invisible enemy seems impossible when they make all the rules…

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“Hannah Mary McKinnon is back with A Killer Motive, a whip smart cat-and-mouse game, where good and bad are turned inside out. This one has everything, the characters, plot, and pacing are all on point. I dare you to put it down!” —Samantha Downing, internationally bestselling author of My Lovely Wife

“A world-class whodunit that has everything a thriller lover is looking for: a killer premise, an earth-shattering crime, a true-crime podcaster with everything to lose, a cast of shady characters, and twists around every corner. My fingers are singed from flying through the pages. Readers are in for a spine-tingling treat!” —Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author of The Overnight Guest and The Perfect Hosts

“A deliciously thrilling page-turner about a podcast host's dark past and the disappearance of her brother. A Killer Motive is sharp, fast-paced, and kept me reading long into the night.” —Lauren Ling Brown, USA Today Bestselling author of Society of Lies

“Reminiscent of Ruth Ware and Lucy Foley, A Killer Motive pulls true crime podcaster Stella Dixon—and the reader right alongside—into a deadly game orchestrated by a manipulative stranger with chilling answers about her missing brother. A twisty, compulsive, heart-pounding read!” —Daniel Kalla, bestselling author of High Society

“A Killer Motive is a deadly cat and mouse thriller with a singularly cruel villain and layers of secrets. Hannah Mary McKinnon’s latest is a twisted page-tuner that will keep readers guessing.” —Robyn Harding, internationally bestselling author of The Drowning Woman

“A Killer Motive is my kind of book: harrowing, believable, and steeped in emotion. This is more than just an entertaining thriller; this is a thought-provoking story that will force you to question how far you’d go to discover the truth.” —Carter Wilson, USA Today bestselling author of Tell Me What You Did

“A Killer Motive kept my heart pounding page after page. Gripping, twisty, and unpredictable, it is undoubtedly her best book yet. If you want a stay-up-all-night thriller, read this book.” —Sydney Leigh, author of Peril in Pink

“With A Killer Motive, Hannah Mary McKinnon delivers a tightly paced thriller and clever mystery that will keep you guessing until the end. Shifting points of view keep reader tensions high, and McKinnon doesn’t waste a beat in her engrossing plot. The perfect novel for true-crime fans!” —Laurah Norton, author of Lay Them to Rest and host of The Fall Line: True Crime and One Strange Thing

“Gripping from the get-go, A Killer Motive takes you hostage. Expertly weaving intrigue and suspense, Hannah Mary McKinnon plunges the reader into a story of guilt and redemption; unrelenting with heart-pounding tension and emotional depth. A must-read psychological thriller.” —Rick Mofina, USA TODAY, Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, bestselling author