From the New York Times bestselling author of No Safe House comes the first novel in an explosive trilogy about the disturbing secrets of a quiet small town.

After his wife's death and the collapse of his newspaper, David Harwood has no choice but to uproot his nine-year-old son and move back into his childhood home in Promise Falls, New York. David believes his life is in free fall, and he can't find a way to stop his descent.

Then he comes across a family secret of epic proportions. A year after a devastating miscarriage, David's cousin Marla has continued to struggle. But when David's mother asks him to check on her, he's horrified to discover that she's been secretly raising a child who is not her own—a baby she claims was a gift from an "angel" left on her porch.

When the baby's real mother is found murdered, David can't help wanting to piece together what happened—even if it means proving his own cousin's guilt. But as he uncovers each piece of evidence, David realizes that Marla's mysterious child is just the tip of the iceberg.

Other strange things are happening. Animals are found ritually slaughtered. An ominous abandoned Ferris wheel seems to stand as a warning that something dark has infected Promise Falls. And someone has decided that the entire town must pay for the sins of its past . . . in blood.

Linwood Barclay is a former columnist for the Toronto Star. He is the #1 internationally bestselling author of many critically acclaimed novels, including The Accident, Never Look Away, Fear the Worst, Too Close to Home, and No Time for Goodbye. Multiple titles have been optioned for film.

Linwood Barclay's profile page

National Bestseller

"Barclay's best book yet."
—Toronto Star

“The story is fascinating and the characters are intriguing.”
—The Associated Press
"With its high rate of violent crime, deadly secrets, corrupt officials and, of course, lack of a daily newspaper, Promise Falls isn't a great place to live. But it's a lot of fun to read about."
—The Peterborough Examiner
“A true master is back on the scene, and this is another book that can go directly into the suspense lover’s hall of fame.”
—Suspense Magazine

"An exciting new novel . . . its unsettling climax does leave you anxiously wondering what will happen next. . . . Barclay's credentials as a top-notch suspense novelist are now firmly established."
—The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon)

"A skilled, fast-paced, suspenseful writer of well-structured fiction, a veteran who can be counted on to deliver an absorbing novel cast with real humans."
—The London Free Press (Ontario)

“An exciting start to a new series set in Promise Falls.”
—Library Journal