A Dark and Secret Place by Jen Williams
Description
For fans of Kathleen Barber and Julia Heaberlin comes a chilling psychological suspense from award-winning author Jen Williams about a woman who discovers her late mother had a decades-long secret correspondence with a serial killer, begging the question: how well do we know our own family and even ourselves?
When prodigal daughter Heather Evans returns to her family home after her mother's baffling suicide, she makes an alarming discovery--stacks and stacks of carefully preserved letters from notorious serial killer Michael Reave. The "Red Wolf," as he was dubbed by the press, has been in prison for over twenty years, serving a life sentence for the gruesome and ritualistic murders of several women across the country, although he has always protested his innocence. The police have had no reason to listen, yet Heather isn't the only one to have cause to re-examine the murders. The body of a young woman has just been found, dismembered and placed inside a tree, the corpse planted with flowers. Just as the Red Wolf once did.
What did Heather's mother know? Why did she kill herself? And with the monstrous Red Wolf safely locked inside a maximum security prison, who is stalking young women now? Teaming up with DI Ben Parker, Heather hopes to get some answers for herself and for the newest victims of this depraved murderer. Yet to do that, she must speak to Michael Reave herself, and expose herself to truths she may not be ready to face. Something dark is walking in the woods, and it knows her all too well.
My Review
This was one of those books that haunts you well after to close the cover and follows you into dreams that won’t soon be forgotten.
I’ve read this one twice which is unusual for me. I normally read through a book once and put it away until I can recommend it to others but not this one.
Heather returns home to take care of her mother’s funeral arrangements and wrap up loose ends and although her mother’s suicide rocked her and was the last thing she thought her mother was capable of, she soon learns there was a lot more about her mom that she wishes she didn’t find out.
Heather finds herself face to face with a serial killer in prison doing time for his horrific crimes as she tries to piece together how her mother was involved and why.
I can’t give a way too much but if you’re looking for a true mystery/horror read, this might be the one for you.