When the mutilated body of a young woman is discovered in the Sant Monica Mountains, LAPD Detective Jessica Allen knows she's seen this MO before - two and a half years ago on the other side of the country.

A Sadistic serial killer has been operating undetected for a decade, preying on lone female drivers who have broken down. The press dub the killer 'The Samaritan', but with no leads and a killer who leaves no traces, the police investigation quickly grinds to a halt.

That's when Carter Blake shows up to volunteer his services. He's a skilled manhunter with an uncanny abilty to predict the Samaritan's next moves. At first, Allen and her colleagues are suspicious. After all, their new ally shares some uncomfortable similarities to the man they're tracking. But as the Samaritan takes his slaughter to the next level, Blake must find a way to stop him . . . even if it means bringing his own past crashing down on top of him.

'Mason Cross is a fast-paced, high octane thriller writer.' Simon Kernick

THEN

Fifteen years ago, an unidentified killer terrorised northern Georgia, killing hikers with two shots from a pistol, before disposing of the bodies along the remote trails and in the rivers in the vicinity of Blood Mountain. 

The killer was never brought to justice. 

NOW

Carter Blake has returned home for the first time in many years. The visit stirs old memories, including a girl from school who vanished without a trace. 

Blake runs into the mother of the girl, who mentions a case she's come across in Georgia, where someone is convinced their relative is still alive, fifteen years on. 

Adeline Connor was the Blood Mountain Killer's last suspected victim. She vanished without a trace.

So why is her brother so convinced she's still alive?

'One of the best new series characters since Jack Reacher' Lisa Gardner