A second violent crime shocks the small town of Oak Knoll in this “chilling” (USA Today) thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Tami Hoag.
California 1986—A 911 call from a small child sends the idyllic town of Oak Knoll into a tailspin. Then a brutal crime scene is discovered: the body of Marissa Fordham with her young daughter Haley injured but alive.
Sheriff’s detective Tony Mendez faces a puzzle with nothing but pieces that won’t fit. To assist with his witness Haley he calls teacher-turned-child advocate Anne Leone who’s already the star witness in a sensational murder trial.
As Tony and Anne begin to peel back the layers of Marissa Fordham’s life they find a clue fragment here another there. And just when it seems Marissa has taken her secrets to the grave they uncover a fact that puts Anne and Haley directly in the sights of a killer: Marissa Fordham never existed.
