In the mountains, the truth is never as buried as the dead. When Blakely Rhodes disappears in the Colorado backcountry, all that’s left behind is blood on the trail, a rising panic—and a boyfriend whose story won’t stay straight. Sheriff Ray Duke has seen enough tragedy to know when something doesn’t add up. But this case cuts deeper than most. Blakely vanished on the same ridge where Ray’s sister, Emily, disappeared twenty-six years ago—a cold case that never stopped haunting him. When Blakely’s body is discovered in a shallow grave, the investigation explodes. A reclusive landowner. Carved symbols burned into the trees. A drug-fueled drum circle hiding something far more dangerous than superstition. As Duke pushes closer to the truth, the mountains push back. Because someone out there knows exactly what happened the night Blakely ran—and they’ll do anything to keep it buried. In the high country, the truth doesn’t stay hidden. It waits. Perfect for fans of clean, redemptive mysteries, this novel delivers edge-of-your-seat suspense without the grit—just courage, conviction, and hope in the face of darkness. Be sure to begin this series with book 1, Cold As The Grave to maximize your reading experience.