Eve Duncan unwittingly walks into an obsessive killer’s trap—and enters into a deadly game that awakens her own darkest nightmares—in this “expertly plotted, eminently entertaining novel” ( Publishers Weekly ) from #1 New York Times bestselling author Iris Johansen. “Stunning and terrifying.”— RT Book Reviews , 4½ stars Forensic sculptor Eve Duncan puts a face on the victims of violent crimes. She’s working on the skull of a newly discovered Jane Doe, her face destroyed beyond recognition. But whoever killed this poor girl wasn’t trying to hide her identity. The plan is far more horrifying. As the face begins to appear under Eve’s skilled hands, she gets the shock of her life: The victim is someone she knows all too well. Someone who isn’t dead. Yet. To stop a twisted psychopath, Eve must put her own life on the line. But that’s not the worst of it—when her adopted daughter, Jane, reveals a bizarre connection to the case, Eve can’t stop her from joining the hunt for the killer . . . a chase that will lead to a harrowing confrontation. “Stunning and terrifying . . . The Eve Duncan books are always emotionally charged and gripping, but now Jane is about to give Eve a run for her money as great heroine material.” — RT Book Reviews , 4½ stars “Johansen brings back forensic sculptor Eve Duncan for a nonstop thriller as the path of a serial killer leads right to her front door. . . . From captivating descriptions of the culture and times prior to the devastation of Mount Vesuvius, to the delightful characterization of Eve’s adopted daughter, Jane, Johansen once again comes up with just the right combination of story, suspense, romance and values. . . . With customary ease, Johansen takes an obsessive killer, dedicated police, a mysterious champion, various archeologists and dramatic settings, and molds them all together to ‘bring home’ another bestseller.” — Bookreporter “Johansen has become adept at mixing supernatural elements with intriguing suspense, and her new tale will please both fans and new converts with its unpredictable journey from Atlanta to the archaeological digs of Herculaneum in Italy.” — Booklist “Johansen’s back. . . . Solid thriller, intriguing setting.” — Kirkus Reviews “[An] expertly plotted, eminently entertaining novel.” — Publishers Weekly IRIS JOHANSEN, who has more than twenty-five million copies of her books in print, has won many awards for her achievements in writing. The bestselling author of Firestorm , Fatal Tide , Dead Aim , No One to Trust , Body of Lies , The Search , Final Target , and many other novels, she lives near Atlanta, Georgia, where she is currently at work on a new novel. ONE Calhoun, Georgia Joe watched the body wrapped in a dark green tarp being carefully lifted from the grave by the forensic team. "Thanks for coming, Quinn." Detective Christy Lollack was walking toward him. "I know it's not your case but I needed you. This is a weird one." "What's weird about it?" "Look at her." She moved toward the stretcher where the corpse had been placed. "The kids who found her nearly threw up." He followed her and watched as she drew back the tarp. There was no face. Only a skull remained. Yet from the neck down the cadaver was only slightly decayed and intact. "It appears someone didn't want her identified." He looked down at her hands. "He bungled it. He should have taken the hands. We'll be able to get a fingerprint match right away. DNA will take longer, but that will--" "Look closer. Her fingertips are burned," Christy interrupted. "No prints. Trevor warned me there might not be any." "Who?" "Some Scotland Yard inspector. Mark Trevor. He sent an e-mail to the department after he read about the Dorothy Millbruk case in Birmingham and the captain dumped it in my lap. He stated he sent the same e-mail to most of the cities in the Southeast warning them that the perpetrator might be heading into their jurisdictions." Millbruk . . . It had been a sensational homicide of a prostitute that had taken place four months ago. Joe mentally went over the details he remembered. "The Millbruk case was no connection. It didn't have the same MO. The woman was burned to death and left in a trash disposal." "But she didn't have a face by the time the fire got through with her." "No attempt was made to keep the Birmingham police from finding out who she was. They were still able to check prints." He shook his head. "Not the same killer, Christy." "I'm glad you're so sure" she said sarcastically. "Because I'm not. I don't like this. What if he didn't want us to make a connection? What if he peeled her face off to slow us down so that we wouldn't know he'd moved into the area?" "Possible." His gaze narrowed on her face. "What do you want from me, Christy? It's not like you to ask for help." "As soon as forensics gets through with her, I want you to take the skull to Eve to find out what that woman looked like. I don't want to wait until I find o