Emma Parks joins a monkey research project deep in the South American rainforest on a whim. She refuses to admit it might have something to do with a close friend's death from which she has not recovered, but it's certainly not because she knows anything about spider monkeys, least of all what they look like. She's barely arrived when International Wildlife Conservation's renowned director drowns during a party celebrating the group's controversial takeover of the park. Tension mounts following the machete murder of a researcher, threatening Emma's budding primatology career, her secret romance with an Australian zoologist, and more importantly -- her life. "This debut from McClintock, who served in the Peace Corps and worked on a monkey research project, has the ring of authenticity, along with romance and a mystery that keeps you guessing." - Kirkus Review "This romantic-suspense debut is perfect for those seeking adventure mixed in with their mystery. McClintock creates a vivid jungle environment, a perfect venue for a closed-room mystery. Her characters run a little larger than life, making the story feel like a reality TV show. With a bit of Scott Smith's tone, this would work for Hilary Davidson fans too." - Library Journal Emma Parks joins a monkey research project deep in the South American rainforest on a whim. She refuses to admit it might have something to do with a close friend's death from which she hasn't recovered, but it's certainly not because she knows anything about spider monkeys, least of all what they look like. She's barely arrived when International Wildlife Conservation's renowned director drowns during a party celebrating the group's controversial takeover of the park. Tension mounts following the machete murder of a researcher, threatening Emma's budding primatology career, her secret romance with an Australian zoologist, and more importantly--her life. When not writing mysteries, Edith McClintock works in the conservation and development field and blogs about traveling. She was born in a school bus in the Tennessee woods on the largest commune to come out of the sixties, and moved to downtown Miami in the eighties, during the days of the Mariel Boatlift and Cocaine Cowboys. Although a lifelong reading addict, she didn't write fiction until post-Peace Corps, when she joined a monkey research project deep in the Amazon. Trapped in a tiny jungle cabin for six months, there was little to do but imagine creative ways to kill off her fellow researchers. All of whom, she would like to note, were too nice to make it into her first novel, despite their begging.