While the city sleeps, a killer strikes. Detective Bec Pope is waiting in Heathrow departures when the call comes in: a body has been found in a quiet Bloomsbury cemetery. Her long-overdue holiday is over before it begins. It's no ordinary crime scene. The smartly-dressed young man hasn't just been murdered. The killer has left a message - a pentagram, brutally carved into the dead man's chest. Then a second victim is discovered on a patch of scrubland in Bermondsey. Another young man, killed at midnight, just like the first. The same five-pointed symbol etched into his flesh. Bec is on the hunt for a ruthless killer unlike any she's faced before. If she is to crack the case, she must discover what the symbols mean. And why these victims were targeted. With the press circling and the entire city on edge, Bec's running out of time in a case that grows darker by the hour. She needs to stop the killer before midnight strikes - and another life is taken. A tense and gritty crime thriller set in London. Perfect for fans of Nadine Matheson, Matt Brolly, Helen H. Durrant, Joy Ellis and J.D. Kirk. MEET THE DETECTIVE DCI Rebecca 'Bec' Pope is haunted by a series of murders she couldn't solve. She's plagued by insomnia, but she doesn't let it affect her on the job. At work, she's backed by solid, reliable Detective James Brody and a cracking team of investigators, but in a busy department there are bound to be leaks. At home, she has the support of her loving partner, Alex, if not his teenage daughters. She's never had an easy relationship with her father, but they're working on it. READERS LOVE THE DETECTIVE BEC POPE THRILLERS: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A very compelling read and once I started, I couldn't put it down .' Martha ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Action packed and compelling . . . A thoroughly good read.' Aileen G. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Wow! What a read! The plot was brilliant and I felt so engaged the whole time.' Maria ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ' Unexpected surprises await you as you read . . . Keeps you wanting more.' Di B. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This was well written and I can't wait to read what's next! ' Heather⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Wow! Fantastic read! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one!' Debbie⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Really engaging mystery, witty and believable characters. This was an excellent fast-paced crime thriller .' Siobhan⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Great characters and storyline. Plenty of suspense to keep me enthralled .' Jean E. Jez Pinfold taught English and Film Studies in London for twenty years, including eight years as Head of English. Before landing in secondary teaching he had various jobs, including roadie, sound engineer, guitar tutor and teacher of English as a foreign language. After writing, his other passion is music. He plays guitar in a rowdy covers band currently called The Maverick Detectives, although they frequently change their name to avoid becoming too recognised and succumbing to the trappings of fame.