An audaciously twisty psychological thriller in which finding the killer is only one of two mysteries its anti-heroine, Cate Winter, tries to unravel. The other: when pushed to extremes, what is she herself capable of? Cate Winter, at 34, is a wildly successful neuroscientist and entrepreneur who has invented a cure for Alzheimer's that will improve the lives of millions. On the verge of selling her biotech company for an obscene sum, she is also about to become very rich. But Cate has a secret that keeps her deeply uneasy about everything she is and does: she grew up at the Cleckley Institute, a treatment facility for the rehabilitation of psychopathic children. And, as far as she knows, she is the institute's only success: all of her peers have become thwarted, maladjusted or even criminal adults. Then Cate discovers the existence of another ex-patient and outlier who might prove that her success isn't a fluke. He has not only stayed out of jail, but he's made a mark in business and science. Though his identity is confidential, she breaks the rules and drops everything to track him down. And when she finds him, living under an assumed name in Baja California, she is immediately obsessed. Like her, he is driven and brilliant, an innovator willing to do what it takes to perfect a new energy technology that will stop global warming. Here, at last, is her mirror, her ultimate collaborator, the possible answer to the enigma of her nature. But in the wake of a mysterious death, Cate can't avoid suspecting him. If he is involved, do his ends justify his means? Ruthless herself, she's about to find out whether there are any moral lines she won't cross. “An of-the-moment, character-rich psychological thriller with a Bond-worthy villain that builds to a stunning conclusion.” —Linwood Barclay , #1 internationally bestselling author “A propulsive thriller with a wonderfully complicated heroine. I devoured it.” — Kelley Armstrong , New York Times bestselling author of the Rockton series “Eaves skillfully infuses complex ecological and moral issues into a plot that never forgets to thrill. Readers will be eager to see what Eaves does next.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) “ The Outlier is an enjoyable, commendably environment-aware thriller with an interesting evocation on how much—or how little—our brains are akin to who we are as people. ” — The British Columbia Review “Eaves excels at humanizing her protagonist and juxtaposing her with a diverse, colourful cast who exemplify the spectrum of experience along which we all exist. . . . Eaves explores complex ecological and ethical issues with a suspenseful pace, but most compelling are the questionable choices made by different characters, be they psychopathic or otherwise, in that they push the reader to consider a tricky question: how far are we each willing to go in the name of progress, self-preservation or simply truth?” — The Seattle Times ELISABETH EAVES is a debut novelist and an award-winning travel writer and journalist who has covered nuclear weapons, biological threats, and climate change for numerous publications including The New Yorker , Forbes , and the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists. She is the author of two critically acclaimed nonfiction books: Wanderlust: A Love Affair with Five Continents , which the New York Times Book Review called “a heady, headlong chronicle of a decade and a half spent adrift” and declared a Notable Book; and Bare: The Naked Truth About Stripping , which The Washington Post called “a first-rate, first-person work of social anthropology.” Born and raised in Vancouver, Elisabeth lives with her husband in Seattle. CHAPTER ONE CATE Twitchy after a long afternoon of meetings, I opened the closet in my office. I changed out of my workday uniform of jeans, white shirt, and black blazer, stepped into stilettos, and zipped myself into a snug black dress. Grabbing the same blazer and my purse, I took the elevator to the parking garage, where I unplugged my orange roadster. With the Seattle rush hour long over, I pulled up outside the Four Seasons on First Avenue less than ten minutes later. A cold February wind kicked up off of Elliott Bay as I handed my key to the valet. I headed for the bar and took my usual seat at one end, from which I could see who came and went. It’s a sleek place, all shiny wood and blown-glass lampshades, and it was just the right amount of crowded, full of people in expensive black fabrics. Men and women on quick trips, complication-avoidant but not immune to the seductive effects of a change of scenery. Outside the window, a rainbow of LED lights flashed from the Great Wheel, casting a glow over the dark bay. Jesse, my favourite bartender, was on duty, and as soon as he saw me, he brought me a glass of mineral water with a couple of ice cubes and a twist of lime. Ignoring the jitter of the phone inside my purse, I sipped my water and watched the patrons while a