Tense, heartfelt, and relentlessly suspenseful.
In Hodge’s latest, a disgraced security agent’s search for redemption leads her into a quiet town where danger hides beneath the surface of everyday life. Jordan Winthrop has never recovered from the protection detail that ended with a client’s wife dead. Assigned to investigate a woman suspected of stealing sensitive research, Jordan relocates to a small North Carolina town, where a missing dog and a string of troubling discoveries hint at a deeper threat.
Hodge anchors the mystery in Jordan’s emotional wounds, allowing the investigation to unfold alongside a nuanced exploration of grief, responsibility, and second chances. The relationship that develops between Jordan and Emma provides the novel with much of its heart, while the gradual accumulation of secrets keeps the suspense simmering. The small-town setting, rendered with warmth and authenticity, becomes an ideal stage for hidden agendas and lingering fears. As the stakes rise, the novel remains focused on the people at its center and the choices that define them. The result is a thoughtful, character-driven thriller with genuine emotional depth and an appealing sense of humanity. Simply un-put-downable.
***
Pub date September 2026
Kalen Books
ISBN 9798999113030
Cover Design 300 Covers
