The Captive in the Tale

“He sucked in the frigid air through his nostrils, exhaling a puff of steam. With clenched fists, he beat his chest, his breath now coming in pants. He clapped his hands and reached for the nails and hammer. With a final glance, he grasped an arm and lifted it high until it rested against the smooth bark. He shifted and placed the tip of a spike against its pale surface. With a low roar, the man swung the mallet, the noise of clanging metal ringing through the predawn. He closed his ears to the sound of cracking bone and swung a second time. The iron point thudded and embedded in the tree trunk. Once he’d tested the spike to make sure it held, he proceeded to the other side, where he repeated the process.” The discovery of a second woman’s body in the Blue Mountains National Park confirms Detective Constable Gina Palumbo’s worst suspicions. There is a murderer targeting young professional women, one who wouldn’t stop unless caught. When the killer strikes close to home, the pursuit takes a dangerous turn as Gina must reinvent herself to outwit the cold-blooded and sadistic murderer.