Marcus Brown

Still reeling from near-fatal injuries that nearly ended her life, Molly Mulgrew is plunged into terror when her closest friend, Babette Horwood, disappears without a trace. Left to care for Babette's loyal dog, Puddles, Molly is alone with her fear; every shadow whispering threats, every heartbeat a reminder of the danger closing in. Desperate and on the brink of breaking, she turns to pub landlady Jackie Abbott, Sally-Ann Gish, the village's loyal lush, and her new ally, Detective Sergeant Sheena Nilam-but even together, they cannot see how close the threat really is-or that the person they least suspect may hold the key to Babette's disappearance.
Meanwhile, LaDonna Wadeley returns, determined to repair her fractured relationship with her daughter and reclaim her once-pristine reputation. But unseen forces are stalking her, and everything she loves teeters on the edge of destruction-threats that ripple through the village, touching everyone, including Molly. Beneath Little Ambleford's picturesque surface, long-buried secrets fester, and every step Molly takes draws her deeper into danger-where one wrong move could shatter everything she holds dear.
In a village where trust is fragile, loyalty is tested, and the past refuses to stay buried, Molly must summon every ounce of courage-and all her wits-to survive.