Brenda G. Bradley

When Mayor Catherine Donner disappears after a heated argument at Tremont's winter gala, the town is quick to whisper-but even quicker to judge. And when the beloved 14-karat gold Christmas star vanishes from her safe, suspicion turns to outrage. Did the mayor run off with the town's greatest treasure?Two weeks later, her body is discovered in the frosted woods, her iconic red hair fanned across the earth like a final warning.
Tremont's quiet holiday season fractures, and the truth hiding beneath its snow-dusted traditions begins to seep through the cracks. As Detective Drew Mallory digs into the case and reporter Laura Whitaker uncovers secrets long buried, one thing becomes painfully clear: in a town that worships legacy over honesty, everyone has something to hide. The star is missing. The mayor is dead. And someone in Tremont is desperate to keep the past buried-no matter the cost.