As a homicide detective, Frank deals with violent death every day. And his reaction to those deaths kills him by inches. Until his most recent case forces him to take a long, hard look at his emotional state. The murder scene’s only survivor might hold the clues Frank needs to solve the case. It might even hold the key to Frank’s very salvation. “Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s crime stories are exceptional, both in plot and in style.” —Ed Gorman, Mystery Scene Magazine Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s short mystery fiction has won the Ellery Queen Readers’ Choice Award twice, and has been nominated for the Edgar, Shamus, and Anthony Awards. Her mystery novels appear under the names Kris Nelscott and Kris Rusch.