In this riveting prequel to international best-selling author Pamela Crane's The Little Things That Kill Series, "The Scream of Silence" unravels the darkest depths of human nature. A chilling tale consumed in under an hour, but not so quickly digested. She had secretly wanted the baby to die, but Fate never sided with her until twenty-three years later, when Destiny Childs got her wish. Broken, middle-aged Destiny daily struggles to survive her haunting past. Dead parents. Unplanned teen pregnancy. Cyclic addiction and depression. Life hasn't treated her kindly. Then one day she sees the name of her castaway daughter on the news: a victim of murder. Seeing this as an opportunity to extort the rich family her daughter left behind, Destiny crafts a plan. But as all her plans go, it loosens a mess of secrets long buried, along with the truth behind the killing. In this haunting murder mystery short story, discover the gruesomely intimate stranger harbored within Destiny... and who may lurk within any one of us. "The Scream of Silence" originally appeared in Reader's Circle of Avenue Park's "Crooked Tales" anthology but is now published for the first time as a standalone short story.

A fearless detective. A stolen child. And a killer just getting started. From USA Today best-selling author Pamela Crane comes a terrifying tale of small-town secrets and murder. Ari Wilburn’s life ended long ago—the day she watched her little sister die in a tragic accident and did nothing to stop it. Crippled with self-blame and resented by her parents, she stumbles through life … and onto an unexpected clue that casts doubt on whether the death was accidental. Now a psychological wreck, Ari joins a suicide support group where she meets Tina, a sex-enslaved escapee whose daughter is missing and her long-lost father dead. Suicide, police ruled it. But Tina suspects foul play. As a bond develops between the women in their shared loss, they’re dragged into playing a dangerous game with a killer. A serial killer with a deadly message. Faced with a murderous wake-up call and two possibly linked deaths, Ari’s investigation puts her next on the killer’s list. But she’s never been one to back down from a fight. Needing closure, Ari must face her demons and the killer behind them … or lose everything she loves. “If Dexter and Gone Girl had a love child, this would be it.” – reader review "Perfect for fans of Robert Bryndza and Melinda Leigh, Pamela Crane introduces a mind-twist that takes everything you love about thrillers, pushes it outside the box, and electrifies you with clever prose and a plot that will terrify you. A must-read thriller…” – Southern Editor Reviews

A kidnapped baby. A mother's will to find her. A killer targeting them both. Three years ago, Tina Alvarez was trapped in a sex-trafficking ring. Three years ago, she bore a daughter who was sold on the black market. But three years didn't erase her tenacity to get her little girl back ... and get even with the ones who took her. When rookie private investigator Ari Wilburn accepts her first case to find Tina's long-lost daughter, Ari unravels a mystery bigger than a missing child lead. A serial killer is targeting people close to her, and the key to who—and why—is buried deep in her past. As the investigation puts her in the killer's crosshairs, Ari must decide between saving herself...or guarding her family's grisly secrets. But for Ari it's not easy being a savior. Bringing Tina's daughter back means taking the child from the only family she knows. Is reuniting Tina with her little girl worth destroying this child's life, and possibly her own? A killer is watching. Plotting. Can Ari stop the death toll before she's next? A private investigator crime fiction story for fans of J.D. Robb, Brad Meltzer, and Melinda Leigh. By USA TODAY bestselling author Pamela Crane comes a psychological thriller critics are calling "a literary ride that you'll sink your teeth into and savor until the last chilling page." Perfect for fans of Tess Gerritsen and C.J. Box. "An intensifying thriller and investigative mystery. Should a mother be reunited with her kidnapped child if the child is better off without her? The story raises interesting questions that will get you thinking. And the twist ending...just wow. You won't see it coming!" - reader review