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Val Ryker
Series · 6 books · 2012-2020

Books in series

Pushed Too Far book cover
#1

Pushed Too Far

2012

A TOWN'S TERRIBLE SECRET Two years ago a woman was brutally murdered, her body burned until only ash and shattered bone remained. Police Sergeant Valerie Ryker solved that case, putting psychopath Dixon Hess in prison for life, and becoming the first female police chief of her tiny Wisconsin town. A COP'S UNFORGIVABLE MISTAKE Then the original murder victim turns up in a frozen lake, all in one piece and only recently dead, and Val must enter a race against time. In only forty-eight hours, Hess will be set free, and he wants payback. And Val, her town, and everyone she loves are at the top of his list. A KILLER'S NEXT VICTIM But surviving Hess' vengeance is only part of her dilemma. For there's another killer in Lake Loyal. One who may be closer to Val than she knows... Val will need all the help she can get, including a sexy firefighter, her dead sister's daughter, and a tough Chicago cop named Jack Daniels. Everyone has a breaking point, and Val has just reached hers. From bestselling romantic suspense author Ann Voss Peterson comes a page-turning thriller of police procedure, passion, and revenge. Make sure you're holding your Kindle tightly with both hands.
The School book cover
#1.5

The School

2015

All the kids in Lake Loyal, Wisconsin know the abandoned school must be haunted. And when eight-year-old Josh disappears inside, the adults know it too... Josh's mother, Rachel, will stop at nothing to get her son back. Even if that means going up against supernatural forces, a police chief named Val Ryker, and her sexy next door neighbor, Nate, who isn't what he appears to be... THE SCHOOL is a 25.000 word short novel that is set in the Val Ryker world (Pushed Too Far, Burned Too Hot, and Dead Too Soon).It is part of the upcoming series, Small Town Secrets.
Burned Too Hot book cover
#2

Burned Too Hot

2014

A SERIAL ARSONIST Someone is setting fire to the town of Lake Loyal, Wisconsin, one building at a time. And Police Chief Valerie Ryker, and her former love, Assistant Fire Chief David Lund, have a hunch who's behind it. A SPECTER FROM THE PAST Serial Killer Dixon Hess almost destroyed Val's life, along with everyone close to her. He's vowed revenge. But how can his influence of evil still be spreading when he's safely locked up in the county jail? AN INNOCENT CHILD The link is a kidnapped toddler. Hess' son. And some people will stop at nothing to see father and child reunited. Even if that means burning everything to the ground. From nationally bestselling romantic suspense author Ann Voss Peterson comes the second novel in the Val Ryker thriller series, following her hit Pushed Too Far. BURNED TOO HOT by Ann Voss Peterson Don't play with fire...
Dead Too Soon book cover
#3

Dead Too Soon

2016

A VOW OF REVENGE Though a remorseless killer, Dixon Hess went to prison for the one crime he didn't commit, and he promised to destroy those responsible. Police Chief Valerie Ryker triumphed over incredible odds, sending Hess back behind bars. But now Hess has broken free, and the entire Wisconsin town of Lake Loyal is in danger. A COMMUNITY GRIPPED BY FEAR When a school bus crashes on a snowy morning, Chief Ryker and her sometime boyfriend Fire Chief David Lund race to respond to the collision. As they rescue the children, it becomes clear this was no accident… but the launch of a monster's newest diabolical scheme. A RACE AGAINST TIME With everything Val holds dear at risk and precious time running out, Val and Lund must turn to a cop named Jack Daniels and an assassin named Chandler for help. But all the help in the world won't stop a rampaging Hess, and Val is about to learn what it feels like to sacrifice everything she loves… and everything she is. From nationally-bestselling and award-winning author Ann Voss Peterson comes the highly anticipated third novel in the Val Ryker thriller series. Dead Too Soon follows Pushed Too Far and Burned Too Hot. The novel is approximately 80,000 words long.
Watched Too Long book cover
#3.5

Watched Too Long

2020

Small town Wisconsin cop Val Ryker is about to move in with her longtime firefighter boyfriend when her old boss asks for a favor. Former Chicago Homicide lieutenant Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels, needs Val to babysit for a few days. Val isn’t comfortable around toddlers, but she accepts. Then one baby becomes two, and some criminals from Jack’s past come calling with child abduction and arson on their agenda. Val might not know babies. But she knows a whole lot about putting up a fight... WATCHED TOO LONG by Ann Voss Peterson and JA Konrath Some would kill for a good babysitter…
A Val Ryker Thriller Set book cover
#1-3

A Val Ryker Thriller Set

Pushed Too Far / Burned Too Hot / Dead Too Soon

2016

A VAL RYKER THRILLER SET - THREE COMPLETE NOVELS PUSHED TOO FAR Everyone has a breaking point… Two years ago a woman was brutally murdered, her body burned until only ash and shattered bone remained. Police Sergeant Valerie Ryker solved that case, putting psychopath Dixon Hess in prison for life, and becoming the first female police chief of her tiny Wisconsin town. Then the original murder victim turns up in a frozen lake, all in one piece and only recently dead, and Val must enter a race against time. In only forty-eight hours, Hess will be set free, and he wants payback. And Val, her town, and everyone she loves are at the top of his list. BURNED TOO HOT Don’t play with fire… Someone is setting fire to the town of Lake Loyal, Wisconsin, one building at a time. And Police Chief Valerie Ryker, and her former love, Assistant Fire Chief David Lund, have a hunch who's behind it. Serial Killer Dixon Hess almost destroyed Val's life, along with everyone close to her. He's vowed revenge. But how can his influence of evil still be spreading when he's safely locked up in the county jail? The link is a kidnapped toddler. Hess' son. And some people will stop at nothing to see father and child reunited…even if that means burning everything to the ground. DEAD TOO SOON Revenge is hers… When a school bus crashes on a snowy morning, Chief Val Ryker and her sometime boyfriend Fire Chief David Lund race to respond to the collision. As they rescue the children, it becomes clear this was no accident... but the launch of a monster's newest diabolical scheme. With everything Val holds dear at risk and precious time running out, Val and Lund must turn to a cop named Jack Daniels and an assassin named Chandler for help. But all the help in the world won't stop a rampaging Hess, and Val is about to learn what it feels like to sacrifice everything she loves... and everything she is.

Author

Ann Voss Peterson
Ann Voss Peterson
Author · 32 books

Ann Voss Peterson is the author of over thirty novels and has millions of books in print all over the globe. Winner of the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award and a Rita finalist, Ann is known for her adrenaline-fueled thrillers and romantic suspense novels, including the Codename: Chandler spy thrillers she writes with J.A. Konrath and her own thriller series featuring small town Wisconsin police chief Val Ryker. A creative writing major in college, Ann worked all manner of jobs after graduation, ranging from grooming show horses to washing windows, and now she draws on her wide variety of life experiences to fill her fictional worlds with compelling energy and undeniable emotion. She lives near Madison, Wisconsin with her family and their border collie.

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