In this historical crime thriller from a "master of the genre", a dead body reopens a 20 year old murder case, triggering a detective's PTSD. On a perfect summer evening in 1954, sixteen-year-old Nancy Denton walked into the woods of her hometown of Whytesburg, Mississippi. She was never seen again. Two decades later, Sheriff John Gaines witnesses a harrowing discovery: A young woman has been unearthed from the riverbank, her body perfectly preserved, yet she bears evidence of a brutal ritualistic killing. Nancy has come home at last, but her return does not bring closure to her family, or to the citizens of Whytesburg. What really happened to the beautiful and vivacious Nancy? And why do her friends refuse to talk? As Gaines closes in on the truth, he is forced to not only confront his own demons, but to unearth secrets that have long remained hidden. And that truth, so much darker than he could ever have imagined, may be the one thing that finally destroys him. "Near-poetic . . . the kind [of thriller] that will give the reader chills as he realizes he's reading an exploration into the mystery that is the human mind, pointing out that real-life devils live among us." —New York Journal of Books "Voodoo and murders and gothically imposing southern dynasties?what's not to like? Genuine chills, fearsomely speedy page-turning, and real humor [make for] an enjoyable read." —Observer "A southern-gothic thriller in the tradition of William Faulkner. Readers will find themselves immersed in a decaying and disturbing atmosphere . . . a powerful read for fans of James Ellroy and Andrew Vachss." —Booklist