“With its singular characters, eerie subject matter, and socko style” (The New York Times), this gripping thriller from the internationally bestselling author John Connolly follows Private Investigator Charlie Parker as he is hired to track down the identity of a dead woman—who apparently died in childbirth—and her missing child.

In the beautiful Maine woods, a partly preserved body is discovered. Investigators realize that the young woman gave birth shortly before her death. But there is no sign of a baby.

Private detective Charlie Parker is hired by a lawyer to shadow the police investigation and find the infant but Parker is not the only one searching. Someone else is following the trail left by the woman, someone with an interest in much more than a missing child…someone prepared to leave bodies in his wake.

And in a house by the woods, a toy telephone begins to ring and a young boy is about to receive a call from a dead woman.

With breathless pacing and shivery twists and turns, “this is Connolly’s masterpiece” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).

About The Author

Photograph by Mark Condren

John Connolly

John Connolly is the author of the #1 internationally bestselling Charlie Parker thrillers series, The Book of Lost Things and its sequel The Land of Lost Things, the Samuel Johnson Trilogy for younger readers, and (with Jennifer Ridyard) the Chronicles of the Invaders series. He lives in Dublin, Ireland. For more information, see his website at JohnConnollyBooks.com, or follow him on X @JConnollyBooks.

Product Details

Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books (June 12, 2018)
Length: 496 pages
ISBN13: 9781501171949

Raves and Reviews

"Fans will agree that this is Connolly's masterpiece."

– Publishers Weekly (starred and boxed review)

"A complicated plot, richly drawn characters, and a vein of horrors will keep readers devouring the pages."

– Kirkus Reviews

"Another winner in a consistently high-quality series."

– Booklist

"Connolly portrays a chilling humanity in his characters, both good and evil, giving the book depth while keeping the reader unsettled to the end. Another great addition to a popular series that will please its many fans."

– Library Journal

"Fans of gothic horror, a genre not out of place in Maine or Ireland, should enjoy Connolly's blend of crime and supernatural horror."

– Crime Reads

"This haunting thriller will keep you reading into the night with the lights on and the phone turned off."

– RT Book Reviews