His glove pressed hard against her mouth, filling her nostrils with the stale smell of leather as he pushed her head right back, making her choke.

Panicking she kicked out, but she wasn't strong enough to push him away.

When a young girl is found dead in the woods, all the evidence seems to point to the teacher she has just accused of molesting her. After all, with his career, and marriage, under threat, he appears to have the most to lose.

But for DI Geraldine Steel things aren't adding up, even though her colleagues disagree, she is certain they have accused the wrong man.

Then the girl's best friend is murdered, discovered close to where Cassie's body was found. Could this be because she was able to expose the killer's real identity, or are they now hunting for a serial killer? Are they unwitting pawns, being drawn into a game with rules they don't understand?

With time running out, can Steel uncover the truth before the body count grows even more…

A nail-biting thriller that will have you hooked. If you're a fan of Angela Marsons, Mel Sherratt and Karin Slaughter, you'll love Leigh Russell.

Can be read as a stand-alone.