'A plot worthy of Poe himself. Splendid entertainment.' Guardian

'One of the best crime novelists writing today.' TESS GERRITSEN

'An homage to the city of Baltimore.' Booklist

A TESS MONAGHAN MYSTERY

Three red roses and a half-empty bottle of cognac have been left on the grave of Edgar Allan Poe every 19th of January for the past fifty years.

Baltimore P. I. Tess Monaghan takes on the strangest case of her career when a man approaches her asking her to find out who is behind the ritual. On 19th January, as she watches Poe's grave, two cloaked figures appear. There is a gunshot, and one is killed.

Who was the mysterious client who has given her a fake name, and how does an old friend from Tess's past fit into the case? When more cryptic clues are left at her home, Tess realises that someone is watching her every move. Someone bent on killing again.

'Compulsive and beautifully realised.' SHOTS magazine

'Extremely well-written who-done-it. . . A must read for those fellow suspense readers like myself!' 5* reader review

'A satisfying mystery.' 5* reader review

PRAISE FOR THE TESS MONAGHAN SERIES

'Tess is a heroine with a nose for what she is not being told, and she is never content with half the story. These Baltimore novels are effective thrillers, because they are stories about wanting to know what happens next.' Times Literary Supplement

'Whip smart female protagonist, gritty Baltimore setting. Loved Tess!' 5* reader review

'Readers won't be able to resist Tess, who, like one of Baltimore's famous crabs, sports a tough shell that hides a sweet centre.' BOOKLIST

'Digestible, fun, tense' NPR

'In this series, Lippman has developed sturdy tales, wry humour, and snappy dialogue wrapped around an insider's view of Baltimore.' SUN-SENTINEL

'Tess, is a ballsy, free-spirited woman who thinks on her feet and has a commanding physical presence. . . Highly recommend' 5* reader review

'What fun! I discovered a new (to me) mystery series. Tess Monaghan is a terrific main character.' 5* reader review

'I really have fallen in love with Tess Monaghan. These mystery novels well deserve the awards Lippman has won.' 5* reader review