The Depths of Solitude

Brodie Farrell's life, on the surface, is unremarkable. A single mother to one daughter, five-year-old Paddy, in a small seaside town, she spends her days running a "finding agency"—-helping clients locate items that have proved elusive by more conventional methods. She has a healthy relationship with Jack Deacon, a detective superintendent in the local police force, and a solid network of friends—-except for one. Her most important ally, Daniel Hood, has been ignoring her since a bitter disagreement ripped their friendship apart at the seams. Now his house is up for sale, and Daniel has disappeared.

At first Brodie is just angry—-angry that he would leave without telling her, without trying to sort things out. But when Daniel's family seems unconcerned that he has vanished into thin air, Brodie starts to get worried. Perhaps she was the only person to care about Daniel, and she cut him off. What if he does something stupid? Or what if he already has?

Unfortunately, even her advanced tracking skills can't locate her friend. Brodie's worrying intensifies when she seems to become the victim of a sustained hate campaign. First her car windshield is smashed, then the vehicle itself is set on fire. Her handbag is stolen, and she is terrorized in the local library after a call from Daniel imploring her to meet him there alone. The conclusion is obvious, but Brodie refuses to believe it. Until, that is, she is attacked again....