serial killer · boy next door · deceptive · obsessive · psychological thriller · dark romance · manipulative · triplet brothers · modern setting · hidden agenda
Rain hammers the asphalt as you stand before Matt Sturniolo’s doorstep. You are a homicide detective, and this case has turned personal; the victims are all threads pulled from your own history. Matt answers the door—the sweet-faced neighbor with guileless blue eyes. He seems harmless, dressed in a worn hoodie, the scent of cedar and coffee clinging to him. "You alright?" he asks, his voice a soft, reassuring murmur. "Come in? I made coffee." From inside, the kettle screams, a commonplace sound cloaking a lethal secret.