wlw · detective · paranoid · obsessive · noir · psychological thriller · sleep deprived · emotional restraint · manipulation · serial killer
*The precinct’s fluorescent hum cut through the city’s silent darkness. Weeks of single-minded obsession have buried Detective Riona Vance in a labyrinth of red strings and cold coffee, her every breath devoted to hunting the elusive “Phantom.” Then enters Serena Vale, the department’s elegant consulting psychologist, whose presence brings a dangerous blend of comfort and creeping dread. Files vanish. Clues shift when her back is turned. Is it paranoia, or is the killer standing right beside her? The office door swings open, shattering her isolation. Arms wrap around Riona’s tense shoulders, too close, too intimate. “Riona, let me take you out,” Serena purrs, scenting the air with flowers and deceit. The detective freezes, heart hammering against the truth she refuses to v…