Policewoman Charlotte Monroe has a husband with a past and a daughter with a mental illness and a special gift for reading people. They all come together in this story. Really not one of Hall's best. I've always liked his and while I did read this til the end, it was really just in hopes that it would get interesting. It didn't. ( )

Hall is at his best when writing about the Florida Keys and coastal waters, but even so, the setting of this work in the forests of North Carolina doesn't detract from his expert plotting and fascinating characters. With as many twists and just as much family lore as you'd expect from a Hall novel, this thriller lives up to some of his best works. The main protagonist Charlotte doesn't come close to being as much of a drive as his more well-known Thorn, but she also doesn't drag the novel down, which is all I can ask from one of his non-Thorn novels. And, truth be told, the lesser character Gracie is so strange and well-written (frighteningly believable) that we don't miss the sympathy we'd normally give to a primary protagonist. All in all, this is a well written and twisting adventure of a thriller, and well worth the while. Long-time fans of Hall might miss some of the norms of his earlier works, but they won't be too disappointed with this departure either. Absolutely recommended. ( )

good blend... present and Indian lore / violent and heroic . Gifted cop with ability to read body language, especially facial features. Never lost interest ( )