One terrible night in New York City, brilliant law student Chloe Larsen is brutally attacked in her own home - and her life is changed for ever. Twelve years later....

New York, 1988, and blonde law student, Chloe Larson, has it all, a go getting boyfriend and an ensured future in a prestige law firm. Then she wakes to find a man wearing a clown mask leaning over her calling her by the pet name that only her father calls her. She is sexually and physically tortured for hours; her torturer finally leaves her a whisper away from death and mentally shattered. Twelve years later, she has dyed her hair a drab brown, changed her name to CJ Townsend and is assistant chief of the Miami State Attorney's office. Miami has been in the grip of terror as a serial killer, nicknamed Cupid, has been viciously murdering blond women. By chance, William Bantling is pulled over by a traffic cop, and a mutilated body is found in the boot of his car. As a routine work assignment, CJ acquires the case of prosecuting William Bantling, but when he stands up in court and speaks, C.J. realizes that he is the man who tortured her years ago. She soon realises that her involvement in that case might very well cause Bantling to be freed on a technicality, but without her on the prosecuting team, he may walk anyway. However, she has to stay together mentally, and Bantling knows which button’s to press.

This is Jilliane Hoffman’s first novel, and as an Assistant State Attorney, she is writing about what she knows best; and her best is excellent. This is a book worth ringing up work sick and staying home to read. Unputdownable. I was hooked from the first page and was not put back down until the last page. This book is courtroom drama at its best, and has twists and turns and big surprise ending. CJ is excellently portrayed as a woman with a tortured past – trying to put her life back together. The characters are all well written, and realistic, even the rookie cop who is first on the scene. There is a love interest, Dominick Falconetti, who is the lead investigator on the case, but this is kept to a minimum and Hoffman balances this with ‘Cupid,’ a villain who makes Hannibal Lector look like a pussycat; he is one deliciously evil man. There is an undeniably exciting final confrontation, with a final resolution that is a tiny bit far fetched, but oh so different. This is a ‘wow’ book, and you should do yourself a favour and read it.

RELEASE NOTES:

Passed on to a good friend

An excellent read, have given to sister-in-law to get some time away from the rug rats.

My sister inlaw passed this book onto me and explained book crossing.
This was a great read and I could not put it down, needless to say that the house suffered until I finished the final page. It had me fooled and kept me guessing.
This book I shall pass onto my husband as I'm sure he would enjoy it.

Husband has finished this book and really enjoyed it.
I am planning on releasing this book. At the Palmerston markets to night.

RELEASE NOTES:

Will leave book on one of the big rocks near the grassed area that used to be Goyder Hill.