4 Stars from me
Renowned, terminally ill, author Sebastian Trapp – famed for his Simon St. John detective series – invites writer Nicky Hunter, who just happens to be his pen pal, to document his life story. Eager to work with her literary idol, Nicky moves into his eerie San Francisco mansion – but why has he chosen her, specifically, and why not a member of his family?
The place is straight out of a noir dream, complete with a koi pond, creaky hallways, and a family bursting with secrets: his icy second wife Diana, his fiercely loyal daughter Madeleine, and his wayward nephew Freddy. Oh, and the unresolved disappearance of Trapp’s first wife Hope and son Cole twenty years ago hangs over everything like a storm cloud – has Nicky stepped straight into an unsolved crime scene?
Blurb: “I’ll be dead in three months. Come tell my story.”
This is the chilling invitation from Sebastian Trapp, renowned mystery novelist, to his long-time correspondent Nicky Hunter, an expert in detective fiction. Welcomed into his lavish San Francisco mansion, Nicky begins to unravel Trapp’s life story under the watchful eyes of his enigmatic wife and plainspoken daughter.
But Sebastian Trapp is a mystery himself. And maybe – probably – a murderer.
Two decades ago, his first wife and son vanished – the case never solved. Is the master of mystery playing a deadly game – and if so, who will be the loser?
And when a body surfaces in the family’s koi pond, they all realize the past isn’t buried – it’s waiting.
Read and Rated 