Famously kidnapped at age six, Kick Lannigan captured America’s hearts when she was rescued five years later. Trained as a marksman, lock picker, escape artist and bomb maker by her abductor, Kick could not return to the life of the average young girl after her release. When two children go missing in three weeks, an enigmatic and wealthy former weapons dealer approaches the now-21-year-old with a proposition --- and he won’t take no for an answer.

Escaped serial killer Gretchen Lowell is back, and detective Archie Sheridan’s nemesis and sometimes lover has something special in mind for him, something she’s been planning for a very long time. With time running out, and the life of someone close to Archie on the line, Archie knows his only chance is to give Gretchen exactly what she wants. But Gretchen will prove more horrifying and unpredictable than Archie could ever imagine.

Portland detective Archie Sheridan gets a message from serial killer Gretchen Lowell, who claims to have inside knowledge about the grisly murder of a man who was found gagged, skinned, and hanging by his wrists from a tree. Archie agrees to visit Gretchen because he can’t risk losing his only lead in the case. But the ties between Archie and Gretchen have always been stronger, deeper and more complex than he’s willing to admit.

The Wiillamette River has had fatal flooding, but the past few victims didn’t drown --- they were murdered before they went into the water. Detective Archie Sheridan and reporter Susan Ward team up to hunt the vicious murderer.