Dr. Sheridan Doyle-a fastidiously groomed and TV-friendly forensic psychologist-is the go-to shrink for the Philadelphia District Attorney's office whenever a twisted killer's mind eludes other experts. But beneath his Armani pinstripes, he's still Danny Doyle, the awkward, terrified, bullied boy from a blue-collar mining family, plagued by panic attacks and haunted by the tragic death of his little sister and mental unravelling of his mother years ago.
Returning to a hometown grappling with its own ghosts, Danny finds a dead body at the infamous Lost Creek gallows where a band of rebellious Irish miners was once executed. Strangely, the body is connected to the wealthy family responsible for the miners' deaths. Teaming up with veteran detective Rafe, a father-like figure from his youth, Danny-in pursuit of a killer-comes dangerously close to startling truths about his family, his past, and himself.
In this masterfully told psychological thriller in the vein of Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl, the past and present collide to put Lost Creek's long-lived ghosts to bed.
Ever since reading Back Roads I have been a fan of Tawni O’Dell. NetGalley provided a copy newest novel One of Us. This is one the best books I have read in a while. It re-forces why I am a fan.
Set in the Pennsylvania coal country, Lost Creek is best known for its gallows where a band of rebellious miners were hung. Dr Sheridan Doyle returns to check on his aging grandfather, Tommy Doyle. Doyle is now a successful forensic psychologist, who is quite into himself. Shortly he arrives home he finds a dead person in the gallows while out for a run. As Doyle and Rafe, a father-figure, look into that death, another death occurs only time it is murder.
This is a great psychological mystery, with a mix of well-developed characters that make the story enjoyable. Plot is tight and doesn’t get lost among the characters. I also enjoyed the long description of what the “well-heeled” characters were wearing, it re-forces the shallowness of material things versus the poverty of the town.
