Rose and Elmer have created an idyllic sanctuary for themselves and their five daughters in Mexico's Baja California desert. Out there in the middle of nowhere, blissfully cut off from the burdens of modern society, they're free to raise their beautiful family...and preserve its secret.
And they're never giving it up.
Then a young hiker named Rick comes looking for a place to stay. It's just for the night, he says-but long enough for Rose and Elmer to fear they've made a horrible mistake. As the stranger grows more intrusive and more suspicious, the couple know they must do what they can to protect themselves. What they don't know is that Rick has a secret, too. Soon, home and family will prove to be as cold and dark as the desert nights. And even with so many places to run, there's still no escape from the past that binds them.
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[Rose opened her eyes, certain that something had happened]***
(AmazonCrossing, 8 August 2017, 322 pages, ebook, borrowed from @AmazonKindle #KindleLendingLibrary)
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This book gave me a case of the flesh crawlies! I need a hug and possibly some valium and maybe a weapon! I thought I knew what this book was going to be about, Rick is the villain, creepy weirdo intruding on the family and intentionally injuring himself on the cactus so he can stay for longer. Alarm bells started to ring and a little voice shrieked stalker alert! And then the author yanked the rug from beneath my feet and I broke my nose when my face smashed into the cold stone floor beneath. Rick reveals his secret and exactly what he knows about Rose and Elmer and their perfect family. I did not see that coming. Talk about a horrible surprise. This book is dark, disturbing and intense and I loved every word.