[Alice Madison 01] • The Gift of the Darkness

In Seattle's upscale Blueridge neighborhood, James Sinclair, his wife Anne, and their two small boys are found brutally murdered in their home. Their bodies are carefully laid out: blindfolded, hands tied, and crosses drawn in blood across their foreheads. Above the bedroom door, the words "thirteen days" are scratched into the frame. At the same time, a card with the words "thirteen days" written on it is delivered to the office of powerful lawyer Nathan Quinn, a partner at Sinclair's law firm.

From the evidence found at the scene, rookie homicide detective Alice Madison and her seasoned partner Detective Sergeant Brown determine that the prime suspect is John Cameron, a fugitive long wanted for the infamous "Nostromo" killings. But only Cameron's attorney knows his whereabouts, and though the clock is ticking, he seems more interested in protecting his client than preventing another murder. That attorney is none other than Nathan Quinn.

Madison and Brown discover the three men are linked in other ways, too. Years ago, when they were just boys, Sinclair, Cameron, and Quinn's younger brother David were abducted. Blindfolded and taken to the woods near the Hoh River, on the picturesque Olympic Peninsula, the three boys endured a night of terror. Only Sinclair and Cameron survived. With no other witnesses, the case went unsolved and David's body was never found.

After a savage attack that leaves Brown in the hospital and Madison working alone, she discovers a flaw in the investigation that puts her at odds with the department brass. To stop the killer, Madison must go back into the woods and confront the unsolved mystery of the Hoh River Boys. She must forget her training and follow her instincts to the terrifying end, even as enemies become allies in the fight against the terrible darkness descending over them all.