The Devil's Song
Description
There's a killer on the loose in Mission County, Pennsylvania...whose next victim might be the prosecuting attorney.
"[An] exciting first novel . . . Stahl keeps the reader on a roller-coaster ride with unexpected twists and turns to the end." —Publishers Weekly
Up-and-coming Mission County, Pennsylvania, prosecutor Kate Magda has been given the assignment of a lifetime: lead counsel on a string of murders rocking the community. As the privileged daughter of a powerful local judge, Kate views the case as her chance to show her boss, her family, and the public that she is more than just “the judge’s daughter.”
As Kate delves into the case, she becomes convinced that she shares a personal link with the killer, who seems to know intimate details about a tragic childhood event from Kate’s past—an event she’d long been trying to forget. Paranoia sets in, the night terrors return, and Kate has a strong sense that she’s the killer’s next victim. She no longer feels assigned to the case . . . she is the case, and solving it is her only chance for survival.
Praise for The Devil's Song
There’s never a dull moment in Lauren Stahl’s The Devil’s Song . . . Stahl allows readers to experience Kate’s terror as she was buried alive by the deranged Ron Wells. She lets us feel Kate’s anguish in the knowledge that her young cousin might be Wells’ next victim. Flashbacks like this don’t make for a cool and collected investigation, but by the time the plot reaches its crescendo, it is obvious that Kate’s memories—more than cold, hard facts—will provide the solution to the crimes. The Devil’s Song is an unsettling read, but a unique one.
— Mystery Scene Magazine
It’s a thrilling story about a young prosecutor, her prominent judge father and a shocking crime.
— The Citizens’ Voice
Family secrets, childhood memories, and old crimes influence the present in this suspenseful debut. Kate is a gutsy character, and her romance with Sam is enjoyable. An open-ended finale leaves room for future conflicts within the Magda family . . . A solid bet for fans of dark crime dramas.
— Library Journal
For fans of serial-killer mysteries, The Devil’s Song provides ample fodder to keep you guessing and interested.
— Tulsa Book Review
A racing read by an author who knows how to tell a story, The Devil’s Song plunges the reader equally into two worlds: one of killers, insanity, child victims, and revenge; and another of the details and especially the politics and power plays of law, order, and investigation. It’s hard to tell at times which world is the more difficult to comprehend. Grabbed and held me straight through to the last page.
— S.J. Rozan, Edgar Award–winning author of Ghost Hero