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Content snapshot
Flag an inaccuracy →What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.
Violence
A lot
Serial killer murders enacting novel plots; intense crime scene detail; sustained thriller violence
Language
Some
Moderate language
Sexual Content
Barely any
No significant sexual content
Substance Use
Barely any
Minimal substance use
Emotional Intensity
A lot
Strong psychological intensity; meta-fictional horror; writers as targets; sustained threat to protagonists
What this book is about
A killer has begun targeting crime fiction writers, using the murders depicted in their published novels as templates for real killings. Crime novelist Fiona Cameron and her partner, criminal profiler Nick Nicolaides, find themselves directly in the path of a predator who makes their fiction horribly real. A standalone Val McDermid thriller about the dangerous intersection of imagination and violence.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Serial killer targeting crime writers
Murders enacting fiction
Intense violence
Reader Verification
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