Series:

Inspector Banks Novels

Main description:

No one dreamed something so hideous could grow in so beautiful a place . . .

Many who visit the valley are overwhelmed by its majesty. Some wish they never had to leave. One didn't, a hiker whose decomposing corpse is discovered by an unsuspecting tourist. But this strange, incomprehensible murder is only the edge of the darkness that hovers over a small rural village and its tight-lipped residents who guard shattering secrets of sordid pasts and private shames. Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks knows that both the grim truth and a cold-blooded killer are hiding here, far from the city, the noise, and safety. And he's determined to walk into the valley of death to expose them both.

Review quote:

“A superior detective ... a superior writer.”

Review quote:

“Complex and unexpected ... stylish prose and lean, dramatic storytelling.”

Review quote:

“Evocative ... intriguing ... emotionally rich.”