“Cool and suspenseful.”— The Atlanta Journal-Constitution “A first novel of remarkable depth, told in an intriguing style . . . both edgy and strangely comfortable . . . a story and characters that both challenge the reader and show a depth of feeling and understanding rarely found in the contemporary mystery.”— The Dallas Morning News “Impressive. . . . There is a lot of talent on display here.” — The Washington Times Seventeen-year-old Sterling O’Connor works at the local Dairy Queen in a small town in Georgia. With his bleachedout hair and multiple piercings, smart, edgy Sterling has already cut a swath through the local high school talent. One day a stranger walks in, an older woman from up north. His attraction is instant and all-consuming. To Lara he is just a kid with a crush. But he does have something going for him. Alone, and a stranger in town, Lara finds herself spending time with Sterling. She buys an old Victorian house and hires him to help her fix it up. They become closer, and she is drawn to him. Rumors about her relationships with men soon begin to circulate, and tensions escalate. Lara is shot dead. And Sterling is the prime suspect. Jennifer Patrick was born in Durham, North Carolina. After receiving a BA in English and psychology from Swarthmore College, she attended The University of Georgia’s MFA program in creative writing. She has published magazine articles and had essays featured on Georgia Public Radio. Patrick lives in Athens, Georgia, where she works as a freelance writer and editor.