The child she once fostered is back. And so is a secret that should have stayed buried…

Cora freezes, her breath catching in her throat. Outside her home is someone she thought she’d never see again: Violet. Cora fostered her years ago; and Violet nearly tore her family apart…

Now Violet’s all grown up and her tawny eyes seem calmer, warmer. Cora can't ignore the guilt she's carried all this time… So, she welcomes Violet into her perfect home and perfect family – she has the kind of life some people would kill for.

Soon Violet is invited to family dinners with Lori, Cora’s daughter, who was once afraid of her foster sister. And to coffees and catch-ups in the beautiful kitchen Cora shares with her rich fiancé… who, until now, knew nothing about her foster child – or her past.

Then the garden is destroyed. A decoration is taken off their door and posted to them, hacked to pieces. Did she make a terrible mistake, trusting Violet again?

When threatening messages arrive, it's clear someone's life is in danger; could it be Cora? And is Violet behind it? Whoever it is, someone close to home has a secret. And someone is planning revenge…

A totally addictive and heart-pounding psychological thriller packed with shocking twists, unforgettable characters and impossible-to-see-coming secrets. Perfect for fans of Freida McFadden, Lisa Jewell and T.M. Logan.

What readers are saying about Karen King:

‘Wow, I could not put this down… I devoured it in one sitting… Had me hooked from the first chapter…. Left me speechless… kept me guessing until the very last page!’ Arcreviews_by_m, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Omg I absolutely loved this book and couldn’t put it down! Full of suspense, shouting out loud noooooo or wtf moments! Highly recommend.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘HOLY SMOKES! You will not want to put this book down. Talk about a gripping story. I could not get enough of this.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘An absolute gem!… brilliant!… I devoured this gripping story over two evenings as I just HAD to get to the conclusion… a must-read… Utterly Fantastic.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Cannot give this book enough stars!!!… I was actually annoyed I had to go to uni and stop reading it for a few hours… Absolutely outstanding.’ Itsa.bookstory, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Excellent… Full of brilliant twists and turns… WoW… Superb… guessing till the very end! Excellent!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wow… Absolutely brilliant. I couldn't put it down… A real page turner.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘One of my favorites of 2025… An amazing fast-paced thriller that you can read in one sitting.’ Nath.readingadventures, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Mind-blowing read. Loved it.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Brilliant… just mind-blowing…. I was hooked… It's just superb.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘An absolute rollercoaster, packed with thrills and suspense.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘So many twists and turns that I never saw coming… Couldn’t stop reading it.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐