Former BBC journalist Ashford follows up her debut, Frozen
, with an engaging second lead appearance for British profiler and forensic pathologist Dr. Megan Rhys. The young head of Heartland University's Department of Investigative Psychology, Megan struggles to keep a problematic relationship with one of her former Ph.D. students under wraps while profiling a serial killer who carves pentagrams on his victims' foreheads. Megan finds that the first victim, Tessa Ledbury, a wife and mother, had once been involved with Sean Raven, a charismatic local Wiccan coven leader, which makes Wolverhampton Det. Supt. Steve Foy's theory that the killing was occult-related look likely. But Megan isn't convinced, and her uncertainty is shared by her friend Delva Lobelo, a BTV journalist. When more victims are discovered, the investigation expands, and an unfortunate incident brings Megan's sister into the mix. Ashford's tight plotting and clean prose keep the tension building, making this an admirable sequel. (Dec.)
