The Stranger You Seek

Williams makes her debut with an explosive, unpredictable, and psychologically complex thriller that turns crime fiction clich%C3%A9s inside out. Sarcastic and fast-thinking independent investigator Keye Street, a Chinese-American whose alcoholism got her booted from her FBI profiling job four years earlier, makes a living serving subpoenas, tracking down bail jumpers, and tackling the oddest of odd jobs. When a friend from the Atlanta PD calls her in to help track down a mysterious serial killer, Keye soon finds herself battling past ghosts%E2%80%94from her murdered grandparents to an unscrupulous former employer%E2%80%94while attempting to protect herself and her loved ones from a sadistic mastermind whose games become increasingly deadly. A sweet "friends first" romance, a diverse cast, and doses of humor enhance the relentless hairpin action. Those looking for a strong female protagonist not a sexpot and as intelligent, tough, and flawed as any male thriller hero will be richly rewarded. (Sept.)