Girl, 11

Elle runs a popular podcast called Justice Delayed. On the podcast, she examines cold cases, focusing on the victims and the need for them to have justice, even if it has been a long time. When she takes on the “Countdown Killer” case, she seems to have poked a hornet’s nest. The killer, who has been dormant for twenty years, starts killing again. When Elle goes to meet a possible witness, she finds him dead. Elle has friends in the police department, and she manages to keep track of the case. The parents of a kidnapped girl ask her to consult on the case. It isn’t long until things get very close to home for Elle.

Amy Suiter Clarke has written a twisty page turner with enough red herrings to keep readers guessing throughout. Everyone becomes a suspect at one point or another. The story is Elle’s until late in the book when she gives some point of view chapters to the Countdown Killer. Even when we hear directly from the killer, it still isn’t clear who he is and if he might be someone we’ve already met. The writing is great, the characters are realistic, and the dialog is snappy.