Trace of Evil: A Natalie Lockhart Novel

by Alice Blanchard Narrated by Laura Nichol

Overview

From Alice Blanchard, the author of the New York Times Notable mystery novel Darkness Peering comes Trace of Evil, first in an evocative new series about a small New York town, its deeply held secrets, and the woman determined to uncover them, no matter what the cost.

There's something wicked in Burning Lake...

Natalie Lockhart is a rookie detective in Burning Lake, New York, an isolated town known for its dark past. Tasked with uncovering the whereabouts of nine missing transients who have disappeared over the years, Natalie wrestles with the town's troubled history - and the scars left by her sister's unsolved murder years ago.

Then Daisy Buckner, a beloved schoolteacher, is found dead on her kitchen floor, and a suspect immediately comes to mind. But it's not that simple. The suspect is in a coma, collapsed only hours after the teacher's death, and it turns out Daisy had secrets of her own. Natalie knows there is more to the case, but as the investigation deepens, even she cannot predict the far-reaching consequences - for the victim, for the missing of Burning Lake, and for herself.

Praise for Trace of Evil:

“An airtight police procedural with deeply macabre elements...`Trace of Evil' delivers all elements without a single misstep.” -- BookPage

"Witchcraft, a brutal murder, and secrets buried in a sleepy town's past... With Trace of Evil, Blanchard expertly weaves mystery and spine-tingling suspense into a tense, nail-biter of a thriller!" - J.D. Barker, International Bestselling Author of The Fourth Monkey

"An interesting and credible community as a backdrop to the action, strong characterization and a powerful and unexpected denouement. It provides the delights of a traditional mystery but is set firmly in the present. I look forward to reading more in the series." - Bestselling author Ann Cleeves

Editorial Reviews

JANUARY 2020 - AudioFile

Part intense police procedural, part suspense, and part family drama, this audiobook keeps listeners guessing. Natalie Lockhart is a rookie detective in Burning Lake, New York, a sleepy town hiding dark secrets, where she is assigned the cold cases of nine missing women. Narrator Laura Nichol struggles at times to create distinctions between the characters, and much of the dialogue includes crass language. Though it may be authentic, given the settings, it can be distracting. However, Nichol makes Natalie and her interactions memorable. When a beloved school teacher is murdered, Natalie finds unexpected connections between the past tragedies and the present crime. As the investigation hits closer and closer to home, Natalie must fight to maintain her integrity while protecting those she loves. K.S.M. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

From the Publisher

"A fast-paced, intricate, and atmospheric mystery that introduces a plucky, engaging detective." - Kirkus Review

"Flush with red herrings, Wiccan symbols, and disaffected teens, this book will appeal to fans of criminal investigations led by empowered women." - Publishers Weekly

"What seems an open-and-shut case becomes much more, with Blanchard carefully peeling away layers of history and deception before pulling off a shocking twist. Lockhart is a relatable new heroine on the police-procedural scene, and one who will appeal to readers of Tana French." - Booklist

"A powerful and unexpected denouement. I look forward to reading more in the series." – bestselling author Ann Cleeves

"[A] tense, nail-biter of a thriller!" - J.D. Barker, International Bestselling Author of The Fourth Monkey

“Alice Blanchard seems to be able to write just about anything she wants [and] shows off a veteran storyteller at the peak of her powers.” – New York Times bestselling author Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of Two If By Sea and The Deep End of the Ocean

“A tantalizing mystery with just the right amount of unsettling horror woven in.” Neal Griffin, LA Times best-selling author of the Newberg series

“Layered with old wounds, new secrets, and tension that starts on the first page and never lets up.” —Kristen Lepionka, Shamus Award-winning author of the Roxane Wearymystery series

“Moody and atmospheric [...] the kind of tale that lingers long after you’ve raced through its twists and turns to the utterly gripping finale." – Owen Laukkanen, award-winning author of the Stevens & Windermere novels

“Trace of Evil is riveting—atmospheric and dark, exploring modern day witchcraft and covens, with enough twists and turns to keep the most astute reader guessing until the end. Blanchard is a master storyteller with a brilliant understanding of family—about the love that both binds us and tears us apart. Get ready for a great read!” - Tricia Fields, author of the Josie Gray Mysteries

“[A] complex and tense drama.” – Trudy Nan Boyce, author of the Detective Sarah Alt series

"[A] haunting, dark, and thrilling tale that will leave you breathless." - L.T. Vargus, bestselling author of Bad Blood and Dead End Girl

"Everything feels as if set to explode. [Trace of Evil] holds the reader at the edge of his seat, flipping the pages to untangle the knot, and uncover the secrets.” – Mike Omer, bestselling author of the Zoe Bentley mystery series

“[U]tterly compelling. You won’t want to put it down.” – Olivia Kiernan, author of The Killer in Me and Too Close to Breathe

"Blanchard delivers a masterclass in guessing who is the most evil—and why.” Rea Frey, author of Not Her Daughter

"[A] compelling mystery that will hold readers spellbound." – Margaret Mizushima, author of the critically acclaimed Timber Creek K-9 mysteries

“[Trace of Evil] delivers a gut-punch of a twist readers won’t see coming. This book is not to be missed!” —Sara Driscoll, author of the FBI K-9s series

“[A]n absolute must-read that will [...] leave you breathless.” – Carol Wyer, author of the Detective Natalie Ward series

"Trace of Evil is lyrical, dark, and twisted. I read late into the night and the final twist blew me away." - Ellison Cooper, author of Caged

JANUARY 2020 - AudioFile

Part intense police procedural, part suspense, and part family drama, this audiobook keeps listeners guessing. Natalie Lockhart is a rookie detective in Burning Lake, New York, a sleepy town hiding dark secrets, where she is assigned the cold cases of nine missing women. Narrator Laura Nichol struggles at times to create distinctions between the characters, and much of the dialogue includes crass language. Though it may be authentic, given the settings, it can be distracting. However, Nichol makes Natalie and her interactions memorable. When a beloved school teacher is murdered, Natalie finds unexpected connections between the past tragedies and the present crime. As the investigation hits closer and closer to home, Natalie must fight to maintain her integrity while protecting those she loves. K.S.M. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

2019-09-13
Detective Natalie Lockhart seeks to solve the brutal murder of a friend—which may connect to the slaying of her own sister 20 years earlier.

Centuries ago, three women were executed for witchcraft in Burning Lake, New York. Perhaps because of this violent history, it's almost a rite of passage for Burning Lake teens to flirt with Wicca and darker forms of witchcraft. But when a high school teacher is found murdered in her home, the exploration doesn't seem quite so innocent, especially when a poppet, a kind of black magic voodoo doll, is found buried in the teacher's garden. Natalie can feel the dark influence everywhere; in addition to the murder investigation, she's been assigned to investigate the disappearances of nine transients over the past several years. When she discovers the desiccated corpses of tortured crows at more than one of the sites where the missing people were last seen, it becomes more and more obvious that there is something—or someone—dark and deadly at work in Burning Lake, someone who may even have been responsible for the murder of Natalie's own sister 20 years before and who hasn't stopped killing since. There are a number of crimes being investigated in this novel and a lot of movement between past and present, but for the most part, Blanchard (A Breath After Drowning, 2018, etc.) successfully navigates these complexities and keeps the reader, and the story, grounded with the appealing character of Natalie. Dogged, empathetic, courageous, and driven by her own childhood trauma, she leaves no stone unturned, even if it means investigating people she loves. Blanchard indicates this is the first of many Lockhart mysteries to come—good news!

A fast-paced, intricate, and atmospheric mystery that introduces a plucky, engaging detective.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171778507
Publisher:	Macmillan Audio
Publication date:	12/03/2019
Series:	Natalie Lockhart , #1
Edition description:	Unabridged

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