The murder of a notorious public figure places Paradise, Massachusetts,
police chief Jesse Stone in the harsh glare of the media spotlight. When
the body of controversial talk-show host Walton Weeks is discovered
hanging from a tree on the outskirts of Paradise, police chief Jesse
Stone finds himself at the center of a highly public case, forcing him
to deal with small-minded local officials and national media scrutiny.
When another dead body-that of a young woman-is discovered just a few
days later, the pressure becomes almost unbearable. Two victims in less
than a week should provide a host of clues, but all Jesse runs into are
dead ends. But what may be the most disturbing aspect of these murders
is the fact that no one seems to care-not a single one of Weeks's
ex-wives, not the family of the girl. And when the medical examiner
reveals a heartbreaking link between the two departed souls, the mystery
only deepens. Despite Weeks's reputation and the girl's tender age,
Jesse is hard-pressed to find legitimate suspects. Though the crimes are
perhaps the most gruesome Jesse has ever witnessed, it is the
malevolence behind them that makes them all the more frightening. Forced
to delve into a world of stormy relationships, Jesse soon comes to
realize that knowing whom he can trust is indeed a matter of life and
death.
