Lost Graves

A scrap of clothing still clung to one arm – the remains of a woollen jumper, perhaps once carefully knitted by a loving mother, now dirty and torn. Jessie wondered how many parents were still waiting for news of those buried here, and how far the lost victims were from home. A body has been found in an ancient forest in the remote west of Ireland – but this death is only the beginning. The crime scene reveals the remains of dozens of victims, stretching back years. None of them matching missing persons lists, and their DNA is not on file. With no clues to go on, and limited resources, the local police call in criminal behaviourist Jessie Boyle and her partner Detective Seamus Keneally. The detectives soon discover that the forest, with its ancient burial mounds and dark hollows, is home to a centuries-old legend: of a ruthless attacker, preying on unwary travellers. Has the killer taken deadly inspiration from an old legend? And how long before they strike again? When forensic evidence found on the latest victim’s body links to a suspect, Jessie realises she only has one chance to trap them before more innocent lives are lost. But the forest still has one last, awful secret to give up. Will bringing this twisted killer to justice come at the ultimate cost for Jessie?..M.F