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  PRAISE FOR BARBARA TAYLOR SISSEL

  THE LAST INNOCENT HOUR

  “This is a plot worthy of Daphne du Maurier . . . a compelling tale of innocence lost.”

  —Houston Chronicle

  “Sissel’s writing is strong and the characters and their motivations clearly drawn.”

  —Bev Vincent, author of The Road to the Dark Tower and The Stephen King Illustrated Companion

  “A taut psychological-suspense thriller, exciting and quite dark with no light in sight, adding an almost gothic feel.”

  —Midwest Book Review

  “Sissel’s first novel is a worthy achievement . . . along the lines of Iris Johansen. Frightening . . . poignant. Sissel’s strength lies in her multidimensional characters . . . that make the reader react—with fear, with relief, with anger, with tenderness.”

  —Book Browser Review

  “The Last Innocent Hour will ensnare you in a web of family secrets and suspense, with powerful, crisp writing and characters so real you’ll think you’ve met them.”

  —Colleen Thompson, bestselling author of The Salt Maiden and Phantom of the French Quarter

  THE NINTH STEP

  “Barbara Taylor Sissel crafts a sure-handed, beautiful garden of a novel on ground tilled by Jodi Picoult and Anita Shreve . . . Sissel’s vibrant voice, rich characters, and deft plotting draw the reader in and keep pages turning to the gripping, unexpected end.”

  —Joni Rodgers, NYT bestselling author of Crazy for Trying, Sugarland, and memoir Bald in the Land of Big Hair

  EVIDENCE OF LIFE

  “The . . . pace of Sissel’s novel allows readers to savor the language and the well-drawn characters . . . Enjoyable and insightful.”

  —RT Book Reviews, four stars

  “A chilling mystery with a haunting resolution you won’t see coming.”

  —Sophie Littlefield, bestselling author of Garden of Stones

  SAFE KEEPING

  “Past secrets contribute to present-day angst in this solid suspense novel, and the even pacing keeps the reader’s interest until the captivating conclusion.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “Impressive writing and affecting subject matter.”

  —Kirkus Reviews

  “A gripping read . . . perfect for a book club.”

  —Library Journal

  “A book you need to set aside time for because you will not be able to break away.”

  —Suspense Magazine

  FAULTLINES

  “An in-depth portrayal of how one moment—and one mystery—can crack a family open. These compelling characters will stay with you long after the final reveal. Sissel’s fans will not be disappointed.”

  —Catherine McKenzie, bestselling author of Hidden and Fractured

  “This is that rare sort of book that grabs you from the very first line and refuses to let go. Beautifully written, intricately plotted, and perfectly executed, Faultlines is an intimate look at the unraveling of a family after a tragic accident. Sissel weaves a clever web of emotional fallout as she alternates seamlessly between two story lines that converge in a devastating way. An atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful journey that will stay with you for a long time after you’ve finished the last page.”

  —Kristin Harmel, international bestselling author of The Sweetness of Forgetting

  “Barbara Taylor Sissel brilliantly weaves a compelling, suspenseful, and emotional family drama . . . As the parent of a teenager, I immediately connected with the story and the characters and was hooked from page one. Ms. Sissel is a masterful storyteller when it comes to suspense and an exceptional writer. It’s a definite page-turner!”

  —Kerry Lonsdale, bestselling author of Everything We Keep

  “A gripping tale of secrets and obsessions in which nothing is quite as it seems. After tragedy and accusations of blame rip a family apart, Barbara Taylor Sissel masterfully unravels the shocking truth.”

  —Barbara Claypole White, bestselling author of The Perfect Son

  “I was completely sucked into Faultlines. Told with great skill and compassion, Faultlines had me feeling for so many of its flawed but very human characters, each of them struggling toward the grace that can only come of forgiveness. My favorite of Sissel’s many fine books, Faultlines kept me reading long past midnight . . . and the powerful yet hopeful resolution will stay with me for a long time.”

  —Colleen Thompson, author of The Off Season and Fatal Error

  THE TRUTH WE BURY

  “Once again, Barbara Taylor Sissel has kept me up into the wee hours of the night with an unputdownable masterpiece that explores family, love, and the ramifications of the decisions we make. The perfect blend of mystery, danger, and the type of secrets people kill for, The Truth We Bury will keep you reading furiously until you reach the perfectly executed end.”

  —Kristin Harmel, international bestselling author of The Sweetness of Forgetting and When We Meet Again

  “What would you do if your grown child were implicated in a brutal murder? . . . As family secrets, lies, and betrayals are revealed, the characters also find the strength to take ownership of their own mistakes. A gripping book club read!”

  —Barbara Claypole White, bestselling author of Echoes of Family

  “Engrossing murder mystery . . . Sissel’s characters are all too real, their harrowing devotion and blind love for their children not far from what every parent feels. As their choices play out and the consequences and truth unspool, you will be riveted until the very last page.”

  —Emily Carpenter, author of The Weight of Lies and Burying the Honeysuckle Girls

  “Barbara Taylor Sissel ratchets up the suspense . . . Rich with beautiful prose, compelling characters, and questions about the imperfect nature of family relationships, this is one of those books that will stay with me for a very long time.”

  —Colleen Thompson, author of The Off Season

  “Beautifully written . . . the perfect emotional storm of family secrets, regret, and revenge. The Truth We Bury will keep you guessing until the final shocking reveal, all while making you wonder which of your own little buried truths could come back to haunt you.”

  —Jenna Patrick, author of The Rules of Half

  “Compulsively readable and gorgeously written, Barbara Taylor Sissel’s The Truth We Bury had me enthralled from the first page to its stunning conclusion. Readers will love the blend of suspense, mystery, and family drama, and book clubs will find much to discuss. This is a novel you won’t want to miss.”

  —Karen McQuestion, bestselling author of The Long Way Home and Hello Love

  “Part riveting mystery, part moral dilemma, The Truth We Bury is a beautifully written exploration of the depths of a mother’s love.”

  —Robyn Harding, author of The Party

  WHAT LIES BELOW

  “Infused with heart-stopping suspense, emotional resonance, and startling imagery, What Lies Below swept me along a river of urgency and dread. Barbara Taylor Sissel effortlessly weaves together prescience, regret, grief, love, and revenge—all wrapped in the mystery of a young girl’s abduction. Beneath the breathless immediacy of the story lie deeper questions: How do we forgive ourselves—and others—for remembered transgressions, and can we ever break free of the past?”

  —A. J. Banner, #1 Amazon and USA Today bestselling author of The Good Neighbor and The Twilight Wife

  “Barbara Taylor Sissel’s What Lies Below is suspense at its finest—heartrending, compelling, and beautifully written. If you’re looking for your next up-all-night read, look no further.”

  —Jessica Strawser, author of Almost Missed You and Not That I Could Tell

  “What Lies Below is a fast-paced thriller with a touch of the paranorm
al and a broken, brave heroine who stole my heart. Struggling with sobriety, grief, and dark premonitions, Gilly seeks anonymity, but as she becomes entangled in a child abduction, lines blur between dreams and reality, secrets and memories, truth and lies. The result is a wild ride with an adrenaline-pumping plot twist. I could not put this book down!”

  —Barbara Claypole White, bestselling author of The Perfect Son and The Promise Between Us

  “Take a deep breath and hold on! What Lies Below takes the reader from the opening paragraph to the last satisfying page at breakneck speed. With jaw-dropping reveals and unexpected twists, I found myself rapidly turning the pages, as desperate to learn the outcome as were Sissel’s characters. A fast-paced thriller—Sissel’s stories just keep getting better and better.”

  —Kerry Lonsdale, Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author

  “A beautifully written story that kept me on the edge of my seat, What Lies Below explores the boundaries of grief, guilt, and forgiveness, along with its dark flip side, revenge.”

  —Colleen Thompson, author of The Off Season

  “In What Lies Below, a little girl goes missing, but it’s the story—and the impending emotional unraveling—of the woman who’s having dreams about the kidnapping that is the beating heart of this compelling mystery. Readers will revel in the small-town Texas setting and root for Sissel’s damaged yet sympathetic characters as they race to learn how the puzzle pieces fit together in the most satisfying way.”

  —Emily Carpenter, author of Every Single Secret

  “I cannot emphasize this enough: you must read What Lies Below. Barbara Taylor Sissel manages to combine an unreliable narrator, twisting plot, and well-imagined characters to create a world where nothing is as it seems and secrets abound. I had intended to savor the novel’s lovely prose but wound up devouring the book in a day. Simply fantastic.”

  —Karen McQuestion, bestselling author of Hello Love

  “In this story about a deeply broken woman forced to employ her psychic ability—a dark gift directly connected to the tragedy that destroyed her own life three years previously—in order to try to save an abducted child, Sissel creates a heart-wrenching page-turner full of unexpected revelations. Clear time from your schedule—you won’t want to put this one down.”

  —Kerry Anne King, bestselling author of Closer Home

  ALSO BY BARBARA TAYLOR SISSEL

  What Lies Below

  The Truth We Bury

  Faultlines

  Crooked Little Lies

  The Volunteer

  The Ninth Step

  The Last Innocent Hour

  Evidence of Life

  Safe Keeping

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Text copyright © 2019 by Barbara Taylor Sissel

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  Published by Lake Union Publishing, Seattle

  www.apub.com

  Amazon, the Amazon logo, and Lake Union Publishing are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates.

  ISBN-13: 9781542040457

  ISBN-10: 1542040450

  Cover design by Faceout Studio, Lindy Martin

  Again, for the guys in my life and my two greatest teachers, Michael and David

  CONTENTS

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

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  10

  11

  12

  13

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  15

  16

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  18

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  20

  21

  22

  23

  24

  25

  EPILOGUE: SIX MONTHS LATER

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  1

  Caroline—Sunday, January 7

  It was seeing the house that unhinged her. After all these years she hadn’t expected it would look so familiar, so endearing. Memories came, images, sights, the sound of old laughter unspooling across the surface of her mind, cinematic, painful in their beauty. She could nearly see her dad, football tucked under his arm, dodging and feinting a path toward the designated goal—the old thick-trunked Douglas fir was still there at the right edge of the broad expanse of lawn, brown now in the dead of winter.

  On the flight up from Houston she had imagined a thousand scenarios, planned any number of speeches she might make. But now she doubted the wisdom of the impulse that had brought her. She ought to have called ahead, given some warning.

  It’s a fool’s errand, Caroline, her mother’s voice whispered through her brain.

  She rang the doorbell, and her heart seized in unexpected delight when the opening notes of the Tillman State University fight song pealed and faded. If her dad were here, if she were still the little girl she’d been when they’d last come, he’d grin and tell her to do it again. And again. He’d be laughing when Coach Kelly opened the door. Coach had always acted as if he were annoyed, but then he’d lean out the door and push the button himself. He’d always had such mischief in his eyes.

  She stiffened at the sound of steps approaching from the inside, becoming acutely aware of her mouth, dry as a bone, her heart fluttering, the smallest of bird wings. The door opened; a white-haired man peered out. His gaze, magnified by the lenses of his glasses, was cloudy, unsure.

  She had thought herself prepared for the change in Coach Kelly that would be inevitable after more than thirty years. But this . . . no . . . he would be in his seventies now, but he looked much older and so frail, when in her memory he was huge, such a presence, a bear in her mind like her dad. It was everything she could do not to react; it took all she had to make herself smile. “Hi,” she said, and it was such a perky syllable. “You probably don’t remember me, but my dad and I used to come visit you a lot during football season back in the 1980s. He was Garrett Hoffman, went by Hoff? I’m—”

  “Caroline? Is it really you?”

  “Yes.” She felt relieved and gratified that he seemed to remember her, but when he turned from her, calling out, “Jace, she’s here,” she was a bit dismayed. She hadn’t counted on anyone else being here, certainly not Coach Kelly’s son, whom she hadn’t seen since they were kids.

  “Caroline,” Jace greeted her smoothly, coming alongside his father. They were both tall, well-built men. Coach Kelly was gaunt now, but Caroline could still see something of the cute guy in Jace’s grown-up self. He still had a puckish look, with his upturned nose and pointed jaw. He was taller than she remembered and wider through the shoulders, but still muscled, although age was softening him. He was like his dad, and her own: built to play football.

  Coach Kelly widened the door. “My goodness, I didn’t believe Jace when he said you were on your way here.”

  “How did you know?” she asked Jace.

  “Alexa, the trainer you spoke to at Tillman State, called me.”

  “Really?” Alexa hadn’t been at all forthcoming when she had spoken to the trainer a half hour ago in the athletic office at Tillman State University, yet she’d called Jace to alert him to Caroline’s presence? A thread of apprehension tightened along her spine. No wonder he’d beaten her here—it was sheer luck that Caroline had ultimately found the Kelly house. She’d known the neighborhood and the street, but not even providing those details had inspired the trainer to give Caroline the exact address. She’d said school policy prevented her from giving out per
sonal information.

  “Come on in here, young lady.” Coach Kelly beckoned her in. “Let me get a look at you.”

  Caroline stepped inside the wide, paneled entry hall, reveling in the details of the surroundings that only moments before had been figments in her mind. There was the painting, an original Leroy Neiman, hanging over the marble-topped table on her left; the same narrow persian runner in shades of blue, red, and yellow was under her feet. Even the smell of wood burning, the fainter underscore of gas heat, was evocative of the past.

  “Let me take your coat,” Coach Kelly said.

  She slipped her arms out of her black wool blazer, feeling half in a daze.

  He hung it inside the closet. He took her purse and laid it on the seat of the prettily carved french chair beside the entry table, and as he straightened, he said it again, that he couldn’t believe it. “Little Caroline Hoffman all grown up and come to visit again after all these years.”

  “It’s Corbett, Caroline Corbett, now.” She tugged unnecessarily on the cuffs of her long-sleeved sweater.

  “Well, of course. You’re married, a long time by now, I imagine. Do you have children?”

  She started to answer. “A daughter, Nina—”

  “Come into the library where it’s warm. I’ve got a fire going in there.” He led the way down the hall.

  Caroline followed him, and Jace fell in behind her. “Why are you here?” he asked her, and while his tone wasn’t quite hostile, neither was it welcoming. But possibly he was annoyed, rightfully so, that she hadn’t called first. He went on. “I’m guessing this isn’t a social visit—”

  “I’m sorry.” She shot Jace a glance over her shoulder. “It was rude of me not to let you know I was coming—”

  “Don’t think twice about it,” the coach said. “We’re glad to see you, aren’t we, Jace?” He stood back, allowing her to enter the library first, and once she was inside the cozy, book-lined room, she was immediately transported to the past. She could see her dad sitting in the old winged armchair, one of two pulled near the fireplace. She could hear his laughter, the resonant timbre of his voice . . . the memory of him was alive now, here in this room, unsettling and hurtful. It made her ache.