Twelve suspenseful stories from the author of the Willa Jansson and Laura Di Palma mystery series.A killer’s using freezing weather and plenty of water to eliminate the city’s homeless population, and a lawyer must identify the culprit before her client’s arrested for the bizarre murders . . . An off-the-grid, clandestine meeting between an attorney and her recently acquitted lover takes a twisted turn . . . In 1918, as the flu pandemic decimates America, a nanny for a wealthy family is mistaken for dead, but that’s only the beginning of her troubles . . . On a quiet Oregon beach on Native American land, a couple is debating whether or not they should get married when a stranger interrupts them . . .These are just a few of the mysterious tales in this collection that has “tight plotting, good characterizations, and page-turning suspense. . . . Matera [is] one of the best contemporary mystery novelists” (Booklist).Praise for Lia Matera“[A] welcome respite from the mystery-by-formula crowd.” —Kirkus Reviews on A Hard Bargain“A satisfying blend of emotion, suspense and mystery.” —The Pittsburgh Press on The Good Fight “[Matera’s] skill and literary flair are everywhere on display. Every word counts, and the pieces of the puzzle fit together with exhilarating precision.” —ABA Journal on Designer Crimes “This fast-moving tale is peppered with eccentric characters, snappy dialogue and a creative plot.” —San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle on Star Witness