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LIFE RUINS
by Danuta Kot

LIFE RUINS by Danuta Kot

Becca, tossed out of university and just let go from her dead-end job, is certain she knows who the victim is. But no one will believe her, and she can hardly even trust herself.

Kay, recently widowed and coming to terms with life on her own, suddenly finds herself forced to get involved. For years she and her husband fostered difficult children – including Becca, whom trouble follows like a stray puppy. And now Becca seems to be in the worst trouble of her life.

And then Jared and Becca meet. Becca, strong-minded and fiercely independent, is confident they can figure out what’s going on. She pulls Kay into the mix, knowing they’ll need all the help they can get… because the police don’t believe them. And more girls are vanishing.

Separately, Kay, Becca and Jared believe their lives have hit rock bottom. But drawn together under extraordinary circumstances, they’ll discover the strength to fight back… and ultimately rebuild their lives from the ruins.

Set amidst the bleak landscape of the east Yorkshire coast, LIFE RUINS combines haunting landscapes that will appeal to readers of PETER MAY and ANN CLEVES with the thoughtful, internal crime writing of DENISE MINA in a new and unforgettable novel.

Simon & Schuster

February 2019

480 pages

PDF file available

“Life Ruins has all the elements I love in a novel: complex characters, an insidious underlying menace, and haunting landscapes. This dark story will suck you in from the first page.” - Stephen Booth

“Explores real issues, from the perspective of real, damaged people, and told with a real warmth and understanding. Danuta Kot raises the bar for all crime writers.” - Michael Jecks