An epidemic of venomous snakes in an English village drives an insecure veterinarian to unravel a bizarre mystery in this gothic suspense thriller. Clara Benning, a veterinary surgeon in charge of a wildlife hospital in a small English village, is young and intelligent, but reclusive. Disfigured by a childhood accident, she prefers animals to people. When a local man dies following a supposed snakebite, Clara's expertise is needed. She's chilled to learn that the victim's postmortem shows a higher concentration of venom than could ever be found in a single snake—and therefore, the killer must be human. Assisted by a soft-spoken neighbor and an eccentric reptile expert, Clara uncovers links to an ancient ritual, an abandoned house, and a fifty-year-old tragedy. But for someone the truth must remain buried in the past—even if they have to kill to keep it there . . . Awakening is a disturbing tale of dark secrets that will have readers unable to stop for a breath until they reach the stunning climax of this extraordinary read. A Booklist Top Ten Crime Novel of the Year