A rain barrel spills its secret.

A reverend stalked by nightmares.

A killer who knows her deepest fears.

When a body surfaces in the downpour, Cici Gurule's past floods back. Her twin's ghost reveals more victims—and more watery graves. As the killer closes in, targeting her congregation and friends, Cici and Detective Sam Chastain must decipher twisted clues before another life is lost.

But every answer leads to another riddle: a missing ex-lover, a cat's unnerving omen, and a teen girl taken. With time running out, Cici must confront the darkness within—and the terror waiting in the water.

A haunting, emotionally-charged thriller for fans of Nevada Barr, Tana French, and Julia Spencer-Fleming.

TIMELESS PRAISE FOR J.J. Cagney

"A wholly absorbing gumshoe tale elevated by an extraordinary detective." —Kirkus Reviews

"Vivid, alluring, and heart‑wrenching... every reason I love mystery." —New York Times Bestseller Darynda Jones

"Written in a clear, distinct style, Padgett uses the prose to elicit tension and emotion and creates a tense, fast-paced story." —The BookLife Prize

"An edge-of-my-seat thrill ride that kept me guessing all the way through." — USA Today Bestseller Allyson Lindt

"The prose is...sublimely concise." —Kirkus Reviews

"I'm pretty giddy that this will be a series! It's packed with a good mystery and the cat and mouse makes it hard to put down." —Next Book Review

"An exhilarating entry in a thoroughly enjoyable series." —Kirkus Reviews