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Newlywed Pauly Caton watches, horrified, as the hot air balloon-the one she should have been riding in-falls from the sky. She races to the wrecked basket to discover both the pilot and her husband Randy dead in the fiery crash. The lone survivor appears to be an unknown child, who runs from the scene, naked and fearful, and disappears from sight. Shocked, Pauly turns to her Grams, a flashy grande dame and carnival owner, and a source of comfort for her pain.During the ensuing weeks, Pauly learns that nearly everything she knew about her new husband was based on lies and deception. As Christmas approaches, she attempts to pick up the pieces of her life and uncovers a host of other surprises about Randy-things that make her question everything about her choice to marry him. She senses she can trust no one, not even the police, and learns that there are secrets which threaten to put her own life in danger.Praise for Susan Slater's previous mystery novels:The Dan Mahoney series:"Flash Flood is just what it sounds like-a fresh, surprising, adrenaline-rush whitewater ride. It's also funny. Susan Slater can flat-out write." -Don Winslow, New York Times bestselling author"Slater's excellent sequel to Flash Flood takes insurance investigator Dan Mahoney to tiny Wagon Mound, New Mexico … Readers will be glad they're along for the ride."- Publishers Weekly (starred review)"There'll be much, much more, with whispers of everything from alien experiments to voodoo, before Slater closes out this lively, surprising case, first of a series." – Kirkus Reviews"Dan Mahoney is an appealingly resilient character, a welcome addition to the roster of sleuths that make the Southwest a hotbed of current mystery fiction." -Publishers WeeklyThe Ben Pecos mystery series:"Solid, suspenseful narrative and colorful glimpses of Native American life ... strongly recommend." -Library Journal"A series to watch." -Booklist"… Ben Pecos-raised far from New Mexico's Tewa Pueblo-could become as lasting a fictional presence as Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee." – Chicago Tribune"… a gripping, interesting tale." –5 stars, online review Kansas native Susan Slater lived in New Mexico for thirty-nine years and uses this enchanting Southwest setting for most of her mystery novels. Her Ben Pecos series reflects her extensive knowledge of the area and Native American tribal ways. As an educator, she directed the Six Sandoval Teacher Education Program for the All Indian Pueblo Council through the University of New Mexico. She taught creative writing for UNM and the University of Phoenix.The first in this highly acclaimed series, The Pumpkin Seed Massacre, reached Germany's bestseller list shortly after its initial publication as a German translation. Original print versions of the first three titles were outstandingly reviewed in nationwide major media.In July, 2009, Susan made her first foray into women's fiction with 0 to 60, a zany, all too true-to-life story of a woman dumped, and the book was immediately optioned by Hollywood.Late 2017 and 2018 brings a new era to Susan's storytelling. Secret Staircase Books is releasing newly edited versions of her entire Ben Pecos series in paperback, and brings the series to a whole new set of readers for the first time in all e-book formats.Now residing in Florida with her menagerie of dogs and canaries, Susan writes full time and stays busy in community theatre and other volunteer projects. Contact her by email: susan@susansslater.com