We all bear the wounds of our past…

Joe Clayton, now Cooper, lives a quiet, solitary life as a groundsman on a grand Sussex estate. Still hiding his secret former life as an undercover cop; still hunted by a ruthless crime family who have put a price on his head.

But Joe’s peaceful existence is shattered when he spots intruders breaking into the house next door. His mind instantly goes to Gemma Granger, the young woman house-sitting while the owners are away. Joe has made a rare connection with Gemma, and he is furious to discover that she has been dragged into a violent revenge plot, involving the homeowners' runaway son and a vicious criminal gang.

When Gemma is snatched by the gang, Joe must step out of the shadows, track the kidnappers, and rely on the deadly skills he tried so hard to leave behind. But playing the hero means risking his hard-won cover, exposing him to the merciless enemies who will stop at nothing to see him dead.

Praise for Tom Bale:

'A masterclass in nail-biting tension and a true page turner' Bestselling author K. L. Slater

'A fantastic thriller. Gripped me from the first page and didn’t let go. Tom Bale is the British Harlan Coben.' John Carson

'Tom Bale is one of the best British thriller writers around.' Simon Kernick

'A masterclass in nail-biting tension and a true page turner, but that’s not all. Bale sensitively explores themes of revenge, grief and fatherhood and gives us very well-developed characters and surprising twists.' Bestselling author K. L. Slater