After the murder of her twin sister, artist Murphy Anderson escapes to Alaska to avoid the press and sensationalist publicity. But her sanctuary in Kodiak is disturbed when she is asked to help a dying man by drawing out his memories of five men from World War II; their bodies had been discovered a decade before on isolated Ruuwaq Island. Once again, Murphy finds herself in the sights of a killer, as she realizes that there is more to the men's stories than meets the eye, and if she lives to reveal what she knows, it will be through the grace of God. The sinister tone of this fast-paced story line creates an almost unbearable tension that will keep readers glued to the page. VERDICT Acclaimed author Parks ("Gwen Marcey" series) draws on her career as a forensic artist to imbue her stories with a true-to-life accuracy that will fascinate readers of CSI-type fiction.

Artist Murphy Anderson, the protagonist of this promising series launch from Parks (Portrait of Vengeance and three other Gwen Marcey novels), is keeping a low profile in Kodiak, Alaska, after her twin sister's murder when the local police ask her to draw a crime scene. Details come courtesy of a hunter's deathbed confession, with Murphy trying to envisage not only the likenesses of several victims but the actual crime scene itself—which happens to be on a remote island. Unfortunately, once Murphy completes the drawing, fresh bodies soon begin to pile up at an alarming rate. The dying hunter and his caretaker are first, followed by a twisted trail of carnage leading right to Murphy's door. Are her buried secrets coming back to haunt her, or is a killer willing to decimate the town to protect WWII-era crimes? Parks skillfully blends a lovely yet treacherous locale into the very dark deeds of its human inhabitants. Readers will want to see more of the mysterious and sympathetic Murphy. (July)