“Danny Doyle, the boy that feared the mines growing up, is now Dr. Sheridan Doyle. A snappy dresser, residing in Philadelphia having made a name for himself as a psychologist, is now on his way back home. Sheridan’s grandfather, Tommy, is geing on in years, and Sheridan has come to visit him.

Lost Creek hasn’t changed all that muchs that havd the town are still operatinown’s history is mired in the legend of a group a miners that dared protest and ended up being hanged for their trouble.

When Sheridan arrives in Lost Creek, he discovers the body of man and is reunited with Rafe, a detective that took Sheridan under his wing when he was a child. While investigating the death, Sheridan slowly loses his big city persona—well, except for his clothing, which he was always fond of—and reverts back to being Danny Doyle.

Wow! This is one twisted serial killer thriller. A spooky mining town that is rumored to be haunted by the Irish miners who were publicly hanged and the sudden odd deaths that are more than unusual in such a small community. Danny begins to learn some old family secrets and boy, are they explosive. Danny’s voice isn’t the only one we are connected to. We also are given access to anothest person perspective, but you will not know who this is until deeper into the novel. If you are like me, the wheels will start turning in your mindsuspicion I had, had me in deep denial. How on earth could someone actually do all these terrible things? But deny all you want, the truth will still be there.

For Danny, a small amount of peace will come from the conclusion of the case, but he will be stinging from this one for a long time to come. If you like dark, twisted, thriller suspense novels you will not want to miss this one! This one gets 4.5 stars.”
Julie Whiteley, suspensemagazine.com


“I suppose that no matter how high you rise or even how far you move, there is always a bit of home in us. That is certainly true for Dr. Sheridan Doyle –Danny to those at home.  He is a successful forensic psychologist for the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office.  He is from a coal mining town, Lost Creek, the the son of a wife-abusing coal miner.  As a child he often fled his home to stay with his beloved grandfather where he was regaled with stories of the town’s history.  Of course, that was his family history including the story of hanged Irish rebels trying to improve the miner’s worksite.

He returns home for the first time in years to check on his aged grandfather. There is a body at the foot of the famed gallows. There are rumors that ghosts of the hanged men scared the man to death.  Danny reluctantly sets out to learn what happened.

Intense on every level: violence, love, humor, insanity and pride riddle the fabric of the story.  Flinch and gasp might best describe my reaction to this literary thriller.  Definitely worth reading.”
Carolyn Lanier, iloveamysterynewsletter.com


“Twists and turns and family secrets abound in this tightly plotted thriller.” Booklist


“Personal demons, childhood traumas and class warfare add up to a gritty tale of vengeance.” Kirkus Reviews


“A well-written psychological thriller that will appeal to fans of Gillian Flynn and Daniel Woodrell. ” Library Journal


“An evocative novel about murder and intrigue in a small mining town . . . compulsively readable.” Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train  


“A fearless exploration on the line between mental illness and true evil, a place many thriller writers visit but without the kind of fearless insights O’Dell reveals in this powerful novel.” The New York Times Sunday Book Review