Heartsick

He thinks he sees a flash of emotion in her eyes. Sympathy?

Then it''s gone. ''Whatever you think this is going to be like,'' she whispers, ''it''s going to be worse.''

When beautiful serial killer Gretchen Lowell captured her last victim - the man in charge of hunting her down - she quickly established who was really in control of the investigation. So why, after ten days of horrifying physical and mental torture, did she release Detective Archie Sheridan from the brink of death and hand herself in?

Two years on, Archie now returns to lead the search for a new killer, whose recent attacks on teenage girls have left the city of Portland reeling. Shadowed by vulnerable young reporter Susan Ward, Archie knows that only one person can help him climb into the mind of this psychopath. But can Archie finally manage to confront the demons of his past without being consumed by them?

''Dark, distressing and disturbing . . . Just pray you never meet Gretchen'' Val McDermid

''What may be the creepiest serial killer ever created. This is an addictive read!'' Tess Gerritsen

''Move over Thomas Harris, there''s a new kid on the block . . . Compelling, highly believable and very sexy'' Daily Mirror