An arrested prostitute calls FBI Special Agent Kimberly Quincy, telling her that she has information for her. A john is taking prostitutes to his place and then putting poisonous spiders on them, forcing them to engage in other dangerous activities. Her friend Ginny has gone missing and she wants Kimberly to stop the man.

Kimberly's associate, Sal Martingnetti is also worried. He tells her that he thinks someone is picking off hookers. Twice he's found the driver's licenses of three women stuck under his windshield wiper. The women were prostitutes and are missing. However, no bodies have been found so he can't get his superiors to permit him to open a large scale investigation. Even though Kim is five months, pregnant, she agrees to help.

One night they follow Delilah down a road where they know Ginny's boyfriend had been murdered. They confront Delilah and she admits that she really is Ginny. She tells them that the john, she calls Dinchara, has a fetish for spiders. He gets a kick when someone shows fear and when he put a black widow spider on her and she didn't scream, he let her live.

Kim and Sal must find a way to get Ginny to take them to Dinchara's and get enough evidence to convict him of his crimes. Then they learn that Dinchara has a teenage boy helping him and is grooming a younger boy to do the same. The FBI agents decide that they must stop Dinchara and rescue the boys.

The author knows suspense. This story will keep the readers mesmerized until the last page. The characters are well described. Kimberly and Sal are brave, honorable characters and Dinchara shows his evil, not only in his acts but in training young children to help him with their crimes.

A well done novel that will keep Gardner's fans coming back for more. ( )

I really got into this book and found I couldn't put it down. Gardner really knows how to write a murder mystery. Not only does she write an exciting plot line but she also develops all her characters including the killer. What I really like about this book is the fact that you never know what is going to happen next; predictable is not a word I would use to describe this book. **** SPOILER ALERT**** At times I found it really hard to believe that someone who went through as much abuse as he did, Dinchara continued the legacy of sexual torture on other young boys. That being said, I can see how it might happen if that is the only life he remembers. I guess there is the Stockholm Syndrome for a reason. I really like how all the characters were tied together in the end. Again, this was another book that I read within a day or two. I couldn't put it down. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars ( )

I love Gardner, and own many of her books. This one did not disappoint! At one point, I had to put the book down and decide if I could continue reading. There is a very disturbing part about sexual child abuse and murder that really got to me. I know it happens in our world, but reading that made me want to lock my children up and never let them outside around anyone! I did finish the book and was truly scared for the first time since reading Stephen King's IT many years ago. ( )

Lisa Gardner writes thrillers realistic enough to make a reader look at any stranger twice. Her ability to find the evil in everyday things and happenings makes this book hard to take. The writing is first-rate: plot, characters, pacing, dialogue...all well-done. The violence is graphic enough to make one want to stop reading for a few times. Finally finished reading it, wanting closure but knowing evil is still out there. The ending was not as dark as I feared but actually added a little sense of justice. The child pornography rings are so prevalent and hard to catch, while the good guys have so few resources, argh, Gardener has at least brought a depressing subject into the open. ( )

Excellent! I don't think I've been scared this bad by something I've seen or read in years. A complete page turner, can't put it down and afraid to sleep with the lights off at night book. ( )