The story begins in Sierra Leone where a brutal series of rapes, mutilations and murders are never completely solved despite the confessions of two young men. Connie meets the investigating officer who is not satisfied that justice has been served. Both believe the real culprit is a mercenary from the United Kingdom who has dangerously misogynistic tendencies. He once broke a young prostitute’s arm simply from spite. But the public is content that the terror is over and it seems to be. Of course, the suspect soldier just happened to leave about the same time….

Months later, Connie is in Baghdad and touring a local prison when she glimpses a strangely familiar face - that of the mercenary. Only now he is a dog handler - yes, shades of the dogs of Abu Gareb. She asks a few discreet questions of his employer and mentions this in an email to the officer formerly in charge of the Sierra Leone murders who is now in the UK.

Shortly after this exchange Connie is kidnapped. Traumatized and in shock she is soon released and flees to rural England refusing to speak to the press and hoping to remain in hiding forever. Living under an assumed name she cuts herself off from almost all human contact living in fear and with whatever happened to her ever present in her head.

The nearest neighbor has dogs - huge ones - ones that evoke the most gruesome memories in Connie but she cannot explain her terror. She alone knows what did and didn’t happen. She alone knows her captor’s identity but does he now know where she is and will he come for her again?

Frightening and mesmerizing at the same time, Walters’ tale of one woman’s terror is well done. The reader creates his own idea of what actually occurred. The degradation is implied but never specified, the humiliation of captivity is there. When her nemesis stalks her once more, Connie Burns is ready to fight.

--Jane Davis