Michele Martinez – författare

Television reporter Suzanne Shepard was a ruthless celebrity scandalmonger with a roster of high-profile enemies. But which one left her mutilated, lifeless body in the dark recesses of New York''s Central Park? Federal prosecutor Melanie Vargas needs to find out.

Was it the sinister Park Avenue plastic surgeon with a secret past? Or the trendy personal trainer selling recreational drugs to his rich clients? Or the ambitious city power broker who also happens to be the father of one of Melanie''s best friends? Sifting through the scandals that fueled the dead reporter''s career is what keeps Melanie from obsessing about her own intense affair with sexy FBI agent Dan O''Reilly.

But there''s more at risk than Melanie''s heart. She''s been receiving chilling e-mails from an anonymous "admirer" who knows way too much about the murder—and about Melanie''s every move. If Melanie doesn''t find the killer soon, it will be her own death that makes headlines.

Beautiful and ruthless television reporter Suzanne Shepard made her name by airing brutal celebrity gossip and earned a roster of high-profile enemies in the process. But her own murder was more than a scandal . . . it was a horror show.

At first glance, the mutilated corpse lying still in the Manhattan rain bears all the earmarks of a random sex slaying. But federal prosecutor Melanie Vargas knows that too many people wanted Suzanne Shepard dead for her murder to have been a coincidence.

Sifting through the scandals that fueled the dead reporter''s career keeps Melanie from obsessing about her own intense affair with sexy FBI agent Dan O''Reilly. But Melanie''s own murder may be the next one to make headlines, now that blood-chilling e-mails are arriving from an anonymous "admirer" who knows far too much about the Shepard slaying . . . and about Melanie''s every move.

About to take a controversial rap star to trial for a past crime, Melanie Vargas receives an important piece of information from his lawyer. In full confidence, on the steps of New York City''s federal courthouse, he tells her that his client may have had ties to a wanted fugitive. Moments later, a powerful car bomb blows the man to pieces, with Melanie only steps away.

As shocking as the murder is, it has other repercussions for Melanie. Her relationship with the victim wasn''t strictly professional. While recovering from her breakup with FBI agent Dan O''Reilly, she had become attracted to the charismatic lawyer. But after his death she realizes that she knew very little about him—including the fact that he was married.

Determined to find the killer, Melanie enters a dangerous world of subterfuge and double-crosses, going as far as the glittering lights of Vegas to discover the truth. But the more she digs, the more she finds troubling about her friend. Several people had the motive to end his life.

Meanwhile, the rapper''s defense has been taken over by the slickest shark in the business, a man of questionable morals who may have had previous unlawful dealings with his client. But the outcome of the case isn''t the only thing on the line. As the sole witness to the murder, Melanie is in danger of losing her own life. And it isn''t long before she realizes that she can''t trust anybody, not even those closest to her.