A Wolf in the Woods

"A gripping story with dramatic twists, and a memorable heroine." --James Patterson, #1 New York Times bestselling author

McCown County assistant prosecutor Elsie Arnold is prepping an assault case when a girl is found beaten and bloodied at a roadside no-tell motel. Elsie tries to convince the teen to reveal who attacked her, but Mandy is too scared--and stubborn--to cooperate... and then she disappears. Elsie's positive a predator is targeting the Ozark hills, yet the authorities refuse to believe their small town could be plagued by sex trafficking.

Then middle school student Desiree Wickham goes missing, but only Elsie suspects it could be connected to Mandy's assault. As she digs deeper into the events leading up to Desiree's disappearance, she stumbles upon an alarming discovery: local girls are falling prey to a dubious online modeling agency, and never seen again. Elsie shares her concerns with Detective Ashlock and the FBI, but they shut her out.

She takes matters into her own hands and lands an interview with the head of the modeling agency. But when she meets him face-to-face, she discovers the fate of Desiree and Mandy... and becomes his newest captive. Elsie's desperate to free the girls--and save herself--before the unspeakable happens. And she's in for the fight of her life.

“"What a terrific book--strong, tough, smart and powerful. This compassionate and compelling mystery reveals the disturbing reality of one woman's quest for justice--while a bleak and sinister culture tries to bury the truth."”

"A gripping story with dramatic twists, and a memorable heroine." -- James Patterson, #1 New York Times bestselling author

-- Hank Phillippi Ryan, the Mary Higgins Clark, Agatha, and Anthony Award-winning author of The Wrong Girl

"Unflinching and gritty detail . . . the descriptions of both the court maneuverings and the Ozark community make this an entertaining read." -- Library Journal

"Anyone wanting to learn about legal issues and court procedures within a good story should read Allen's books. She brings her experience and knowledge to the page to make the plots and characters believable." -- Elise Coopier for Crimespree Magazine

"An authentic legal thriller from an exciting new voice." -- Mari Hannah, Polari Prize-winning author of The Murder Wall

"Allen's heat-drenched Ozark courtrooms, her heroine stifled both literally and metaphorically by the circumstances surrounding her, are rendered hotter than hell by her talent for crafting a truly disturbing young villain. The Elsie Arnold series deserves to run and run." -- Alex Marwood, author of The Wicked Girls and The Killer Next Door

"A smartly written page-turner, and entertaining expose of Ozark justice and injustice." -- Reed Farrel Coleman, New York Times bestselling author of Robert B. Parker's Blind Spot

"A legal page-turner . . . think John Grisham meets Daniel Woodrell -- as Allen touches on the racism, poverty and sexism that are as much a part of the Ozarks as its rocky terrain. Her Elsie flies in the face of these local conventions." -- Riverfront Times (St. Louis)

"This is a mystery with a message by a Missouri lawyer and former prosecutor who knows her way around the legal system: adolescent girls anywhere are vulnerable prey to those who trawl from the dark reaches of the internet. The fourth in the Ozarks Mystery series features the engaging Elsie, in an offbeat setting, a bit chastened but righteous and facing a cliff-hanger in the final pages." -- Booklist

Nancy Allen practiced law for 15 years as Assistant Missouri Attorney General and Assistant Prosecutor in her native Ozarks. She tried over 30 jury trials, including murder and sexual offenses, and is now a law instructor at Missouri State University.Twitter @TheNancyAllenFacebook /NancyAllenAuthor

McCown County assistant prosecutor Elsie Arnold is prepping an assault case when a girl is found beaten and bloodied at a roadside no-tell motel. Elsie tries to convince the teen to reveal who attacked her, but Mandy is too scared--and stubborn--to cooperate... and then she disappears. Elsie's positive a predator is targeting the Ozark hills, yet the authorities refuse to believe their small town could be plagued by sex trafficking. Then middle school student Desiree Wickham goes missing, but only Elsie suspects it could be connected to Mandy's assault. As she digs deeper into the events leading up to Desiree's disappearance, she stumbles upon an alarming discovery: local girls are falling prey to a dubious online modeling agency, and never seen again. Elsie shares her concerns with Detective Ashlock and the FBI, but they shut her out. She takes matters into her own hands and lands an interview with the head of the modeling agency. But when she meets him face-to-face, she discovers the fate of Desiree and Mandy... and becomes his newest captive. Elsie's desperate to free the girls--and save herself--before the unspeakable happens. And she's in for the fight of her life.

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