In the aftermath of the case that reunited them, Hart and Tain find themselves standing over the body of a murdered child, just days before Christmas. The investigation takes a startling turn when the brother of the victim identifies his older sister as the killer, but there's much more to the crime than meets the eye and when the parents receive a ransom demand for the safe return of their daughter, Hart and Tain must investigate the family and their business contacts to try to uncover what really happened and bring the missing girl home safely. Meanwhile, when a convicted murderer is released from jail and sues everyone involved in the case - including Nolan's father - for malicious prosecution and wrongful conviction, Nolan can't let go of the investigation until he uncovers the truth.
What Nolan learns could destroy him, and as Hart and Tain struggle with personal issues, their case tears open wounds both old and new for both of them, and threatens to rip their lives apart.
"An unflinching look into the dark heart of family dysfunction, The Frailty Of Flesh raises difficult questions and shuns easy answers. Sandra Ruttan writes with passion and honesty about every parent's worst nightmare and the result is an emotionally wrenching experience." -- Sean Chercover, author of Trigger City and Big City, Bad Blood
"The Frailty of Flesh is not only one of the best procedural thrillers I've read in a long time... but the ending knocked me right out of my seat." -- Russel D. McLean, Crime Scene Scotland
Described as "one of crime fiction's hot new voices" by Rick Mofina, Sandra Ruttan is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Spinetingler Magazine and her short fiction has appeared in Out of the Gutter, Crimespree Magazine, Pulp Pusher, Demolition, The Cynic and Mouth Full of Bullets. She had her first newspaper column at the age of 13 and launched the Nolan, Hart and Tain series with her book, WHAT BURNS WITHIN, earlier this year. In November '08 the second book in the series, THE FRAILTY OF FLESH, will be released. For more information, visit her website at www.sandraruttan.com
