The Mannequins

***A gritty, dark and disturbing psychological crime thriller from debut author C.Toms-Arbel***

Detective Cora Steele thought her darkest case was behind her. Two years out of the academy, her skills are gaining her attention at Church Stretton Police Station, Shropshire. Not all the attention is welcome.

When a body - washed, shaved, and posed - is found in a nearby forest, Cora is trusted to lead her first investigation. As she gathers her team and looks into the murder - the first in a string of brutal killings by a damaged and depraved predator - Cora is tested to the limit and taken to the very edge of her sanity.

No one is safe. Drawn into the vortex of the killer's twisted psyche, Cora will face impossible choices as she races against time and fights to save those she loves the most. Confronting the mind of a murderer who is both brilliant and broken, facing prejudice and opposition within her own ranks, and wrestling with her own demons, it's going to take everything Cora has to solve the murder, keep her job, and come out of it alive.

How far will she go? What will she risk, and where is her line? Is she too inexperienced for this case? Where will the trail of bodies lead?

The Mannequins is a thrilling, harrowing mystery, filled with drama, action, and horror, where hope flickers like a fading light and survival demands a heavy price.

This book is intended for an adult audience and is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18. This novel contains themes readers may find upsetting. Reader discretion advised.