Wordhunter: A Novel [Paperback]

An Amazon Best of the Year Pick

Smart, original, and entirely entertaining. Alafair Burke,NYTBestselling author ofFind Me

An utterly original and compulsively readable detective story, this gripping psychological suspense novel is about a woman who uses her uncanny ability to analyze words and speech patterns to help solve crimes.

Tattooed, pierced, and a bit of a mess, Maggie Moore is a surprising genius when it comes to words, a savant able to solve any linguistic puzzle. The top student in her forensic linguistics class, shes tapped by local police to use her skills to decipher harrowing notes left by a stalker-turned-rapistand succeeds brilliantly.

But when the daughter of a local mayor is abducted, Maggie isnt sure shes the right person to help the police solve the missing person case. Given what happened to her best childhood friend, Maggie just might be too close to this one.

Yet she knows the authorities in this rural south-Central Florida town cannot crack the case without her special skill. Along with her new best friend, a detective Jackson, Maggie begins to analyze the texts, emails, and verbal tics of various suspects . . . and comes to a disturbing conclusion that will rock this small community.

A crackling mystery centered on a Lisbeth Salanderesque savant. Publishers Weekly(Starred Review)

True crime author Sands makes an auspicious fiction debut with this crackling mystery centered on a Lisbeth Salanderesque savant . . . . Sands nails the genius investigator formula on her first try, spinning Maggie into a memorable heroine and handing her an enthralling first case. This transfixes from the first page. -Publishers Weekly (starred review)

For readers who enjoy chilling mysteries and thrillers. Fans of strong character-building will delight in watching Maggie and Jackson’s partnership bring out their individual strenglsH