Exile — Denise Mina

Trying to escape her own troubled past and the memories of her lover's murder, Maureen O'Donnell finds refuge working as a counselor at a shelter for battered women. When the body of shelter resident Ann Harris washes up on the banks of the Thames two weeks later, Maureen vows to discover what happened and to prove that Ann's husband is not to blame. Taking her search to London, Maureen soon encounters disturbing truths about Ann's hidden past - including a secret that has Maureen fighting for her life.

"Atmospheric, intense, and full of the disturbing flavor of inner-city lowlife." -Guardian

"Reads like a slap in the face - and a kick in the ribs and a fist in the stomach . . . like its powerful predecessor, Garnethill." -New York Times Book Review

"Stunning. . . . The danger reaches a frightening pitch."-Rocky Mountain News

"Mina offers us a complex plot with a shocking ending, all told in an amazingly original voice." -Cleveland Plain Dealer

"This is a terrific book." -Dallas Morning News

A New York Times Notable Book of the Year