-First Place (Mystery and Mayhem) and Finalist (Thriller and Suspense) Fiction (Chanticleer International Book Awards - 2024)-London Book Festival Award (2024)When danger hides behind boardroom doors, the truth can be deadlier than any weapon.A seasoned corporate investigator, Saskia Verbeek is called in to probe suspicious dealings at a family-owned timber mill. When a routine white-collar inquiry erupts into a deadly game of cat and mouse, Saskia finds herself entangled with the powerful Rowland family, where loyalty, ambition, and long-buried secrets collide. As threats close in and bodies begin to fall, she must untangle a maze of corruption, drugs, and animal trafficking before she becomes the next casualty.Amid danger and deception, unexpected bonds form with members of the Rowland clan and their beloved animals, drawing Saskia deeper into a world she is no longer sure she can trust. Atmospheric and character-driven, this mystery blends corporate intrigue, family drama, and high-stakes crime, inviting readers to question every assumption right up to the final reveal.***** Spell Bound Thriller Intricately woven plot, which can easily make you part of the story (Rajish Kumar Amazon)***** Verbeek expertly challenges the reader s assumptions and creates a puzzling mystery Atmospheric and thoroughly engaging. (Prairies Book Review)