Blood's Echo

A Phoenix detective's vendetta against a ruthless crime family unravels generations of secrets and lies--and possibly her very identity--in a gripping thriller by the bestselling author of The Cipher.

Years of painstaking investigation are about to pay off. Detective Veranda Cruz is ready to put handcuffs on Bartolo Villalobos, heir apparent to a powerful criminal dynasty, when the operation goes horribly wrong. Veranda's informant is murdered. Her task force is dissolved, sending her career into free fall.

Reassigned to the Homicide Unit, Veranda is desperate for justice--and vindication. She finds an ally in her new partner, senior detective Sam Stark. As they build a case against Bartolo, they discover the extent of his ruthlessness. And his unsettling fixation with Veranda.

No one suspects the truth behind Veranda's vendetta against the Villalobos family empire, but she's not the only one keeping secrets. Her investigation takes one shocking turn after another, sending her reeling. With adversaries on both sides of the law, she must follow the trail of blood wherever it leads.

Revised edition: This edition of Blood's Echo includes editorial revisions.

Isabella Maldonado is an award-winning international and Wall Street Journal bestselling author whose books are published in twenty-five languages. Her work includes the Nina Guerrera series, the Daniela Vega series, the Veranda Cruz series, and the Sanchez & Heron series with New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver.

Isabella wore a gun and badge in real life before turning to crime writing. A graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico and the first Latina to attain the rank of captain in the Fairfax County Police Department near the nation's capital, she retired as the Commander of Special Investigations and Forensics. During more than two decades on the force, her assignments included hostage negotiator, department spokesperson, and precinct commander. After retiring, Isabella moved to Phoenix, where she began her second career as a novelist, using her law enforcement background to bring a realistic edge to her writing. For more information, visit www.isabellamaldonado.com.