For fans of Riley Sager and Shari Lapena, a dark and twisty small-town thriller that challenges loyalty and uncovers deadly secrets hidden in plain sight. In the tranquil town of Cedar Plains, where safety and community are sacred, Courtney Faith’s ideal life is upended by a body found on a local farm, shattering her peaceful existence. Her friend, Alexa Huston, intimately familiar with chaos, gets entangled in an accidental murder that escalates her spiraling life into deeper darkness. Alexa wrestles with a disturbing question: Is murder justifiable if it targets the deserving?

As bodies accumulate, the local police scramble for answers. Torn between loyalty and justice, Courtney discovers evidence linking Alexa to the crimes. Their friendship frays as Courtney grapples with a dire choice: expose Alexa and risk her own darkest secret, or protect a friend and possibly destroy everything she cherishes.

In Cedar Plains, some truths are too perilous to unearth. Caught in a deadly dance of secrets and lies, Courtney must decide whether to confront the monster behind a familiar face or let their secrets stay hidden, buried within the town’s heart. Their darkest deeds are cloaked in silence, and no one truly knows anything.

Maggie Giles is a Canadian author who writes suspenseful women's fiction and thrillers. Her debut novel, The Things We Lost, was named a 2023 Distinguished Favourite in Women's Fiction at the Independent Press Awards. Maggie has been a member of the Women's Fiction Writers Association since 2014 where she previously worked as their Social Media Director. Currently she works in Marketing. Maggie dove into writing a novel head first despite having aphantasia, a condition where one lacks a visual imagination. She lives in Ontario with her mastiff-mix, Jolene, and spends most of her days enjoying the outdoors, from swimming to hiking to skiing in the winter.

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"Wow! Gripping, propulsive, and action packed. Giles has woven an intricate plot of murder, lies, and secrets. I devoured every dark and twisted word!"

Marie Still, author of <I>My Darlings</I>

"Maggie Giles masterfully peels back the layers of small-town perfection in The Art of Murder, delivering a suspenseful, twisty ride through loyalty, deception, and the dangerous line between right and wrong. With tension that tightens like a noose and characters so real they’ll haunt you, this thriller is impossible to put down. Giles proves once again she’s a standout voice in the genre."

Jen Craven, author of <I>The Skiers </I><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-f

"Provocative and Thrilling. The Art of Murder by Maggie Giles teems with secrets and delves into different manifestations of evil. Set in a once serene Canadian town, the murders start piling up early. Both friendship and family are tested as tension builds, past stories unravel, and the future becomes ever more dangerous. Two best friends think they know everything about each other and commit to hiding the other’s mistakes, but as the bodies pile up so do their doubts and fears. Don’t miss this sensational new thriller."

Kathy Dodson, author of <I>Tequila Midnight </I>