The Dark and Its Charms: a serial killer thriller

Liam Emerson spent six weeks trapped in a dog crate in an underground bunker, tormented and taunted by Phineas Slater.

Now, Phineas is behind bars, charged with four grisly murders, and Liam is cooperating with the authorities to make sure he never gets out. Now, Liam is free.

Or, he should be.

But Liam has known Phineas for a long time. Their history stretches back nearly twenty years, to when Phineas was his larger-than-life college roommate. Phineas initiated Liam into a world of forbidden pleasures and delicious risks. Liam admired Phineas. He envied Phineas. He was dazzled by Phineas. Phineas wormed his way inside Liam all that time ago, and he’s never really left, not truly. Liam can’t escape him, no matter how hard he tries, no matter what numbing opiates he ingests or how liberally he douses himself in liquor.

When Phineas escapes prison, the first thing he does is get in touch, because there's one thing that's just as true for him as it is for Liam.

Phineas is obsessed with Liam, too.

And honestly, it's almost a relief, because now Liam has a reason to be obsessed with Phineas, an excuse to go after him.

He's got to lure that man back to prison, after all. Yes, this is all about justice. Pure as the driven snow.

Discretion advised, graphic content.