Three Women meets Tana French in a breathtaking crime novel that asks what it means to be a woman in a dangerous world. From New York Times bestselling author Marie Rutkoski comes a mystery with characters you will never forget.

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'Very possibly the best crime fiction book since Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects... This book is a winner, whichever way you turn it' Neel Mukherjee

‘Gritty, glittery, and pulsing with life’ Sara Sligar

‘Bold, compelling, brutal and brilliant’ Chris Whitaker

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It's 1999, and Samantha has danced for years at the Lovely Lady strip club.

She's not used to taking anyone under her wing - after all, between her disapproving boyfriend and his daughter, who may as well be her own child, she has enough to worry about. But when Samantha overrides her better judgment to drive a new dancer home, they are run off the road. The police arrive at the scene of the accident - but find only one body.

Georgia, another dancer, is drawn into the investigation as she tries to assist Holly, a detective with a complicated story of her own. As the point of view shifts from police officers and detectives to club patrons, the women circle around a list of suspects, all the while grappling with their own understanding of loss and love.

As they get closer to the truth they must each confront a fundamental question:

How do women live their lives knowing that men can hurt them?

A compulsive, unflinching, and unexpectedly hopeful thriller set in a midwestern strip club, told in the spirit of Gillian Flynn and Tana French.

**This is a proof copy - not final text**