For readers who enjoy Jo Nesbo, and Ruth Rendell, this local thriller will have you on the edge of your seat. Within the small suburb of Birkenhead lurks a monster, one the local residents entrust with their recently departed loved ones. He has been inflicting his depraved atrocities unnoticed. But what happens when he turns his attentions to the living? Maisie Manson lives a typical kiwi life: she works hard at school, enjoys the outdoors, and finally takes off for her big OE. She is having the best time, until a tragic event back home shatters her world and sets off a chainreaction of decisions which lead her on a frightening collision course with the man responsible. Once the mortuary's secrets are revealed, life and death in Birkenhead will never be the same. “A gripping psychological thriller that will quickly reel you in, hold you captive, and leave you craving more from this talented author. Tarrant is a masterful storyteller reminiscent of the likes of Stephen King and Thomas Harris.” –MOIRA LEIGH MACLEOD, AUTHOR OF THE BREAD MAKER SERIES “Life and Death in Birkenhead peeks behind the curtain of ordinary people's lives, and juxtaposes the warmth and comfort of home with the horror of the devil-next-door… a chilling piece of suburban crime.” – Nathan Blackwell, Author