The Trap

In this twisted debut thriller, a reclusive author sets the perfect trap for her sister's murderer-but is he really the killer?



For 11 years, the bestselling author Linda Conrads has mystified fans by never setting foot outside her home. Haunted by the unsolved murder of her younger sister--who she discovered in a pool of blood--and the face of the man she saw fleeing the scene, Linda's hermit existence helps her cope with debilitating anxiety. But the sanctity of her oasis is shattered when she sees her sister's murderer on television. Hobbled by years of isolation, Linda resolves to use the plot of her next novel to lay an irresistible trap for the man. As the plan is set in motion and the past comes rushing back, Linda's memories--and her very sanity--are called into question. Is this man a heartless killer or merely a helpless victim?

Melanie Raabe was born in 1981 and grew up in former East Germany before moving to West Germany with her family. She studied media and literature and was a magazine editor before becoming a freelance journalist and writer. While freelancing, she performed in shows and wrote two plays, all while crafting novels at night. Melanie Raabe lives in Cologne and loves traveling, cooking, bungee-jumping, tattoos, indie rock, and cats.