ROSE'S THORN

The last thing homicide detective Joe Erickson needs is to get involved in murder investigation. On a medical leave from Chicago PD after developing acute stress disorder, he has returned to his hometown in Iowa to settle his father's estate.

But when he learns two teenage girls in neighboring towns have been abducted, murdered, and found posed nude along a riverbank, he takes notice. And when his former lover and criminal profiler is brought in to consult, she talks him into joining the investigation.

Known for employing unorthodox methods, Joe throws himself headlong into a case that will test his mental stamina. But when his neighbor's daughter is abducted, his razor-sharp intuition and keen investigative skills kick into high gear as he races against time to find her before she becomes the killer's third victim.

. . .

“A twisty tale of a parent’s worst nightmare, Rose’s Thorn reminds us of the cost of our past actions and that small towns aren’t as safe as they seem.” 

~ Liz Milliron, author of The Laurel Highland Mysteries

“A detective still reeling from the after-effects of capturing a serial killer finds himself on the trail of a new criminal, and only by uncovering a dark secret can he stop the murders. This is a fast-paced, terrific debut novel by Lynn-Steven Johanson.” 

~ Peter W. J. Hayes, author of the Detective Vic Lenoski Series