Heather Graham - The Silenced

Where is Lara Mayhew?

Lara, a congressman’s media assistant, suddenly quits her job—and disappears on the way to her Washington, DC, apartment.

Novice FBI agent Meg Murray, a childhood friend of Lara’s, gets a message from her that same night, a message that says she’s disillusioned and “going home.” To Richmond, Virginia. Meg discovers that she never got there. And bodies fitting Lara’s description are showing up in nearby rivers… Could she be the victim of a serial killer?

Meg is assigned to work with special agent Matt Bosworth, a hard-nosed pro in the FBI’s unit of paranormal investigators—the Krewe of Hunters. They trace the route Meg and Lara took more than once in the past, visiting battlefields and graveyards from Harpers Ferry to Gettysburg. Places where the dead share their secrets with those who can hear… As Meg and Matt pursue the possibility of a serial killer, they find themselves in the middle of a political conspiracy. Is there a connection? If so, has Lara been silenced for good? And whom—besides each other—can they trust?

Praise for the novels of New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham Praise Also by HEATHER GRAHAM Title Page Dedication Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Epilogue Extract from The Forgotten by Heather Graham Copyright

“[Waking the Dead is] not to be missed.”

—BookTalk

“Dark, dangerous and deadly! Graham has the uncanny ability to bring her books to life, using exceptionally vivid details to add depth to all the people and places.”

— RT Book Reviews on Waking the Dead , *Top Pick*

“Murder, intrigue…a fast-paced read. You may never know in advance what harrowing situations Graham will place her characters in, but…rest assured that the end result will be satisfying.”

— Suspense Magazine on Let the Dead Sleep

“Graham deftly weaves elements of mystery, the paranormal and romance into a tight plot that will keep the reader guessing at the true nature of the killer’s evil.”

— Publishers Weekly on The Unseen

“I’ve long admired Heather Graham’s storytelling ability and this book hit the mark. I couldn’t put The Unholy down.”

— Fresh Fiction

“Suspenseful and dark.… The transitions between past and present flow seamlessly, and the main characters are interesting and their connection to one another is believable.”

— RT Book Reviews on The Unseen

“Graham does a great job of blending just a bit of paranormal with real, human evil.”

— Miami Herald on Unhallowed Ground

Also by HEATHER GRAHAM Also by HEATHER GRAHAM Title Page Dedication Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Epilogue Extract from The Forgotten by Heather Graham Copyright

THE DEAD PLAY ON

THE BETRAYED

THE HEXED

THE CURSED

WAKING THE DEAD

THE NIGHT IS FOREVER

THE NIGHT IS ALIVE

THE NIGHT IS WATCHING

LET THE DEAD SLEEP

THE UNINVITED

THE UNSPOKEN

THE UNHOLY

THE UNSEEN

AN ANGEL FOR CHRISTMAS

THE EVIL INSIDE

SACRED EVIL

HEART OF EVIL

PHANTOM EVIL

NIGHT OF THE VAMPIRES

THE KEEPERS

GHOST MOON

GHOST NIGHT

GHOST SHADOW

THE KILLING EDGE

NIGHT OF THE WOLVES

HOME IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS

UNHALLOWED GROUND

DUST TO DUST

NIGHTWALKER

DEADLY GIFT

DEADLY HARVEST

DEADLY NIGHT

THE DEATH DEALER

THE LAST NOEL

THE SÉANCE

BLOOD RED

THE DEAD ROOM

KISS OF DARKNESS

THE VISION

THE ISLAND

GHOST WALK

KILLING KELLY

THE PRESENCE

DEAD ON THE DANCE FLOOR

PICTURE ME DEAD

HAUNTED

HURRICANE BAY

A SEASON OF MIRACLES

NIGHT OF THE BLACKBIRD

NEVER SLEEP WITH STRANGERS

EYES OF FIRE

SLOW BURN

NIGHT HEAT

* * * * *

Look for Heather Graham’s next novel

THE FORGOTTEN

available soon from MIRA Books

The Silenced

Heather Graham

www.mirabooks.co.uk

Dedicated with love and appreciation to Cindy Kremple, Sharon Murphy, Patty Harrison, Janice and Thomas Jones, Pat Walker, Ginger and Larry McSween, Molly Bolden and Kay Levine, Susan and Kevin Cella, and Rebecca Barrett for all the behind-the-scenes help you give so often at Writers for New Orleans.

And with very special thanks to Sheila Vincent and the Hotel Monteleone.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text Where is Lara Mayhew? Lara, a congressman’s media assistant, suddenly quits her job—and disappears on the way to her Washington, DC, apartment. Novice FBI agent Meg Murray, a childhood friend of Lara’s, gets a message from her that same night, a message that says she’s disillusioned and “going home.” To Richmond, Virginia. Meg discovers that she never got there. And bodies fitting Lara’s description are showing up in nearby rivers… Could she be the victim of a serial killer? Meg is assigned to work with special agent Matt Bosworth, a hard-nosed pro in the FBI’s unit of paranormal investigators—the Krewe of Hunters. They trace the route Meg and Lara took more than once in the past, visiting battlefields and graveyards from Harpers Ferry to Gettysburg. Places where the dead share their secrets with those who can hear… As Meg and Matt pursue the possibility of a serial killer, they find themselves in the middle of a political conspiracy. Is there a connection? If so, has Lara been silenced for good? And whom—besides each other—can they trust?

Praise Praise for the novels of New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham Praise Also by HEATHER GRAHAM Title Page Dedication Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Epilogue Extract from The Forgotten by Heather Graham Copyright “[Waking the Dead is] not to be missed.” —BookTalk “Dark, dangerous and deadly! Graham has the uncanny ability to bring her books to life, using exceptionally vivid details to add depth to all the people and places.” — RT Book Reviews on Waking the Dead , *Top Pick* “Murder, intrigue…a fast-paced read. You may never know in advance what harrowing situations Graham will place her characters in, but…rest assured that the end result will be satisfying.” — Suspense Magazine on Let the Dead Sleep “Graham deftly weaves elements of mystery, the paranormal and romance into a tight plot that will keep the reader guessing at the true nature of the killer’s evil.” — Publishers Weekly on The Unseen “I’ve long admired Heather Graham’s storytelling ability and this book hit the mark. I couldn’t put The Unholy down.” — Fresh Fiction “Suspenseful and dark.… The transitions between past and present flow seamlessly, and the main characters are interesting and their connection to one another is believable.” — RT Book Reviews on The Unseen “Graham does a great job of blending just a bit of paranormal with real, human evil.” — Miami Herald on Unhallowed Ground

Also by HEATHER GRAHAM Also by HEATHER GRAHAM Also by HEATHER GRAHAM Title Page Dedication Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Epilogue Extract from The Forgotten by Heather Graham Copyright THE DEAD PLAY ON THE BETRAYED THE HEXED THE CURSED WAKING THE DEAD THE NIGHT IS FOREVER THE NIGHT IS ALIVE THE NIGHT IS WATCHING LET THE DEAD SLEEP THE UNINVITED THE UNSPOKEN THE UNHOLY THE UNSEEN AN ANGEL FOR CHRISTMAS THE EVIL INSIDE SACRED EVIL HEART OF EVIL PHANTOM EVIL NIGHT OF THE VAMPIRES THE KEEPERS GHOST MOON GHOST NIGHT GHOST SHADOW THE KILLING EDGE NIGHT OF THE WOLVES HOME IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS UNHALLOWED GROUND DUST TO DUST NIGHTWALKER DEADLY GIFT DEADLY HARVEST DEADLY NIGHT THE DEATH DEALER THE LAST NOEL THE SÉANCE BLOOD RED THE DEAD ROOM KISS OF DARKNESS THE VISION THE ISLAND GHOST WALK KILLING KELLY THE PRESENCE DEAD ON THE DANCE FLOOR PICTURE ME DEAD HAUNTED HURRICANE BAY A SEASON OF MIRACLES NIGHT OF THE BLACKBIRD NEVER SLEEP WITH STRANGERS EYES OF FIRE SLOW BURN NIGHT HEAT * * * * * Look for Heather Graham’s next novel THE FORGOTTEN available soon from MIRA Books