Heather Graham - Fade To Black

Where dreams go to die...

Starring in a cult TV show was a blessing for Marnie Davante, especially now that her former fame could support her future dream of starting a children’s theater. So she’ll work the convention circuit. But then a costar is brazenly murdered in front of her. With a killer who vanishes into thin air with seemingly inhuman skill, and strange events plaguing Marnie, she feels she can’t even trust her own senses.

Although his dear departed parents were famous actors, PI Bryan McFadden is about as far from Hollywood as you can get. The former military man is reluctant to get involved in such a bizarre case, but it quickly becomes obvious that Marnie is in grave danger, and he is compelled to help. It’s unclear if the killer is an obsessed fan or something more sinister. Could the show’s cast be cursed? How can Bryan keep Marnie safe when it becomes apparent there’s a force determined to make this her final curtain call?

Also By HEATHER GRAHAM

A DANGEROUS GAME

WICKED DEEDS

DARK RITES

DYING BREATH

A PERFECT OBSESSION

DARKEST JOURNEY

DEADLY FATE

HAUNTED DESTINY

FLAWLESS

THE HIDDEN

THE FORGOTTEN

THE SILENCED

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

Fade to Black

Heather Graham

Copyright

An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2018

Copyright © Heather Graham Pozzessere 2018

Heather Graham Pozzessere asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

Ebook Edition © May 2018 ISBN: 9781474082808

Praise for the novels of New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham

“Graham stands at the top of the romantic suspense category.”

—Publishers Weekly

“Graham is a master at world building and her latest is a thrilling, dark, and deadly tale of romantic suspense.”

—Booklist, starred review, on Haunted Destiny

“Intricate, fast-paced, and intense, this riveting thriller blends romance and suspense in perfect combination and keeps readers guessing and the tension taut until the very end.”

—Library Journal on Flawless

“Graham is a master at writing stories that weave the paranormal with the everyday…. This book was a great read with twists and turns on every page that is classic Graham style.”

—RT Book Reviews on Wicked Deeds

“A compelling and suspenseful case that keeps readers guessing until the end…. Graham is a master at crafting stories that never feel old.”

—RT Book Reviews on Dying Breath

“An incredible storyteller.”

—Los Angeles Daily News

“Graham is the queen of romantic suspense.”

—RT Book Reviews

For Deborah C. Neff

Incredible bookseller and so much more—

Incredible friend!

CAST OF CHARACTERS

The McFadden brothers—Bryan, Bruce and Brodie, all former military, now registered as private investigators

Maeve and Hamish McFadden—celebrated actors of screen and stage, killed tragically in an accident

The Krewe of Hunters

Adam Harrison—head of the Krewe of Hunters

Jackson Crow—field director, Krewe of Hunters

Angela Hawkins—special agent, married to Jackson Crow

The Cast of Dark Harbor

Marnie Davante—most popular character, played Madame Scarlet

Cara Barton—played the matriarch

Jeremy Highsmith—played the patriarch

Roberta Alan—played the sister

Grayson Adair—played the brother

Bridget Davante—Marnie’s cousin, a screenwriter

Vince Carlton—television producer/director

Malcolm Dangerfield—popular action actor

David Neal—stage manager

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Praise

Dedication

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Epilogue

About the Publisher

Prologue

Comic Con, Los Angeles

Blood-bone stepped out onto the show floor, his massive black cape sweeping around him, his supercharged sword lighting up the space around him in all colors of the rainbow. The black-masked and black-suited villain was from the new cable show Wolfson , which was topping ratings charts across the nation.

The character of Lars Wolfson, the hero of the show, had made several appearances that day as well, some costumes better than others.

But just as they liked to say women love bad boys, people of both sexes and all ages seemed to really love a good villain.

Young men and women, children, old men and old women clapped and all but swooned and rushed over to him. Blood-bone was the most popular new villain to grace the pages of comic books since the beginning of the written-and-drawn comic world.

He suddenly cried out, “Those who oppose me—pay! They pay the ultimate price.”

The crowd around the actor—or would-be actor, dressed up for Comic Con—grew substantially, people everywhere snapping photos.

“We bow to you, Blood-bone!” the crowd called out in turn.

“Jerk,” Cara Barton declared beneath her breath.

“He’s just playing, creating a good show,” Marnie Davante said.