A Phoenix detective's vendetta against a ruthless crime family unravels generations of secrets and lies-and possibly her very identity-in a gripping thriller by the bestselling author of The Cipher.

Years of painstaking investigation are about to pay off. Detective Veranda Cruz is ready to put handcuffs on Bartolo Villalobos, heir apparent to a powerful criminal dynasty, when the operation goes horribly wrong. Veranda's informant is murdered. Her task force is dissolved, sending her career into free fall.

Reassigned to the Homicide Unit, Veranda is desperate for justice-and vindication. She finds an ally in her new partner, senior detective Sam Stark. As they build a case against Bartolo, they discover the extent of his ruthlessness. And his unsettling fixation with Veranda.

No one suspects the truth behind Veranda's vendetta against the Villalobos family empire, but she's not the only one keeping secrets. Her investigation takes one shocking turn after another, sending her reeling. With adversaries on both sides of the law, she must follow the trail of blood wherever it leads.

Revised edition: This edition of Blood's Echo includes editorial revisions.

About the Author
Isabella Maldonado is an award-winning international and Wall Street Journal bestselling author whose books are published in twenty-five languages. Her work includes the Nina Guerrera series, the Daniela Vega series, the Veranda Cruz series, and the Sanchez & Heron series with New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver. Isabella wore a gun and badge in real life before turning to crime writing. A graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico and the first Latina to attain the rank of captain in the Fairfax County Police Department near the nation's capital, she retired as the Commander of Special Investigations and Forensics. During more than two decades on the force, her assignments included hostage negotiator, department spokesperson, and precinct commander. After retiring, Isabella moved to Phoenix, where she began her second career as a novelist, using her law enforcement background to bring a realistic edge to her writing. For more information, visit www.isabellamaldonado.com.

Reviews

Praise for Blood's Echo

Winner of the Mariposa Award for Best First Novel

"A highly entertaining police procedural...Hang on tight for the ride of a lifetime across Southern Arizona as Maldonado rises to her written challenge to entertain, enthrall, and engage readers in this high-octane thriller." -Suspense Magazine

"Maldonado ratchets up the tension with each page, leaving you breathless as you race to the end." -Robin Burcell, New York Times bestselling author

"Isabella Maldonado is off to a great start, giving us a tense thriller with a strong sense of place and an insider's look at some of the most dangerous work in law enforcement. This first Veranda Cruz novel will leave readers eagerly awaiting her next adventure." -Jan Burke, New York Times bestselling author

"Taut, tense, and relentlessly authentic. Isabella Maldonado, with her unique personal knowledge of the danger, conflict, and emotional toll of law enforcement, is an important new voice in crime fiction." -Hank Phillippi Ryan, Anthony, Agatha, and Mary Higgins Clark award winning author

Praise for Phoenix Burning

One of Book Riot's Best 25 Suspense Books

"Maldonado's a writer to watch, and she showcases her own extensive law enforcement background in this tightly plotted police procedural." -Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Maldonado, a former law enforcement officer, brings her experience and expertise to this gripping police procedural. With its gritty heroine, this action-packed mystery will attract readers who enjoy crime novels." -Library Journal

"Delivers a brilliant and complicated heroine, accentuated by a take-no-prisoners plot...It's spicy, smart, and entertaining." -Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author

Praise for Death Blow

"Now three books into her series, Maldonado's franchise is heating up in a big way, as Cruz joins the ranks of Jon Land's Caitlin Strong and Meg Gardiner's Caitlin Hendrix as one of the premier female protagonists in the genre." -The Real Book Spy

Praise for The Cipher

Soon to be a Netflix feature film starring Jennifer Lopez

An Amazon Charts bestseller

Editors' Pick: Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

An Amazon Best Book of the Month: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

"A nail-biting race against time." -POPSUGAR

"Maldonado does a superb job of depicting a woman who's made a strength out of trauma, and an even better job at showing how a monster could use the internet to prey on the vulnerable. Maldonado spent 22 years in law enforcement and her experience shines through in The Cipher." -The Amazon Book Review

"A heart-pounding novel from page one, The Cipher checks all the boxes for a top-notch thriller: sharp plotting, big stakes, and characters-good and bad and everywhere in between-that are so richly drawn you'll swear you've met them. I read this in one sitting, and I guarantee you will too. Oh, another promise: You'll absolutely love the Warrior Girl! -Jeffery Deaver, New York Times bestselling author

"Wow! A riveting tale in the hands of a superb storyteller." -J.A. Jance, New York Times bestselling author

"Intense, harrowing, and instantly addictive, The Cipher took my breath away. Isabella Maldonado has created an unforgettable heroine in Nina Guerrera, a dedicated FBI agent and trauma survivor with unique insight into the mind of a predator. This riveting story is everything a thriller should be." -Hilary Davidson, Washington Post bestselling author

"The survivor of a vicious crime confronts her fears in a hunt for a serial killer...Forensic analysis, violent action, and a tough heroine who stands up to the last man on earth she wants to see again. -Kirkus Reviews

Praise for the Daniela Vega series

"Intense, gripping, and compulsively readable, A Killer's Game goes from zero to ninety on page one and never slows down. FBI agent Dani Vega is a heroine to cheer for-tough, inventive, and highly capable. A winner." -Meg Gardiner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"Maldonado expertly ratchets up the tension as the pieces of the puzzle neatly fall into place. Suspense fans will be enthralled from the very first page." -Publishers Weekly

"A Different Dawn is a killer of a novel. Fresh, fast, and utterly ingenious." -Brad Thor, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Book Information
ISBN 9781662536618
Author Isabella Maldonado
Format Paperback
Page Count 302
Imprint Thomas & Mercer
Publisher Amazon Publishing