Praise for the novels of J.T. ELLISON
“What J.T. Ellison has done with the city in her award-winning Taylor Jackson books is magnificent… Lovers of mystery and suspense fiction could not ask for more.”
—Bookreporter
“Outstanding… The police procedural details never get in the way of the potent characterization and clever plotting, and Ellison systematically cranks up the intensity all the way to the riveting ending.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review, on The Immortals
“Darkly compelling and thoroughly chilling, with rich characterization and a well-layered plot, All the Pretty Girls is everything a great crime thriller should be.”
—Allison Brennan
“Fans of intelligently written, intricately crafted thrillers should definitely check out J.T. Ellison’s latest Taylor Jackson novel, 14. Fusing gritty cop drama with dark psychological thriller, Ellison distinguishes herself with exceptional character development, consistently breakneck pacing and a sense of authenticity throughout.”
—Chicago Tribune
“Mystery fiction has a new name to watch.”
—John Connolly
“Carefully orchestrated plot twists and engrossing characters… Flawed yet identifiable characters and genuinely terrifying villains populate this impressive and arresting thriller.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review, on Judas Kiss
“A tense thrill ride filled with secrets, raw emotion and death, newcomers will love it as much as her longtime fans. After completing this one, you will scream for the next book.”
—RT Book Reviews, Top Pick, on So Close the Hand of Death
“Fast-paced and creepily believable, Ellison’s novel proves that there is still room in the genre for new authors and new cops. There’s no novice showing in All the Pretty Girls. It’s all gritty, grisly and a great read.”
—M. J. Rose
“A twisty, creepy and wonderful book…. Ellison is relentless and grabs the reader from the first page and refuses to let go until the soul tearing climax.”
—Crimespree on 14
“So Close the Hand of Death is a terrific piece of fiction from the shocking first page to the exquisite, staggering end. The talented J.T. Ellison designs a complex plot with multifarious characters who will chill you and make you glad you are reading fiction safely in a cozy spot.”
—Fresh Fiction
“All the Pretty Girls is a spellbinding suspense novel and Tennessee has a new dark poet. A turbo-charged thrill ride of a debut.”
—Julia Spencer-Fleming
“Ellison combines a solid and frightening plot with pitch-perfect pacing and terrific primary and secondary characters—including a really sketchy set of murderers—to make The Immortals her best effort to date. Don’t miss this one, or the series, if you haven’t sampled it yet.”
—Bookreporter
“The book is taut, tense and suspenseful. The best part of All the Pretty Girls, though, is its breathless pace.”
—The Tennessean
“Flawlessly plotted, with well-defined characters and conflict, Ellison’s latest is quite simply a gem.”
—RT Book Reviews, Top Pick, on The Cold Room
“What Jeff Lindsay’s Darkly Dreaming Dexter does for Miami, Ellison’s Jackson novels do for Music City.”
—Nashville Scene
“Ingenious and first rate… You absolutely must put So Close the Hand of Death on your reading list.”
—Bookreporter
“Gritty and realistic and filled with intense action.”
—Midwest Book Review on The Cold Room
“The multiple subplots don’t stop Ellison from weaving a tight and powerful story. Judas Kiss moves at a rapid-fire rate, its four hundred pages rushing like adrenaline through the bloodstream.”
—The Strand Magazine
Where all the Dead Lie
J.T. Ellison
This one’s for Laura Benedict, who saved it for me at the eleventh hour, and my Randy, who made it come alive.
Contents
CHAPTER ONE
BEGINNINGS
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
MIDDLES
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
ENDS
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
CHAPTER FORTY
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
CHAPTER FIFTY
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
EPILOGUE
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
CHAPTER ONE
Scotland
The Highlands