The Stranger Inside: A Novel

by Lisa Unger

Overview

Even good people are drawn to do evil things…

Former journalist Rain Winter is enjoying her new life as a stay-at-home mom. But when a man acquitted of murder is killed, her investigative instincts kick in.

Soon Rain sees a pattern between a series of cold cases. Meticulous and untraceable, this killer makes sure that the guilty are punished for their crimes. Is a vigilante on the loose? As Rain’s investigation deepens, she must face dark secrets in her own past and the realization that the killer may be closer than she thinks. Who is his next target? And can Rain find him before it’s too late?

"If you haven't yet experienced Lisa Unger, what are you waiting for?" —Harlan Coben

"Completely unexpected and riveting." —Associated Press

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780778389286
Publisher:	Park Row Books
Publication date:	08/25/2020
Edition description:	First Time Trade
Pages:	416
Sales rank:	159,334
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Lisa Unger is a NYT and internationally bestselling author. Her books are published in 26 languages, with millions of copies sold worldwide. In 2019, she received two Edgar Award nominations, an honor held by only a few writers including Agatha Christie. Her work has been named on "Best Book" lists from Today, People, GMA, EW, Amazon, IndieBound and many others. She has written for the NYT, WSJ, NPR, and Travel+Leisure. She lives in Florida with her family.

Editorial Reviews

07/08/2019

A vigilante is killing people who may have gotten away with murder, most recently a man who was tried but acquitted of killing his pregnant wife, in this cleverly plotted if credulity-challenging psychological thriller from Edgar finalist Unger (Under My Skin) set in a small New York State town. Another victim of the vigilante may have been Eugene Kreskey, who 22 years earlier had a fateful encounter with three 12-year-old friends in the woods: Tess Barker, Hank Reams, and Rain Winter. Tess was killed; Hank was kidnapped but eventually escaped; only Rain eluded Kreskey that day; Kreskey had been stalking her and later spent 10 years in a psychiatric facility. As adults, Hank and Rain have thrived: Happily married Rain is taking a break from her career as a crime reporter to stay home with baby Lily, while Hank has made a name for himself as a psychiatrist specializing in victims of trauma. Despite Rain ostensibly being a stay-at-home mom, the latest case gets her investigating again. Unger’s well-honed craft shows in her unmasking the avenger early on and using the reveal to ratchet up suspense. She also squirrels away several startling trump cards for later. Fans of serial killer novels won’t be disappointed. Agent: Amy Berkower, Writers House. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"Surviving a crime is the beginning of the story, not the end, in this astute, engrossing thriller." —Kirkus, starred review

"Unger's latest thriller relentlessly uncovers a multitude of secrets, leading readers down a delicious path of fear, lies, and long-awaited justice, with an ending that will leave jaws dropping." —Booklist

"Cleverly plotted...Unger’s well-honed craft shows in her unmasking the avenger early on and using the reveal to ratchet up suspense. She also squirrels away several startling trump cards for later.” —Publishers Weekly

"A darkly thrilling tale of survival and obsession. Lisa Unger never disappoints." —Riley Sager, bestselling author of Lock Every Door

“It’s not often that I’m stunned by the ending to a novel. But The Stranger Inside is rich with surprise from the very first page. It’s a smart, taut thriller.” —Chris Bohjalian, bestselling author of The Flight Attendant and Midwives

"Unger is a sure bet for those seeking a nail-biting thriller with enough twists and turns to have you gasping for air by the time you finally reach the ending." —The Real Book Spy

From the Publisher

04/01/2019

Having barely avoided abduction in her youth (friends Tessa and Hank weren't so fortunate), Rain Winter lives quietly as a stay-at-home mom. Her would-be abductor was murdered upon his release from prison, and now a man acquitted of killing his own wife has been dispatched as well, which draws Rain to investigate. With a 250,000-copy first printing; from the New York Times best-selling author of Under My Skin.

Library Journal

★ 2019-07-01
This complex psychological thriller digs deep into the layers of trauma that linger long after a terrible crime.

This is the 17th novel by Unger (Under My Skin, 2018, etc.), and it revisits one of her frequent themes: the indelible impact of violence on the survivors of crimes. The survivor at its center is Rain Winter, who at age 12 was one of three friends who became the victims of a monster. At first glance, Rain seems to have overcome that nightmare. She's happily married and reveling in motherhood, although she vacillates between the joy she finds in 1-year-old Lily and the tug of the job she left as a hard-charging radio news producer. That tug increases when she hears that a man whose murder trial she covered, a man who was acquitted of killing his pregnant wife, has been found dead—killed in just the same way his wife was. Rain was sure he was guilty, so she feels some dark satisfaction, and her investigative instincts (and maybe something else) are aroused when a dark web mole, tipster, and blogger tells her off the record that there have been other, very similar revenge murders, and they might be the work of the same person. That wakes her own worst memories: "There weren't many people who remembered Rain's ugly history. It was big news once, but it had faded in the bubbling morass of horrific crimes since then." Its aftermath included the children's attacker being released from prison—and murdered. Chapters describing Rain's pursuit of the story of a possible vengeful serial killer are intercut with chapters narrated by a mysterious person from her past, one who is closer to her in the present than she knows. Unger skillfully peels back the layers of Rain's emotional scar tissue to expose the truth of what happened in her childhood and the fear, rage, and guilt it left behind, with a series of shocking consequences.

Surviving a crime is the beginning of the story, not the end, in this astute, engrossing thriller.

Kirkus Reviews