Be Afraid

Outstanding praise for Mary Burton and her novels!

YOU’RE NOT SAFE

“Burton once again demonstrates her romantic suspense chops with this taut novel. Burton plays cat-and-mouse with the reader through a tight plot, with credible suspects and romantic spice keeping it real.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“Serial killers, vendettas, tortured souls and romance are the main ingredients in
You’re Not Safe
. Beware! As one of Burton’s main characters might say, she has all kinds of tricks up her sleeve.”

—
BookReporter.com

“Mary Burton is one of the best romantic thriller writers around.”

—
The Pilot
(Southern Pines, North Carolina)

“Burton really has a way with plot lines and her delivery is flawless.
You’re Not Safe
carries just the right amount of suspense, creepiness and romance, that when mixed together, creates a satisfying mystery with a shocker of an ending.”

—
FreshFiction.com

NO ESCAPE

“Thrills on multiple levels.”

—
BookReporter.com

“ A thrill a minute . . . there is no escaping the fact that with
No Escape
, Mary Burton delivers again.”

—
The Jefferson County Post
(Tennessee)

THE SEVENTH VICTIM

“Dark and disturbing, a well-written tale of obsession and murder.”

—Kat Martin,
New York Times
bestselling author

“Burton delivers action-packed tension . . . the number of red-herring suspects and the backstory on the victims make this a compelling romantic thriller.”

—
Publishers Weekly

Please turn the page for more rave reviews!

THE SEVENTH VICTIM

“Burton’s crisp storytelling, solid pacing and well-developed plot will draw you in and the strong suspense will keep you hooked and make this story hard to put down.”

—
RT Book Reviews

“A nail-biter that you will not want to miss. Terrifying . . . it keeps you on the edge of your chair.”

—
The Free Lance-Star
(Fredericksburg, Virginia)

BEFORE SHE DIES

“Will have readers sleeping with the lights on.”

—
Publishers Weekly
(starred review)

MERCILESS

“Convincing detective lingo and an appropriately shivery murder venue go a long way.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“Burton just keeps getting better!”

—
RT Book Reviews

“Terrifying . . . this chilling thriller is an engrossing story.”

—
Library Journal

“Mary Burton’s latest romantic suspense has it all—terrific plot, complex and engaging protagonists, a twisted villain, and enough crime scene detail to satisfy the most savvy suspense reader.”

—Erica Spindler,
New York Times
bestselling author

SENSELESS

“Stieg Larsson fans will find a lot to like in Burton’s taut, well-paced novel of romantic suspense.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“This is a page turner of a story, one that will keep you up all night, with every twist in the plot and with all of the doors locked.”

—
The Parkersburg News & Sentinel

“With hard-edged, imperfect but memorable characters, a complex plot and no-nonsense dialog, this excellent novel will appeal to fans of Lisa Gardner and Lisa Jackson.”

—
Library Journal

“Absolutely chilling! Don’t miss this well-crafted, spine-tingling read.”

—Brenda Novak,
New York Times
bestselling author

“A terrifying novel of suspense.”

—
Mysterious Reviews

“This is a story to read with the lights on.”

—
BookPage

DYING SCREAM

“Burton’s taut, fast-paced thriller will have you guessing until the last blood-soaked page. Keep the lights on for this one.”

—
RT Book Reviews

“A twisted tale . . . I couldn’t put it down!”

—Lisa Jackson,
New York Times
bestselling author

DEAD RINGER

“Dangerous secrets, deadly truths, and a diabolical killer combine to make Mary Burton’s
Dead Ringer
a chilling thriller.”

—Beverly Barton,
New York Times
bestselling author

“With a gift for artful obfuscation, Burton juggles a budding romance and two very plausible might-be perpetrators right up to the tense conclusion.”

—
Publishers Weekly

I’M WATCHING YOU

“Taut . . . compelling . . . Mary Burton delivers a page-turner.”

—Carla Neggers,
New York Times
bestselling author

“Creepy and terrifying, it will give you chills.”

—
Romantic Times

Books by Mary Burton

I’M WATCHING YOU

DEAD RINGER

DYING SCREAM

SENSELESS

MERCILESS

BEFORE SHE DIES

THE SEVENTH VICTIM

NO ESCAPE

YOU’RE NOT SAFE

COVER YOUR EYES

BE AFRAID

Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation

BE AFRAID

MARY BURTON

ZEBRA BOOKS

KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP.

http://www.kensingtonbooks.com

All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

Table of Contents

Outstanding praise for Mary Burton and her novels!
Books by Mary Burton
Title Page
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Epilogue
I’LL NEVER LET YOU GO,
Copyright Page

Monday, August 14, 4:3 0
A.M.

Nashville, Tennessee

Reason and Madness, like Jekyll and Hyde, were two sides of the same coin. One worshipped peace, the other devastation. One told the truth. The other, rule breaker and thief, always lied. Once again, a war raged between the two.

The cell phone on the granite kitchen counter buzzed with an incoming call. A glance at the display revealed Sister was calling again. This was her sixth call in the last two hours. Sister could see past the smiles and the assurances. She sensed when meds had been skipped and Madness regained control.

Ignoring the call, Madness reached for a half-full tumbler of whiskey and held it up, letting moonlight illuminate the honey-brown liquid depths. A quick toss of the glass, and the whiskey slid down a parched throat, soothing tense muscles and pushing aside all thoughts of Sister’s call. It wouldn’t do for Sister to know about tonight’s endeavor. Tomorrow Sister would get a visit. There’d be lots of wide smiles and a box of her favorite chocolates gift-wrapped in a bright blue bow. Blue was her favorite color. They’d play the question-and-answer game for a time. She’d be satisfied and then shift talk to regrets and the what-should-have-beens.

Madness washed the glass in the sink, careful to dry it with a paper towel before replacing it in the cabinet. A few wipes of the cabinet knobs, the faucet, the whiskey bottle, and the surrounding area erased all fingerprints. Some might consider the action overkill but attention to detail was key to a successful performance. Madness had learned well from Reason.

Down the dimly lit hallway carpeted in neutral beige, Madness admired the new coat of antique white paint. Fresh paint was a wonder. One swipe of the roller eradicated dirt, grime, and shadows of framed memories that no longer mattered.

A few more steps toward the master bedroom and the scent of paint gave way to the aroma of diesel fuel. This room—center stage for tonight’s performance—was painted a pale yellow with white trim. A tasteful landscape of the Smokey Mountains hung on the wall by the door, a gilded mirror topped an oak dresser displaying strategically placed crystal perfume bottles, a new hairbrush and a tiny camera displaying a bright red
RECORD
light.

In the center of the room was a four-poster bed. On the bed lay a woman, the actress in this play. Her near-naked body nested in twisted sheets damp with sweat and flecks of blood. Ropes lashed hands, manicured nails painted a soft pink, to the headboard and feet to the baseboard. A river of mascara-stained tears trailed down pale cheeks and a duct-tape-covered mouth.

Carved in the headboard above her was the word
FAITHLESS
. Madness thought it a fitting tribute to another woman, Sara, who’d plagued them during their youth.

As Madness approached the bed, green bloodshot eyes alert with panic darted from the man standing in the shadows back to Madness, the night’s true master. Her wide, pleading gaze reflected panic and desperation. Good. She understood who was in charge.

The man in the shadows, Jonas Tuttle, stepped forward, his large, calloused hands wrapped tightly around the grip of a .45-caliber handgun. Tall and broad-shouldered, he stood over six feet. A man’s man, some might say. But fear all but vibrated off every inch of his muscled body. “We’ve been waiting for you. I need you to tell me what to do next.”

The warmth of the whiskey kept anxiety at bay. “Patience, Jonas. Patience.”

Jonas, the bloodthirsty and angry hero tonight, had nurtured a murder fantasy since he was a young boy. Careful observation of Jonas over the last six months told a lot about the man. His likes. Dislikes. Fears. Wants. Needs. Stalking the stalker.

Jonas’s murder obsession had chased him most of his life, his fantasies playing over and over like a worn record. As much as he craved killing, he also feared the cops and prison. And so, he’d bottled up his wants and needs for years. Madness had found this want-to-be killer ripe for guidance in a bar six months ago drowning frustrations away with whiskey.

“I can show you how to kill,” Madness had whispered.

Jonas’s gaze had danced first with hesitation, then interest, and finally excitement.

Madness had taught Jonas how to stalk, to watch and to plan. Madness worked with Jonas for months, priming him for this kill.

Now at the brink of the grand finale, Jonas oozed desperation and need. Nervous energy buzzed around him as if live wires zapped his nerve endings. This was the moment he’d dreamed about a long, long time.