The Silent Bride

Praise for
Tracking Time

"Filled with wit and intelligence."

—The Dallas Morning News

"It all comes together in a suspenseful climax that tingles and tangles most satisfactorily ... well-plotted."

—Kirkus Reviews

"The strength of Glass's story lies in her cultivation of themes—broken families, culture clash, ambition and pride." —
Publishers Weekly

"[A] brash New York thriller.. . The writing style seems to fit the city's and heroine's characters."

—The Post and Courier
(Charleston, SC)

"With a plot as real and frightening as today's headlines, nail-biting suspense, and palpable tension,
Tracking Time
is a classic page-turner . .. riveting."

—Romantic Times

"Glass's newest entry succeeds at all levels ... excellent." —BookBrowser

"With each new work, the April Woo tales seem to get better ... Leslie Glass uses her beguiling heroine to provide a humanized police investigation that turns
Tracking Time
into a wonderful treat for anyone who enjoys a great story starring a strong individual."

—The Midwest Book Reviews

"This engrossing mystery is hard to set aside."

—Pacific Reader Literary Supplement

"An exciting and carefully crafted police procedural."

—I Love a Mystery

continued

More praise for the novels of Leslie Glass

"One terrific read." —Tami Hoag

"Glass anatomizes relationships with a light touch of the scalpel." —
The New York Times Book Review

"Skillful... compelling . .. Weaving together divergent cultures and their people is one of Ms. Glass's strengths." —
The Dallas Morning News

"Detective Woo is the next generation descended from Ed McBain's 87th precinct." —
Hartford Courant

"Fast-paced, gritty . . . [April Woo] joins Kinsey Mill-hone and Kay Scarpetta in the ranks of female crime fighters." —
Library Journal

"Builds to an explosive climax as unpredictable and surprising as April Woo herself. A fresh, engrossing read." —
New York Times
bestselling author

Perri O'Shaughnessy

"An intense thriller. . . Glass provides several surprises, characters motivated by a lively cast of inner demons and, above all, a world where much is not as it initially seems." —
Publishers Weekly

"Glass not only draws the reader into the crazed and gruesome world of the killer, but also cleverly develops the character of Woo ... and her growing attraction for partner Sanchez." —
The Orlando Sentinel

"A masterful storyteller in the field of psychological suspense." —
Abilene Reporter-News

"Sharp as a scalpel.. . Scary as hell. Leslie Glass is Lady McBain."
—Nezu York Times
bestselling author Michael Palmer

"If you're a Thomas Harris fan anxiously awaiting the next installment of the 'Hannibal the Cannibal' series and looking for a new thriller to devour, you'll find it in
Burning Time." —Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

"A suspenseful story in which those who appear to be sane may actually harbor the darkest secrets of all."

—Mostly Murder

"The plot is clever . .. and the ending is a genuine surprise. Woo is so appealing a protagonist that Leslie Glass can keep her going for a long time."

—The Newark Star-Ledger

"Glass writes a masterful police procedural. . . But it's her wonderfully rich portrait of smart, sensible, intrepid, stubborn April Woo that sets this book apart."

—Booklist

"Brilliant. . . Skillfully done."

—The Tampa Tribune-Times

"Glass does a masterful job of building suspense, and she's a wizard at creating believable, unforgettable characters." —
Romantic Times

'This series [is] a winner."
—Mystery News

"Tough, fast, edgy ... a layered and rewarding book."

—Contra Costa Times

ALSO BY LESLIE GLASS

Tracking Time

Stealing Time

Judging Time

ONYX

Published by New American Library, a division of

Penguin Putnam Inc., 375 Hudson Street,

New York, New York 10014, U.S.A.

Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand,

London WC2R ORL, England

Penguin Books Australia Ltd, Ringwood,

Victoria, Australia

Penguin Books Canada Ltd, 10 Alcom Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4V 3B2 Penguin Books (N.Z.) Ltd, 182-190 Wairau Road, Auckland 10, New Zealand

Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England

First published by Onyx, an imprint of New American Library, a division of Penguin Putnam Inc.

First Printing, June 2002 10 98765432 1

Copyright © Leslie Glass, 2002 Excerpt copyright © Leslie Glass, 2002 All rights reserved

REGISTERED TRADEMARK—MARCA REGISTRADA

Printed in the United States of America

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

PUBLISHER'S NOTE

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE AT QUANTITY DISCOUNTS WHEN USED TO PROMOTE PRODUCTS OR SERVICES. FOR INFORMATION PLEASE WRITE TO PREMIUM MARKETING DIVISION, PENGUIN PUTNAM INC., 375 HUDSON STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10014.

If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as "unsold and destroyed" to the publisher and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this "stripped book."

For Alex and Lindsey

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

For a decade the officers of the New York City Police Department and the New York City Police Foundation have been my constant source of inspiration. Every year I have a greater appreciation for the people who serve and defend New York City. This year more than ever before, I want to acknowledge and commend the NYPD for the courage of its personnel in all its departments and their profound commitment to protect the citizens of New York City no matter how perilous the job.

Thanks especially to Commissioner Bernard Kerik and Deputy Commissioner Maureen Casey and all the top brass for their tireless caring for all the personnel in the department and for the people of New York in the toughest of times. I also want to thank Deputy Chief Dewey Fong for Chinese opera and the Borough of Queens, Inspector Barbara Sicilia for Hate, Detective Margaret Eng Wallace and Detective Ed Wallace for wedding photos and crime scene background, also Lieutenant Joe Blosis of the Crime Scene Unit. Thanks to Pam Delaney, Judy Dyna, Greg Roberts, and all my friends at Crime Stoppers and the Police Foundation for all the good they do.