The Broken Trail

What would you be willing to do to become famous? Some people would kill for it. Others would die for it.

In the glittering darkness of Hollywood, young women disappear chasing their dreams—and turn up as trophies in a killer's twisted collection. When Detective Harriet "Harri" Harper discovers a victim's body sealed inside the wall of a Hollywood Hills mansion, she realizes she's hunting a predator who feeds on ambition and desperation.

Still tormented by her failure to capture her sister's killer twenty years ago, Harri works her cases by day and hunts monsters by night alongside former FBI profiler Jake Tepesky. But this new case strikes too close to home—the victims' profiles match her sister's, and the killer's methods eerily echo the Oregon case that nearly destroyed her.

As bodies pile up and another girl vanishes, Harri uncovers a web of corruption reaching into Hollywood's most powerful circles. Someone has been using the industry's promise of fame as bait, luring vulnerable women into a nightmare they'll never escape. The killer knows Harri is closing in, and now she's become part of his sick game.

With her career hanging by a thread and powerful enemies working to silence her, Harri must navigate a labyrinth of lies, money, and murder. But in a city built on illusion, distinguishing predator from prey becomes deadly—especially when the hunter realizes he's been watching her all along.

In Hollywood, everyone's dying for their big break. But some breaks are permanent.

Addison James did not want to be out in the middle of Hollywood tonight. She flexed her fingers remembering the tune she was working on. It was a tricky chord progression she wanted to get right by next week’s lesson with her mentor, a jazz legend by the name of Foster McGuire. 


Sophie, her best friend since fifth grade, had called begging for support earlier. So instead of playing her guitar, Addy was waiting on a small patch of grass across from the Scientology Celebrity Center right off of Franklin Avenue. Supposedly, that’s where Sophie’s producer told her to meet him for the most fabulous party of the year.

Or so Sophie had said. 


Sophie had that hopeful tone in her voice when she told Addy about how she’d met some big hotshot producer at her acting audition earlier in the day and he’d invited her to a party. Addy knew her friend thought this invitation might be the ticket to getting a part in the newest superhero movie, but Addy highly doubted that.

The casting couch was a real thing, and Sophie had already encountered enough lecherous creeps in this town to know better. But Sophie was her best friend and when she’d begged, Addy was afraid Sophie would just go alone if she didn’t agree to be her wing woman.

So, Addy put on a sparkly dress, applied her makeup to look just like a model going out to a nightclub, and put her light-brown curls into a loose bun. She borrowed without asking her mom’s highest black heels and real diamond stud earrings and headed out.
Sophie might be a dead ringer for Megan Fox, but she was also street smart. She wanted Addy there for back-up, just in case.

Addy doubted she could be of much help, yet here she was at the side of a road, waiting for a chartered bus to shuttle them into the Hollywood Hills for the supposed party of the year. 
The bus was a nice gesture, but that didn’t make Addy feel much better.

How would they leave?

When she’d brought this up, Sophie brushed it off, saying they could walk out and call a car service before mentioning again how excited she was to finally be invited to one of these exclusive parties. The way Sophie said that finally convinced Addy to come along. 
Sophie slipped her hand into Addy’s and squeezed.

“Thanks for coming with me, sister,” she whispered into her ear. 


Addy smiled and squeezed back.

“Do you know those girls?” Addy whispered, nodding to three girls walking toward their corner, definitely dressed up for a party. 
They saw Addy and Sophie and waved.

The tall red-haired girl in the middle smiled. 


“Are you two going to Jimmy's party?” she asked.


“I don’t know a Jimmy.” Sophie shook her head.

“The producer that invited me is Thomas Brown.


“Don't know him, but this party is supposed to be going off,” the blonde next to the leggy redhead said. She looked like a taller version of Pamela Anderson. Their gorgeous black friend, dressed in a suit and looking uncomfortable, didn’t say a word. She wanted to be there as much as Addy did. 


A small white bus drove up to the little group and opened its door. A young guy was driving.


“You ladies ready to party?” he asked. 


“Hells yeah, baby,” the blonde-haired girl said. 


The quiet woman rolled her eyes at her friend.


“Is this for Jimmy's party?” the red-haired girl asked. 
Addy noticed a slight tremble in her voice.

Jimmy must have promised her something spectacular, she thought. 


“Don’t know the hosts, but if you’re on this corner, I’m supposed to be picking you up,” he said with a wink.


Addy didn’t like the sound of that. She wanted to be home. Sophie squeezed Addy’s hand. 


“You ready?” she asked.


“As ready as I'll ever be,” Addy said and followed her best friend into the van.