Shadow Man: A Novel

A novel of psychological suspense about an idyllic community rocked by a serial killer—and a dark secret.

Named one of the Best Mysteries of the Year by The Wall Street Journal

Detective Ben Wade has returned to his hometown of Rancho Santa Elena in search of a quieter life and to try to save his marriage. Suddenly the community, with its peaceful streets and excellent public schools, finds itself at the mercy of a serial killer who slips through windows and screen doors at night, shattering illusions of safety. As Ben and forensic specialist Natasha Betencourt struggle to stay one step ahead of the killer—and deal with painful episodes in the past—Ben’s own world is rocked again by violence. He must decide how far he is willing to go, and Natasha how much she is willing to risk, to protect their friendship and themselves to rescue the town from a psychotic murderer and a long-buried secret.

With fine, chilling prose, acclaimed author Alan Drew weaves richly imagined characters into the first of several thrilling novels of suspense featuring the California world of Ben Wade and Natasha Betencourt. Shadow Man reveals the treacherous underbelly of suburban life, as a man, a woman, a family, and a community are confronted with the heart of human darkness.

Finalist for the SCIBA T. Jefferson Parker Award • Named one of the Best Crime Novels of the Year by The Booklist Reader
 
“Smart, chilling, and impossible to put down.”—William Landay, author of Defending Jacob
 
“A stellar achievement, a book that unspools like a dark-toned movie in the reader’s mind.”—The Wall Street Journal
 
“A home run.”—Lee Child
 
“Superbly done: Wade, along with forensic expert Natasha Betencourt, are both indelible characters.”—Literary Hub
 
“The more you learn about Ben and his troubled upbringing, the more courageous the novel seems in exposing truths that most crime fiction doesn’t go near.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
 
“A descendant of Chandler’s The Big Sleep.”—Claire Vaye Watkins, author of Gold Fame Citrus

Alan Drew is the author of the critically acclaimed debut novel Gardens of Water. He is a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. An associate professor of English at Villanova University, where he directs the creative writing program, he lives near Philadelphia with his wife and two children.