UNKNOWN

A whistleblower's suspicious death. A reclusive hacker's dangerous past. And a secret project that could burn the world down.

Investigative journalist Amelia Hayes is chasing the ghost of a story that has already been buried. Six months ago, NSA analyst David Chen-a brilliant mind haunted by what he knew-was officially declared a suicide. But a single, anonymous email ignites Amelia's conviction that it was murder, giving her a name for the conspiracy that cost Chen his life: Project Obsidian.

To unravel a secret so deeply encrypted, Amelia must turn to the one person she swore she'd never contact again: Daniel, a reclusive hacker living off the grid. A man whose friendship with David Chen is as deep as his history with Amelia is painful. Bound by a shared need for justice and a past of betrayal and regret, they form a fragile alliance to hunt for the truth.

Their investigation leads them from the darkest corners of the web to a fortified data fortress, where they unearth a hidden server-the heart of the conspiracy. But just as they grasp the data that could expose everything, they are ambushed. The operative leading the attack is no stranger; he's a man from Amelia's past, a former flame she thought she knew.

In a brutal confrontation, the truth is ripped from their hands, leaving them with nothing but bruises, burns, and the horrifying knowledge of what they've lost. The first explosive installment in The Obsidian Files series, The Hacker and the Journalist is a high-stakes thriller about two people fighting for a truth that's determined to stay buried, where the only thing more dangerous than the conspiracy is the trust they're forced to place in each other.

Pamela Beach is a versatile storyteller whose curiosity knows no bounds. Whether writing a twisty crime novel, a paranormal suspense story, or a witty romantic comedy, she is fascinated by the mysteries of the human heart. She lives, writes, and podcasts from California's Central Coast, where she finds endless inspiration in the landscape and the people she loves. She is also a published poet and lyricist.