Without a trace

Twenty-seven deaths. Thirty years. One traveling carnival.

For decades, the victims were dismissed as tragic coincidences—domestic murders followed by suicide, scattered across the United States, unconnected and forgotten. Until an experimental FBI algorithm detects the pattern no one ever saw.

Each time, the same carnival was nearby.

FBI analyst Léa Valenti helped build the system designed to reopen cold cases. What she never told her superiors is that she hid a secret search inside it—one tied to her own sister’s disappearance years ago. When the algorithm flags a disturbing correlation, Léa knows it isn’t coincidence. It’s a ritual.

As Léa and her partner Ethan Rivera follow the trail from state to state, they uncover something far more unsettling than a serial killer: a method of persuasion so subtle its victims believe they are choosing their own deaths.

Behind the lights and laughter of Luna Park, someone has been offering peace. Relief. Consent.

And once you accept it, there is no escape.

WITHOUT A TRACE is a slow-burn psychological thriller about manipulation, grief, and the dangerous comfort of surrender. Dark, atmospheric, and morally unsettling, it explores how far trust can be twisted—and how easily control can wear the mask of kindness.

Perfect for readers who enjoy psychological suspense, procedural investigations, and intelligent thrillers that linger long after the final page.