Dead Level

Nobody knows the nuts and bolts of home repair quite like Jacobia "Jake" Tiptree, ex–Wall Streeter turned proud owner of an 1823 Federal-style house in Eastport, Maine. But when a killer with a screw loose sets his sights on Jake, her newest renovation project becomes a dire matter of life and deck.

Driving deep into the woods to her husband's cottage with her best friend, Ellie White, in tow, Jake knows she has a challenging week ahead of her. Aside from saying goodbye to paved roads and indoor plumbing, Jake bet her husband that she could finish building the cottage porch in only a few days—a lofty goal for even the craftiest home renovator. But as Jake and Ellie set to work, they soon realize that they're not alone. Someone is watching them . . . and that someone is out for blood.

Recently escaped from prison and having fled into the woods, Dewey Hooper recognizes Jake the instant he sees her. Her testimony got him sent away for murder years ago and here, in the remote wilderness, he can finally exact his revenge. Determined to make payback look like an accident, Dewey hatches a lethal scheme to ensure neither woman returns to Eastport alive.

But Jake and Ellie are tough as nails and not afraid to fend for themselves. With the exit roads flooded and a deranged convict stalking their every move, they'll have to keep their wits above water to prevent the quaint little cottage from turning into the ultimate death trap.