The Scorpion’s Head

Book 0: Walter Presents

by Hilde Vandermeeren

Genres: International Crime & Mystery; Crime Fiction; Psychological Thrillers

Synopsis

A furiously paced psychological thriller about a woman accused of attempting to murder her son, perfect for fans of Paula Hawkins


Shortly after a fractious weekend away with her family, Gaelle wakes up injured in a psychiatric hospital in Berlin. Her seven-year-old son is in a coma in another hospital--and the police suspect her of attempting to murder him. With no memory of what happened but convinced of her innocence, Gaelle escapes and begins a determined hunt for the truth.

Michael is a contract killer working for Scorpio, a ruthless organization that spares no-one, where any agent who violates the rules signs their own death warrant. When Michael decides to reject an assignment, he knows he must run for his life.

One makes a living by killing, the other would kill to survive. And soon their paths will cross...
 
An exhilarating addition to the Walter Presents Library.

Release date: March 8, 2022

Publisher: Pushkin Press

Print pages: 288

Sample

Prologue
She was woken by a high-pitched, piercing sound. It was
like a warning that penetrated her brain.
Run.
She wanted to sit up, but her body was too heavy. The same
lethargy kept her eyes closed and stopped her from screaming. She
tried to swallow the sour taste in her mouth, but it was no good.
She had no idea where she was. She could still hear that pulsing
note, like an alarm. Gradually, more sounds seeped in. Voices
that came from far away. A door closing.
And that smell.
She tried to think what the smell reminded her of. Medicine.
A child. That smell made her think of a child.
Something bad had happened to that child.
Again, she tried to sit, but a sharp pain shot up her neck to
the back of her head. The pain was new. She took it as a sign
that her body was slowly waking up. It was probably going to
be a few minutes before she could open her eyes and feel strong
enough to escape.
Because that was what she had to do. The child needed her.
The heaviness that held her captive came in waves. She could
feel herself getting sleepy again. The voices faded into the background,
and even the repetitive high-pitched notes became duller,
until they were no more than the dripping of a tap.
She struggled not to drift off.
Or she would be too late.
She repeated the thoughts that had passed through her mind.
There was a child.
Something bad had happened to that child.
Suddenly a voice came out of the darkness, no more than a
whisper.
And it was because of you.