THE KILLING HOUR, debuted at #9 on the New York Times list.

THE KILLING HOUR was also on the bestseller list of USA Today, Toronto Star, Publishers Weekly and the Mid-South Independent Booksellers Association.

"With tight plotting, an ear for forensic detail and a dash of romance, this is a truly satisfying sizzler in the tradition of Tess Gerritsen and Tami Hoag."
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A gripping ride from start to finish, THE KILLING HOUR is chock full of thrills and suspense. The obvious amount of research it took to produce a knowledgeable and believable story of the FBI, the GBI, and a serial killer, results in another stunner from New York Times best-selling author Ms. Gardner."
—Vivian Outen, TheWordonRomance.com

"The return of characters from earlier books makes this creepy and terrifying story all the more compelling. Gardner has firmly established herself as one of the hottest suspense talents around. Awesome!"
—Romantic Times

"The breathtaking, heart-pounding suspense never lets up. Her characters are complex. Her narrative is extraordinary. The reader suffers through the constant heat and humidity that is as big a foe as the clock. As you read this book on a hot July afternoon, look around you, because 'Clock ticking.... planet dying...animals weeping...rivers screaming. Can't you hear it? Heat kills.' In my opinion this book should become #1 on the best seller list."
—Rendezvous

"A wickedly riveting novel..."
—St. Petersburg Times (Florida)

"Gardner keeps us guessing... She also keeps us on edge."
—LA Times

"Gardner is a skilled storyteller... She ratchets up the tension."
—Orlando Sentinel

"THE KILLING HOUR is the perfect book to read on a July night when it's too hot to sleep."
—Deseret News (Salt Lake City)

"Gardner works in some genuinely creep moments..."
—Booklist

"[THE KILLING HOUR] will keep you up all night rapidly turning the pages and have your heart in your throat throughout."
—Terrie Figueroa, Romance Reviews Today, who scored the book a perfect 10

It started in Georgia during the height of a heat wave in 1998. Two young women went out one evening and never came home. The body of the first girl was found almost immediately near a major highway. The second girl's body was found months later, and almost one hundred miles away in a remote wilderness area. It happened again in 1999. Then two sets of girls were kidnapped in 2000. By this time, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) was beginning to understand that the first body was a map to the second girl. Of the eight girls kidnapped, only the last girl was found in time, alive. Then, for three years, it all stopped.

In 2004, Kimberly Quincy is halfway through her FBI training at Quantico . Her father is the renowned profiler, Pierce Quincy. Her mother and sister were victims of violent crime. Kimberly is utterly, almost dangerously focused on becoming an FBI agent. One morning during a run, she leaves the training path and finds the body of a young woman. According to GBI Agent Mac McCormick, who is at Quantico for training as well, this body fits the profile of the killer in Georgia . There are plenty of questions. Why the three-year break? Why would the killer leave Georgia for Virginia ? And, perhaps most importantly, who is this woman and is there another woman out there awaiting rescue?

The narrative hits the ground running in the prologue, which details the earlier cases in Georgia . Kimberly is truly a tortured individual. In previous volumes, she's seen her mother and sister brutally murdered. Her complete obsession with becoming an FBI agent is as understandable as it is painful to watch. In addition, she's learning to relate to her father as a professional, rather than as a father. Although this story is related to other books by the same author, this one works fine as a standalone. The story itself is gripping, as the author shows events through the eyes of law enforcement, victims, and killer. The pacing is fast and even, and will keep readers turning pages as the clock ticks down on another life. Not for the faint of heart, the grimness of some scenes is offset by black humor and sarcastic wit. I'm looking forward to reading a lot more from this talented author.
-Review by Deborah Hern on theromancereadersconnection.com