The Principle of Evil: A Fast-Paced Serial Killer Thriller

The Principle of Evil: A Fast-Paced Serial Killer Thriller
T.M.E. Walsh

A body has been found in a frozen lake, bringing a gruesome act of evil into the light.One look at the victim is enough for DCI Claire Winters to recognise the work of a warped mind. And when another woman is reported missing, Claire’s worst fears are confirmed: this is a killer who plans to strike again.As the body count rises, the pressure is on for Claire to find the perpetrator and bring them to justice. But first, she must learn to understand the twisted mind behind the crimes. And that will take her to a darker place than she ever thought possible.Loved DCI Helen Grace and DI Kim Stone? Don’t miss the second book in the addictive new DCI Claire Winters series. Watch out for more from DCI Claire Winters1. FOR ALL OUR SINS2. THE PRINCIPLE OF EVILWhat readers are saying about The Principle of Evil‘ fast paced psychological thriller which leaves your nerves on edge as it creeps towards the climax.’– Sharon Bairden, THE Book Club reviewer‘Held me captivated from page 1. Gripping, fast – I just couldn't put it down.’– Martha Brindley, Independent reviewer‘I have been totally and utterly mesmerised by this book. Gripped from the very start.’– Michelle Simons, Independent reviewer

A body has been found in a frozen lake, bringing a gruesome act of evil into the light.

One look at the victim is enough for DCI Claire Winters to recognise the work of a warped mind. And when another woman is reported missing, Claire’s worst fears are confirmed: this is a killer who plans to strike again.

As the body count rises, the pressure is on for DCI Claire Winters to find the perpetrator and bring them to justice. But first, she must learn to understand the twisted mind behind the crimes. And that will take her to a darker place than she ever thought possible.

Loved DCI Helen Grace and DI Kim Stone? Don’t miss the second book in the addictive new DCI Claire Winters series.

Also by T. M. E. Walsh (#u167d5789-a49b-5627-acd4-aeba5da7aa87)

For All Our Sins

The Principle of Evil

T. M. E. Walsh

Copyright (#u167d5789-a49b-5627-acd4-aeba5da7aa87)

HQ

An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd.

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2016

Copyright © T. M. E. Walsh 2016

T. M. E. Walsh asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

E-book Edition © June 2016 ISBN: 9781474046541

Version date: 2018-09-20

TANIA (T. M. E.) WALSH began writing full time after becoming a casualty to the recession in late 2008. She successfully self-published the first two novels in the DCI Claire Winters series in 2013, and both appeared in the various best-selling Amazon Kindle charts before being picked up by HQ Digital in 2015. In 2011 Tania was the winner of the Wannabe a Writer competition sponsored by Writing Magazine and judged by Matt Bates, the Fiction buyer for WHSmith Travel.

Although writing now takes up most of her time, Tania has previously produced digital artwork that was published on a DVD-ROM for ImagineFX magazine’s FXPosé section twice in the early and latter part of 2007, which has been published worldwide. Tania is currently working on a new standalone novel and a third book in the DCI Claire Winters series. She lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and young daughter. You can follow her at tmewalsh.com (http://tmewalsh.com), facebook.com/tmewalsh (https://facebook.com/tmewalsh) or @tmewalsh (https://twitter.com/tmewalsh).

Thank you to the dedicated team at HQ Digital. Special thanks to Anna for designing my fantastic book covers. You’ve captured the tone of the DCI Winters series perfectly. To my editor, Clio Cornish, thank you for your continued support for the series. Your advice and input on this novel has been invaluable.

Further thanks to my husband Daniel, for everything you do that allows me to write full time.

Special thanks to Willow Thomas. You’ve been there since the ‘early days’. I will always be eternally grateful to you.

For my parents, Sandra and Stewart.

Also in loving memory of Angela Walsh – truly the luck of the Irish, who would’ve got such a kick out of this.

Contents

Cover (#uf30c5c94-2c67-5809-a4d1-10294269f265)

Blurb (#u34aea5a4-3082-528a-ba78-e3cfbbcca109)

Book List

Title Page (#u75ec50e1-b3ce-539d-9cb7-f5505c3baa5c)

Copyright

Author Bio (#u690cfda1-925c-531c-9a05-62d2a29b49d0)

Acknowledgement (#u1b8dd4a5-7d66-536a-9db3-85e55edd9603)

Dedication (#u7185f4f6-30b8-564c-86f9-908281e17f02)

Prologue (#ud4d4a1df-14b5-5273-a5d6-5bde8204b60f)

Part One

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Part Two