Surrender the Dead: A Novel

"Surrender the Dead is tense and atmospheric and so gripping that it will follow you into your dreams. A haunting tale, gorgeously told." — Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of Choose Me From the award-winning author of The Absence of Mercy comes a chilling psychological thriller about a family and community divided by tragedy, and the dark secrets that will set their town aflame. When Erin Reece left Wolf Point fifteen years ago after graduating high school, she’d planned to never set foot in her childhood hometown again. But an urgent phone call from her father’s doctor leaves Erin with no choice but to return to a place filled with painful memories and wounds that never closed. Two decades ago, people in Wolf Point started disappearing without a trace—including Erin’s mother—and no explanation was ever found. It’s been years since the last disappearance, but the town is still steeped in suspicion and haunted by the ghosts of the missing. No one is thrilled to see Erin back, including her former best friend, Robbie, who has changed from a spirited, fearless boy to a reclusive shut-in. Then a body is discovered, buried in a makeshift grave for years . . . on the Reece family’s land. The police reopen their investigation, and the evidence against Erin’s father is damning. After such a long time without answers, the community wants justice. It’s up to Erin to clear her father’s name, but the path to the truth will force her to unearth long-buried secrets and confront a terrible evil. Because in Wolf Point, everyone knows more than they are letting on . . .  “John Burley has an eye for detail, a feel for story, and a deep sympathy for his characters.”  — Lou Berney, award-winning author of November Road

About the Author :
John Burley attended medical school in Chicago and completed his residency in emergency medicine at the University of Maryland Medical Center’s Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. He currently serves as an emergency medicine physician in Northern California, where he lives with his wife and daughter, and their Great Dane and English bulldog. This is his first novel.

Review :
"Surrender the Dead is tense and atmospheric and so gripping that it will follow you into your dreams. A haunting tale, gorgeously told." — Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of Choose Me, on Surrender the Dead "John Burley tucks readers into the minds of not only his protagonists but into the aching psyche of the entire town of Wolf Point . . . Burley’s thriller offers a riveting tale as he explores the nuances of small town life and how the town’s secrets have haunted the residents for decades. Thriller fans will enjoy Burley’s twists and turns until the final moment when he reveals who really is behind the town’s collective grief." — newstimes on Surrender the Dead "Stunning . . . Affecting . . . [Surrender the Dead] does not disappoint. Try this with fans of somber, psychologically driven fiction."  — Booklist on Surrender the Dead "A deftly crafted suspense thriller of a novel with more unexpected plot twists and turns than a Disneyland roller coaster, Surrender The Dead by John Burley will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library." — Midwest Book Review on Surrender the Dead "What is billed as a psychological thriller is really so much more. . . . Well developed characters and an ending you’ll never see coming. . . . This book falls outside the normal mold. You root for Erin as she exorcises her demons and keep reading to unravel the mystery of what happened to all those missing people." — The Book Review Crew on Surrender the Dead “Burley never lets the tension lag as he keeps the suspense high . . . with myriad jaw-dropping twists.” — Associated Press on The Quiet Child “Packed with tension and unexpected twists, The Quiet Child is a powerful psychological thriller set in a time before the emergence of forensic science.” — Kathy Reichs, New York Times bestselling author of Speaking in Bones “A beautifully realized thriller, full of striking imagery, and so haunting I thought about it for days afterward.  It starts with a parent’s greatest nightmare—your children being abducted—and then asks: What might make you question whether you wanted them back?  John Burley is a fearless talent.” — Glen Erik Hamilton, award-winning author of Past Crimes and Hard Cold Winter, on The Quiet Child “A riveting novel that engages both heart and mind. John Burley has an eye for detail, a feel for story, and a deep sympathy for his characters.” — Lou Berney, award-winning author of The Long and Faraway Gone