Genoa City, 1949-where shadows stretch long over cobblestone streets, and a single whisper can ruin a life.
Detective Sergeant Harry O'Houlihan has spent years hunting the forgotten dead, but nothing prepares him for the case that lands on his desk: seven men, murdered over a decade, each bound to the same woman.
Viviana Quintiliani.
Mother. Sister. Daughter. Celebrated socialite and philanthropist. Every circle she enters admires her, every eye follows her... yet rumors trail her like a shadow-whispers of tragedy, danger, and the men who never survived her charm. Some wondered if she was simply cursed, a woman plagued by misfortune and loss in matters of the heart. Others murmured darker tales, likening her to a black widow, weaving a delicate, lethal web that ensnared those unfortunate enough to fall under her gaze. She has never been charged, never been touched by the law... and perhaps, never been caught.
Harry swore he would never let desire cloud his judgment. But from the moment he meets her, he is lost. Their affair is a blaze of passion, reckless and consuming, each stolen moment pulling him deeper into her world of silk, secrets, and seduction. Is she a woman trapped by circumstance... or a cunning mastermind, spinning threads that could either protect or destroy?
The trial begins. District Attorney Alexander Smythe lays out a damning case, presenting evidence that seems carefully crafted to seal her fate. Every witness, every fact, every insinuation threads suspicion tighter around Viviana, and Harry feels the noose tighten-not just around her, but around his own heart.
When defense barrister Nathaniel Brownstone rises, presenting counterarguments with razor-sharp precision, the balance teeters. Will the truth set her free-or destroy them both?
Threads of Deception: Book One: The Web Tightens is a seductive, atmospheric noir of obsession, betrayal, and the perilous line between love and guilt.
