Seven years ago, someone wanted Marlee Sofer dead. Now, that same person desperately needs her alive.
With only three months left before Marlee is legally declared dead, her husband, Isaac, appears desperate for answers. But Jesse Nash and Cindy Baker quickly realize something doesn’t add up. The request for help came from Isaac’s accounts. The payment cleared. But Isaac didn’t hire them. And he has no idea who did.
Finding Marlee—dead or alive—is only the beginning.
With the clock ticking and trust in short supply, every revelation raises new questions. Who orchestrated the investigation? What was Marlee hiding? And how far will someone go to keep the truth buried?
Everyone is a suspect—even Marlee’s own parents. Survival depends on figuring out who needed the wealthy, young wife gone and who’s willing to kill to control the outcome.
As Jesse follows the money and Cindy listens to echoes that won’t rest, they’re forced to confront a terrifying possibility: Marlee’s disappearance was never an ending. Whatever comes next may tear apart everyone connected to her…if it doesn’t kill them first.
A wife vanished. A husband is lying. And time is running out.
Tear Us Apart is Book 3 in the Hangman’s Shadow series, a gripping crime thriller saga featuring cold cases that won’t stay buried, female-led investigations, psychological suspense, and high-stakes revelations. From USA Today Bestselling author AJ Scudiere, winner of multiple Best Suspense and Best Fiction of the Year awards, this series delivers layered mysteries, morally complex characters, and page-turning twists. Perfect for readers who love dark crime fiction, unsolved disappearance thrillers, and addictive suspense series. Can be read as a standalone—or devoured as part of the series.