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He Will Be My Ruin

A Novel

About The Book

Discover the novel praised as a “nail-biting thriller” (Publishers Weekly), a “compelling web” (Kirkus Reviews), “tightly plotted character study” (RT Magazine), and a “dark, twisty tale of lurid secrets, lavish lifestyles, and devastating loss” (Lisa Gardner).

A woman who almost had it all….On the surface, Celine Gonzalez had everything a twenty-eight-year-old in Manhattan could want: a one-bedroom apartment on the Lower East Side, a job that (mostly) paid the bills, and an acceptance letter to the prestigious Hollingsworth Institute of Art, where she would finally live out her dream of becoming an antiques appraiser for a major auction house. All she had worked so hard to achieve was finally within her reach. So why would she kill herself?

A man who was supposed to be her salvation….Maggie Sparkes arrives in New York City to pack up what’s left of her best friend’s belongings after a suicide that has left everyone stunned. The police have deemed the evidence conclusive: Celine got into bed, downed a lethal cocktail of pills and vodka, and never woke up. But when Maggie discovers a scandalous photograph in a lock box hidden in Celine’s apartment, she begins asking questions. Questions about the man Celine fell in love with. The man she never told anyone about, not even Maggie. The man Celine believed would change her life.

Until he became her ruin….On the hunt for evidence that will force the police to reopen the case, Maggie uncovers more than she bargained for about Celine’s private life—and inadvertently puts herself on the radar of a killer. A killer who will stop at nothing to keep his crimes undiscovered.

About The Author

Photograph (c) Christa Hogan, Storeybook Studios

K.A. Tucker writes captivating stories with an edge. She is the bestselling author of the Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water series and the novels He Will Be My Ruin, Until It Fades, Keep Her Safe, and The Simple Wild. She currently resides in a quaint town outside Toronto with her husband and two beautiful girls.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Atria Books (February 2, 2016)
  • Length: 352 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781501112096

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Raves and Reviews

Praise for He Will Be My Ruin:
"A smart, sexy thriller. Tucker beguiles in this dark, twisty tale of lurid secrets, lavish lifestyles, and devastating loss. Once you start reading, you won't stop."

– Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“A nail-biting thriller...clever twists and turns will keep readers in suspense, and just when they think they have figured out what happened to Celine, the story veers in another direction.”

– Publishers Weekly

"Tucker delivers a well-constructed, pulse-pounding suspense full of propulsive plot twists and searing seduction...Tucker does an expert job of developing quirky, charismatic characters each of whom could be potential suspects...but even as things seem to coalesce, the narrative throws unexpected curve balls that keep you at the edge of your seat. He Will Be My Ruin is engrossing and easy to devour, a seductive, suspenseful story that will keep you guessing."

– USA Today

"[A] heart stopping urban thriller."

– BookPage

“This is one book that can’t help but be placed on the bestseller shelf in 2016…[a] fantastic thriller that will keep readers on the edge of any seat, be it recliner or airplane, until the ultimate outcome!”

– Suspense Magazine

“Tucker’s hardcover debut is full of twists and layers of mystery, with a developed cast of characters that rounds out the plot in this enjoyably compelling read.”

– Booklist

“Bestselling author Tucker spins a compelling web, rife with quirky characters and steamy romps with charismatic men.”

– Kirkus Reviews

“A tightly plotted character study…There’s intrigue, sex, red herrings, and an enviable setting.”

– RT Magazine (4 star review)

“A dark and twisted mystery…that manages to surprise you just when you think you have it all figured out.”

– Hypable.com

“Captivating from beginning to end, He Will Be My Ruin is a non-stop tour of New York City, as two young friends—one dead and one desperately searching—take you from the inner sanctum of a secret garden rooftop to Manhattan’s high-end world of movers and shakers. This novel will leave you breathless—I read it in a day, and it was certainly worth the ride!”

– Killer Nashville

“Tucker is adept at spinning stories with unexpected twists and turns, but this is her most complex narrative to date. It’s a book that will keep you up all night — with the lights on and the door locked, of course — until you reach the shocking, perfect conclusion. But it’s also a book with an important Tucker trademark: a strong, independent female lead who is not afraid to take charge, who is not perfect — which is why she feels so real — and who is rewriting the rules about what makes books like this work so well. Tucker is a pro at delivering hot romance, but here she combines it with heart pounding suspense. The results are terrifyingly good.”

– Toronto Star

Praise for Surviving Ice:
Surviving Ice has it all: suspense, romance, forgiveness, and second chances all rolled into one.”

– San Diego Book Review

“Entertaining and enthralling, lovers of suspense titles will be captivated by the suspenseful plot of this story. At the same time, the romance between this--somewhat unlikely and yet equally explosive--pair is sure to keep your romance lust sated.”

– The Romance Reviews, TOP PICK

Praise for Chasing River:
"A gripping addition to the Burying Water series…Tucker’s fans will tear through this passionate, fast-paced tale and be ready for more."

– Booklist

“Tucker masterfully keeps the reader wondering about how the story could possibly end…[writing] a compelling tale about fighting for love and exploring the need to walk away.”

– New York Journal of Books

Praise for Becoming Rain:
"A smart and sexy thrill ride...Tucker's best writing yet."

– Karina Halle, New York Times bestselling author on Becoming Rain

Praise for Burying Water:
"Another addictive triumph for the impressively prosaic Tucker."

– Globe and Mail

“Tucker deftly steers the damsel-in-(serious, nearly fatal, possibly mob-related)-distress-rescued-by-a-knight-in-shining armor storyline, making these star-crossed lovers compelling. A sexy romantic, gangster-tinged page-turner.”

– Kirkus Reviews on Burying Water

"Unique, engrossing, and heartbreaking. Burying Water is a mesmerizing read that will keep you captivated until the very last page."

– Rachel Van Dyken, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"Dark, ominous, and sexy...compelling from beginning to end."

– Laura Kaye, New York Times bestselling author on Burying Water

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    Photograph (c) Christa Hogan, Storeybook Studios
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