The Pain We Bring

“[Zeltserman’s] writing style reminds me of Jim Thompson, Dashiell Hammett, and other veterans of hard-boiled detective and mystery stories. His style is no frills, tough, and gritty, and he’s not averse to breaking a few conventional rules and unleashing some unexpected surprises. As far as detective mysteries go, The Pain We Bring is a winner that keeps you on your toes and guessing throughout.” —Scream Magazine

L.A. detective Morris Brick has never hunted a psycho who’s taken such sadistic pleasure in destroying people’s lives. The surviving victims have all identified the killer’s snarling wolf tattoo. Now Brick knows he’s on the trail of a brutal predator who’s taunting him. But there's a dark secret behind the Cupid Killer and the danger is closer to home than Morris imagines . . .

Expertly alternating between past and the present day, The Pain We Bring is the very best kind of suspense thriller, one where the twists and surprises will shock even the savviest reader.

“Rarely is an author so skilled at portraying such unremitting evil and the poignant, human side of his characters in a single tale.” —Jeffery Deaver

“Equal parts Thomas Harris, Michael Connelly, Jo Nesbo, and Stephen King. The Lives We Take will leave you shaking . . . with fear, excitement, and the uncontrollable compulsion to keep on reading." —Lee Goldberg

"A dark and different serial killer novel that will haunt the reader long after the book is closed."
—John Lutz

"Los Angeles has seldom seen such grisly fun. It's James Ellroy meets Alfred Hitchcock on the psychotic side of the street." —Paul Levine