Black-Eyed Susans

At sixteen, Tessa Cartwright was discovered in a Texas field, breathing but buried among the skeletal remains of several other girls. Because of her fragmented testimony, Terrell Goodwin sits on death row for the murders. Nearly two decades later, Tessa is an artist and single mother troubled by the realization that her recovered memories might be false. When she finds fresh black-eyed susans planted outside her bedroom window—the same flowers found at her own crime scene—she suspects the real killer is still free. She partners with a forensic scientist and a defense lawyer to re-examine DNA evidence and skeletal markers before Goodwin’s execution date arrives.

This mystery suits readers interested in the fallibility of human memory and the clinical details of forensic anthropology. It appeals to those who enjoy dual-timeline narratives that contrast teenage trauma with adult paranoia. Readers encounter a realistic look at how the judicial system handles capital punishment and the psychological burden of being a surviving witness. By the final page, the audience understands the cold reality of forensic science and the lingering shadows left by unsolved cold cases.

Practical, clear-cut and escapist; an easy read.

Best for readers like The Escapist Adventurer. Which reader are you?