A haunting tale of suspense, rendered with the masterful skill only Barker could muster. 

After the loss of his parents, young Jack Thatch first met Stella as a child—this cryptic little girl of eight with dark hair and darker eyes, sitting alone on a bench in the cemetery clutching her favorite book. Gone moments later, the brief encounter would spark an obsession. She’d creep into his thoughts, his every waking moment, until he finally finds her again exactly one year later, sitting upon the same bench, only to disappear again soon after. 

The body of a man found in an alley, every inch of his flesh horribly burned, yet his clothing completely untouched. For Detective Faustino Brier, this wasn’t the first, and he knew it wouldn’t be the last. It was no different from the others. He’d find another just like it one year from today. August 9, to be exact.

Isolated and locked away from the world in a shadowy lab, a little boy known only as Subject “D” waits, grows, learns. He’s permitted to speak to no one. He has never known the touch of another. Harboring a power so horrific, those in control will never allow him beyond their walls.

All of them linked in ways unimaginable.

SHE HAS A BROKEN THING WHERE HER HEART SHOULD BE conjures thoughts of early King and Koontz. A heart-pounding ride that creeps under your skin and will have you turning pages long into the night.

Praise for J.D. Barker

“J.D. Barker is a one-of-a-kind writer and that’s a rare and special thing. Stephen King comes to mind and Lee Child, John Sandford. All one-of-a-kinds. Don’t miss anything J.D. writes.”
—James Patterson, #1 International Bestselling Author

“A talented writer with a delightfully devious mind!”
—Jeffery Deaver, NY Times Bestselling Author

“I don’t say this lightly: J.D. Barker is a force to be reckoned with.”
—Tosca Lee, NY Times Bestselling Author

“JD Barker is an author to watch in the coming years.”
—Rolling Stone

“What sets Barker apart is his unique ability to blend genres seamlessly. His novels are a masterful fusion of horror, crime, mystery, science fiction, and the supernatural, creating a reading experience that is both thrilling and thought-provoking.”
—CULTR.com

“J. D. Barker is quickly becoming one of the best thriller writers working today.”
—Book Reporter.com

“Devilishly dark.”
— Library Journal

“Barker is a master wordsmith.”
— AudioBookReviewer.com

“Masterful storytelling.”
— Bookish

“J.D. Barker knows how to set a scene.”
— Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“...on par with Stephen King, Joe Hill and especially, Dan Simmons. Riveting and relentless.”
— BookTrib

"J.D. Barker was born to write suspense thrillers."
—The Real Book Spy

“It is clear Barker is a name to watch.”
—The Horror Bookshelf

“Barker’s slight of literary hand is absolute genius. He builds tension and then rips the rug right out from under you, just to do it all over again.”
—Quitterstrip

“Mr. Barker may have begun by following in the footsteps of such literary royalty as Stephen King, Thomas Harris, and Dean Koontz, but he has blazed a unique path all his own.”
— Fresh Fiction

“J.D. Barker is quite frankly one of the best crime thriller writers out there who should be on everyone’s radar!”
— Novel Delights

“Barker is an award-winning writer who is the second coming of Thomas Harris.”
— Book Reporter.com

“Barker's mastery of character and dialogue is noteworthy.”
— Booklist

“Barker is the Mozart of thrillers!”
— GoodReads

“Barker is such a skilled and exciting writer, delivering a chilling, slow-build thriller, a final, jaw-dropping twist, and a cliffhanger ending that leaves readers dangling precariously by their fingertips.”
— Lancashire Evening Post

“Mr. Barker doesn't just tell a story, he paints pictures with his words.”
— BookBub

“If you haven't read any J.D. Barker, I strongly suggest you start now.”
— Goodreads