Before he was known as the Four Monkey Killer, he was just a boy trying to survive.

Charleston, 1999. Fifteen-year-old Anson Bishop didn’t mean to kill—not the first time, anyway. Raised by parents who taught him that murder was simply survival, Anson thought he’d escaped his dark past when his home burned and his mother vanished with stolen mob money.

He was wrong.

Someone is hunting Charleston’s forgotten children—the runaways, the addicts, the ones no one will miss. When the few people Anson has come to care about vanish into the night, he discovers a truth more horrifying than anything his parents taught him: there are monsters in the world far worse than the one he sees in the mirror.

Behind a door the color of spilled blood waits a killer who has perfected his craft over two decades. To save his friends, Anson must walk through that scarlet door and face a monster. But in doing so, he may become something more dangerous than what awaits him on the other side.

Some doors, once opened, can never be closed.

Discover where it all began in the first of three prequels to New York Times bestselling author J.D. Barker’s wildly popular 4MK series.

Praise for the 4MK Thriller series

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