Wallflower: Book II in the Janek Series

New York Police Lieutenant Frank Janek, hero of William Bayer's million-copy bestseller Switch, returns to solve his strongest, most obsessive, most dangerous case- Wallflower.

Riveting psychological suspense, psychosexual intrigue and terror, a labyrinthine journey into a murderer's twisted, tormented past-all the hallmarks of William Bayer's extraordinary crime fiction are here. But with a new dimension. This time the case is personal. This time Janek is out for blood.

Bored by the mundane cases that have taken up his time and overwhelmed by the fame that has come to him with his solution to Switch, Janek has gone to Venice to reconsider his life. There he meets brilliant, beautiful, compassionate Monika. He falls in love. It seems like a dream.

Then comes the call from New York. His beloved goddaughter, Jess, has been viciously murdered in Riverside Park, her body savagely mutilated. Heartbroken and horrified, Janek immediately returns home to discover that Jess was but one of a number of apparently randomly chosen victims. The only things linking them are the some grisly modus operandi and the same strange signature of the killer-a dead weed placed at the scene of each crime.

As Janek delves Into Jess's past, he discovers more than he wants to know-strange rituals, bizarre sex games, odd fascinations. But how are these components of her life connected to her murder? After each revelation comes a new, more puzzling layer of mystery.

As Janek gets deeper into the psychology of the case, it becomes more and more an investigation into himself. The closer he comes to understanding the madness behind the crimes, the closer he touches a madness within, a madness that can be cured only by defeating his most formidable opponent, by vanquishing what he comes to recognize as true evil.

PRAISE FOR WALLFLOWER:

Wallflower (renamed “The Forget-Me-Not Murders”) was a CBS TV movie-of-the-week, starring Richard Crenna and Tyne Daly.

“A book with depth...Bayer has built a fine story...” -London Times

“Elegantly written and psychologically profound.” -Glasgow Herald

“The plot in Wallflower is complex and comes together well. Bayer can paint some great characters, people who are world-weary, tough, but with hearts of gold.” -Irish press

“Cleverly crafted and brilliantly plotted. Bayer’s best work to date. Wallflower is a top shelf thriller.” -New York Daily News

“An impossible-to-put-down thriller.” -Cleveland Plain Dealer

“Brilliant: this is Bayer’s most suspenseful and resonant...” -Kirkus Reviews

“A powerful psychological drama that equals the impact of the best-selling Switch.” -Copley News