A Pilgrimage to Death

A reverend haunted by grief. A killer obsessed with patterns. A mystery that refuses to stay buried.

Cici Gurule lost her twin sister to an unsolved murder. She knows what that kind of grief does to a person — she feels it in her bones, hears it in Anna Carmen's voice, still whispering from the other side.

When Cici returns to Santa Fe and discovers a body killed in the same ritualistic way, she understands two things immediately: the killer was never finished. And she was always going to be pulled back in.

Partnering with Detective Sam Chastain, Cici follows a trail through mountain wilderness and twisted evidence — guided by her instincts, her faith, and a dead woman who refuses to let her stop. But the killer has been watching. And the pattern has one more name on it.

Hers.

Perfect for fans of Tana French, Louise Penny, and Nevada Barr.

TIMELESS PRAISE FOR J.J. Cagney

"A wholly absorbing gumshoe tale elevated by an extraordinary detective." —Kirkus Reviews

"Vivid, alluring, and heart‑wrenching… every reason I love mystery." —New York Times Bestseller Darynda Jones

"Written in a clear, distinct style, Padgett uses the prose to elicit tension and emotion and creates a tense, fast-paced story." —The BookLife Prize

"An edge-of-my-seat thrill ride that kept me guessing all the way through." — USA Today Bestseller Allyson Lindt
"The prose is…sublimely concise." —Kirkus Reviews

"I'm pretty giddy that this will be a series! It's packed with a good mystery and the cat and mouse makes it hard to put down." —Next Book Review

"An exhilarating entry in a thoroughly enjoyable series." —Kirkus Reviews