Beyond Second Chances

A gripping new standalone page-turner about murder, redemption, and the search for justice from #1 New York Times bestselling author Fern Michaels...When a criminology professor’s investigation into the murder of her favorite student puts her in the crosshairs of a killer, she must risk everything to uncover the truth and protect a vulnerable young man —perfect for fans of Rosie Walsh, Nora Roberts, and Danielle Steel.

Ever since the unsolved murder of her younger sister Samantha two decades ago, Margaret Brewster has felt compelled to understand the criminal mind. Teaching criminology at Hempstead College and leading Second Chances, a restorative justice program to keep offenders away from prison, offers her a sense of purpose. But years of research into what drives other to desperate acts can’t prepare her for suddenly becoming a target in real life. A disturbing photograph, taken inside her home, is left for her at the school. How did the intruder get in? Has someone been silently stalking her—and what do they want? 

Meanwhile one of Margaret’s star students, Miranda Jacobs, has been volunteering with Second Chances, and is invested in helping Miguel Vasquez, a teenager on the run from a vicious street gang. When Margaret discovers Miranda dead in her apartment, she’s devastated, and all evidence points to Miguel as the culprit. But Margaret suspects that he’s a scapegoat in a complex web—one that involves her too.

Over the objections of handsome FBI agent Tom Jefferson, Margaret sets out to untangle the truth. Solving Miranda’s death may finally help her gain closure about her own painful loss. But she’s also drawing ever closer to the enemy, jeopardizing not just the life she’s built but a future that could be filled with love and promise…