"A sassy heroine, fabulous sense of place, and rip-roaring stories with a twist." --Kate Mosse, author, Languedoc Trilogy "Vanda Symon is part of a new wave of Kiwi crime writers . . . her talent for creating well-rounded characters permeates throughout." --Crimewatch "Finally, UK readers get to discover New Zealand's own Queen of Crime. Vanda Symon is a big talent and everything she writes is fast, intelligent and utterly gripping. In Sam Shephard, Symon has created a compelling series lead, and her treatment of small-town New Zealand is superbly atmospheric. This one's a cracker." --Liam McIlvanney, author, Conway Trilogy "[A] crime novel with many layers...A fine thriller by a writer who deserves a larger audience in the U.S." -- Booklist Online Exclusive "Atmospheric, emotional, and gripping, The Ringmaster proves that Sam Shephard will continue to be a force to be reckoned with." -- Foreword Reviews "A rollicking good read." --Sunday Star Times "One of the best in this genre that I've read in years." --Waikato Times "Lively evocation of small-town life, with a plot that grabs the reader's attention with a heart-stopping opening and doesn't let go." --Times