Book excerpt: When Amber Young, a quiet, brilliant newspaper puzzle editor, detects a hidden cypher, she realizes a serial killer is leaving clues hidden in plain sight. The FBI’s BAU unit needs Amber’s unique genius to help them decode the mystery and catch a killer before it’s too late, and in this page-turning, cat and mouse thriller, it’s a battle of clues, riddles, twists—and genius. “A masterpiece of thriller and mystery.” —Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ABSENT PITY is book #1 in a long-anticipated new series by #1 bestseller and USA Today bestselling author Blake Pierce, whose bestseller Once Gone (a free download) has received over 7,000 five star ratings and reviews. Amber Young, shy, reclusive, prefers to avoid the limelight and quietly do her puzzle work for her newspaper. But when she finds herself at the center of a manhunt for a deadly killer, she realizes her unique genius may just mean the difference between life and death for the next victim. With a life on the line, it will require of all Amber’s brilliance to outsmart a genius, diabolical killer intent on proving his smarts and taunting the FBI. Will Amber outsmart him? Or might she end up the next victim? A page-turning and harrowing crime thriller featuring a brilliant and tortured FBI agent, the Amber Young series is a riveting mystery, packed with non-stop action, suspense, twists and turns, revelations, and driven by a breakneck pace that will keep you flipping pages late into the night. Fans of Rachel Caine, Teresa Driscoll and Robert Dugoni are sure to fall in love. Future books in the series are now available. “An edge of your seat thriller in a new series that keeps you turning pages! ...So many twists, turns and red herrings… I can't wait to see what happens next.” —Reader review (Her Last Wish) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A strong, complex story about two FBI agents trying to stop a serial killer. If you want an author to capture your attention and have you guessing, yet trying to put the pieces together, Pierce is your author!” —Reader review (Her Last Wish) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A typical Blake Pierce twisting, turning, roller coaster ride suspense thriller. Will have you turning the pages to the last sentence of the last chapter!!!” —Reader review (City of Prey) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Right from the start we have an unusual protagonist that I haven't seen done in this genre before. The action is nonstop… A very atmospheric novel that will keep you turning pages well into the wee hours.” —Reader review (City of Prey) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Everything that I look for in a book… a great plot, interesting characters, and grabs your interest right away. The book moves along at a breakneck pace and stays that way until the end. Now on go I to book two!” —Reader review (Girl, Alone) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Exciting, heart pounding, edge of your seat book… a must read for mystery and suspense readers!” —Reader review (Girl, Alone) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐