99% of all species that ever lived on Earth are now extinct. That's a well known fact. But there's another fact, not so well known: every year we discover new species we never knew existed. LOST PINE is the story of one.
In my debut thriller novel, Homicide Detective Elizabeth Rosen is sent to Wyman National Forest to rubber-stamp a routine animal attack. But when she arrives at the remote cabin, she finds ominous signs this is no routine attack. Local rangers are afraid to go anywhere near the scene. The victims are killed with impossible speed and horrific brutality, beyond the capabilities of any known animal. Rosen realizes a newly evolved predator is loose in the Pacific Northwest, and she's determined to stop it before it claims more victims.
Rosen forms an unlikely friendship with Ranger Kristen Stonacek, whose knowledge of the wild perfectly complements Rosen's tenacious drive. Together, they track the creatures to their den in ancient volcanic caves, deep in the Lost Pine wilderness. Inside, they discover the true nature of the creatures is more terrifying than they ever imagined. But there's no turning back now -- victims are trapped in the darkness, and Rosen risks everything to save them.
When the world is told the creatures are gone and Rosen emerges as a hero, she gets an unexpected visit from Jack Ford, the father of one of the victims she saved. Ford has a conspiracy theory: the government kept one of the creatures alive. Rosen doesn't believe it, but promises to investigate. She works in secret, not knowing who to trust. And she discovers Ford was right. Her relentless detective work leads her to the abandoned Oregon National Primate Research Center, where the government is hiding one of the nightmarish creatures.
Rosen partners with Stonacek one more time, determined to eradicate the creatures once and for all. But the government has other ideas -- and the creatures themselves have transformed in terrifying ways no one anticipated. Rosen and Stonacek are confident they can handle the creatures. But they're not ready for what the government will sacrifice to keep this secret buried forever.