Here’s the set-up for Kate Burns’ The Ophelia Trap, just 99 Cents on Kindle:

Julia and her family may have escaped the rent trap… but curiosity has drawn a predator home.

When Julia Henry’s former neighbour plunges eight stories to her death in the snow, she’s convinced her previous landlords harassed the woman to suicide. But as she investigates, another dead girl turns up with a connection to a serial rapist.

Julia and her husband have put as much distance as they could afford between them and the landlords who put them through hell, and stories from humiliated tenants match Julia’s own. She’s determined to prove their tactics resulted in tragedy. But the half-empty building is hemorrhaging tenants, the girl’s boyfriend comes complete with a wife and daughter, and the best friend overdosed days after giving police their only description of a serial rapist.

Now it seems someone wants Julia buried under the heaviest blizzard in thirty years. But when one of her daughters is targeted for a brutal attack steps from home, two nightmares converge.

The only way she can protect her girls and still live to see the snow melt is to expose the wrenching truth behind the rapes, the deaths, and the strangest absentee landlord ever.

The Ophelia Trap tells the story of a woman who drags home more than she bargained for after investigating the death of a young neighbour.

The setting is the small town that remains within the Aylmer city limits, and many of the landmarks and the dual French-English culture will be familiar to Ottawa area residents.

The novel engages the reader in suspense, but also delves into some dark territory — rent fraud, sexual abuse and the fragile safety of women in modern society. The Ophelia Trap turns the narrative of of the ultimate victim on its head.

From the reviewers:

“Juicy, fantastically polished, engrossing, unrelenting in its ability to hold the reader. This book stands out as an example of what an exceptionally good writer should be.”  –  Paul Dayton, Author of The Eye of the Idol

“This little gem of a novel is set in Canada’s Capital region and features a mystery that unravels even more mysteries. The flow of language, memorable characters and story twists make it a swift and unforgettable read.”  – Madapples Book Review

“With great economy and assurance the author conveys Julia’s horror… it appears simple, but such writing is difficult to produce.”   -Lynn Clayton, Author of Deadly Nevergreen

“Clean, crisp and snappy paragraphs with to-the-point dialogue.”  Robert Young, Author of Auctoratus

“The vivid details that the author paints makes you feel that you are at the places and they feel familiar. The characters are likeable and believable. A highly recommended read. I can’t wait for her next novel.”  – TonyInMontreal, review on Apple’s iBookstore

“Having read The Ophelia Trap, I am now an anxious fan waiting to see what mysteries await Julia et al in the future. The Ophelia Trap is an intelligent mystery story with an intricate plot and believable characters. The setting of Aylmer Quebec, small town in proximity to larger metropolitan areas, is one to which many people can relate. The canvas is the perfect size for the picture that has been painted. It is a great read!”  – Michael Macdonald

Kate Burns is a designer and writer living and working in the Ottawa-Gatineau area. She gardens, knits, enjoys nature in all its beauty and expresses herself through writing and acting. She and her husband David share a beautiful daughter, Virginia and two wonderful stepchildren, Danny and Amelia. The Ophelia Trap is her first novel.

She is currently working on her second mystery, as yet untitled, set in Ottawa’s intriguing and diverse Byward

And here, in the comfort of your own browser, is your free sample of THE OPHELIA TRAP by Kate Burns: