Penance
When a series of high-profile murders rocks the city of Birchwood, Detectives Xander Walsh and Damon Schaeffer are called in to unravel a chilling mystery. Each crime scene is marked by a haunting signature—a poem, hinting at the killer’s motivations.
Detective Walsh, a fierce investigator with a reputation for solving the unsolvable, must dive into a dark labyrinth of clues that blur the line between art and madness. As he delves deeper into the case, his mysterious past comes back to haunt him.
As the body count climbs and public fear mounts, Detective Walsh must race against time to unravel the clues. But in a game where the shadows hold the key, will he catch the killer before he strikes again, or will the echoes of his past become his undoing?
Title: Penance
Subtitle: A Xander Walsh Novella
Series: Xander Walsh
Book: 1
Genre: Crime, Thriller
Author: Rena Aliston
Publisher: Owl-Raven Books
Release Date: August 18, 2025
ISBN: 979-8-9896838-7-1
Penance is a masterfully crafted thriller that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat, filled with twists and turns that’ll keep you guessing till the very end! Rena’s writing is phenomenal, creating a wonderfully complex narrative that’s both gripping and suspenseful.
If you’re a fan of thrillers, Penance is an absolute must-read. With its engaging plot, intense characters, and expertly crafted suspense, this book will keep you hooked from start to finish. – Anu Nair, Author
Penance was a great thriller/suspense filled book about detectives trying to catch a serial killer. I loved the characters in this book, Damon and Xander was such bad a** detectives! The twists and turns and surprises towards the end of the book on who was involved 🤯 WOW! – Nicole