The Lost Ones by Mia Sheridan

From the author of All the Little Raindrops comes a haunting thriller about an escaped convict and the woman he saved, working together to root out a gruesome conspiracy in the hills of West Virginia.

Duke Caraway was convicted of a brutal murder he can’t remember committing. When he escapes from prison, he’s not evading justice. He’s pursuing it. And his hunt for the real killer leads back to the impoverished Appalachian town where everything went wrong.

Only one person believes him: Winsome Fair. Years ago, seven-year-old Duke rescued Winsome from his monstrous father’s makeshift dungeon―her and little Junie. But that one heroic act had devastating consequences for Duke’s own life, setting him on a path to group homes and addiction. And now Junie is dead, allegedly by his hand.

Guidance counselor Winsome, still haunted by her past, agrees to help Duke clear his name. But as clues uncover a vast network of stolen children, silenced witnesses, and corrupt officials, they’re shocked when it all hits so close to home. With their enemies growing bolder and their deepening connection squarely at risk, they race to expose a community’s darkest secrets, no matter the price.