A dark tale of the destructive power of love and obsession from ''The supreme master of suspense'' NEW YORK TIMES

''The father of the modern suspense story'' LA TIMES

When Louis Durand first meets his bride-to-be after a months-long courtship by mail, he''s shocked that she doesn''t match the photographs sent with her correspondence. But Durand has not exactly been truthful, either, concealing the details of his wealth. Mostly, he feels fortunate she is so much more beautiful than he expected.

Soon after they marry, however, he becomes increasingly convinced that the woman in his life is not the same woman with whom he exchanged letters - and then she suddenly disappears with his fortune.

Alone and desperate, Louis becomes obsessed with finding Julia and bringing her to justice - but it is only when he finally tracks her down that the nightmare truly begins...