Following the events of Storm Rising (2022), Hayley Chill returns to take on the biggest conspiracy to ever sweep the streets of Washington, D.C. in the latest can’t-miss thriller from national bestselling author Chris Hauty.
Tragically, a Supreme Court justice has been murdered. Worse yet, the man responsible was sworn to protect him at all costs. Soon after, headlines begin flooding the internet, detailing the grim killing at the hands of a law enforcement officer, sending shockwaves through the country as people call for answers. But as the nation struggles to understand how such a senseless act of violence could happen, the Deeper State suspects the murder was only the beginning of something far bigger.
Enter Hayley Chill.
After a hard previous year filled with heartache and addiction, Hayley Chill is still finding her way out of the darkness that has consumed her. Searching for purpose and meaning, Hayley is back on the job, and this time around, her latest assignment has taken her to Hawaii, where she’s tasked with protecting one of the youngest members of the Supreme Court in America’s history, who is taking a much-deserved vacation. Her superiors worry that the other Justices could soon become targets themselves, a theory that Hayley quickly embraces when a busload of children are taken hostage in Maui.
Hardened from past events and having long sworn off any belief in coincidences, Hayley recognizes that the two events are likely connected. Knowing there’s more happening and playing out than meets the eye, she vows to rescue the innocent children, but that’ll be hard to do while also keeping the Justice safe.
It doesn’t take long for the action to start, and once it does—Hauty supercharges the speed at which things develop, leading to the emergence of an unthinkable conspiracy that’ll test Hayley Chill like never before.
Readers who’ve followed Hauty’s work since Deep State came out in 2020 will notice a slightly different, darker Hayley Chill here. In a lot of ways, I’m reminded of the Hayley from the early pages of Deep State, and Hauty’s decision to strip his hero down to the studs works for a lot of reasons, chief among them that she now feels more relatable than ever before. Most everyone has likely experienced various forms of grief and hardship these last three years, so that’s certainly something people will be familiar with. Likewise, in today’s politically divided America, there’s almost no plot that feels too over-the-top to be believable anymore. Where Hauty thrives is by injecting Hayley into those situations and letting her do something about it. That’s what makes these books work, and it’s a big reason why Hayley Chill has developed a large following of readers who, in all reality, probably wish she could be pulled from the pages and let loose in the real world.
Think Harlan Coben meets Marc Cameron . . . when Hauty is at his best, Hayley is one of the most exciting characters in the genre right now, and that’s certainly the case with The Devil You Know, one of this summer’s hottest beach reads. Strap in and get ready—this one sizzles, and the all-too-believable conspiracy at the heart of Hauty’s fourth novel sets up even more of the twists that his readers have come to expect.
Book Details
Author: Chris Hauty
Series: Hayley Chill #4
Pages: 336 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 1982175885
Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Release Date: May 23, 2023
Real Book Spy Rating: 8.0/10
Praised as “One of the hardest working, most thoughtful, and fairest reviewers out there” by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline, Ryan Steck has “quickly established himself as the authority on mysteries and thrillers” (Author A.J. Tata). Steck also works full-time as a freelance editor and is building a growing community on Twitch. His debut thriller, FIELDS OF FIRE, which #1 New York Times bestselling author Jack Carr says “will leave you speechless and begging for more,” is now available. For more information, be sure to follow him on Twitter and Facebook. And to take part in free, exclusive BOOK CLUBS each month, join The Real Book Spy on Discord.