Clara Benning, a veterinary surgeon in charge of a wildlife hospital in a small English village, is young and intelligent, but nearly a recluse. Disfigured by a childhood accident, she generally prefers the company of animals to people. But when a local man dies following a supposed snakebite, Clara's expertise is needed. She's chilled to learn that the victim's postmortem shows a higher concentration of venom than could ever be found in a single snake--and that therefore the killer must be human. Assisted by a soft-spoken neighbor and an eccentric reptile expert, Clara unravels sinister links to an abandoned house, an ancient ritual, and a fifty-year-old tragedy that has left the survivors secretive. But for someone the truth must remain buried in the past--even if they have to kill to keep it there. "Awakening" is a disturbing tale of dark secrets and insidious rituals that will have readers unable to stop for a breath until they've reach the stunning climax of this extraordinary read from the author of the acclaimed debut novel "Sacrifice."