New York Times bestselling author Barbara Parker introduces one of the most unforgettable female characters in suspense fiction: high-profile Miami defense attorney C.J. Dunn. C.J. is an expert at spinning her clients’ image in the media-the perfect lawyer to deflect suspicion from Rick Slater, head of security for an influential U.S. congressman. A beautiful model has vanished from a party on Miami Beach, and Slater was the last person seen with her. C.J. has reasons to dislike the congressman, but if she takes this case he can arrange a host position for her on a major news outlet. For a woman who grew up dirt-poor, with a past she would rather forget, the celebrity life has its appeal. The story of Alana Martin’s disappearance soon sets off a media frenzy. Reporters and paparazzi hound everyone connected to the case, and C.J. must work fast before they uncover her own secrets, too. When Rick Slater tells her that a friend of Alana’s could be his alibi witness, C.J. realizes the girl is someone she knows: Kylie Willis, a seventeen-year-old runaway from the same north Florida town where C.J. was born. The problem is, Kylie won’t talk. As C.J. digs into the case, she finds connections between Alana and a group of investors in a project on environmentally sensitive land. One of them is the elusive architect Milo Cahill, one of C.J.’s own VIP clients, who may be bribing the congressman. Another is C.J.’s lover, Miami Beach socialite Billy Medina. But when C.J. asks Billy for information, he brushes her off. She wonders if she’s been foolish about Billy. Or is the problem just her growing attraction to her client Rick? Then Alana Martin is found-dead. Her body washes up on a beach late one night, and the coroner says it was murder. The police have evidence against Slater. C.J. is slammed between the media and the need to defend a client she doesn’t trust. She must find Kylie Willis. The girl could save Rick Slater-but she might also reveal a devastating secret, one that could destroy C.J.’s career, and even, her life.

“The Dark of Day is Parker's best. She creates an unforgettable protagonist—a smart lawyer who is up against Miami's politicians and power brokers, and the demons of her own secret past. The suspense is hotter than South Beach.”
—Linda Fairstein, New York Times bestselling author of Killer Heat

"Parker captures the dark side of South Beach-the glamour, the bling, and the night creatures who glide through the club scene with a drink in their hand and a malicious glint in their eye."
—Harlan Coben, New York Times bestselling author of Hold Tight

“No one writes like Barbara Parker about the sun-drenched gritty glamour of sinful Miami Beach. And her heroine C.J. Dunn is so well-drawn you want to reach into the pages and pull her back from the brink of disaster.”
—P.J. Parrish, New York Times bestselling author of South of Hell

“Parker has her fans, and female lawyers are a hot commodity in the genre at the moment.”
—Booklist

“This tantalizing novel of suspense…. zings with rich subtext”
—Publishers Weekly

“Filled with twists on both a personal and professional level, THE DARK OF DAY is an exciting suspense thriller… the story line is action-packed from the onset as the spins and revelations keep on coming making Barbara Parker's tale an engaging read.’
—Harriet Klausner

“The characters come alive in this intensely plotted mystery where everyone carries a secret and appearances can be deceiving. Great characters, good pacing and lively action keep readers guessing until the very end.”
—Romantic Times (Four Stars)