Ex-homicide detective and puzzle-solving master David Gurney comes out of retirement to solve seemingly impossible murder cases. Blending hard-boiled noir fiction with the pleasures of classic “whodunit” puzzle- solving, Verdon has written a “hero for the ages” (David Baldacci).

GHOST BARN
by John Verdon
Counterpoint, September 2026
(via The Friedrich Agency)

The thrilling conclusion to the retired NYPD detective Dave Gurney saga.

Ghosts are returning from the past to trouble Dave Gurney’s peace as a local election sees a powerful real estate mogul with plans for a massive development face off against a librarian and ardent conservationist. When bodies start turning up and the local police turn a blind eye, Gurney suspects he’s the town’s only hope.

But involvement comes at a price. His last case early got his best friend killed, and it shattered his marriage. In the aftermath, he’s focused on breaking his reliance on police work in hopes of rekindling things with his wife, Madeleine. Can he ignore what’s happening and potentially let a murderer run amok, or will he once again dive into the darkness, giving in to his obsessive need to solve the unsolvable—even if it costs him Madeleine for good? One thing is clear: This harrowing, confounding case will be his last.

John Verdon is the author of the Dave Gurney series of thrillers, international bestsellers published in more than two dozen languages: Think of a Number, Shut Your Eyes Tight, Let the Devil Sleep, Peter Pan Must Die, Wolf Lake, White River Burning, On Harrow Hill, and The Viper.