Wordhunter: A Novel By Stella Sands

An utterly original and compulsively readable detective story, The Wordsmith follows a woman who uses her uncanny ability to analyze words and speech patterns to crack complex cases.

Tattooed, pierced, and decidedly unconventional, Maggie Moore is a forensic linguistics savant with a knack for solving linguistic puzzles. As the top student in her class, her unique talent quickly earns her a spot on the local police’s radar. When a stalker-turned-rapist leaves behind cryptic notes, Maggie’s extraordinary skills come to the rescue, decoding the messages with brilliant accuracy.

But Maggie’s confidence is shaken when the daughter of a prominent local mayor is abducted. Her past trauma, linked to the abduction of her best childhood friend, makes her question whether she’s emotionally equipped to tackle this case. Despite her reservations, the rural town’s authorities are at a standstill, and Maggie’s expertise may be their only hope.

Team up with Detective Jackson, her new best friend, Maggie delves into analyzing texts, emails, and verbal tics of the suspects. Her investigation leads her to a shocking revelation that threatens to upend the tight-knit community and expose long-hidden truths.

In The Wordsmith, Maggie Moore’s journey through linguistic intricacies and personal challenges unfolds in a gripping narrative that blends psychological depth with sharp investigative prowess. As she unravels the threads of the abduction case, Maggie must confront her own demons and the unsettling secrets lurking beneath the surface.