Let me ask you something first. Have you ever had someone say something about you, something devastating and ruinous, something that absolutely wasn’t true? That’s what happened to me, on the day that changed my life. At those pivotal moments, each of us has a decision to make: do we run and hide? Or do we take control?

Well. I am Arden Ward. And I decided to take control.

Here’s what happened. I’m an experienced crisis management expert–which means my job is to help people whose reputations have been unfairly harmed, and make sure the public knows the other side of the story. In other words, I repair reputations, and resuscitate failing careers. For me (unlike for some, I have to admit), it’s all about telling the truth. Sometimes I compare myself to a nurse, you know? Helping people recover the lives that were taken from them.

When was confronted with this hideous lie about me–and I cannot even bear to tell you what it is– my first thought was that my life was over. With my reputation ruined, I could never again work in the career I adore.

And then I was offered an opportunity to take one last client. Boston real estate mogul Ned Bannister had been acquitted in a terrible vehicular homicide–but no matter what the jury said, the public still believed that powerful and wealthy Ned had somehow gotten away with it.

They even named him the Parking Garage Killer. Headlines, you know? And once you see something like that, you can’t unsee it. You can imagine, even with a not guilty verdict, there were still whispers and raised eyebrows and skepticism. Public opinion is such a powerful and destructive thing.

His wife Cordelia was devastated. She confided that her friends were snubbing and ostracizing her. And their two children were being shunned and mocked at school.

That’s when my boss –the one who told me about the rumor, can you believe it?–told me I had two weeks to make life better for the Bannisters. And convince the public that Ned is a good guy. If I did, I could possibly have my job back.

So, with my career on the line, what could I do but say yes? I decided to devote my last two weeks to the beleaguered Bannisters. And that turned out to be my most dangerous decision ever.

Wait till you meet Ned and Cordelia. Ned is as handsome as anyone I’ve ever seen, but there’s something about him, I wonder what you’ll think, that’s not quite believable. He’s a good dad, though, so that tells me something.

And Cordelia Bannister, she’s exactly what you’d imagine. And so upset about what’s happened to their family. Their kids, Pip and Emma, are truly adorable.

What I did not expect: a venomous and obsessed assistant District Attorney named Monelle Churchwood. She is so angry that her prosecution of Ned failed that I think she’ll do anything to get back at him. Especially since her boss is breathing down her neck to get Ned sent to prison.

And I have to say, I know someone was stalking me. And Ned. And followed us to Vermont. I can’t tell you any more about that right now.

And here’s the scariest part. In rehabilitating Ned Banisters reputation, I began to have a terrifying fear: what if I’m protecting a murderer?

So yeah, that’s the irony, isn’t it? I am a crisis management expert who is forced to manage a crisis of my own. And this time, crisis management has never been so deadly dangerous. And it taught me, yet again, that one wrong word can ruin your life. Or even kill you.

One Wrong Word
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Release: February 2024
Format: Print, Digital, Audio
Purchase Link

A heart-racing new psychological thriller from USA Today bestselling and multiple award-winning author, Hank Phillippi Ryan.

One wrong word can ruin your life. And no one knows that better than savvy crisis management expert Arden Ward. Problem is, she’s now forced to handle a shocking crisis of her own. Unfairly accused of having an affair with a powerful client, Arden’s life and dreams are about to crash and burn. Then, Arden is given an ultimatum. She has just two weeks to save her career and her reputation.

Is Cordelia Bannister the answer to her prayers?

Cordelia needs Arden’s help for her husband Ned, a Boston real estate mogul. Though he was recently acquitted in a fatal drunk driving accident, his reputation is ruined, and the fallout is devastating not only to the Bannisters’ lives, but the lives of their two adorable children.

Arden devotes her skill and determination—and maybe her final days on the job—to helping this shattered family, but soon, revelations begin to emerge about what really happened the night of the accident. And then—another car crash throws Ned back into the spotlight.

This case is Arden’s final chance to protect her own future and clear her name. But the more she tries to untangle the truth, the more she’s haunted by one disturbing question—what if she’s also protecting a killer?

Gossip. Lies. Rumors. Words like that can hurt you. And Arden knows the reality. Sometimes one wrong word can kill.

About the author
Hank Phillippi Ryan is the USA Today bestselling author of 15 psychological thrillers, winning the genre’s most prestigious awards: five Agathas, five Anthonys, and the coveted Mary Higgins Clark Award. She’s also investigative reporter for Boston’s WHDH-TV, winning 37 EMMYs. Her newest is the page-turning standalone One Wrong Word. She is the host of CRIME TIME on A Mighty Blaze, and co-host of THE BACK ROOM and FIRST CHAPTER FUN.

Visit Hank online at hankphillippiryan.com, on Facebook at HankPhillippiRyanAuthor, on Instagram at @hankpryan, on Twitter at @hankpryan, and on BookBub at hank-phillippi-ryan. You can also find Hank at Jungle Red Writers blog (jungleredwriters.com).