Series: A Bleeding Hearts Valley Thriller #1
Genres: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Mystery/Suspense
eBook Price: $ 5.99 USD
Paperback Price: $ 19.95 USD
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Wow, such an intense book. This one kept me up late and back to reading again in the morning. So good.
An Abrupt Departure
A MYSTERY FROM USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, P.D. WORKMAN THAT WILL KEEP YOU TURNING THE PAGES!
Welcome to Bleeding Hearts Valley, a standalone series of interconnected thrillers in one twisted midwestern suburb.
An abandoned apartment holds deadly secrets.
When Graham Hall, owner of “Hall it Away” junk removal services, steps into an abandoned apartment, he expects to take out the trash—literally. But what he uncovers is anything but garbage. What he finds sends chills down his spine: personal items like family photos, passports, and essential medication that no one would leave behind willingly. As he digs deeper into the job, he uncovers a hidden journal filled with entries that suggest a growing threat.
The apartment is riddled with contradictions—priceless electronics and jewelry untouched, neighbors and landlords offering conflicting accounts of the tenants’ sudden disappearance. Graham’s curiosity spirals into obsession as he pieces together the unsettling puzzle.
Keep coming back to Bleeding Hearts Valley to uncover more dark secrets. But before moving in remember, you can never trust your neighbors.
Immerse yourself in this gripping thriller where every discovery leads to more questions than answers. Will Graham unravel the mystery before it’s too late? Or will his pursuit of truth trap him in a dangerous game he never signed up for? Perfect for fans of suspenseful reads that keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.
Dumpster dive into this suspense-filled thriller today and uncover whether truth or danger awaits at every turn!
Praise for P.D. Workman
“Every single one of [P.D. Workman’s] books has spoken to me … And I have found strength in the books I’ve read.”
“This is one author I certainly will be looking out for, I can’t recommend her enough.”
“I’ll read anything by P. D. Workman that I can get my hands on.”
“Every book by PD Workman that I’ve read has been a gripping one, however different the genres are, going from lighter mysteries to really dark ones… this is one of my favourite, most dependable authors.”a
“P.D. Workman is an incredibly versatile writer. No matter which of her books I read I am drawn into a great story and honestly, I don’t think I’ve followed another author that could go from cozy mystery to YA to a PI series dealing with mental health issues. Really enjoy her books!”
“[P.D. Workman’s] stories are so believable and you can’t help but feel like you know these people. You find yourself crying, laughing and feeling the characters emotions. Now if an author can make you cry and feel every emotion in a story, she is one hell of an author.”
“P. D. Workman, does not shy from probing the deep psychological scars of childhood trauma, mental illness, and addiction. Also characteristic of this author, these extremely sensitive issues are explored with extensive empathy, described with incredible clarity, and portrayed with profound insight.”
“Once again P.D.Workman has created an intense psychological mystery that impacts a wallop of thought induction. The writing is so well developed and draws you into the characters story.”
Author Notes
Author Notes may contain spoilers!
The setting for An Abrupt Departure was established by the multi-author Bleeding Hearts Valley series, but the first spark for An Abrupt Departure came to me from a simple news article about junk removal experts—the fascinating, sometimes haunting work they do, and the strange secrets they uncover in the process. I could immediately see how a junk removal expert might stumble across evidence of crimes and the remnants of private lives people thought they had erased.
The title An Abrupt Departure was crafted to sound menacing, and it reflects more than one kind of disappearance. It refers both to the physical vanishing of a couple and to a psychological break—a collapse of the mind under pressure. It also mirrors Graham’s journey as he flees the wreckage of his previous life in search of something new.
Ashley, one of the central characters, is deeply compassionate. She’s someone who chooses to work with people life has kicked around, the ones others prefer not to see. Despite her training as a social worker, she believes her love for Ethan and her understanding of trauma will be enough to hold their fragile world together. She genuinely believes she can give Ethan the safety and connection he’s been denied.
But Ethan, wounded and wary, sees the world through a different lens. He believes Ashley can fix his broken life, provide the family and stability he has always longed for. When she can’t, his disappointment curdles into betrayal. Yet even after everything that happens, Ashley still recognizes that part of Ethan only ever wanted to protect her. In the end, it was the child inside him who won, not the monster.
We rarely see the pain of those around us. That truth is particularly sharp when dealing with people who have endured abuse or live with personality disorders or other psychological wounds that make connection difficult. They may appear detached or uncaring, but the loss of close relationships still cuts deeply. The repeated rejections, the loneliness—they don’t just fade. They shape who a person becomes.
In the end, An Abrupt Departure isn’t just about disappearance. It’s about compassion, perception, and the haunting question that lingers long after the story ends:
Doesn’t everybody want to walk away from their life and start over sometimes?
Reading, after all, offers us that chance—to step outside ourselves for a while, to live another life, to see the world through someone else’s eyes. I hope An Abrupt Departure gives you that temporary reprieve—and perhaps, a deeper understanding of the pain and resilience we all carry beneath the surface.
Book Club Resources
On My Blog
- Psychological Thrillers
- Clean Psychological Thrillers: Heart-Pounding Suspense Without the Gore
- Small Town Secrets: Why Familiar Places Make the Scariest Thrillers
- When Love Turns Dangerous: Obsession and Control in Psychological Thrillers
- New Psychological Thriller: An Abrupt Departure by P.D. Workman
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is An Abrupt Departure about?
An Abrupt Departure follows junk removal owner Graham Hall as a routine job in an abandoned apartment turns into a nightmare. Personal belongings, medications, and a disturbing journal suggest that the tenants didn’t leave by choice—and that someone in Bleeding Hearts Valley is hiding a dangerous secret.
Q: Is An Abrupt Departure part of a series?
Yes. It’s part of the multi-author Bleeding Hearts Valley series—standalone, interconnected thrillers set in the same twisted midwestern suburb. You can read An Abrupt Departure on its own or alongside the other Bleeding Hearts Valley thrillers.
Q: Do I need to read the other Bleeding Hearts Valley books first?
No. Each Bleeding Hearts Valley thriller tells a complete story with its own characters and central mystery. You can start with An Abrupt Departure and then explore more dark secrets in the valley if you’d like.
Q: Is this a clean psychological thriller?
Yes. An Abrupt Departure is a clean psychological thriller—there is tension, danger, and emotional intensity, but no graphic violence, explicit content, or heavy profanity. The suspense comes from character, psychology, and moral choices rather than gore.
Q: What themes does An Abrupt Departure explore?
The story examines obsession, trauma, compassion, and the ways our pasts shape our ability to connect. It looks at how love and protection can twist into control, and how easy it is to overlook the pain of people who live with psychological wounds.
Q: Is An Abrupt Departure suitable for book clubs?
Absolutely. The author notes and linked articles offer great discussion points about trauma, ethics, mental health, and starting over. Book clubs that enjoy character-driven suspense and moral complexity will find plenty to talk about.
