# Read the first page of Die for You by Lisa Unger Read the opening of Die for You by Lisa Unger free, no signup. A woman's husband kisses her goodbye one morning and simply vanishes. - Page: https://uncovered.ink/read/die-for-you-lisa-unger - Genre: Thrillers - Year: 2009 - ISBN: 9780307393982 - Read it blind (cover and title hidden): https://uncovered.ink/?b=9780307459893&s=read-page - Buy: https://bookshop.org/a/125786/9780307393982 - Borrow: https://search.worldcat.org/search?q=9780307393982 ## The opening A light snow falls, slowly coating the deep-red rooftops of Prague. I look up into a chill gunmetal sky as the gray stones beneath me are already disappearing under a blanket of white. There's a frigid hush over the square. Shops are closed, chairs perched upside down on café tables. In the distance I hear church bells. A strong wind sighs and moans, picks up some stray papers and dances them past me. The morning would be beautiful in its blustery quiet if I weren't in so much pain—if I weren't so cold. The side of my body that rests against the ground is stiff and numb. With difficulty, sore muscles protesting, I struggle to sit. I use the back of a park bench to pull myself to my feet. With the harsh wind pulling at my cuffs and collar, I wonder, How long have I been lying on the freezing stone, in the middle of this empty square? How did I get here? The last thing I remember clearly is a question I asked of a young girl with tattoos on her face. I remember her eyes—very young, damaged, afraid. I asked her: “Kde?” Where? She looked at me, startled; I remember her darting eyes, how she shifted from foot to foot, anxious, desperate. “Prosim,” I said. Please. “Kde je Kristof Ragan.” Where is Kristof Ragan? Distantly, I remember her answer. But it’s buried too deep in my aching head for me to retrieve. Get moving, a voice inside me says. Get help. I have the sense that there’s an imminent threat, but I’m not sure what it is. Still, I find myself rooted, leaning heavily against the bench, afraid of the tilting I perceive in my world, afraid of how hard that stone will feel if I hit it again. I am wearing jeans. My leather jacket is unbuttoned to reveal the lace of my bra through a tear in my sweater. My chest is raw and red from the cold. My right pant leg is ripped open, exposing a wound that has bled down my shin; I am having trouble putting weight onto this leg. My feet are so cold, they have gone completely numb. The square is empty. It is just after dawn, the light gauzy and dim. A tall Christmas tree towers, its lights glowing electric blue. Smaller trees, also decorated, are clustered about, glinting and shimmering. The square is lined with wooden stalls erected for the Christmas market, the ornate black lampposts wrapped in glowing lights; wreathes adorn windows and doors. The fountain, dry for winter, is filling with snow. Old Town Square is a fairy tale. I think it must be Christmas Day. Any other day the tourists might already be strolling about, locals heading to work, bachelors stumbling home from a late night of partying. I used to love this place, feel as though I was welcome here, but not today: I am as alone as if the apocalypse has come. I've missed the action and been left behind. I make my way slowly toward the road, holding on to the sides of buildings and benches, careful not to stumble. Tall spires reach into the sky; moaning saints look down upon me. I catch sight of myself in a shop window. My hair is a rat's nest; even in this state, vanity causes me to run my fingers through it, try to smooth it out a bit. There's a smear of mascara under each eye. I lick my finger and try to rub it away. My jacket is ripped at the shoulder. There's a bruise on my jaw. I am angry at the woman I see in this reflection. She's all ego, sick with her own hubris. I release a sharp breath in disgust with myself, creating a cloud that dissipates quickly into the air. ## Books with a similar feel - [Just One Look by Harlan Coben](https://uncovered.ink/read/just-one-look-harlan-coben.md) - [The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner](https://uncovered.ink/read/the-neighbor-lisa-gardner.md) - [Don't You Cry by Mary Kubica](https://uncovered.ink/read/dont-you-cry-mary-kubica.md) - [Zero Days by Ruth Ware](https://uncovered.ink/read/zero-days-ruth-ware.md) - [All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda](https://uncovered.ink/read/all-the-missing-girls-megan-miranda.md) - [Bring Me Back by B.A. Paris](https://uncovered.ink/read/bring-me-back-b-a-paris.md) --- Source: Uncovered (https://uncovered.ink). A short sample shown for reading and discovery. Rights holders can request removal at https://uncovered.ink/takedown.