Returning to her hometown was never part of Beatrice Walker’s plan—but some secrets refuse to stay buried.

Ten years after fleeing the rumors that followed her father’s mysterious death, Bea returns to the quiet town she once called home with her four-year-old daughter, Ruby, in search of a fresh start. But beneath the surface of this seemingly tranquil community lurks a chilling power—Judge Shaw. A man who wields fear like a weapon, Shaw rules through shadowy deals, turning trust into betrayal and children into pawns in his sinister game.

As Bea takes a job at Ames Porter’s tattoo shop and reconnects with her fractured family, she’s drawn deeper into Shaw’s web of control. The haunting serpentine tattoos Ames creates aren’t just art—they’re marks of loyalty in a town gripped by silent threats and dangerous secrets.

When shadows from the past begin to stir, threatening everything Bea holds dear, she faces an impossible choice: how far will she go to protect her daughter from a fate she cannot outrun? In a place where love can be a weapon, loyalty is a trap, and uncovering the wrong truth could cost everything, Bea must decide if some secrets are better left to slumber.

Perfect for fans of romantic suspense, small-town mysteries, and emotionally charged thrillers, When Serpents Sleep will pull you into a world of forbidden love, deadly power, and unrelenting courage.