Serial Murder Books

I was looking for a good read that would explore the special inner states of awareness found in martial arts. Sensei has it, plus a surprisingly wonderful humor, and a good tale to boot.

I have been practicing awareness techniques for over thirty years with martial arts, meditation, and doing CranialSacral therapy. I hunger for the spirit in my fiction, not just kick-butt. I like the characters and the story keeps the pages turning. If you are hungering for the real world of martial arts, this will give you a taste.

I enjoyed the first half of the book and how the student and instructors relationshiped developed and the underlining of meaning when the sensei would say something to his number one student- it reminded me of my training.

As a third degree Black belt I am somewhat jaded on the whole fantasy of martial arts and the media. From the flying choreography to the comedic stunts and sound effects, they all tend to degrade or detract from the greatness that the martial arts provide. Not so in this novel. This is a terrific thriller from someone who certainly knows the Martial Arts as a master!
The writing is superb and provides just enough terrific detail to have you looking over your shoulder and preparing to confront that odd noise you think you heard in another room.
This is a must-read for any martial arts student or any martial artist wannabe!
5 Stars...and keep them coming!

John Donohue is to be commended on his first novel, Sensei, a remarkably good first effort that I would whole-heartedly recommend to fans of thrillers. This was a very enjoyable read and in no way felt like a freshman effort. It is always such an unusual treat to stumble across a new writer and have their debut novel completely capture you and take you off guard. Debut efforts rarely have me scribble the author's name on my "must read from now" on list, but this one did, and I am waiting as patiently as possible for his next novel to come out.

His protagonist, Connor Burke, is a finely realized and interesting character with substantial depth, complex feelings and motivations, and is an unusual hybrid of both college professor and martial artist. Connor, a thinking man's hero, finds himself drawn into a police investigation because of his unusual background and expertise. All the characters are finely realized, the plot reasonably realistic, the atmoshpere compelling, but it's the pacing of the novel that appeals to me the most. Much like Dave Robicheaux in James Lee Burke's novels, Donohue's character, Connor Burke, narrates events in an introspective, almost brooding fashion, and thoughout the story is contemplative, thoughtful, and focused on matters conscience and trust. He is an extremly interesting and sympathetic character and it is a pleasure to read about his adventures. So while the action is completely lively and thrilling, the story itself is calm and centered. This novel is much like the martial artists it depicts; externally violent and active, yet calm and centerd within.

The novel is set in New York City, feautes an impressive amount of action, and unfolds in layers as Connor seeks down and confronts an extraordinarily talented martial artist who for obscure reasons has murdered several prominenet martial arts teachers (sensei). Fans of James Lee Burke, Lee Child, Barry Eisler will all enjoy this one. I heartily recommend it.

Well done martial arts mystery. Surprised? Me too. The author is skilled and the hook is set early, and we are not disappointed.

I really enjoy this author. He always does a great job researching his book. This is a really good book and very tragic, especially for her family.

Mr. Phelps has outdone himself with this one. While it might be a bit long as others have said, it is no less riveting. I was reading 3 books at the time and found I kept coming back to this one until it was done because it was just so intriguing. Who could imagine having 3 (possibly 4) babies and carrying their mummified bodies around for so long with no one discovering her secret until she forgot to pay the storage fee for the storage space they ended up in.

To this day I still am not sure because of how well this was written whether Ms. O'Dell did this all on her own or her now deceased mother helped her. Awesome Work Mr. Phelps!

I just read Sleep in Heavenly Peace and thought it was great,I mean the horror of having some of your own children and then carrying them around w/ you from state to state in storage unit to storage unit and knowing that as long as you held on to those bodies you were bound to be caught sooner or later shows that this person has no remorse,I had just finished reading Because You Loved Me by Phelps and that book was sooooooo much better,but I also bought Perfect Poison which I started last night and on Chapter 25, and also bought Lethal Gaurdian and Murder in the Heartland recently.I only can hope the last 3 measure up to his other 2.It's not that Sleep In Heavenly Peace was bad because I found it great it was just that I would have given 6 stars to Because you Loved Me and I did buy the rest of his books that were published,so all in all I think he is a great true crime writer

SLEEP IN HEAVENLY PEACE (SIHP) is the 4th of M. William Phelps' books I have read and reviewed. I feel that one, EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE, is outstanding true crime, but that SIHP shares the same strengths and weaknesses of the others, LETHAL GUARDIAN and PERFECT POISON.

The strengths: Phelps is an outstanding and exhaustive researcher. His books are not cut and paste or rush to print jobs. He clearly invests a lot of time and energy in his work. And Phelps is an excellent writer when what he is writing about is interesting. The first 275 pages of this book are a fascinating look at the life and times of Dianne Odell, a woman accused of murdering three of her children upon their birth and taking them, packed in boxes, around with her wherever she moved for 20 years until she was finally caught and brought to trial. A lot of the information here comes from Phelps' interviews with Odell and is thoughtful, informative and unbiased. Likewise the lengthy account of various police interviews with Odell move briskly and are important to the story.
And in SIHP Phelps uses a technique of every other chapter switching back and forth in time from past to present events. I note that some readers found this annoying. I found it to be effective and that it created a sense of dramatic tension that may otherwise not have existed.
And, as always, Phelps has chosen a fascinating case to write about.

The weaknesses: SIHP is way too long, at least 75 or so pages. The problem Phelps seems to have is knowing what to leave out of his books. In most cases the trial segments in true crime writing are better handled
by summarizing what is important and omitting narrative which does no more than repeat what has already been made clear earlier. Phelps' plodding presentation of the trial is numbingly repetitive of information he has previously provided, often more than once. And I almost always find detailed rote reporting of forensic testimony boring. Not content with reporting once, for one of numerous examples, that - and why -
Diane's attorneys had a dilemma in deciding whether to put her on the stand, Phelps repeatedly mentions it. He discusses the problems the pathologist, Dr. Baden, had in determining exactly how the baby died. Then he does it again. Then it is repeated in the trial section. And we are advised repeatedly that Baden is a major league star in his field.
And the way Phelps' writes about Baden illustrates another aspect of his work that I find irritating, the glorification of law enforcement officials, policemen, prosecutors, whomever. I don't know that he especially intends this, but I've noticed it in each of his books that I've read.

To summarize, when SIHP enters the trial section, basically the last 150 pages, it slows to a crawl and becomes tiresome to read.
Reading it is almost like reading two separate books. The reader could just read the first 300 or so pages and then skip to the last 20, miss almost no new or valuable information, and enjoy a great read.

Recently there have many books published about mothers who kill there children. But this book by M. William Phelps relays the story of Dianne Odell who murdered four of the twelve children she would give birth to and then proceeded to carry their bodies with her around the country. It wasn't until she could no longer pay the bill on a self storage unit in Arizona did her murderous acts become public knowledge and finally put her in the criminal spotlight where she so belonged.

Phelps attempts to keep the reader from falling into a rut while reading by jumping between time frames and point of views by chapter is a little annoying, and at times causes the information to become jumbled; it does actually add something unique to the book and many times incites a reader to keep reading to come to a "continued" part from a couple of chapters previous.

Generally, I'm not a fan of mothers who murder, but the story of Dianne Odell is well worth reading if you are a true crime genre fan. Odell's explanations, history, and attempts at defense in themselves are interesting case studies into criminology. Was she simply a killer, or was she a killer because she was a victim? Read the book and form your own opinion!

opinion only -no story spoilers

This second installment in the Max Freeman series, continues with the main characters and the alternate story setting, but the writing definitely improves and the story flows more smoothly than the introductory book.

The book introduces a new character in the beginning in such a way that it draws you right in off the start, and our reluctant hero ends up not so reluctant in this story. A few more plot twists, and the main characters are filled out a more, but still an easy read comparable to Steve Hamilton's Alex McKnight series. Like any series novels, read them in order starting with "The Blue Edge of Midnight".

While not nearly as engaging as the first book by King, Visible Darkness is mostly about the characters. There are numerous flashbacks that finally give us more information about our main character Max Freeman and his friend, Billy Manchester. The plot line is thin, predictable and forced. However, if you enjoyed Blue Edge of Midnight, then you will want to read this very short story just to catch up on the characters and the happenings in Broward County.

Again, the writing is very good and King's ability to make you a part of the surroundings is there, but this time around, that is a very small part of this story. There is an attempt to broaden the histories of the characters and to give them more depth and this is the biggest success in the book.

I look forward to reading the next installment to see if the plot becomes more intricate.

A Visible Darkness is the second novel from Mr King and it utilises characters from his debut work.In particular the protagonist is the same -an ex cop with the Philadelphia force now living in the Florida Everglades ,one Mark Freeman .He was invalided out of the police and is now living modestly but happily in seclusion in a remote shack .His closest friend is another Philly exile living in the Sunshine State ,the black lawyer Benny.They have been friends since boyhood ,as were their mothers -a fact unkown to Mark's abusive and racist cop father.

Benny sees a pattern in a series of deaths -all elderly black widow ladies who had recently cashed in large insurance policies -and asks Max to investigate .He is assisted by an official insurance investigator,tjhe racist McCann .It is indeed a series of murders and the identity of the killer is disclosed in the opening chapter.He is a brutish,simple minded heroin addict named Eddie ,acting in concert with a crooked prison psychiatrist ,Marshall and one other, this latter figure being the suprise ingredient in the mystery recipe.
Freeman's investigation takes him into the State prison system and the drug strewn Florida mean streets.He gets help from an unexpected source -local posse members unhappy at the notion of their respected elder citizenry being killed by low life.During his delving into the case he comes ,in the time honoured way of private eyes in fiction ,into conflict with the official law enforcement agencies and manages to re-ignite a former relationship with a local police officer ,Sherry.

The unravelling of the plot is interrmingled with flashbacks to Mark's boyhood in Philadelphia-oime life with a violent and racist Dad ,a domineering bigot who makes his family life a misery and who is not greatly liked by his colleagues on the force .These do flesh out the character but also slow down the narrative drive of the book

The characterisation is richer and more detailed than in most books of the kind and the writing is above average .I give it a relatively modest rating for the slightly thin plot but the book is still well worth reading if the genre is to your taste

This one was good! I just couldn't put it down and ended up finishing it late last night. I like Max Freeman as Jonathon King portrays him. This plot was exciting and fast paced. Max is not a "Super Hero" just a darn good ex-cop! If you get hooked on Jonathon King, try reading his books in sequence. You won't be disappointed!

There are a couple small weaknesses in this book: you know the killer, which does lessen the suspense, and the protagonist is physically described by seeing himself in a mirror. But I forgive those flaws as King has created a story which builds layer upon layer, showing the motive for the killings and who is behind them. The book is full of interesting characters, including Max and Billy, about whom we learn more in this second book, Det. Sherry Richards, drug dealers and gang members. The story of Max's father's death and the friendship between his and Billy's mother is almost a mystery within the mystery. King's description of Florida, particularly the contrast between being in the city or on the water, is particularly effective. This is starting off as a very good series and I'm pleased to see there are more books waiting for me.

Kenneth McDuff is probably the only murderer to be sentenced to death twice...in two decades! It cost at least four women their lives when McDuff was paroled in 1989.

Learn the harrowing tale of how a serial killer was released after his death sentence was commuted and later he was paroled.
He wasn't charged with his first known rape and murder of a teen girl due to sloppy prosecution and faulty paperwork.

He routinely violated his parole and probation conditions,sometimes within mere minutes after appearing in court! Mr. Lavergne aptly states that McDuff had "no moral compass." He wasn't an intelligent individual,he was aided by luck and mysterious assistance in leaving Texas after his murders. His neurotic mother regularly enabled him with financial support throughout his life.

There a few mysteries left unexplained, the chief being the identity of the CI that coaxed McDuff into helping to locate the burial sites of his victims while on death row.

Gary Lavergne has done his research and written in detail the chilling actions of a serial killer that got to continue killing long after he should have been executed.

Being a true crime buff and former resident of Texas, I was really excited to read this book... When I finally recieved it and began to read it, I was truly disappointed. It is very poorly written and hard to follow. I normally read a book in 1 to 2 days and it has taken me 5 days to read this one. I do not recommend wasting time or money on this particular book.

I really don't understand the positive reviews of this book. It is poorly-written and amateurish, and the story-telling is not at all compelling. I would read 20-page blocks of this book and then forget about it for a month. The description of people and events is extremely thin, and it's obvious that little research was put into it. That might be forgivable if, as I said, the writing wasn't of such low quality. Compare this to a classic true-crime book like The Executioner's Song, and it's like a clinic for whoever wrote this book.

Disturbing. I'd watched a documentary about the "broomstick killer" and was curious about what made him tick. The book reveals what was behind the creep's actions. And that was really nothing, just a vicious, vacant man devoid of any pity or feelings. Written in a factual, chilling manner. Me thinks I learned a bit too much about this mad man.

This book reviews the history of Kenneth Allen McDuff... the only serial killer in Texas history, perhaps the entire world, to be sentenced to death, paroled, and then sentenced to death a second time. There can be no doubt that this book is impeccably researched and well written. The author certainly did his homework. While the story itself is inherently interesting, I do have some reservations about recommending this to the masses of True Crime fans.

1. After being paroled from Death Row, McDuff manages to associate himself with numerous nefarious characters and many law enforcement officials from various cities and agencies. Given that McDuff had no real friends and prefered to surround himself with others to whom he felt superior and whom he could manipulate, the many criminal acquaintances and law enforcement officers mentioned becomes rather confusing near the middle of the book. A glossary of persons for quick reference would have been helpful and would have lessened the confusion.

2. Given that the book covers a span of time nearing 30 years, a timeline of some sort would also have been useful to the reader. (Oddly, one of the final chapters reveals that during the trial, the prosecuting attorneys actually made a timeline for jurors. It is unfortunate that readers were not afforded the same privilege.)

3. The ending of the book is rather anticlimactic. True, the reader knows from the get go that McDuff is eventually executed. However, a final chapter about the criminal mind behind McDuff's murderous activities might have given the book a more "finished" appearance and feeling.

The final line of the book reads: "To the very end, he (McDuff) considered himself misunderstood, oppressed, and the victim." I believe this last sentence could have the been the first sentence to a final, closing chapter exploring those elements that may have contributed to McDuff's sociopathy and vicious personality. McDuff was not one to speak to authorities or mental health professionals about his upbringing and, even if he had, most of it probably would have been lacking in insight or filled with half-truths and lies. That being said, given that the author does include comments and insight from many who knew McDuff, intelligent conjecture about the criminal McDuff became would have been possible. Instead, the book simply ends in tepid disappointment.

In the blair witch book the authar tryed to make the reader feel as if they were there.the authar tryed to put thing just like people say they hapened and were thought to happen.In the book there were thing compareing the book,movie and what was said to of happened in real life.The parts of the books that i really like was when they whent out in wood to see what they could find and when they sarted to interview poelpe to see wha t they knew and thought.but most of alli thought it was a good book for poeple who are into things like that.

A timely novel for grandmothers raising grandchildren, but more than that, it's a great read. Day by Day is a heartwarming story of three women, dreaming of the day they retire and how they'll spend those years. But each of their lives gets interrupted and dreams are put aside.

Parr deals with the subject with honesty, not hiding the real emotions these women go through. A grandmother myself, I was able to relate to one or the other of these characters all the way through. And I love the characters she develops. They're all such different personalities if they hadn't the commonality of grandchildren, they would never have become friends. That's one of the things that makes this book work so well.

I'm not going to talk about the plot, but simply tell you to get the book. Parr writes wonderful stories that captivate and hold you spellbound until you turn the last page. She has jumped to my five favorite authors list. If you love Deborah Raney, Robin Lee Hatcher, Sally John or Roxanne Henke, you'll love Delia Parr. This reviewer gives Day by Day a high recommendation.

I gotta tell you, I love the Blair Witch movie.SO I thought the book series would be interesting. This is the first volume I bought. And frankly, it is well written and inventive, but I found it boring. I am buying another volume in hopes of a scary read.

Sure, it is a movie tie-in, and I suspect its release was timed to build the hyper for the Blair Witch sequel, but The Secret Confession of Rustin Parr is actually a satisfying, quick mystery/horror novel. I admire the author for keeping it short and sweet, for not overextending the material.

It's a pretty basic plot: Rustin Parr admitted to the murder of seven children in Burkittsville, Maryland in 1941. He was a hermit, anyway. Sentenced to be hanged, he confessed a shocking truth to a priest named Dominick Cazale on the night before his execution. Cazale doesn't reveal the truth until he is own his own deathbed, 60 years later, as a result of a tragic house fire.

As with the Blair Witch movies, the twists and the ending of this novel tie-in are ambiguous and open to interpretation. Recommended to any horror fan.

Journalist D.A. Stern gets a call that his 87 year-old friend Dominick Cazale has been hospitalized, incurring severe burns over 30% of his body after setting the fire to his Miami home and killing his wife Mary. After arriving in Miami, Stern receives a journal Cazale had kept of the final weeks leading up to the fire.

Reading from the journal Stern discovers that after Dominick and Mary returned from a vacation in Burkittsville, Maryland (the center of the Blair Witch legends), the woman developed mental disorders, reducing her to become a shut-in and hysterically delusional, with strange markings soon developing on her body. After Dominick found her chasing a cat she had lured inside, he writes how he became increasingly worried about the risk Mary posed as a danger both to herself and to others.

In addition to the Cazales' misfortune upon returning from Burkittsville, Stern also discovers that Dominick, a former Roman Catholic priest, once was the pastor of that town. Specifically, Cazale was there in May 1941. It was during that time that the remains of the bodies of seven missing local children were found in the basement of the home belonging to a recluse named Rustin Parr. Another child who was missing, Kyle Brody, would turn up claiming Parr had taken him too, keeping him alive only to witness the violation and murder of the others. An acquaintance of Parr's and the closest thing he had to a friend, Cazale wrote in his journal that he was the last person to speak with the man, and that he had told him the real and full truth of what had happened out there in those woods.

Ultimately THE SECRET CONFESSIONS Of RUSTIN PARR is an interesting but lackluster addition to the Blair Witch 'mythos.' Stern developed an even paced and intriguing plot, then gets it sidetracked with nostalgia until it simply peters out and fails to deliver anything worthwile. The book itself is short, and half of it comprises Dominick Cazale's journal. Although supposedly panic-stricken over the degeneration of his wife, Cazale, however, prefers rather to reminisce about his mother and two brothers and their old Baltimore neighborhood. When he writes about Burkittsville, he spends too much time on the diffulties he, as a "city boy," had to overcome living out in the country. He also dwells far too long over the mutual infatuation between him and Kyle Brody's mother, Carol. That which we are waiting for: Parr's confession, isn't brought up until the near end, where it is surrounded by melodrama and vague enough to be considered simply an intimation.

What Stern wrote here could become the basis for a very good story about a young priest's early ministry. But it certainly isn't good horror.

What a fascinating writer. Bone Deep is more than just a thriller, it's an examination of character, and not just the character of John Becker who is always very, very interesting, but an in depth look at a man who is addicted to seduction. Take away the fact that he's a serial killer--admittedly a big subtraction--and you have a profile that could fit far too many men. Women should read this book to improve their understanding of what drives men to behave as they do and men should read it for a good look in the mirror. Did I leave anyone out? Plus, as it goes almost without saying with Wiltse, it is the best prose, the best dialogue, and the most exciting story around...All right, so I'm a huge fan. Who wouldn't be?

This is the first (and probably NOT the last) David Wiltse book I've read - I'll probaby read some of his other Becker books. This book started out pretty good - kept my interest and moved along quickly. Then, about 50 pages til the end, it just started to get boring. I had the 'villian' guessed halfway thru the book, it was that predictable. But, I liked the Becker character and his FBI-boss Karen. I will most likely read other books by this author.

This book- the fifth in the John Becker series-once again does not disappoint. A very suspenseful thriller combined with incredible tension between the characters produces a thriller of nail-biting dimensions. By illustrating the strengths and weaknesses of the players involved in this drama, David Wiltse manages to breathe life and depth into what would be an engaging thriller by any standards.

With a serial killer loose in his hometown, both Becker and his best friend Police Chief Thomas Terhune become caught up in their own personal anxities and almost let the killer slip away... I won't reveal any more of the plot line but if you enjoy David Wiltse's work this one will not disappoint you, and if you are a fan of Patricia Cornwell or James Patterson and are looking for something better-LOOK NO FURTHER!

This is a John Becker book taking place in Connecticut, but a part of the state that most readers are probably not familiar with. Becker traces an egomaniacal killer right in his own home town, one who, ultimately, threatens Becker's wife. Becker is an intriquing character, as always; troubled, gifted, smart, sensitive, absolutely ruthless and blood thirsty when the time comes. And the villain, a murderous seducer, is chilling familiar to any woman, a blind date from hell.

Having just read Heartland, his latest, I have gone on a Wiltse reading binge, and boy, what a treat. I read Bone Deep in one sitting and wanted much more. I love the way this guy's mind works, funny, devious, dark and serious, and rocket fast. Why are these books out of print?! And where has this author been, why hasn't anyone told me about him until now?

Roxanne Doll-Iffrig is intererred at Everett Cemetery in Everett, Washington. She was brutally murdered by a family acquaintance, Richard Matthew Clark, who is the Washington State Prison for her murder. The book does supply some background information but not enough. I found myself kind of skimming for an answer to this tragedy about a beautiful young girl who had planned on being a mother herself. One night, she is kidnapped from her bedroom in the middle of the night, raped and murdered by Clark. She was missing for a week when her remains were found in the forest. She was longer the beautiful young girl who reminded me of Jessica Lunsford. The father's picture in the book reminds of a guest on the Jerry Springer Show, blue-collar and working class. I kept thinking about another murder case in Florida with Jessica Lunsford. They have a lot in common particularly their tragic endings at the hands of a killer. While America has forgotten the working class and blue collar in the arts, crime has no class or status. It can affect the beautiful, rich, as well as ugly and poor. This is the second book that I read by the author who normally does a superb job but he fails to connect Clark's background and upbrining into him becoming a child killer.

BROKEN DOLL by Burl Barer relates the heartbreaking story of Roxanne Doll, an eight-year-old Washington state girl who was kidnapped from her own bed then raped and murdered by Richard Mathew Clark, who, sadly enough, was a close friend of the family.

Reading Roxy's, as her mother Gail calls her, story is one that, especially for parents, will make you fear the things you can't control and question those you consider close friends.

Despite the intense sadness of this story, I found that the story, for the first half, was well organized and presented in a form that was interesting to read. Yet, once the trial began, I found the reading to be rather boring as most was reprinted from transcripts. I had trouble focusing and found myself skipping pages because it was information already presented to me and I had comprehended it all the first time.

The reading did become a little more interesting with the sentencing phase, but I still found myself skimming for new information.

Overall, I think this is a good book. It's not my favorite, but I wouldn't add it to my list of "Do Not Read." Just be prepared to skip over some of the repeative writing.

Burl Barer is my favorite true crime author, and each book he writes blows me away. Broken Doll again shows his ability to merge journalistic integrity with dramatic flair and human sensitivity. Well researched and compelling, this story is about the kidnap and murder of an innocent little girl by a warped and twisted "friend" of the family. More than just a rehash of the gory details,Barer takes us into the parallel lives of the killer's and victim's families - a sad story all around, but written with heart, verve and attention to detail. Any one who reads true crime will want all of Burl Barer's books.

I really liked this book, I am such a true crime fan. It's horrible what this man did to this little girl. And the sadness that the family had to endure. I am glad justice was served evntually, and forensics really came into play. The only thing, though, is that the book is very repetitive when it comes to the the actual courtroom and what was said. It seemed like the author kept rewriting what the witnesses said over and over througout the book. That is why I gave it only 4 stars, but it was still a good read..

The writing and story are disjointed and the grammar of the author is horrible. I'm not even talking about the quotes of individuals involved, but the author. I'm on page 84 and don't think I'll finish this book. It's too painful to read, and not because of the story it tells.

Once again I am thrilled to read one of Mariah Stewart's books. She has captured my attention completely. While on vacation recently I read nearly every book she has published. She has all the makings of putting Mary Higgins Clark, James Patterson, etc. all in a ball and creating great reading.

"Dead Certain" is the second in the "Dead" series by Mariah Stewart ("Dead Wrong" being the first). It's certainly helpful if you read the books in order to get the full background and understand the larger context, but there is a complete story in each book. I would probably more technically rate this 3 and a half stars, rather than 4, but the series is really good, so I just recommend you read them all!

The premise for the series is taken from the old "Strangers on a Train" movie, with three prisoners locked in a room together, sharing murder lists, answering the question, "What if you could do anything - anything at all - and not get caught?" So, the three each share a list of three people they'd kill if they could, and then they swap lists, each taking another's list. All of this, of course, is hypothetical... except in "Dead Wrong" (first in the series) the first of the three prisoners to be released, Curtis Channing, set out to kill the three people on one of the other's list. Now, that man, Vince Giordano, has been released from prison, his sentence overturned based on a technicality. He's determined to follow through on what Channing started, taking care of the list of the third man, Archer Lowell.

I like Mariah Stewart's books because I think she does a good job balancing the romance with the suspense thriller aspect of her stories. This is not hard core suspense thriller, but neither is the crime aspect cheap window dressing on some romance where the two leads spend more time having sex than anything else.

Amanda Crosby is a high-end antiques dealer (sister of Evan Crosby who makes appearances in both this book and "Dead Wrong" and gets his own story in "Dead End"), whose best friend and partner has just been murdered. New Chief of Police Sean Mercer wants to prove himself and has to consider Amanda his prime suspect at the outset of the investigation. I have to say, whenever I read a story in which the romance is between a cop and someone who's been a suspect at some point during the investigation, I feel the suspension of belief is more than normal. I just have a hard time believing this is credible. Especially since I felt like their relationship moved along pretty quickly, given they had just met, though the 'romance' didn't start until after the evidence cleared her. So, there is this obstacle to surmount. As well, Sean seems amazingly functional given the family history that is revealed during the course of the story - another suspension of belief for me. His character by itself seemed a little flat to me - only in his interaction with Amanda was he really appealing. Amanda is well developed, however, and very likeable. Archer Lowell had stalked and attacked her in the past - that's why he's in prison - and she survived that and has made herself into a stronger woman. She's a strong woman, but not one of those "I'll do anything stupid just to prove I'm an independent woman".

All of that said, characters together are engaging enough, and that worked well for the story. I enjoy the `supporting' characters, too, and this is a benefit to the whole series as Stewart is able to develop these characters more thoroughly. By the time they get their `own' stories, you really feel like you know them well. The bad guy in this story, Vince Giordano, was interesting - a bit of a caricature, though. There was not too much said about what makes him tick, other than his abuse and murder of his wife and two children in the past. He felt a bit `cookie-cutter' bad guy to me - evil for the sake of evil.

Overall, I'd say the characters are more engaging in "Dead Certain" than in "Dead Wrong" (fewer rough edges), but perhaps not as realistic. But, it's still a good read, and I would recommend the book to any fans of light suspense thriller, or romance fans looking for something with a little more depth to it.

Dead CertainThis was the first Mariah Stewart book I had purchased. The cover art drew me to the book, but the content kept me coming back for more. I found my self reading it late into the wee hours of the night, and I even snuck in a few pages to read at work. At the end I found that it was part of a series and not even the first book! I had to find the others.

Okay, I've read #1>Dead Wrong, and finished #2>Dead Certain. Story still reads a little slower than my usual mystery/suspense novels (that's why only 3 stars), but the story *is* rather unique and it kept my attention.

A tip: When I have lots of different characters in a book, I use a large index card as a bookmark and jot down pg#, character's name, and something about them on it. >Hey, it's hard remembering who everybody is! And throughout these three books in the series, there are LOTS of folks!

I've just finished #3>Dead Even, if you're interested in my last review on this series.....?

SUMMARY: Her stalker/assailant now safely in jail, antiquities-expert Amanda Crosby has put her life back together and, in the process, has discovered an independence heretofore unknown: she has earned her black belt in tae kwon do, publicly speaks about the necessity of stalker awareness, and even has a column in the local newspaper. As her life is coming together, her business partner and best friend, Derek England, makes a move that could potentially destroy their antiques shop. Angry and frustrated, Amanda makes some innocuous threats...and is later horrified when they come true. Amanda find herself the primary suspect, but as the bodies continue to drop, it becomes apparent that Amanda herself is the real target.

WHY YOU'LL LIKE IT: Amanda Crosby is the most well-rounded and believable heroine of Stewart's trilogy. She's smart, independent, and decisive, but also vulnerable and thoughtful. Chief Sean Mercer is an admirable love interest, with his own tragic past. Two people alone in the world, finding each other in a time of great peril...trite, but extremely effective. Villainous Vince Giordano is also the most frightening criminal of this trilogy in that there is no real etiology ascribed to his evil; he just is evil.

WHY YOU WON'T: Honestly, I can't think of any real reason why you won't enjoy this novel, assuming you enjoy this genre. The action sequences are able, as are the romance sequences. The characters are well-written and enjoyable. The conclusion is very satisfactory.

BOTTOM LINE: The second and best installment in Stewart's trilogy. Highly recommended.

This has been sitting on my "to-be-read" shelf for ages. I remember reading a very positive review and buying on that basis but it never jumped into my hand when I was looking for something to read until recently. I'm glad I finally opened it because it is an enjoyable little mystery involving a serial killer on the peninsula south of Melbourne, Australia. The change of venue from the usual American and British procedurals was refreshing and the writing in this book is good. As a personal plus, I've spent some time near the area where most of the action takes place and I found it true to my memory. The killer is actually easy to spot but the characters are so well written that the journey is everything in this book. Detective Inspector Hal Challis is a study in contradictions, as are most such literary, policemen, but he has some original angles as well. I was especially taken with the development of the two awful juvenile delinquents who leave a path of destruction throughout the book. They are truly our worst nightmare.

I believe this is Garry Disher's fist novel and I look forward to more of his work. It is a nice change of venue.

Garry Disher has brought a colorful, atmospherically dense, thriller
to the bustling world of books of that genre.
The description of police procedures, everyday life in Victoria, combined with the haunting presence of a serial killer who seems to be breathing down everybodys' necks, distills down to a gripping read.
My first Australian thriller, my first Disher, and, on both counts, certainly not my last.
Great book !

This is an excellent police procedural written by an Australian author of whom I'd never heard. His main character, Challis, is the classic haunted, somewhat melancholy, yet very-advanced-in-rank-for-his-age detective. In spite of loneliness, a barren, dry summer, and a milktoast superior, he treats his fellow officers, witnesses, and suspects with respect and understanding.

The setting is different from the NYC- or London-based crime thrillers--and the change in atmosphere is refreshing and adds to the atmosphere as both the summer heat and the townspeople's anxiety over a serial killer in their midst intensifies. The characters are carefully drawn and unique, ignoring the temptation to toss us the usual typecasts in a novel of this kind. Those who enjoy this genre will be happy to discover a great veteran author to explore.

When a woman is abducted from the side of the road, Detective Inspector Hal Challis is called in. Another woman, a hitchhiker on the same highway, had recently been found murdered and Challis suspects a serial killer may be on the prowl. But the man is being careful, using gloves, condoms, and being careful to use no physical evidence behind him. Challis has little to go on, and a police force that seems filled with problems.

Although the murder(s) occupy much of Challis's time, everyday police work continues. A pair of firebugs who also burglarize homes becomes part of the plot as does a convicted sex offender who just might be the man they're looking for.

Author Garry Disher does a fine job setting the scene--in the Peninsula area of Australia, near Melbourne. Girls talk back to their mothers, female cops take surfing lessons and lust after their teenaged surfing instructor, a police Sergeant's marriage crumbles under the pressure of the police job, and a couple of cops decide to become more aggressive, looking at everyone as a criminal who just needs to be pushed to find the crime. His writing is smooth and manages just enough of the Australian dialect to have an exotic appeal to the non-Australian reader without being overwhelming.

The mystery, however, was a bit disjointed. The eventual resolution came about through multiple incredible coincidences rather than through police work, which weakened the story for me. Real-world policing does rely on luck and coincidence, but Disher carried things too far. Oddly, Hal Challis, the primary protagonist, was the least interesting of the major characters. Perhaps Disher would do better having surfer Pam Murphy as the protagonist of his next novel.

The beachside town of Waterloo, Australia (just outside Melbourne) is in fear due to a rash of abductions and murders. Inspector Hall Challis and his band of stalwart, or rather somewhat self-seeking and leaning toward the corrupt, coppers must try to find the killer. Meanwhile, a rash of fires and burglaries complicate matters. This is not so much a police procedural as an ensemble piece, with rich, fully realized characters and strings of interconnecting plots and subplots. Each character, criminal and cop, has his or her own motivations and musings, and Disher creates a community that draws the reader in. As I said, it's not so much a whodunit - if Disher thinks the killer's identity, "revealed" abruptly in a two-page chapter, is meant to be a surprise, he's a bit off. But my pleasure in reading this book was not abetted one whit by the easy and early deduction of who the killer was; the real strength of this complex, captivating crime novel is its setting and sympathetic characters.

I had never heard of Crouch before picking this book off the shelf but after finishing it, I'm definitely going to track down Desert Places and anything else Crouch has written. I like the fast paced style of Crouch and the graphic details he goes into along with the fact he's not afraid to kill off characters. And who didn't feel a slight bit if satisfaction with Luther's response to bad customer service from Daniel at Wal-Mart, bad service which is becoming more and more frequent everywhere these days.

In Locked Doors successful writer Andrew Thomas is living life in the remote wilderness on the run from the authorities after being framed for multiple murders. Luther Kite also wants to track Andrew down to reap his vengeance so sets out killing and abducting those Andrew was close to in an attempt to draw him out. One of the best books I've read in years.

In Blake Crouch's riveting debut novel Desert Places his protagonist, suspense novelist Andrew Thomas, is framed for a series of gruesome murders committed by a pair of psychopaths, one of them Andrew's twin brother Orson. The physical evidence against Andrew is too strong for him to come forward and explain himself to the authorities. Thus Crouch's sequel to Desert Places, the equally compelling Locked Doors, finds Andrew hiding from civilization seven years after the murders in a remote cabin in the Yukon. He's come to appreciate his solitary life in the wilderness, and he has some small hope of one day clearing his name: he is at least working on an autobiographical manuscript, an account of his brother's killing spree, which turns out to be the text of Crouch's first book. But Andrew's calm is interrupted by a second spate of killings, similar in style to the first, which the press is blaming on Andrew himself: the victims are people he was close to in his past. He is thus lured from his safe haven to reenter the nightmarish world of serial killer Luther Kite, his brother's accomplice, whom Andrew had left for dead at the conclusion of Desert Places.

It takes all of six and a half pages for readers to experience their first jolt of electric fear while reading Crouch's second Andrew Thomas novel. After that the scares come thick and fast. This is a book that will fly by if you let it, its seductively short chapters flashing past in an adrenaline rush of reading. But it's worth slowing down, if you can, to enjoy some of Crouch's prose and the lovely, subtle way he sometimes has of getting information across: "She peered out the window and saw the fog dissolving, the microscopic crawl of traffic now materializing on Broadway through the cloud below."

Well-written, heart-thumpingly exciting, and nearly perfect in its execution, Locked Doors is definitely a worthy successor to Desert Places. It is in fact a little easier to enjoy than its predecessor, which was so steeped in gore as to almost be unpalatable. There is more room this time around to breathe between eviscerations and hanging carcasses. But it'll still scare the pants off you.

Reviewed by Debra Hamel, author of Trying Neaira: The True Story of a Courtesan's Scandalous Life in Ancient Greece

Blake Crouch, Locked Doors (St. Martin's, 2005)

Locked Doors continues the storyline from Crouch's first novel, Desert Places, and does something I've wanted to see for a very long time: shows you what happens after the pseudo-happy ending where pretty much everyone winds up dead and you end up thinking to yourself, "our hero's got a lot of 'splainin' to do..."

We open seven years after the events in Desert Places. Andrew Z. Thomas, our hero, is a suspected serial killer on the run. He's been living under another identity in a very small town in the Canadian wilderness, working off and on at the town restaurant and writing a book about his experiences (in true meta fashion, the book is entitled Desert Places). He is being tracked by an ex college student, Horace Boone, who recognized him in a bookstore and has aspirations of writing the Great American True-Crime Book. (Yes, American; he spotted Thomas in a bookstore in Alaska.) The problem is-- and this is a spoiler if you haven't read Desert Places, so beware-- Luther Kite, whom Andrew left for dead in Wyoming, is still alive, and determined to settle some old scores. In order to get Andrew's attention, he kidnaps and murders Andrew's ex-girlfriend, as well as kidnapping Andrew's late best friend's wife, Beth, and killing the family next door to Beth's house just for the fun of it. Andrew takes the bait, of course, and heads back to North Carolina to see if Kite's parents can tell him anything-- just as detective Violet King (Viking for short), who believes that Andrew is responsible for the new string of deaths and disappearances, heads from the same place to talk to the same people after a partial fingerprint of Kite's is found at the murder scene.

A lot of people seem to have thought of Locked Doors as being over the top, but then I'm a Cormac McCarthy fan. Over the top doesn't bother me much. I'm pretty much willing to swallow anything as long as I've got some decent characters backing it up and the pages keep turning. And we get that here, though Locked Doors requires even more suspension of disbelief than Desert Places did; this is almost, but not quite, camp. It's Mickey Spillane meets I Dismember Mama with a dash of the aforementioned McCarthy thrown in thanks to Crouch's usually muscular prose. And for most of the book's three-hundred-odd pages, it successfully treads the line between gross and unintentionally funny, because Crouch has a gift with not quite making things ludicrous enough for you to laugh at.

Then comes the ending. Oh, my, the ending.

Without spoiling the book, I hope, I'll say this: Crouch has pulled the same cheap trick on us twice, with no variation whatsoever. While the rest of the book is the cross I described above, the ending is pure B-movie Hollywood thriller junk. You know how, when you watch a movie that's half-decent but still straight Hollywood, you know there's going to be some sort of silly extraneous shot at the end that sets you up for the inevitable sequel? Yeah. That. In book form. It's horribly disappointing.

Still, it's a decent, readable thriller. If you liked the first one, you'll probably get a kick out of the second, as well. ** ½

From the beginning, only bits of the plot are revealed in this suspense thriller, new characters introduced in short chapters that move the storyline along. Through the actions of one sociopath it is clear that quantities of blood will be spilled before the tale is told. The very stylized chapters ratchet up the tension in a series of tantalizing clues, as an evil design is put in place to lure Andrew Thomas into an elaborate trap. Accused of serial murder, Andrew has been in hiding for the last five years, dead bodies buried at his river-front home in Davidson, North Carolina. The police have every reason to suspect the formerly successful crime writer is the perpetrator of the recent crimes near Thomas's old residence.

While Thomas has been hiding in a rustic cabin in Haines Junction, Yukon, his books continue to sell, but the author remains secluded, guarding his privacy with the established patterns of a loner in a desolate part of the world. Recently, Andrew has been writing a new manuscript, one that makes the case for his innocence in the serial killings, postulating that he was framed. Even in his exile, Andrew hears of the recent crimes, so heinous that even his Yukon neighbors are discussing the details. At this point, Thomas realizes that he must leave the security of his hideout and make an attempt to rescue Beth Lancing, who has been kidnapped, the wife of Andrew's deceased best friend, Walter. Beth believes Andrew is responsible for Walter's death until she is confronted with the violent intentions of a stranger. After the abduction, Thomas realizes that Beth's kidnapping is a calling card from an old nemesis.

Everyone is searching for Luther Kite, including a detective from Davidson, N.C., Violet King, where an entire family was murdered and Beth Lancing abducted on the same night. With few clues, Luther's name at least gives the police a place to start, their small village wracked by the implication of the murders, indicating the return of the infamous serial killer. In subtle twists and turns, the story assembles the protagonists, with no inkling of who to trust or what horror lurks beneath the face of a stranger. Nothing is what it seems in this nightmarish plot, where the innocent are collateral damage. Taking inspiration from Anne Sexton's "Locked Doors", Crouch has created a chamber of horrors where death dwells in every corner. Eerily seductive, creepy characters lend an atmosphere of implicit danger, the rapid-fire action leading to a bloody confrontation, unleashed by a depraved mind with a will to kill. No holds barred and unsophisticated, this is terror served raw, with its blatant brutality and ongoing menace, even after the last page is turned, a scorched earth treatment of the criminal mind. Luan Gaines/2005.

Locked Doors picks up seven years after the conclusion of Crouch's debut novel, the compulsively readable Desert Places. Having barely survived the events related in that harrowing thriller, famous writer Andrew Thomas, now one of America's most wanted criminals, has settled in the Yukon after many years on the run. Believing his ordeal over, Thomas is stunned to learn of the murder of a friend's wife and the kidnapping of a former flame. Apparently, someone is trying to send him a message that the trials that commenced seven years prior are not over, and that a reckoning must occur. Thomas travels to North Carolina and the Outerbanks island of Ocracoke to confront his adversary, setting the stage for an epic battle between the author and a man who can only be described as a relentless killing machine.

Crouch's sophomore effort, a tense, violent, fast paced work of suspense, proves the author has not lost his ability to enthrall and surprise his audience-Locked Doors is just as slick and twisted and entertaining as Desert Places, perhaps even more so. What distinguishes it from that novel is Crouch's focus on ancillary characters like homicide detective Violet King and would be true crime writer Horace Boone, which, rather than diverting readers' attention from the main battle, actually intensifies the experience once the blood starts to fly.

Crouch's chief talent lies in dropping his characters into untenable, sanity threatening situations, and then letting all hell break loose. This affinity for mayhem wreaks havoc with the reader's expectations, as neither the heroes nor the villains ever act predictably. The relentless pace of the narrative and Crouch's clean, taut prose allows for a certain suspension of disbelief, making for a book that readers will be loathe to put down once they've begun.