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When I got the offer to review Raffi Yessayan's second book and saw it was the second in a series, I had a sense of serendipity and offered a two for one...give me both books and I'll review and post them together!
I am so glad I did! I not only recommend both of these books highly, but I beg you to start from the beginning. No, I'm not going to tell you why...you'll just have to trust a lover of series and a believer in starting from the beginning...and in this case...all I can say is that it is even more important!
Raffi Yessayan served 11 years as an assistant district attorney in Boston, specializing in the Gang Unit and ultimately becoming its chief. I include his credentials, because this professional has used his obviously extensive knowledge and experience to create a must-read series... From my viewpoint, his two books immediately were placed as the first contenders on my personal "best book of 2010" that I've read. Not that that means anything except to me! LOL And maybe some of my followers! So, anyway, with that introduction...
8 In The Box
Ballantine Books
ISBN 9780345502629
346 Pages (Paperback is out!)
There is a serial killer loose in Boston...at least that is being assumed, because the only thing that is found when somebody is reported missing, is a bathtub full of blood...
The blood has obviously been drained from the bodies. Had the victims been forced to commit suicide there? Or were the bodies placed in the tubs in some sort of ritual, a blood bath given by the psychopath, turning on the water to completely encase the body in the color of what they needed to support life, but no longer had...
This suspense novel is chilling in its reality, in its details that force readers to wonder, to work along with Detectives Angel Alves and Mooney try to arrive at what is happening. Although they are being pressed by Assistant District Attorney Connie Darget to move quickly to solve the case, you, the readers will be pushing forward even more, turning each page, trying to grasp...why...
Because the readers will know immediately, on page 1, that Richter is the serial killer. They will see that he is smart, that he is conniving, using, for instance, the outside dryer vent, to get inside the door of his latest victim. He does not leave any evidence of himself behind and there is, seemingly, no connection between the women he is killing.
Later we watch as Richter treats the women very respectfully, washing them, preparing them--they will be with him for a long time and he wants each of them to look their best... He even congratulated himself, "He'd made an excellent decision in selecting her." (p. 45) In fact, he had chosen them all because of their individual characteristics, except for the male--he had just got too close! Still, he made a nice addition to the overall effect...
This whodunit is awesome!
Finally, a footprint is found as the outside area is inspected. Shoe size, the type of shoe and where it was sold is soon discovered...But that will only be helpful if somebody is ever arrested! But now there were also other clues left; what had happened to the meticulous killer they'd been struggling with?
As the pieces begin to fall together, a pattern, a connection is indeed discovered...and the connection is that the victims have all served on jury duty! Of course, that still allowed for many options, but now the interviewing and research was contained in one building--the courthouse!
Detective Ives was especially pressing to solve the case; one of the victims had been a friend. And then one of the lawyers in the DAs office was picked up for questioning. His mentor, Connie Darget met him after the interview and told him he'd better get a lawyer, advising him to keep his mouth shut until then. And then, it all seemed to move into high-speed action...
You're right! The ending is sooooo surprising! Please do not miss this one if you love suspense! And get the next book, 2 In The Hat. You're going to want to move directly into the next book! I guarantee it!
Book Recived Via
http://kelleyandhall.com/
G. A. Bixler
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