I’ll always remember when, where and the exact words Lake spoke. It was two days before Christmas, three years ago. We had been at the Capital Grill in downtown Atlanta celebrating Lake’s promotion to Detective Lieutenant in the Major Crimes Homicide Unit of the Atlanta Police Department. Between chewings of salmon and swallowings of cabernet sauvignon, he said that his ex-wife’s garden-club friend, Roselyn Trapp, had called the police station three times to report her daughter , Juliet, a runaway. Lake went on to explain, “The time before that , Juliet left town with a traveling circus and was brought home from Illinois by the Marshal Service. She acted contrite, but I think she enjoyed every minute of riding an elephant. Rich girl’s idea of fun.”
I said, “That’s what happens when parents give their kids a fancy car when they turn sixteen.” “Juliet wrecked the car while she was in Illinois. Her father bought another.” “It wouldn’t do to have their precious bumming rides in other kids’ Mercedes.” Six months after the circus escapade , sixteen-year-old Juliet Trapp’s body was found in a patch of weeds a block from the Wild Blood Motorcycle Club’s Atlanta hangout. Sometime on the night of December 28, during Christmas break, she’d been raped and strangled with her winter scarf.
~~~
Running With Wild Blood:
A Mariah Dru/Richard Lake Mystery
A Mariah Dru/Richard Lake Mystery
By Gerrie Ferris Finger
Welcome Gerrie! This novel is certainly one to spotlight! Exciting characters, setting, and events, one of which symbolizes the story in a fantastic way so much so that I created a separate article, but does not give away what is really happening. Check it out before you leave this visit!
I love the two main characters--lovers Richard Lake, of the Atlanta Police Department, and Moriah Dru, a PI, whose main emphasis is searching for lost children. I loved the twists the author added in that it was Lake who asked her to take on a cold case that he didn't have time to handle...but then, when Dru got involved with all that she did, Lake's emotions went into overdrive to protect her or keep her from some of the men she was meeting, simply due to jealousy... By that time, Dru had no plans to back out of the case!
A witness during the original time frame of the disappearance of Juliet Trapp, 16, who was a student at Winters Farm Academy, had come in, claiming he now remembered something that could be helpful to the case. Her mother had called the police and demanded a new emphasis be started immediately.
Because of the location where her body was found, as well as the information now received that indicated Juliet may have been traveling with Wild Blood, with a local group of the bikers club, this was the individuals who had been first investigated. Although nothing had been discovered at that time, it was obviously the first link since they now had a witness who had seen Juliet with a biker.
I looked at Lake who had an interesting expression on his face. “Welcome back to the real world,” he said, his smile blossoming.
“What’s become of Wild Blood?” I asked. “They’ve fallen out of the headlines. Have they cleaned up their acts?”
He reminded me that last year two members were convicted and sentenced on federal drug charges. Since their leader had been spirited into the Witness Protection Program for ratting out two buddies to avoid his own conviction, those roaming free changed their attitudes. At least in Atlanta. “Their clubhouse is still behind a high fence in Forest Park,” Lake said, “but you never see any bikes there. A couple of members were suspected in the murder of a rival biker and throwing his body in the Chattahoochee, but it was never proved.” His lips twisted. “To give the devils their due, they’ve never been known to murder or purposely injure a citizen. This time of year they mostly hang out in Florida.” January is not an optimal time to ride a motorcycle, even in the sunny South. “That might mean a trip to Miami.”
“It might . Word has come down from on high that the Trapp case will be solved—or else. Since I don’t want my head rolling, I’ve got to do whatever it takes."
~~~
 |
| Rassler |
.jpg) |
| Switch |
Of course, Dru had also started talking to leaders of the Winters Farm Academy, as well as students and Juliet's friends, or enemies... One incident took further investigation when it was learned that three friends had been involved in an illegal steeplechase activity in which one of the girls was seriously hurt. Now Juliet was dead and Bunny, the other girl had disappeared. Dru found that while she was tracking Juliet's killer, she also needed to apply her Child Trace skills to find the missing Bunny... She should have been easy to find but both her parents were actors and when Dru was told she had gone to them, she also learned that they suggested that she move on... Seemed that the lovely and talented Bunny might begin to be competition for her mother...
Readers will need to be closely watching the twists and turns as the novel's story gets more complex as the investigation moves on. Possible sexual connections at the school became known and a number of different officials found to possibly be involved! Who did what to whom?
Sometimes, for me, it is only a vibe I pick up of a certain character--perhaps by the way the author creates that individual. So I was beginning to consider the possibility, only to have the book continue on, end, and it was confirmed for me! Not as good as being certain about who the bad guy is, but I still enjoyed the ending, albeit, a very surprising, exhilarating climax that will keep readers on edge, wondering if Dru and Lake were going to make it out of that scene! Have to admit I especially liked how that happened! LOL
Soooo many writers, so many books. this is one author I'd like to stop and read all of her work, but that's just not possible for me. But it does show potential readers that I really enjoyed what turns out to be both an amazing mystery and a thriller. Oh, and by the way, you're bound to remember this fantastic story whenever you see this along the road, heading your way! Highly recommended!
GABixlerReviews
Gerrie Ferris Finger won The Malice Domestic/St. Martin's Minotaur Best First Traditional Novel for THE END GAME, published by St. Martin's on April 27, 2010. The second in the series, THE LAST TEMPTATION, will release July 2012 from Five Star. Five Star will also releasse the third in the series, THE DEVIL LAUGHED, in 2013.
Gerrie grew up in Missouri then went South to write for The Atlanta Constitution. She traveled the Tobacco Roads of Georgia and Alabama and the narrow, historic streets of New Orleans. She wrote about Natchez, Mississippi's unique history, Florida's diverse population, and the Outer Banks struggle to keep light houses from toppling into the sea. Visits to Cape Hatteras resulted in her historical paranormal, THE GHOST SHIP.
WHISPERING, a romance, is set on one of Georgia's barrier islands.
Three books in the Laura Kate O'Connell Plantation Series were set in southwest Georgia's plantation region. They are: WHEN SERPENTS DIE, HONORED DAUGHTERS and WAGON DOGS. The print editions of the Laura Kate Series will be released beginning January 2012
MERCILESS is the first in her novella series. HEARTLESS is the second.
No comments:
Post a Comment