Review of Targeted by John M. Wills

My latest review for Catholic Fiction.net is of a crime novel named "Targeted," by John M. Wills.

In "Targeted," the latest novel from John M. Wills, a cop killer is on the loose in Chicago. In a secondary plot, a well-liked priest, Fr. Ed Matthews, is accused of sexual abuse. Police officers Pete Shannon and Marilyn Benson believe the priest to be innocent. Soon, however, Pete and Marilyn are taken off the sexual abuse case to assist the task force in finding the sniper before he strikes again. They are asked to work with Harry, a shifty, toothpick using, abrasive cop who has his own agenda and isn't at all interested in working with the two officers.

Eventually, the FBI is brought in to help solve the case, but not before the killer targets those close to Pete.

The story is compelling and believable, the characters are well-defined and interesting and Wills' villain, Hardcore, is chillingly real. Some of the other characters include Pete's friend, Joe, (Marilyn's fiancé), Beth (Pete's pregnant wife), Lt. Darcy and others.

I enjoyed the secondary plot with Fr. Ed (who spends much of the novel "on the run") and found myself wondering how the author would resolve that part of the story.

The climax was exciting and I was reading quickly to see what would happen next.

I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced novel. Wills uses his background as a police officer to construct a believable, yet entertaining, story for readers. I liked that the main characters are not perfect, but I also liked that they are not afraid to show their faith.

There were a few glaring typos, which I found distracting, but overall Targeted is a great read and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys an exciting and compelling story and great characters!

Copyright 2011 Ellen Gable Hrkach