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Laura Cardinal #1
Der Puppenmacher
Bisbee in Arizona ist ein kleiner, heimeliger Ort – ein wahres Touristenparadies. Verbrechen geschehen anderswo, hier kennt man nur Ruhe und Frieden. Bis zu jenem Tag, als man eine grausame Entdeckung macht: die Leiche der vierzehnjährigen Jessica Parris – kunstvoll arrangiert im Amphitheater des Stadtparks – ausstaffiert mit den überdimensionierten Kleidern einer Puppe! Detective Laura Cardinal macht sich auf die Suche nach dem Mörder und gerät dabei mitten ins dunkle Herz des Internets – wo der unheimliche MUSICMAN bereits sein nächstes ahnungsloses Opfer anlockt …
412 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
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1046 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
November 10, 2013
This taut thriller introduces Laura Cardinal, a detective for the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Laura's job is to assist small Arizona communities who don't have the resources necessary to deal with complicated homicide investigations.
Laura is called to the scene of a particularly gruesome crime in Bisbee, a town south of Tuscon near the Mexican border. A young girl has been murdered and then put on display in in the town's band shell. Laura knows immediately that she's up against one of the worst criminal types--a serial killer who preys on children. An early clue suggests that the predator may have hunted the victim in an Internet chat room, and this thread is guaranteed to raise the pulse rate of anyone with young children who have access to computers.
Aside from that, there's precious little evidence, and as an investigator from the DPS, Laura finds herself in a particularly delicate situation. As the expert, she needs to control the direction of the investigation, but she needs to do so in a way that does not antagonize and alienate the local law enforcement officials.
This is not always an easy task and as the case progresses, Laura will find herself at odds not only with some of the locals, but even with people in her own office. All she can do is forge ahead, following the thread of the investigation wherever it takes her and irrespective of the people she might antagonize along the way. And before this case is over, she will need all the wits and physical skills she can bring into play against a particularly warped and clever killer.
This is a very good debut novel that introduces an appealing protagonist. The characters and settings are deftly drawn, and the book will appeal to large numbers of crime fiction fans.
Laura is called to the scene of a particularly gruesome crime in Bisbee, a town south of Tuscon near the Mexican border. A young girl has been murdered and then put on display in in the town's band shell. Laura knows immediately that she's up against one of the worst criminal types--a serial killer who preys on children. An early clue suggests that the predator may have hunted the victim in an Internet chat room, and this thread is guaranteed to raise the pulse rate of anyone with young children who have access to computers.
Aside from that, there's precious little evidence, and as an investigator from the DPS, Laura finds herself in a particularly delicate situation. As the expert, she needs to control the direction of the investigation, but she needs to do so in a way that does not antagonize and alienate the local law enforcement officials.
This is not always an easy task and as the case progresses, Laura will find herself at odds not only with some of the locals, but even with people in her own office. All she can do is forge ahead, following the thread of the investigation wherever it takes her and irrespective of the people she might antagonize along the way. And before this case is over, she will need all the wits and physical skills she can bring into play against a particularly warped and clever killer.
This is a very good debut novel that introduces an appealing protagonist. The characters and settings are deftly drawn, and the book will appeal to large numbers of crime fiction fans.
July 11, 2011
I was looking for a new crime/thriller book, and found it in kindle store for $0.99, with 4.5 star rating. Never heard of Carson Black before, but didn't risk much with this price:)) Pretty soon I realize that this is really good book, with good plot, great style and grammar (not always obvious with crime stories:)) , several twists, very believable characters. For me Carson Black is much better writer than Patricia Kornewll, Kathy Reich, Hoban, Jeffrey Deaver, etc. She is much more insighfull, doesn't get overdramatic, has better writing style and as a bonus, she writes beautifully about Arizona.
Two weeks agon I've never heard of her, now I am reading her fourth book.....
Two weeks agon I've never heard of her, now I am reading her fourth book.....
December 15, 2014
Laura Cardinal is not as wild and crazy as Cyril Landry in another one of J Carson Black's series,but is very enjoyable read. Set in Bisbee,AZ(never been there,but have read all of J.A.Jance' s Joanna Brady series, but feel I have).I found this book equal to,if not better than The Joanna Brady series and highly recommend it to my GR friends!
August 15, 2018
Laura Cardinal is a great character - dogged, clever with dreamlike support from her dead mentor. Based in Tucson, this story starts 90 miles away in Bisdee with the discovery of a murdered 14 year old clad in a young girl's party dress. Big twist in the final sequence, the story has great pace throughout.
June 26, 2014
Laura Cardinal is the paradigmatic outsider. As part of the Arizona Department of Public Safety, she is dispatched to small-town locales with resources too meager to investigate major crimes, and personnel untrained in the most basic competencies. That position keeps her treading deftly between her own department's hierarchy and the locals she is assisting. Being too assertive creates resentment; a submissive stance will guarantee failure. Within her own department, she has already committed the faux pas of skipping the “get acquainted” barbecue hosted by the new department head, Lieutenant Galaz, a politically connected bureaucrat who seems interested in micromanaging Laura's case. To the “old boy network” of small-town law enforcement, she is still considered a woman doing a man's job. Unlike her partner, Victor Celaya, she is unencumbered by a family. Victor is constantly irritated by her refusal to cut corners, and her insistence on fastidious evidence recovery protocols that will stand up to court scrutiny. Victor would rather just clear the case and spend more time with his family. Laura's affinity for animals is a stark contrast to her human relationships. By temperament, Laura is extremely territorial, a usually helpful trait that can, however, sometimes make her suspicious of valuable local input. Finally, she sees ghosts – specifically, that of Frank Entwistle, her former mentor.
Laura has been designated lead investigator in the murder of a fourteen year old girl, Jessica Parris, in Bisbee. The details of the case are lurid, and point to a psychotic serial killer. Despite the urgency of the situation, Buddy Holland, the Bisbee detective assigned to work with her seems oddly distant, and Officer Heather Duffy is openly hostile.
The narrative of the plot follows the lines of a procedural. Can they identify other murders that fit the pattern? Was the perpetrator local or from out of town? How did he come to know Jessica Parris? Where was the actual crime scene? That and the sexual nature of the crime seem to indicate a pedestrian thriller. DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN, however, is much better than that, mainly due to the complex portrayal of Laura Cardinal. Gradual details about her childhood and a significant traumatic incident resurface during Laura's investigation. Black also captures the scorching heat of the desert. “The heat hit the moment they were through the automatic doors, a hot dry wind seizing the breath from her lips and nostrils. She'd gone from sauna to oven. It seemed to her it got hotter every year, the monsoon seasons of her memory dwindling down to a few thunderstorms, terminal humidity, and a plague of mosquitoes.” Having been to this area, I was particularly impressed by the convincing sense of place the author depicts.
There are numerous problems with this first novel. First, there are way too many characters. In addition to the Bisbee crew and the Department of Public Safety principals, the personnel of several other jurisdictions play fleeting roles. There is a trail of victims, their families and acquaintances, and Laura's own family. The number of characters is overwhelming without a scorecard. Fewer characters with greater depth would have added to the impact of the story. Second, there are clichéd passages like "...his eyes were dead," (when Laura views a suspect's photograph). "She felt it, that tangible truth that occasionally revealed itself at a certain point in a case." Too often, intuitive guesses fill in for psychological plausibility.
Nevertheless, this is a promising series, and after reading the brief excerpt to Black's second book, I remain interested.
Laura has been designated lead investigator in the murder of a fourteen year old girl, Jessica Parris, in Bisbee. The details of the case are lurid, and point to a psychotic serial killer. Despite the urgency of the situation, Buddy Holland, the Bisbee detective assigned to work with her seems oddly distant, and Officer Heather Duffy is openly hostile.
The narrative of the plot follows the lines of a procedural. Can they identify other murders that fit the pattern? Was the perpetrator local or from out of town? How did he come to know Jessica Parris? Where was the actual crime scene? That and the sexual nature of the crime seem to indicate a pedestrian thriller. DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN, however, is much better than that, mainly due to the complex portrayal of Laura Cardinal. Gradual details about her childhood and a significant traumatic incident resurface during Laura's investigation. Black also captures the scorching heat of the desert. “The heat hit the moment they were through the automatic doors, a hot dry wind seizing the breath from her lips and nostrils. She'd gone from sauna to oven. It seemed to her it got hotter every year, the monsoon seasons of her memory dwindling down to a few thunderstorms, terminal humidity, and a plague of mosquitoes.” Having been to this area, I was particularly impressed by the convincing sense of place the author depicts.
There are numerous problems with this first novel. First, there are way too many characters. In addition to the Bisbee crew and the Department of Public Safety principals, the personnel of several other jurisdictions play fleeting roles. There is a trail of victims, their families and acquaintances, and Laura's own family. The number of characters is overwhelming without a scorecard. Fewer characters with greater depth would have added to the impact of the story. Second, there are clichéd passages like "...his eyes were dead," (when Laura views a suspect's photograph). "She felt it, that tangible truth that occasionally revealed itself at a certain point in a case." Too often, intuitive guesses fill in for psychological plausibility.
Nevertheless, this is a promising series, and after reading the brief excerpt to Black's second book, I remain interested.
February 29, 2012
I downloaded this book one day while it was Free. Now I wish that I'd paid for it - because the author deserves something for all of her hard work!
Darkness on the Edge of Town is in some ways, a typical police procedural/ suspense novel-- but it differs in how well-crafted the story line is and how well developed the characters are. I'd recommend this book to just about anyone looking for a nail-biting crime novel.
J. Carson Black has a gift for clean prose and if her other novels are anything like this one, I'll surely be reading more of her books!
Darkness on the Edge of Town is in some ways, a typical police procedural/ suspense novel-- but it differs in how well-crafted the story line is and how well developed the characters are. I'd recommend this book to just about anyone looking for a nail-biting crime novel.
J. Carson Black has a gift for clean prose and if her other novels are anything like this one, I'll surely be reading more of her books!
April 23, 2021
This book pushes the brain think outside the box, reasoning. Reading Darkness at the edge of town have open my eyes to the world even more, people isn't always with they appear too, and life should be spend with love n compassion not wasting any moment. An amazing book pushing the brain to put itself out their in the world to observe detect n reason
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2014
Easy to take a chance on unfamiliar authors when a collection of four mysteries pops up for my Kindle for $.99. The first was Darkness on the Edge of Town, and I will seek out more from this author.
The plot concerns Laura Cardinal, an investigative agent for the Arizona Department of Public Safety (sort of like the CBI, or Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, etc.) who is sent around the state to help small communities with limited homicide investigation resources. A fourteen-year-old girl has been found dead displayed in a doll's costume in a park in a tourist town. Soon, she is linked to a series of other murders, except that she doesn’t seem to fit the pattern.
There is the usual tension between the state cops and the locals, but the explanation seems more rational in this case than sometimes. Some of the investigative scenes were good, especially the stuff in Florida and her tenacity in the face of adversity. It lacked the more solid authenticity of a McBain police procedural, however (well, except for the Deaf Man.)
The ending was a bit over the top and strained credulity, nevertheless, a good start to what looks to be a series.
The plot concerns Laura Cardinal, an investigative agent for the Arizona Department of Public Safety (sort of like the CBI, or Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, etc.) who is sent around the state to help small communities with limited homicide investigation resources. A fourteen-year-old girl has been found dead displayed in a doll's costume in a park in a tourist town. Soon, she is linked to a series of other murders, except that she doesn’t seem to fit the pattern.
There is the usual tension between the state cops and the locals, but the explanation seems more rational in this case than sometimes. Some of the investigative scenes were good, especially the stuff in Florida and her tenacity in the face of adversity. It lacked the more solid authenticity of a McBain police procedural, however (well, except for the Deaf Man.)
The ending was a bit over the top and strained credulity, nevertheless, a good start to what looks to be a series.
August 9, 2013
Very good read, kept me guessing the whole time. Each time I thought I had it figured out, some new surprise would make me change my mind, and really the ending caught me off guard. The only thing I would change is to know more about laura in her off hours, to see her connect with people away from the job on a personal level. I received this book in exchange for and honest review, i am so glad I did as it brought this writer to my attention, and I will be reading much more of this series. Thank you
May 2, 2013
Excellent read !! A real page tuner that was so hard to put down !! 5 stars out of 5 for 'Laura Cardinal' hero detective from Tucson. Story travels in Arizona from Bisbee to Tucson into Florida and back to Tucson. Laura tracks down the bad guys with style and grit. First of a series, I'm starting second of series ASAP !!
August 29, 2012
This book dragged. I was going to read the Laura Cardinal series, but since I didn't like this one, I decided not to read others in the series. I like to read a fast moving, can't put down book, and this was hard to pick up.
October 31, 2015
This story was very intense! Laura Cardinal is a Arizona Department of Public Safety investigator on the trial of a sexual predator and a underworld of Internet trolling, only to stumble upon an even darker monster.
September 27, 2012
What a suspenseful book! My first time reading this author and I enjoyed it! Thankful I have the second book in the series to start on...NOW!
January 10, 2018
A kidnapping thriller!
This book started out on the slow side for me and I even read two other books before finishing this one. I read a lot so it didn't take long to finish and I am glad I did because the latter middle to the end drew me in, and I couldn't put it down. It's actually a really well written book, but I believe the characters could have been described better.
This book started out on the slow side for me and I even read two other books before finishing this one. I read a lot so it didn't take long to finish and I am glad I did because the latter middle to the end drew me in, and I couldn't put it down. It's actually a really well written book, but I believe the characters could have been described better.
November 12, 2019
Lynnietoo
WOW, A tremendous book. So many twist and turns. Characters that surprise you and you stop and go , WOW. Loved it , couldn’t put it down and hope the next one is as good. On my way to find out!
WOW, A tremendous book. So many twist and turns. Characters that surprise you and you stop and go , WOW. Loved it , couldn’t put it down and hope the next one is as good. On my way to find out!
August 1, 2022
Reading this novel open my eyes it allowed me to see that there's predators out there on technology we may not even know who or what we're talk too sending pictures too nothing just putting ourselves in danger our kids are out there and we don't know 😉😊😊
October 3, 2017
Wow what a book. First time author for me, but definitely want more. Outstanding mystery with lots of suspense. Unbelievable.
October 24, 2018
Storeyline interesting but a few too many characters to follow. Drags in a few places and changing locations makes for some confusion but overall kept my interest.
June 14, 2019
It was not exactly a nail biter until the last couple of chapters. Still, it was interesting, although some questions were left hanging.
March 20, 2021
Quick beachy read. Who dunnit. Interesting characters. Will read more in the series
September 6, 2021
Thriller/ Mystery- You won't guess the bad guys in this one.
June 1, 2022
Excellent read
J. Carson Black writes very good crime stories.
Reading her books will not be a disappointing read of Laura Cardinal's life of pursuing criminals.
J. Carson Black writes very good crime stories.
Reading her books will not be a disappointing read of Laura Cardinal's life of pursuing criminals.
January 28, 2023
Detailed narrative throughout the story. The reader could not stay uninvolved no matter what. Horrendous crimes. Amazing detective skills.
June 29, 2021
Liked the setting, though the rest was kind of meh.
April 6, 2013
Laura Cardinal: Compelling Series Character
This past week, I finished reading Darkness on the Edge of Town by J. Carson Black. This is the first book in the Laura Cardinal series, and it's a great introduction to a compelling, multilayered character. Many dub this book a thriller, but I don't agree with that. It's got the puzzle of a really good mystery more so than the overwhelming suspense and anxiety of a thriller.
The book is well-plotted, and the characters are intriguing. I really have only 3 quibbles with the book, and I wouldn't let any of these deter you from reading the book. The book is worth the price of admission even with my minor quibbles.
Quibbles
First, the book begins with a paranormal event which, it would seem, is to be taken at face value. That it really is a true event and not the result of the heroine's imagination. If that is the case, then that element needs to be fleshed out a bit more. That hook embedded in the third paragraph of the opening is what made me think this was a mystery beyond the ordinary so I'd like to see more focus on that.
Second, coincidence plays a rather large part in the story from several threads of the active plot line and to the backstory too. This is always tricky to pull off and make believable in any book. Most non-writer readers probably won't have a problem with this.
Third, the ending comes out of left field. In a way, that's good because authors want to surprise readers. However, in a puzzle-mystery, readers are always trying to figure out the answers. I cut my teeth, so to speak, on every mystery in my parish library when I was a kid -- Agatha Christie, Erle Stanley Gardner, John D. Macdonald, Rex Stout, and all the other greats.
By the end of a book that is any kind of mystery or puzzle, readers want to say, "Wow. That's shocking, BUT I totally see how it's true." Again, non-writer readers may not have a problem with the ending.
Get This Book
I guess you'll just have to read the book for yourself to see how you feel about it. I do know that I'll get the next Laura Cardinal book by J. Carson Black. He hit paydirt with his heroine, and I can't wait to read more about her adventures.
If you haven't read J. Carson Black, you've missed out. Add him to your TO BE READ list today.
This past week, I finished reading Darkness on the Edge of Town by J. Carson Black. This is the first book in the Laura Cardinal series, and it's a great introduction to a compelling, multilayered character. Many dub this book a thriller, but I don't agree with that. It's got the puzzle of a really good mystery more so than the overwhelming suspense and anxiety of a thriller.
The book is well-plotted, and the characters are intriguing. I really have only 3 quibbles with the book, and I wouldn't let any of these deter you from reading the book. The book is worth the price of admission even with my minor quibbles.
Quibbles
First, the book begins with a paranormal event which, it would seem, is to be taken at face value. That it really is a true event and not the result of the heroine's imagination. If that is the case, then that element needs to be fleshed out a bit more. That hook embedded in the third paragraph of the opening is what made me think this was a mystery beyond the ordinary so I'd like to see more focus on that.
Second, coincidence plays a rather large part in the story from several threads of the active plot line and to the backstory too. This is always tricky to pull off and make believable in any book. Most non-writer readers probably won't have a problem with this.
Third, the ending comes out of left field. In a way, that's good because authors want to surprise readers. However, in a puzzle-mystery, readers are always trying to figure out the answers. I cut my teeth, so to speak, on every mystery in my parish library when I was a kid -- Agatha Christie, Erle Stanley Gardner, John D. Macdonald, Rex Stout, and all the other greats.
By the end of a book that is any kind of mystery or puzzle, readers want to say, "Wow. That's shocking, BUT I totally see how it's true." Again, non-writer readers may not have a problem with the ending.
Get This Book
I guess you'll just have to read the book for yourself to see how you feel about it. I do know that I'll get the next Laura Cardinal book by J. Carson Black. He hit paydirt with his heroine, and I can't wait to read more about her adventures.
If you haven't read J. Carson Black, you've missed out. Add him to your TO BE READ list today.
May 22, 2019
When Arizona Department of Public Safety investigator Laura Cardinal is called in to help with a crime in the small town of Bisbee, she knows this isn't an ordinary crime. A young teenage girl has been found murdered in a city park, dressed up and posed like a doll. The evidence is almost non-existent, and the local police force isn't skilled enough to handle the case--even though they think they are. What scares Laura the most is that pieces of this murder bring back haunting memories from eighteen years earlier.
When Laura was in school, an acquaintance of hers turned up missing and was presumed dead. Laura's mother became so obsessed with the true-crime aspects of the case that she began to write a book about it, and she was murdered, too. Could the abduction of Laura's classmate and the present-day murder have any connection? When another child is taken, Laura must spur her fellow officers into action to save the child before it's too late.
Darkness on the Edge of Town is an intriguing police procedural. Similar in response to FBI intervention, the local authorities are not very accepting of the Department of Public Safety's help with their cases. Laura is an outcast from the beginning, resented by those she has come to assist. Her multi-layered past makes for an interesting scope of the story, making it not just about the investigation but about Laura's life as well. The ties to her growing-up years make Laura confront inner demons that she has been hiding for decades, adding another dimension to the plot.
There are a few too many characters (especially law enforcement ones) to keep straight, and the identity of the culprit seems too contrived. This doesn't much diminish the exciting, breakneck speed of the story, with the characters rushing to see if the young girl can be saved and the identity of the killer uncovered. And just when you think it's safe to breathe again, Black throws in a twist that will have you gulping with fear and pleasure. This debut novel is well-crafted and shows definite promise for more from the author and the main character.
When Laura was in school, an acquaintance of hers turned up missing and was presumed dead. Laura's mother became so obsessed with the true-crime aspects of the case that she began to write a book about it, and she was murdered, too. Could the abduction of Laura's classmate and the present-day murder have any connection? When another child is taken, Laura must spur her fellow officers into action to save the child before it's too late.
Darkness on the Edge of Town is an intriguing police procedural. Similar in response to FBI intervention, the local authorities are not very accepting of the Department of Public Safety's help with their cases. Laura is an outcast from the beginning, resented by those she has come to assist. Her multi-layered past makes for an interesting scope of the story, making it not just about the investigation but about Laura's life as well. The ties to her growing-up years make Laura confront inner demons that she has been hiding for decades, adding another dimension to the plot.
There are a few too many characters (especially law enforcement ones) to keep straight, and the identity of the culprit seems too contrived. This doesn't much diminish the exciting, breakneck speed of the story, with the characters rushing to see if the young girl can be saved and the identity of the killer uncovered. And just when you think it's safe to breathe again, Black throws in a twist that will have you gulping with fear and pleasure. This debut novel is well-crafted and shows definite promise for more from the author and the main character.
January 19, 2016
Laura Cardinal is a Criminal Investigator with the Arizona Department of Public Safety in Tucson, Arizona. She's been tasked to head down to the picturesque old mining town of Bisbee, Arizona to investigate the murder of 14 year old Jessica Parris who was found propped up in the City Park Bandshell, arranged and clothed by her killer. The story is filled with some loathsome characters who prey upon gullible young girls and some law enforcement characters with varying degrees of competence and bad attitudes that Laura must contend with. Laura is competent, likable and a bit of a control freak but clues soon emerge that give us a reason for her need for control. There are a lot of characters and I did find it a bit difficult to keep track of them for the first third of the book. After that point it became easier and I thought the characters were very well drawn. There are some flashbacks that serve to connect them as we get to the conclusion. The author juggles several plots but again, they all connect at the end.
I live in southern Arizona so I thought it was interesting to hear and see places and names that are familiar. I think J. Carson Black has room for improvement but it's a promising start to a new series.
I live in southern Arizona so I thought it was interesting to hear and see places and names that are familiar. I think J. Carson Black has room for improvement but it's a promising start to a new series.
March 18, 2014
This author is another first timer for me.
I liked the story and the main character, Laura Cardinal. Black has developed her enough that she is fully fleshed person, not just a cardboard cut-out.
There were a few places where the story seemed to jump ahead, as if some forward motion had taken place but Black forgot to include it.
Revelation of the bad guy seemed to come out of nowhere, as if Black got to a certain point in her writing and realized she hadn’t figured out who it was supposed to be, so she said, “Let’s make it him.” Prior to that point, she gave the reader no clue as to who it might be (unless her clues were so subtle, I missed them.).
There were some things mentioned in the story that were never fully explained – the death of Laura’s parents for one. Perhaps Black will resolve them in later books.
This book had the usual amount of word and grammar errors common in an e-book.
J. Carson Black falls somewhere around mid-pack on my favorite authors list, good enough that I’ll read more books in the series but not good enough to have me jonesing for the next one.
I liked the story and the main character, Laura Cardinal. Black has developed her enough that she is fully fleshed person, not just a cardboard cut-out.
There were a few places where the story seemed to jump ahead, as if some forward motion had taken place but Black forgot to include it.
Revelation of the bad guy seemed to come out of nowhere, as if Black got to a certain point in her writing and realized she hadn’t figured out who it was supposed to be, so she said, “Let’s make it him.” Prior to that point, she gave the reader no clue as to who it might be (unless her clues were so subtle, I missed them.).
There were some things mentioned in the story that were never fully explained – the death of Laura’s parents for one. Perhaps Black will resolve them in later books.
This book had the usual amount of word and grammar errors common in an e-book.
J. Carson Black falls somewhere around mid-pack on my favorite authors list, good enough that I’ll read more books in the series but not good enough to have me jonesing for the next one.
September 29, 2011
Picked this up free (or super cheap and liked the sample? can't remember) some time ago for my Kindle and am just now getting around to reading it.
I'm not usually one who likes stories centered around investigation into serial murders but this one is strangely compelling for some reason. Just a little into it ... more as I go.
FINAL
I wound up liking this pretty well. Well enough anyway that I'd be willing to read the second in the series. There was a thing toward the end where suddenly characters were brought back in that I didn't remember at all. Probably this is because there were so many police officers hostile to Laura that I had trouble telling them apart ... and this was one of them who had to humble himself to ask for help. I was fooled at the end, not that that's very difficult to do. I usually don't figure out mysteries and if I do it is usually so far ahead of the denouement that I know the writer wasn't very good.
I'm not usually one who likes stories centered around investigation into serial murders but this one is strangely compelling for some reason. Just a little into it ... more as I go.
FINAL
I wound up liking this pretty well. Well enough anyway that I'd be willing to read the second in the series. There was a thing toward the end where suddenly characters were brought back in that I didn't remember at all. Probably this is because there were so many police officers hostile to Laura that I had trouble telling them apart ... and this was one of them who had to humble himself to ask for help. I was fooled at the end, not that that's very difficult to do. I usually don't figure out mysteries and if I do it is usually so far ahead of the denouement that I know the writer wasn't very good.
May 16, 2012
I found this to be a very enjoyable and intriguing story. Torn from the headlines of today's heinous crimes initiated by predators in online chat rooms, this story begins with the introduction of Laura Cardinal, from the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Laura has been assigned to assist a small town's law enforcement solve the bizarre murder of a young girl, whose body has been posed and left in the town center's band shell, dressed up like a doll. Local law enforcement doesn't exactly welcome the outside help -- especially when it's a woman. However, Laura soon proves her competence in helping to solve this and a subsequent abduction of another young girl. The story is tightly written, and overflows with intrigue and gut-churning tension. I would definitely recommend this book to anybody with an interest in crime drama, police procedure, or who just likes the adrenaline spike that accompanies a story like this.
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