Traore Mamadou’s Reviews > In a Heartbeat > Status Update

The stranger in the cabin turned out to be Vernon Hanks.
Darcy Mae Richards... that’s the name of the third victim of the copycat killer. She had been abducted after being in , planning her wedding with her fiancé and now she was the property of the copycat killer who would keep her without food and drink for three days before burying her alive. Meanwhile, much information came on surface. The different leads on the three suspects brought nothing but only confusion because the psychotic was varying his patterns; the first grave digger’s cellmate has obviously nothing to do with these crimes. Besides, the G.D.’s brother who was supposed to be a suspect is revealed dead and this makes Booker’s team discover someone used the dead brother’s identity to visit the G.D. in prison. In addition, the Team has discovered Vernon Hanks has done plastic surgery. On top of that, the investigation revealed that the G.D. intended to fake his death in order to escape. Booker’s team thought he was trying to have a kind of revenge against the people present to his trial but his new victim didn’t fit. On the contrary, their only solid lead is the three new victims have worked in hospitals. Why would the copycat killer choose girls who worked in hospitals? Booker’s team is still trying to figure it out. Meantime, it looks like Darcy Mae Richards is getting transported to be buried alive like the two previous ones. Hopeless, she only has her Lord’s prayers to soften her journey to the outer world. Will she be buried alive? Only the next report will tell us.


I love this book. I have trouble to read long passages but when I start reading this book, the thrill keeps me hooked until I reach the 50 pages. It takes me long to read but I’m never disappointed when I stop. I just wish, I can read faster along with a good understanding level but I feel that I’m getting slightly better than when I was reading at first.

Darcy Mae Richards is getting transported to be buried alive like the previous ones. She has only a few hours to live. Meanwhile, special agent Brad Booker and his team are still investigating on the case. They try to find a solid link that can bring them to figure out the solution of this set of murder. Practically they try to get their hands on the different suspects in order to find out something helpful. It’s discovered that Vernon hanks were this person who impersonated white’s brother by visiting him in jail. Crazily in love for Lisa, Hanks hits Brad at the head and threats Lisa but Brad succeeds in saving Lisa by beating Hanks. Now that he’s unconscious, they wait for him to awake so he could be questioned. After analysis of the content of his discussion with Lisa, Hanks seems to have something to do with William’s, the G.D, death. Dr Langley, Lisa’s father, also seems to be involved in a certain way in White’s death. At almost the same time, Curtis thigs is being arrested for violation on parole and thrown back in jail. While they are still trying to find something new, Nettleton-the journalist- informs them of the phone calls he has received from the copycat killer. Yes, Darcy Mae Richards is well and good dead. Unlike the other victims, there’s no sign of struggling to stay alive; it looks like she has just resigned herself to her unfortunate fate. Nonetheless, the fact that she has also worked in an hospital confirms one reason among many others that the killer care about for the choice of his victims.

From the beginning to the end, the suspense is steadily growing. The story is always a little bit more exciting. One characteristic which makes this story fascinating is the relationship between the protagonists (Lisa and Brad). It started from a Brad’s commitment to his job by saving Lisa and went step by step to reach a burning attraction and even more than that.