Monday, June 3, 2013

Stranded-Alex Kava

Stranded


Alex Kava

Doubleday, Jul 16 2013, $24.95

ISBN: 9780385535540



FBI Special Agents Maggie O'Dell and R.J. Tully are tired of the road but stumbled upon the deaths of seasoned travelers Dobson and Lester while working a serial arson case (see Fireproof). They suggested to their supervisor Assistant Director Kunze that an experienced serial killer used someone else’s blazes to conceal murder. He agreed with their assertion and assigned the pair to the FBI Serial killer Highway Initiative; formed due to the dire need to profile predators working the vulnerable rest stops.



The clever psychopath, who used arson to hide bodies like that of Dobson, appears to realize the Feds know of his vocation. Unable to resist, the culprit leaves clues for Maggie to find as to the next rest stop. Though frightened of being assaulted again by a prisoner, Maggie’s BFF Dr. Gwen Patterson interviews a convict who insists he chatted with someone a year ago over disposing corpses.



Rotating viewpoints, the latest O’Dell FBI police procedural (see Hotwire) is an exciting serial killer thriller that emphasizes how dangerous, especially at night, the Interstate rest stops can be. Although the premise of a killer leaving clues to the cop targeted as the end game has been used too frequently, fans will relish Maggie (and to a lesser degree Tully) playing cat and mouse with a lethal psychopath in an enjoyable above the speed limit storyline.



Harriet Klausner

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