Tuesday, January 21, 2014

WITS Book Reviews January 2014

Book Title: Dead Burn
Author: Jennifer Chase
ISBN: 978-0982953693
ASIN: B00CICE3YM
Publisher: JEC
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
Publication Date: April 2013
Book Length in Pages: 357
Reviewer: Dana Micheli

It’s not every day that a writer creates a character powerful enough to drive a novel; when that character is also powerful enough to drive a series, it’s an incredibly rare treat. Jennifer Chase is one of those authors, and Emily Stone, the star of four of her detective novels, is most certainly one of those characters.

Blond and beautiful, Stone has the looks of a swimsuit model, the heart of a vigilante, and a mind sharp enough to outwit the craftiest criminals in California. In her view, the only thing worse than those who prey on women and children is a justice system that lets let them get away with it, and that’s precisely what happens in the case of Timothy Devlin.

Devlin believes himself to be untouchable, and when he is acquitted of a brutal rape, it seems he is right. But Devlin is about to find out that there are things a lot worse than a jail cell. Immediately following the trial, a serial killer starts picking off everyone associated with the case, beginning with Devlin’s crafty and completely unethical attorney. The killer considers himself righteous, purging the world of sinners. He traps his victims, then sets them afire, leaving them burnt to a crisp and investigators baffled.

Emily wants nothing more than to catch the arsonist before he strikes again, but she soon finds herself in another equally desperate situation. GATE, a government anti-terrorist unit, wants her to work for them, and to ensure her compliance they have abducted her partner, Rick. Emily will have to use every weapon in her arsenal, and walk both sides of the law, in order to come out of this one alive.

Whether you are a fan of gory slasher stories or the thinking person’s whodunit, Dead Burn will keep you on the edge of your seat. It is not only an excellent continuation of Stone’s story, but a wonderful stand-alone mystery as well. I promise you this: if you haven’t already read the first three books, you will after reading Dead Burn!

 

No comments: