Lloyd Devereux Richards

A solid thriller mystery to add to my shelf. I love the bouncing of perspectives that ultimately drives the narrative, but also remains at a level of mystery that allows the readers to make connects at the same time the characters seem to. I really liked Christine. I think she was a strong FMC without falling into the stereotypical tropes that have become a bit of a turn off for me. I also *Love* the inclusion of forensic anthropology (the inner Bones fan in me was so happy). I almost wish that was leaned into a tad more, but ultimately I was engaged and on my toes for a lot of the book and really enjoyed the read.… (mehr)

This was a choice for one of my two real life book clubs.

The back story is that the author spent fourteen years writing the book, was rejected by eighty literary agents and then sold only a few copies after it was published in 2012. In 2023, his grown daughter made a TikTok video about her beloved Dad’s efforts. The video went viral and within twenty four hours it had risen to the number one best seller on Amazon.

target="_top">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgcouiKWlso

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_Maidens

This is the story of an FBI anthropologist, Christine Prusik, putting together clues to stay ahead of a serial killer. It’s a truly bizarre case – the killer is dumping young women’s bodies in forested ravines, but not before inserting a carved ‘spirit stone’ into a wound on the victims’ body.

It’s a similar MO used by a tribe in Papua New Guinea, from whom Christine had barely escaped alive ten years earlier. But how can an attacker from a primitive tribe have followed her to Indiana? And how can one young man with a strange, loaner reputation and an interest in carved stones have dreams of the murders?

There are several good twists and turns, as well as a subplot of male coworker trying to take over the case and her removed.

Yet, somehow I didn’t quite end up buying the story.… (mehr)

We meet Christine Prusik, a feisty FBI agent, who doesn’t like to follow the rules but always solves cases.

Christine is told that she has no business investigating the deaths of two young women on a college campus because it is out of the FBI’s jurisdiction, but she doesn’t care. She cares about making sure there isn’t another victim.

She ignores orders from her supervisor to be at a meeting in person and to have some profile completed and turned in. Of course, Christine doesn’t listen...she has leads and is going to catch this serial killer.

The biggest clue is that there is a ring-sized mark on both victims which to her indicates these cases are related and that the killer is educated, clever, cunning, and very evil.

Christine is a likable character in this second book, and a book I was perfectly fine starting with. It is readable as a stand alone.

I was a little skeptical at first thinking this was going to be all about FBI procedure, but was pleased when that went on the back burner and the search for the killer took over.

True crime buffs will enjoy this book that has descriptive writing and a story line that keeps you turning the pages.

The conclusion is edge-of-your-seat. 5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher for an honest review.… (mehr)

caves, crime-thriller, due-diligence, FBI, forensic-anthropology, interstate-crimes, laboratory-investigation, mystery, office-politics, poisons, psychological-thriller, read, research, researcher, serial-killer, serial-murder, suspense*****

The author takes us inside the head of the killer and inside the head of FBI agent Christine Prusik who is a highly motivated forensic anthropologist with no patience for the bureaucracy of the Chicago field office and its petty politics. At issue is her persistence in investigating a series of peculiar murders with a definite signature despite push-back from her superiors. This has escalating urgency, suspense that just keeps ratcheting up, and some really recognizable characters. Fantastic.
I requested and received an EARC from William Morrow via NetGalley. Thank you!… (mehr)