October 16, 2006
When the death toll of serial killer "Mack the Knife" exceeds 100 victims along historic Route 66 in America's heartland, Kathy Mallory, on vacation from her job with the NYPD, decides to give the locals a hand in bestseller O'Connell's exciting ninth thriller to feature the frosty, unapproachable detective (after 2004's Winter House
). Aided by her longtime partner Riker and police psychologist Charles Butler, Mallory butts heads with just about everyone, pursuing the case as if it were hers and hers alone. She makes little progress until the killer starts leaving a new calling card, depositing fresh kills on the highway, all with one hand chopped off and replaced with the tiny hand bones of a previous victim pointing to a new grave. Stylish prose and a magnetic lead character more than compensate for an overly complicated plot that drags in spots, particularly in the second half. For readers who have never followed Mallory, this is as good a time as ever to get acquainted. Author tour.
Starred review from November 15, 2006
Arrogant, cold, and sometimes brutal, New York detective Kathy Mallory has always been as scary as the murderers she pursues. In this ninth installment of the series featuring Mallory, O'Connell ("Dead Famous") shows her unraveling as she explores a deeply personal mystery and becomes tangled up in a larger hunt for a serial killer along Route 66. Partner Riker and friend Charles Butler follow her trail, worrying about her mental health and the nature of her questnot to mention the dead body found in her apartment. Meanwhile, all three are appalled by the FBI investigation into the Route 66 child murders, especially the use of a caravan of grieving parents as bait. Each struggles in his or her own way to protect the civilians on this most hazardous of road trips. O'Connell once again weaves a complex, gripping tale with layers of emotional resonance. This is another satisfying thriller in a rich, character-driven series that belongs in all public libraries. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Mystery, "LJ" 9/1/06.]Devon Thomas, DevIndexing, Chelsea, MI
Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
October 15, 2006
Early on in this ninth Kathleen Mallory novel, O'Connell observes, "By definition, enigmas lacked clarity." That oracular sentence perfectly captures the cloudy world of the Mallory novels, starring the most unlikely of NYPD detectives, a "feral" child adopted and raised by another NYPD officer and his wife. The action here begins with Mallory having disappeared from New York, and Riker, her partner, wondering if the dead woman in Mallory's apartment is a suicide or the victim of the detective's long-feared sociopathic meltdown. Meanwhile, Mallory is hurtling toward Chicago and mythic Route 66 in a VW Beetle ragtop pumped up on Porsche steroids. She's on the trail of a serial child killer who shares her obsession with the road and has been burying the bodies of female children along the fabled highway for decades. When Mallory's manic passage along 66 brings her to a forlorn caravan of parents looking for their lost children under the leadership of a weary--and possibly weird--old psychologist, " Find Me" quickly becomes a stunning novel of loss, anguish, psychosis, love, and redemption. The narrative is onionlike: events, motives, and other narrative necessities are peeled away layer by layer. Some layers work, others don't; a monumentally bent FBI agent leading a platoon of "body snatchers" ahead of the caravan strains credulity. But the anguish of the sad searchers and Mallory's own obsession with 66, and with her own lost childhood, simply require the reader to share the obsessions and see the story through to its end. Dense, demanding, and very powerful.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)
March 26, 2007
A complex tale of murder, betrayal and unexpected revelations of self-discovery are some of the compelling elements that make up this exceptional entry into O'Connell's mystery series featuring a NYPD detective and ex-feral child, Kathy Mallory. While on a deeply personal road trip along Route 66, Mallory gets caught up in a manhunt for a serial killer. The investigating authorities believe Mack the Knife has been murdering children and burying them along the old highway for over a decade, with the death toll reaching more than 100. When adult bodies begin showing up, Mallory embarks on a mission to end the murder's killing streak, no matter what the cost. Bresnahan manages to balance multiple viewpoints and a wide variety of characters without resorting to over-the-top vocal theatrics. Her clear, matter-of-fact delivery keeps the plot moving at a steady pace and works well with the material. She is especially effective in her portrayal of the no-nonsense Mallory, a troubled character who never lets emotions get in the way of her job. Bresnahan's narration pulls the listener deep into this absorbing and suspenseful story. Simultaneous release with the Putnam hardcover (Reviews, Oct. 16).