Boneyard
by Michelle
Gagnon
FBI Special Agent Kelly
Jones had been leery of joining the Behavioral Science Unit, but a
phone call from Gerry McLarty after solving the case of the tunnels
changed that. Her plans for a well-needed vacation come to a
grinding halt when some bones are discovered in the Berkshire mountains
spread across two states. Arriving on the scene, Kelly finds
herself in charge of law enforcement of both Vermont and Massachusetts
as well as a forensic anthropologist, all comprising a united force
often at odds with one another. With the discovery of a new
victim, Kelly must wade through the clues to determine whether the past
and current cases are related, especially as the case expands to a
third
state. Why has no one reported the absence of these young men in
the past? What motivations lie behind the serial killer(s) brutal
murders? If indeed two killers are at work, what is the
connection between them? Can Kelly figure out the case in enough
time to save a victim before he ends up like all the rest?
Michelle Gagnon's second thriller, BONEYARD,
combines a creepy, terrifying portrait of a serial killer with all the
excitement of a suspense puzzle with unexpected twists and turns in a
case that baffles a simple, linear approach. As with her
thriller, THE TUNNELS,
readers can expect horrifying and even gruesome details as the killer
tortures and brutalizes his victims. Michelle Gagnon, in writing
through the perspective of the victims at times, takes the reader right
into the scene of the crimes while also aligning the reader with the
victims against the killer. Likewise, her descriptions of the
killer haunt a reader, not only with his skewed vision, but also his
ability to appear like anyone else one might encounter. Michelle
Gagnon paints a terrifying a vision of fanaticism and extremism run
amok. Readers familiar with Bennington and Bennington College
will
recognize the landscape and the landmarks. The characterization
of Bennington college itself might vary depending upon whether one
reads from the point of view of a college or town resident or tourist,
but whichever, seeing the town from the point of view of the coroner's
office intensifies the creepiness.
Kelly Jones fans will appreciate the depth and development Michelle
Gagnon gives to her character from book to book and within this book
itself. The case tests Kelly's complex relationship to her
job, while her personal life also comes into play. Not only does
Michelle Gagnon have a way of interweaving cliffhangers within the
thriller itself to maximize the level of suspense, but readers should
be prepared for an ending that will leave one anxious to read the
next. BONEYARD is a
natural choice for fans of serial killers, especially for the utter
creepiness factor of the killer, but suspense fans like myself, who
prefer suspense over serial killer thrillers will find Michelle
Gagnon's BONEYARD an
intriguing web of puzzles to discern in the hunt for clues.
Magnificent!
Publisher: Mira (July 2008)
