SUSPENSE

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Revenant
Revenant by Carolyn Haines
by Carolyn Haines
   

A wonderful flawed journalist and an eerie case to solve!
  
Revenant by Carolyn Haines is a fast paced thriller. While the psychological motives for eerie murders intrigue, the main character of Carson is the highlight of this book. The reader looks forward to each additional glance into her life and can't help but want her to succeed.

Carson Lynch, a washed up journalist with a drinking problem who has lost her child in a fire, her husband and her former prestigious career. Five bodies are uncovered that were buried decades ago beneath a parking lot of a Biloxi, Mississippi night club. Carson begins to investigate, hoping that this story can help her get her career back on track. Days later, two more recent bodies are discovered--each girl wearing a bridal veil. The ring finger has been taken by the murderer. Is this the work of a serial killer or a copy cat killer? Why has such a large expanse of time separated these murders? Can Carson find the clues in time to prevent other murders without risking her own life?

Carolyn Haines intersperses the current thriller plot with ever increasing glimpses of Carson's life, creating a multi-dimensional reading delight. The reader wants to know about Carson's flawed character as well as the unfolding hunt for the killer. Revenant has some intriguing twists and turns as the identity of the killer is discovered only through careful research and an understanding of the motive behind the crimes. The thrills continue down to the last tense dramatic resolution. The suspense focuses on the eerie nature of the crimes and the psychology behind the crimes. As Carson hunts for leads, Carolyn Haines reveals the psychological dimension of the past moments that led Carson to her present situation. A few more veiled clues in the beginning and throughout the novel would have heightened the reading suspense. Some clues arrive unexpectedly without earlier preparation so that the final revelation feels just slightly too easy in terms of the narrative structure. Fans will eagerly await another thriller with Carson at the center of the activity thanks to Carolyn Haines' brilliant characterization.

Publisher: Mira (September 2007)


Reviewed by Merrimon, Merrimon Book Reviews
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