09/04/2023
Wood’s gripping second thriller featuring FBI profiler Christopher DiMeglio (after Blood on the Bayou) finds its hero reluctantly investigating a serial killer targeting criminal defense attorneys, one seemingly inspired by the Bard’s oft-quoted Henry VI line: “The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers.” Alerted by San Diego-based reporter Carla Lane that someone’s possibly putting that suggestion into practice, and pressed by her into taking action, Chris is soon jolted out of his duties of serving as a poster boy trying to boost the reputation of the beleaguered agency on talk shows and 60 Minutes. Complicating matters: Carla’s going to work the case with his team.
Once the story moves past media appearances and Chris’s initial dismissal of the case, Wood, a longtime attorney, keeps the pace brisk, only faltering in some info dumps about the psychology and modus operandi of serial killers. As Chris begins to know more about the killer through disturbing conversations on the encrypted-messaging app Signal, he suspects that the killer must be a woman Shakespeare enthusiast who is wealthy, intelligent, and tech savvy. But as a colleague points out, Carla fits all those criteria, too, besides being Chris’ love interest and intellectual sparring partner.
Chris remains a compelling protagonist, and Wood deftly handles the uneasy relationship between feds and the media. The story, laced with references to Shakespeare’s plays, takes surprising detours, from the small Kansas town that is the home of 20th century American literature’s most famous murder to an engaging sojourn to Italy. Seasoned procedural fans may pick up on red herrings that could have used more development, but Wood’s brisk dialogue, vivid detail, and deep familiarity with the world of criminal defense keep the pages turning. Stories of profilers and killers may be familiar, but Wood brings welcome authority to the material, while exploring ethical questions about the defense of people who commit unspeakable crimes and sometimes go free on the basis of technicalities.
Takeaway: Arresting thriller pitting a profiler against a Bard-loving killer.
Comparable Titles: Tami Hoag’sAshes to Ashes, Simon Toyne’s Laughton Rees series.
Production grades Cover: A- Design and typography: A Illustrations: N/A Editing: A Marketing copy: A
2023-08-04
An FBI profiler pursues a new case when prominent defense lawyers start dying under suspicious circumstances in Wood’s thriller.
Two years after catching a dangerous serial killer in New Orleans, Special Agent Chris DiMeglio is now chief of the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit and tasked with becoming the poster boy to improve the FBI’s image with an increasingly disgruntled public. If working closely with the media weren’t already disconcerting enough, the fact that it is investigative reporter Carla Lane (whom DiMeglio finds overbearing) who calls his attention to a new potential serial killer on the loose aggravates him even more. Butonce he learns the details, it becomes clear that the connections between the murders could not be coincidental. The victim profiles speak for themselves: Several prominent criminal defense attorneys, mostly ones who have taken on cases defending the lowest, cruelest types of criminals, begin dying by apparent suicide, leaving behind extremely similar notes. When the killer contacts DiMeglio directly with text messages that indicate a hatred for lawyers, a penchant for quoting Shakespeare, and the dedication and the means to commit these murders across the globe, the profiler realizes it will take a lot of work to catch the Shakespeare Killer before more lawyers die and the FBI loses even more of the public’s esteem. The author’s second outing with DiMeglio is a standalone novel anchored by engaging tidbits about the profiling of serial killers and a competent, if troubled, hero who has an alarming proclivity to sleep with women related to his cases. At least he is self-aware: “DiMeglio wondered if he had some sort of need to get involved romantically with women who were connected to his work.” While the narrative hops around awkwardly in places, and the story at times feels dissonant as it focuses more on showcasing Tuscany’s delightful cuisine and sights than on the FBI team’s grueling search for a cold killer, this is an effective, if familiar, procedural.
A crime novel that reflects its main character: It’s rough around the edges but gets the job done.
