Mystery/Thriller Series

Novel Series—Murder Mystery/Thriller Fiction

Heather Graham writes a series called the Krewe of Hunters about an offshoot group of FBI agents who deal with murders than include paranormal elements. The Hidden, the second one I’ve read, stands alone fine though, over all, I don’t care for the series. I have problems with murder mysteries in general, especially when the identity of the killer becomes obvious fairly quickly or when, as in most of the books I’ve read, you don’t get enough information to do more than whittle the suspects down to a few of the usually large cast of characters. I find it rare to find a book that gives you all the clues you need to figure out the killer but still keeps you in suspense for most of the story.

The Hidden is about the ancestors of a murdered couple from the 1800s who are being systematically eliminated at a ranch for tourists in Colorado. The main character works at the museum on the property and calls in her ex, a new member of the Krewe of Hunters, when she is accused of one of the murders. The investigation is two-pronged—find out who kills the ancestors to figure out the motive and killer of the present murders. I liked the characters and the writing style. I just wasn’t that invested in the outcome.

Historical Series

I read the first book of a trilogy by Greg Iles, Natchez Burning, about the hate crimes associated with the Civil Rights Movement in the sixties that cause further violence in the present to keep the perpetrators safe from prosecution and business consequences. Mayor Penn Cage, an ongoing character from other books, those stories briefly explained in the backstory, is also a novel writer and former prosecuting attorney. Chapters from his point of view are written in the first person. Others are written in third person and blend well in keeping the tension high as Cage, his father, and fiancée become embroiled in investigations of former Klan members and a behind-the-scenes Machiavellian sociopath who ordered most of the bloodshed.

The book is over 700 pages and ends some of the story threads while leaving others unsolved for the next book, which I look forward to reading. I don’t care for graphic sadistic violence but a lot of what was in this book was based on history, and it doesn’t pay to glide over past horrors just to stay comfortable. Makes them too easy to repeat.

On the other hand, Gabriel’s Woman by Robin Schone, a sequel to The Lover, which I haven’t read, is about two male friends who survived as children by allowing themselves to be trained as prostitutes in 1800’s England and France. Rape and pedophilia weigh heavily in the plot and were used primarily to create tension and create sympathy for Gabriel, the main character, who is unable to trust others but must learn to if he is to defeat a longtime enemy bent on the torture and death of Gabriel and his friend, Michael. Human trafficking still goes on today, obviously, but this book has no pretension of adding to our social conscience. Sordid, though I liked the characters and cared what happened to them. Choppy and confusing backstory from the first book, which I have no desire to read.