Sunday, August 26, 2012

Bone Shadows-Christopher Valen

Bone Shadows


Christopher Valen

Conquill Press, Oct 1 2012, $15.00

www.conquillpress.com

ISBN: 9780980001754



St. Paul Homicide Detective John Santana investigates the apparent downing death in the Mississippi River due to alcohol of twenty-three year old Scott Rafferty. John interviews the victim’s parents (narcotics cop Hank Rafferty and Judge Rachel Harper) and girlfriend Kimberly Dalton, daughter of a cop; as well as psychiatrist Dr. Benjamin Roth who the deceased Iraqi vet was seeing for PTSD.



All evidence points to a tragic accident, but freelance award winning but defrocked reporter Jack Brody offers him a counter theory in which Scott was murdered by a serial killer working the I-94 corridor. Diligently John follows up on Brody’s data with an interview of the parents of a drowning victim who send him to a private investigator Jordan Parrish they hired as they believe their son was murdered. Parrish tells John she thinks so also. FBI Agent Ed Kincaid warns John to back off or else. Having faced horror when he lived in Columbia, John refuses to quit as increasingly he believes Parrish and Brody are right.



The latest John Santana police procedural (see White Tombs, The Black Minute and Bad Weeds Never Die) is a superb detective tale starring a dedicated cop and a strong support cast; some of whom want him to take down a killer and others who hinder his inquiry. The storyline is fast-paced but provides a deep methodical investigation. With a romantic subplot that blends nicely into the thrilling tour of the Twin Cities, fans will appreciate Bone Shadows as Christopher Valen provides another great entry in a super series.



Harriet Klausner



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