A keen examination of an intriguing and disturbing murderer.
A meticulous serial killer in Napa Valley runs the risk of capture when her homicides become too personal in this thriller.
Right now, Vanessa Flynn needs a “normal life” with her college professor husband, Hunter. That way, she steers clear of any suspicion, as she’s murdered four men in as many years. Most of the victims had been sex offenders, but the fourth was someone she knew, leading the cops right to her front door. Vanessa kills primarily for revenge, having lost her mother decades earlier to a rapist/killer whom authorities never caught. But that familiar homicidal urge crops up again when she surmises Hunter is having an affair. Though she plots a frame-up, it still involves deaths. Meanwhile, Detective Candice Blake has been working the case of the Napa Valley Killer with little to show for it. She finally gets a break when she hears of a murder from 30 years ago—the same M.O. except that the victim was a woman. If Candice ties that homicide to Vanessa, the serial killer will be under even further scrutiny, and her careful planning may not be enough to keep her out of prison. Laningham molds a wonderfully complex killer. For example, Vanessa considers herself a professional on a “mission” of justice. But her urges are also psychological, as a particular material seemingly triggers them. Hunter and Candice are likewise well developed. Hunter obsesses over the goddess Venus, whose likeness in Botticelli’s celebrated painting Vanessa resembles, while Candice faces constant undermining in a male-dominated field, especially by her partner and her boss. The author’s concise, lucid writing style makes for a quick read. But the investigation is sparse; readers may wonder why Candice—or the FBI—didn’t connect the decades-old murder sooner. Still, it’s exhilarating to watch Candice inch closer to the dangerously talented culprit.
A keen examination of an intriguing and disturbing murderer. (author bio)Pub Date: Aug. 9, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-974435-10-4
Page Count: 155
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: May 12, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A standout in the series.
The sixth adventure of Harvard symbology professor Robert Langdon explores the mysteries of human consciousness, the demonic projects of the CIA, and the city of Prague.
“Ladies and gentlemen...we are about to experience a sea change in our understanding of how the brain works, the nature of consciousness, and in fact…the very nature of reality itself.” But first—Langdon’s in love! Brown’s devoted readers first met brilliant noetic scientist Katherine Solomon in The Lost Symbol (2009); she’s back as a serious girlfriend, engaging the committed bachelor in a way not seen before. The book opens with the pair in a luxurious suite at the Four Seasons in Prague. It’s the night after Katherine has delivered the lecture quoted above, setting the theme for the novel, which features a plethora of real-life cases and anomalies that seem to support the notion that human consciousness is not localized inside the human skull. Brown’s talent for assembling research is also evident in this novel’s alter ego as a guidebook to Prague, whose history and attractions are described in great and glowing detail. Whether you appreciate or skim past the innumerable info dumps on these and other topics (Jewish folklore fans—the Golem is in the house!), it goes without saying that concision is not a goal in the Dan Brown editing process. Speaking of editing, the nearly 700-page book is dedicated to Brown’s editor, who seems to appear as a character—to put it in the italicized form used for Brownian insight, Jason Kaufman must be Jonas Faukman! A major subplot involves the theft of Katherine’s manuscript from the secure servers of Penguin Random House; the delightful Faukman continues to spout witty wisecracks even when blindfolded and hogtied. There’s no shortage of action, derring-do, explosions, high-tech torture machines, attempted and successful murders, and opportunities for split-second, last-minute escapes; good thing Langdon, this aging symbology wonk, never misses swimming his morning laps. Readers who are not already dyed-in-the-wool Langdonites may find themselves echoing the prof’s own conclusion regarding the credibility of all this paranormal hoo-ha: At some point, skepticism itself becomes irrational.
A standout in the series.Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2025
ISBN: 9780385546898
Page Count: 688
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
Gritty little gems.
A collection of six short stories about crimes both planned and accidental, the collision of dreams and reality, and the things people do for love.
John Highland, for example, faces a lifetime in prison. But if he can do one “Final Score” before turning himself in, at least he can set up his beloved wife for the rest of her days. His plan is impossible to pull off, which is even more reason to do it—a brilliant finale to his criminal career. Another tale takes the reader to Rhode Island, where liquor sales are banned on Sundays. One liquor store maintains a secret “Sunday List” of thirsty patrons and their liquid requirements to get them through the Lord’s Day. Some stories are more serious—a drunk kid kills a young woman in a DUI and is headed to prison. But the kid’s cousin, a cop, worries he may not survive long in the general population. If only the kid could get assigned to the “North Wing,” where a mob boss prisoner protects its inmates. “True Story” is sharp, funny, and one hundred percent dialogue. Guys swap wacky crime stories in a diner. A sample: “Listen—Angela, for all her fine qualities, was no Rose Scholar, either.” But then in “The Lunch Break,” Dave is hired to watch over the spoiled actress Brittany McVeigh and make sure she shows up on set sober and on time. She is only 5-foot-3, but “bad things come in small packages” and she’s a “drunken, drug-addled, promiscuous little diva” who claims she’s being stalked. In the final tale, “Collision,” life is darn near perfect for an upwardly mobile white family of three. Brad McAlister is a highly talented hotel manager. Upper management invites him and his wife to a fancy restaurant and offers him his dream promotion. But in a squeal of tires in the parking lot, their lives change forever. Will the McAlisters’ deep love for each other survive? Each of these stories has clever plotting and sharp dialogue, a hallmark of all the author’s work. Winslow had previously announced his retirement, but maybe that collided with his love of writing.
Gritty little gems.Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2026
ISBN: 9780063450424
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Morrow/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
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