Cameron Cruise, The Collector

The Collector

Cameron Cruise

Mira, Jan 2007, $6.99

ISBN: 0778324087

In the "Little Saigon" section of Westminster, California, homicide detectives Stephen "Seven" Bushard and Erika Cabral investigate the murder of popular fortune teller Mimi. They see blood symbols on a wall, but not enough by the corpse. The evidence is overwhelming that the victim knew her killer and that in some way a ritual was performed because besides the wall writing, a bird's head was placed inside Mimi's mouth with a gem inside the beak.

Psychic Gia Moon comes to the station claiming she had a vision of the homicide and provides information that only those on the case and the killer would know. Whereas Erika thinks Gia is the murderer flaunting her kill, Seven feels otherwise though he admits his partner's logic is sounder than his gut. As they interview Mimi's clients, including wealthy antiques collector David Gospel, the case takes spins that make no sense to the two detectives and everyone else associated with it except Gia, who knows the culprit is coming for her next.

THE COLLECTOR is a fantastic, twisting, police procedural with hints of the paranormal that include red herrings as readers will wonder if David is right that his weird offspring stole a gem from his Eye of Athena map and killed his arcane source Mimi. The multitude of characters seem real as they enhance the investigation into the murder and the jewel while also bringing to life the culture of the expatriate Vietnamese population. Cameron Cruise writes a complex murder mystery that will keep readers' attention throughout.

Harriet Klausner