Carol O'Connell, Find Me

Find Me

Carol O'Connell

Putnam, January 2007, $24.95

ISBN 0399153950

Historical Route 66 has become a death road, with serial killer "Mack the Knife" having murdered over one hundred people. NYPD Detective Kathy Mallory is on vacation when she learns about the toll this killer has enacted. She vows to bring this sociopath to justice, though her partner Riker and police psychologist Charles Butler reluctantly agree to assist her, after failing to talk her out of leaving the killer to the local law enforcement agencies.

Mallory acts as if she is the detective in charge, running roughshod over the irate locals. Still, she finds roadblocks not clues, until Mack the Knife switches calling cards. The culprit leaves his victims on Route 66 with one hand chopped off and replaced by that of the previous prey. As she gets closer to the predator, Mallory risks her life to stop this efficient killing machine from murdering anyone else.

In some ways Mallory is as obsessed as Mack the Knife is, as she is fixated on stopping him, while he is engrossed with killing, especially since she spices up the kill in his warped mind. The action-packed storyline is a classic case of cat and mouse, with the locals wishing both contestants would take their mano a mano road show elsewhere. Machismo and testosterone (in spite of Mallory being female) flows in this High Noon cop vs. serial killer journey on historical Route 66.