Jim Michael Hanson, Shadow Laws

Shadow Laws

Jim Michael Hanson

Dark Sky Publishing, October 2006, $13.95

ISBN: 097692434X

A serial killer has terrorized the residents of Denver. Homicide Detective Bryson Coventry leads the investigation that seems to be always a bit too late, almost as if the culprit somehow knows his every move. Getting a bit paranoid, Bryson wonders if someone in the inner law enforcement circle could be the maniac.

As Coventry digs deeper into understanding the nightmarish world of his adversary, attorney Taylor Sutton also seeks to bring justice to a diabolical killing machine. Soon their cases interconnect, but in spite of reluctantly comparing their notes, neither is ready for the next kill by a predator whose pleasure is hurting people. As more die, Coventry and Sutton wonder whether they need to cross the legal line, that both are sworn to uphold, into the shadowy realm where their foe makes death the law of the cement jungle.

This is a terrific police procedural private investigation thriller that grips the audience from the start, because the cases feel like they come from headline news. The subplots are fast-paced, and they merge smoothly into a strong serial killer tale. Readers will enjoy the chilling inquiries made by the intrepid but fearful lead pair; however, afterward will keep the lights on, as no one will want to meet who makes the laws in the shadow of night.