Thomas Lakeman The Shadow Catchers

The Shadow Catchers

Thomas Lakeman

St. Martin's, Sep 2006, $23.95

ISBN: 0312347994

His last case involved a kidnapped child that turned out so catastrophic that FBI Special Agent Mike Yeager is on administrative leave and self imposed exile in nowhere, Nevada, a long way from his Philadelphia base and three hours outside of Vegas where he "profiles for food". Mike disagrees with his superiors who were going to exonerate him over the Tonio Madrigal tragedy but he caused the debacle back east so he left town before they could.

In San Cristobal, he intervenes in an incident with an ex-marine Dale, the man's nephew and the sheriff; only to have his car impounded for the weekend. That night, Dale Dupree calls Mike hysterically claiming his beloved daughter Cassie is missing; he fears for her and asks Mike that if he (Dale) goes away, will Mike find and protect her. The next morning Detective Tippet and deputy Sheriff Clyde take Mike in on the suspicion of murdering Dale, but cannot hold him as they lack evidence. He feels he owes Dale for not taking the man's night call seriously so Mike begins investigating worried about Cassie especially with her dad killed by someone who knew him and another child recently buried perhaps also murdered.

Mike turns this exciting police procedural into a great read that grips the audience from the start and never lets them go until the final confrontation. The story line is fast-paced and the support cast top rate. However, this is Mike's mystery from the moment he pulls profiling sleight of the hand tricks in the diner until his last ditch effort to save Cassie's life. Thomas Lakeman provides a terrific thriller.

Harriet Klausner