Tekla Dennison Miller Life Sentence

Life Sentence

Tekla Dennison Miller

Medallion, Aug 2005, $6.99

ISBN: 1932815252

Pilar Brookstone transferred from the University of Michigan medical school to the University of Wisconsin to get away from her cold father and to flee from the brutal murder of her friend, one of eight victims of convicted serial killer Chad Wilbanks. After a residency at Detroit Receiving Hospital, tired of no one male accepting that someone beautiful can be intelligent and wanting to be different from her wealth is everything dad, Pilar accepts employment as the doctor at Hawk Haven Prison.

Her first patient is Chad; she expected a monster, but instead he is charming and nice emphasizing her brains as much as her beauty. Pilar is shocked because she is attracted to the killer of her friend. As Chad beguiles Pilar she gives him money and rewrites her will naming him as her beneficiary. Tragedy strikes when someone murders Pilar. Her mother believes that snake oil Chad arranged a hit through one of his prison cronies and plans to prove it.

Though somewhat a suspense thriller especially in the latter half of the novel, LIFE SENTENCE is more an intriguing character study that focuses into the psyche that allows an intelligent person to destroy themselves. The storyline centers on Pilar whose distrust of males goes deep so when Chad penetrates through her anti-male armor, he grips her heart though she knows he is bad for her. After her murder, the storyline continues as a character study although with more action and the focus on several protagonists but especially the victim's mother. Fans of tense deep looks into why people do things that they know are bad for themselves will want to read Tekla Dennison Miller's powerful drama.

Harriet Klausner