Book Review: Living Dead Man

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Living Dead Man     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Marc Bernier
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Serial Killer
Infinity, 2002

In 1969, Los Diablos, California residents are frightened by a serial killer whose female victims are left with a shark’s tooth "calling Card". A stoned surfer sees the "devil" slay his fourth victim leading to Detective Frank Prince finding a knife with fingerprints at the crime scene. He arrests the owner, Viet Nam veteran "Crazy" Joe Coop, who stays mute during his conviction trial.

While on death row, Coop snaps out of his daze after a priest visits him. He finds Jesus, but though he feels that God forgave him, he has not forgiven himself even though he cannot remember killing anyone. State psychologist Dr. Sarah Hart visits Joe at San Quentin and begins to doubt whether the deeply religious caring person could be a killer. She hires a top gun lawyer who destroys the state’s case on appeal. Freed Joe and Sarah find solace in their love of each other and Jesus. They marry and raise a family together in what is heaven on earth until a serpent returns to destroy his Eden, as now Sarah believes her spouse is the Shark Tooth Killer.

LIVING DEAD MAN is an exciting crime thriller that fans of deeply religious tales will relish while other readers might find the Christian drum to insistent. The story line inspires the audience as Crazy Joe makes his way out of a haze when he finds Jesus and though not quite dynamic enough of a speaker to spread the word, he still brings others with him by his attitude. The climax seems a bit contrived, but those readers who relish an inspiring mystery will get the word from Marc Bernier’s debut tale.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner