Book Review: The Kill Clause

Reviewed By: Jon Jordan - Crime Spree Magazine - RAM

The Kill Clause     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Gregg Andrew Hurwitz
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Thriller
August 2003, William Morrow 400 pages/ $24.95

Tim and Andrea (Dray) Rackley live in a community North of Los Angeles. It’s a community made up of mostly law enforcement personnel, sheriff's deputies, secret service, US marshals and other. Tim is a US Marshal deputy and his wife is a sheriff deputy. Their daughter is a victim.

The fact that a crime of this nature takes place in a community like this is unusual enough, the fact that both parents are law enforcement officers is even stranger. However they deal with the tragedy like any parents would, denial, guilt, and anger. The marriage becomes strained, as most would. The situation is made worse by Tim coming under review at work for a shooting.

As the story progresses Tim finds a form of release, a group of other survivors of tragedy. And this group isn’t going to let the criminals fall through the cracks in the justice system. Not unlike the movie The Star Chamber, the group, calling itself The Commission, review cases that have let criminals go free. After their verdict is reached some stay free, some make a hit list.

This book was so good on so many levels. The family dealing with their grief, the authentic felling of the work done by the various law enforcement agencies, and the things going on in Tim’s head through out make this book one that demands to be read in as few sittings as possible. It’s a slam to the head, it’s a chair being pulled out from under before you sit, it’s speeding bullet with your name on it.

Jon Jordan - Crime Spree Magazine - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Jon Jordan - Crime Spree Magazine - RAM