Review: The Death Collectors

The Death Collectors Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Jack Kerley
Class/Genre: Mystery Psychological Suspense Serial Killer Police Procedural
Series: Detectives Carson Ryder and Harry Nautilus # 2
Dutton, 2005, 320 pps

The Three Musketeers as Dee Danbury refers to the group reluctantly working together to solve a very unusual murder. The group consists of Carson Ryder and Harry Nautilus, Mobile Police detectives and members of the Psychopathological and Sociopathological Investigative Team, and DeeDee Danbury a reporter and one of the last people that Ryder and Nautilus would pick to work with but due to an agreement between the police chief and the head of the station that DeeDee works for they are forced into the partnership. Ryder and Nautilus realize before the case is concluded that Danbury is more of an asset than a liability.

Ryder and Nautilus are called in to investigate the murder of a woman found dead in a motel in very unusual circumstances. A small piece of art is left at the scene of the crime. The art is purported to be the work of Marsden Hexcamp, a cult leader and serial killer. Hexcamp has been dead for a number of years but remains alive in the mind of Detective Jacob Willow now retired. Willow shares his memories with Ryder and Nautilus and offers any help he can give to get to the bottom of the mystery.

The search for the killer brings to light a morbid group of people who spend their lives and their fortunes in collecting souvenirs of killers – the more gruesome the better the collectors like it and the more they will pay.

Ryder and Nautilus with Danbury’s assistance become aware that there is soon to be an auction of items created by Hexcamp. Finding the interested parties and the primary location of this auction becomes a big concern. They feel that information about this auction will lead them to the murderer.

Jack Kerley has done an excellent job of creating a story that keeps you glued to the pages until you find out the startling conclusion. I really enjoyed The Hundreth Man and The Death Collectors is as good or better. It would be hard to make a choice.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Pat Reid - RAM

Book Review: The Death Collectors