Book Review: The Skin Gods

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

The Skin Gods     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Richard Montanari
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Psychological Suspense   Thriller   Serial Killer   Police Procedural
Series: Byrne and Balzano
Ballantine, Mar 2006, $24.95, 416 pp.

In Philadelphia, a vicious sly serial killer enjoys reenacting famous death scenes from movies. He films his work and then splices its content in with originals like Psycho. After adding his real gruesome take to a video, he returns the revised film to the store so someone can rent his “director’s” cut. People who have seen Hitchcock’s Psycho for instance are in for quite a shocking “director’s” cut.

Philadelphia homicide detectives Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne investigates the homicides though the latter works part-time as he still recovers from a gunshot wound. Since the killer’s is talented with his filming and cutting, in between Kevin chomping on pain pills, the two sleuths look into the local film industry for clues to include a major producer and pornography movie makers. The two partners also have baggage from their personal lives as Kevin struggles to stay connected with his teenage daughter following his divorce and Jessica worries about her preschooler after tossing out her womanizing spouse.

The serial killer makes this a strong thriller as readers can envision his splicing his work into classic film scenes. This makes for an electrifying investigation mostly run by Jessica. Though the two sleuths seems to be overloaded with personal baggage that slows down the case, fans of police procedurals or gimmicky serial killer tales will take pleasure in reading SKIN GODS and obtaining the two detectives’ first case together (THE ROSARY GIRLS).

Harriet Klausner

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