Book Review: Until the Last Dog Dies

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

[5 stars]

Until the Last Dog Dies Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
John Laurence Robinson
Class/Genre: Mystery Vietnam or Vietnam Vet Serial Killer Thriller
Series: Joe Box
River Oak, 2004, 381 pp.

In the middle of the night Cincinnati private investigator Joe Box receives call from a frantic Little Bit, who says someone is trying to kill the survivors of their Nam platoon. Joe is shocked to hear from a guy he had not spoken with in three decades while also trying to calm the guy down saying it is nonsense. Joe hangs up, but the next day Little Bit’s wife calls saying he was electrocuted. Joe is stunned because he knew how afraid of electricity Little Bit was.

Joe thinks that too much coincidence is involved as Little Bit had mentioned two other deaths in the last two weeks. With the help of librarian Mrs. Brake, he learns that three other members of his platoon of ten are also dead. As he flashbacks to his time in Nam, he wonders how to stop a killing machine who has made each death seem like suicide or accident before this invincible killer murders he or the other survivors.

This is an exhilarating thriller that modernizes Christie’s AND THEN THERE WAS NONE by using a Nam platoon as the victims thirty years after they completed their tour of duty. Joe is an intriguing private sleuth who has found strength in God which has given him a reason to live although he still mourns the loss of his beloved who died one year into their marriage years ago. His supportive girlfriend Angela Swain helps, but the tale belongs to the cat and mouse game and the insightful flashbacks to a search mission to kill Charlie the sniper.

Harriet Klausner

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