Review: A Faint Cold Fear

Slaughter returns with the third in a series set in a fictional small town in Georgia. The books have three main protagonists, pediatrician Sara Linton who also serves as the local medical examiner; police chief Jeffrey Tolliver - Linton's ex-husband; and Lena Adams formerly a police officer who now works for the small local college in the security department.

While at first Lena's character was one of an ensemble of law enforcement officers, her character has moved to center stage and here holds the largest share of the reader's attention. In an earlier book in the series, Lena was brutally attacked, raped and tortured. She still struggles against the demons of memory of that experience, and against all good advice from her family, friends and co workers she refuses to seek psychiatric help and has begun to sink into an alcoholic spiral of self destruction. She lives in a kind of foggy isolation, and begins a friendship with a mysterious young man, whose character gradually unfolds. However at the conclusion of the action readers are still unsure of his true motives.

This volume in the series concerns a bewildering string of murders contrived to appear at first to be suicides. Another victim is horrifically stabbed, but survives the attack. As Sara and Jeffrey investigate issues of spousal abuse among the citizens of the small town become significant, as well as the intellectual and educational integrity of a major research project at the college. Another murder takes place near the conclusion of the action, this time with no attempt to hint at suicide. Although the perpetrator of the early string of murders is identified, the book concludes with a terrifying paragraph calling into question the true nature of one of the major characters.

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

Please Note: Books reviewed are usually provided by the publisher, author, or an agent. Reviewers usually get to keep the book.

Book Review: A Faint Cold Fear

Please Note: Books reviewed are usually provided by the publisher, author, or an agent. Reviewers usually get to keep the book.