For the fourth book in the Katie Maguire series, this is the first one that I felt Masterton took his foot off the throttle a bit. This felt more like a transitional novel, as though he had to set up the action for book five.

To start with, Masterton has absolutely never shied away from the gross stuff in this series. It's been, to me, one of the distinguishing features of the series, a police procedural coming from the mind and fingers of an established horror author.

Only this particular one felt more like your standard police procedural. The overtly nasty serial killer never appeared in this one, and some of the victims actually got away.

Thankfully, this was the first book to not have the now-expected lesbian scene. I have nothing against them, but they've always just felt shoehorned in for some unfathomable reason that only the author could explain. There was, however, the standard reasonably explicit awkward sex scene. Seriously, I love Masterton, I really do, but I wish he'd just stick to his strengths. Because, even though he worked for Playboy and has written several "great sex" books, the sex in this series is simply groan-worthy.

And one other thing. Katie Maguire really needs to up the security on her house, or hire a security guard or something. This is the third time in four novels that someone has perpetrated a particularly vicious act of violence in her home. She really needs to do something about that. No kidding, if I was her neighbour, I'd have moved long ago.

Other than that, even though the violence was toned down and a couple of storylines are being set up, it's still a fun read. Looking forward to the fifth book. ( )