Le tueur des ombres (2000)

A bit long but very good

Having tried to resist the descent back into my comfy place of crime fiction, I've got sucked in again. Understanding why Val McDermid is often on Nicola Sturgeon's list of her fave books of the year! ( )

There is a serial killer who is killing mystery/thriller authors. Fiona Cameron, an authority on profiling, is involved in the search for the perp and her search is pretty personal since her live in boyfriend is just such an author. McDermid turns what could be a predictable plot into one really great story. ( )

Review: Killing The Shadows by VAL McDermid. Fantastic book… Brilliantly written. It’s a book that can’t be put down. McDermid created some inconspicuous characters to rivet a twisting plot.

A mystery serial killer on the prowl, but who is it and who is next? There are many serial killer author’s who would never imagine becoming a victim of there own scenes they creatively engineered in their very own best seller books. The killer had a list of author’s and chose which book the author wrote to copycat the murder. The killer was cunning, mysterious, stunning and a surprise to the end.

The egotistic irate authorities were to pigheaded to own up to the fact that the murders were connected. There were many reasons they backed away from a serial killer being on the loose. One murder was in Edinburgh, another in Ireland and the third was at a cottage in Dorset. To far-fetched to make a motive or connection The police tactics kept the story unfolding only a small piece at a time. But that was ok. It kept the story more intriguing for the reader. It gave the killer time to build the resources of his plots and schemes to the readers expectations.

Meanwhile, Professor Cameron, a psychologist who uses computer technology to help the police on some cases had her own opinions. She became frustrated and worried because her partner, who just happen to be an author of serial murder books, received a threatening letter in the mail. There were more letters to other writer’s but at the time no one knew so there were no connections made. The professor kept to her nagging feelings that she was correct but little did she know at the time there were more twist and turns she hadn’t spun into yet.

She was also working on another serial murder case for a former boss. So, her mind was in more than one place at a time. I give the author credit though, he kept her character motivated, sharp minded, short fused at times, and on her toes at all times.

There’s plenty more thrill and mystery to the story but I’ll leave your imaginations somewhere entwined in the aftermath of my memory……
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I loved this book. It is very intriguing, right to the end. I never guessed the perpetrator. A psychological crime thriller, it is one of the best. ( )