So Close the Hand of Death

January 24, 2011
Those who like plots about a desperate effort to catch multiple serial killers before they can add to their body count will welcome Ellison's sixth Taylor Jackson thriller (after The Immortals). A Nashville homicide lieutenant, Jackson has no time to breathe between psychopaths. Having foiled the savage killer known as Snow White, she must now contend with Snow White's protégé, the Pretender, who's arranged for several murderers to commit crimes around the country patterned on those of the Boston Strangler, Son of Sam, and the Zodiac Killer. As so often happens in such books, Jackson and her team get a handle on the Pretender's likely true identity early on, then try to figure out what mask he's been hiding behind to escape detection. Ellison offers few genuine surprises and little depth, but airport readers seeking to kill a few hours could do worse.

July 25, 2011
In Ellison's sixth Taylor Jackson thriller, the Nashville homicide detective finds herself terrorized by the acolyte of a serial killer she bested in a previous novel. Calling himself the Pretender, his evil plan uses the Internet to host a nationwide contest between want-to-be killers, urging contestants to slay in the style of their favorite homicidal maniac. As the aspiring assassins murder their way to the winner's circle, paying homage to the likes of Son of Sam, the Boston Strangler, and San Francisco's Zodiac Killer, the Pretender sets his sights on Jackson, rattling her by maiming her closest friends. From there, the novel alternates between protagonists until the two converge and eventually collide. Joyce Bean turns in another fine performance, narrating in a straightforward, smartly paced fashion, with special diligence in vocally mirroring Jackson's ever-increasing stress and strain. Her rendering of the tension-filled confrontation scene is powerful enough to convince some listeners to overlook some of the novel's less credible sequences. A Mira paperback. (Mar.)â¨