Reviewed by Barbara Buhrer, MyShelf.Com
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Detective Jackson Daniels is called to the Hyatt hotel to investigate a homicide. With his investigative partner, Marvin, he finds the mutilated body of a man on a bed with the words "Waynes Dead" written in his blood on the wall over the bed. The murdered man is identified as a prominent attorney. The police are frustrated by the case, as the crime scene is devoid of fingerprints and a weapon, and there is no discernible motive for the murder.

Within a short period of time, there is another murder. In searching the national police records, they find a series of like murders: all married men, lawyers, who are seduced, murdered and mutilated. They determine they have a serial killer on the loose who has covered his tracks so expertly that the detectives begin to wonder if he's one of their own.

In the meantime, Jack has become involved with Gillian McKenzie, a court stenographer, but begins to have doubts about their relationship.

This is a distinct departure from French's first novel, the romantic comedy, Chasing Horses. Waynes Dead definitely falls into the suspense category and is proof that French is an author to be reckoned with.

This is a well-crafted story with true-to-life characters, fully-developed relationships between the characters, and a rapid pace, continuously building the suspense. Much attention is given to mental illness and childhood abuse being possible reasons behind serial killers.

What will be the next gem we may expect from CT French? I, for one, eagerly await its arrival.