Find Me (Kathleen Mallory Series #9) by Carol O'Connell

From Barnes & Noble

Victim by victim, the Route 66 serial killer is building an ever-growing network of ghoulish defiance: He leaves each fresh young kill on the highway, one hand chopped off, replaced with the hand bones of a previous victim, which in turn point to a new corpse. New York detective Kathy Mallory is on vacation, but she can't ignore this demented child murderer, especially as the death count climbs above 100. With the help of her partner, Riker, and police psychologist Charles Butler, she pursues the fiend. Carol O'Connell's ninth Mallory novel is in our view the most gripping and revealing.

From the Publisher

On Route 66, as word travels that children's grave sites are being discovered along the road, the parents of missing children form a silent caravan. They are being shepherded by NYPD Detective Kathleen Mallory, who seeks a killer like none she has ever known-and a child unlike the others: herself.

The New York Times - Janet Maslin

… the new book is entirely accessible and self-contained. Read the others if you like, but start with this one. The author has pared and fine-tuned what was once a cumbersome style so that it is now as clean, lean and forceful as the series’s heroine, whose spooky beauty and daunting manner make an indelible impression wherever she goes.

Publishers Weekly

A complex tale of murder, betrayal and unexpected revelations of self-discovery are some of the compelling elements that make up this exceptional entry into O'Connell's mystery series featuring a NYPD detective and ex-feral child, Kathy Mallory. While on a deeply personal road trip along Route 66, Mallory gets caught up in a manhunt for a serial killer. The investigating authorities believe Mack the Knife has been murdering children and burying them along the old highway for over a decade, with the death toll reaching more than 100. When adult bodies begin showing up, Mallory embarks on a mission to end the murder's killing streak, no matter what the cost. Bresnahan manages to balance multiple viewpoints and a wide variety of characters without resorting to over-the-top vocal theatrics. Her clear, matter-of-fact delivery keeps the plot moving at a steady pace and works well with the material. She is especially effective in her portrayal of the no-nonsense Mallory, a troubled character who never lets emotions get in the way of her job. Bresnahan's narration pulls the listener deep into this absorbing and suspenseful story. Simultaneous release with the Putnam hardcover (Reviews, Oct. 16). (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

When the death toll of serial killer "Mack the Knife" exceeds 100 victims along historic Route 66 in America's heartland, Kathy Mallory, on vacation from her job with the NYPD, decides to give the locals a hand in bestseller O'Connell's exciting ninth thriller to feature the frosty, unapproachable detective (after 2004's Winter House). Aided by her longtime partner Riker and police psychologist Charles Butler, Mallory butts heads with just about everyone, pursuing the case as if it were hers and hers alone. She makes little progress until the killer starts leaving a new calling card, depositing fresh kills on the highway, all with one hand chopped off and replaced with the tiny hand bones of a previous victim pointing to a new grave. Stylish prose and a magnetic lead character more than compensate for an overly complicated plot that drags in spots, particularly in the second half. For readers who have never followed Mallory, this is as good a time as ever to get acquainted. Author tour. (Jan.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Ilka Gordon - Library Journal

In Find Me, the ninth Kathy Mallory murder mystery, the corpse of an apparent suicide is found in the NYPD detective's apartment while she-armed with letters written by the father who abandoned her mother before she was born-is off on a quest to follow his beloved Route 66. On the way, she stumbles on a caravan of parents of missing little girls, led by an online psychologist with a checkered past. The FBI is also following the route and finding the graves of many of the children. Now, the serial killer is after the parents. The most interesting part of the novel is when information about Kathy's missing father is revealed. Alyssa Bresnahan expertly narrates this work. Though it is quite complicated and difficult to follow in the beginning, it redeems itself toward the end. Bresnahan's voice captures the emotions and personalities of the various characters very well. Recommended for public library mystery collections, especially where the Mallory series is popular.

Library Journal

Arrogant, cold, and sometimes brutal, New York detective Kathy Mallory has always been as scary as the murderers she pursues. In this ninth installment of the series featuring Mallory, O'Connell (Dead Famous) shows her unraveling as she explores a deeply personal mystery and becomes tangled up in a larger hunt for a serial killer along Route 66. Partner Riker and friend Charles Butler follow her trail, worrying about her mental health and the nature of her quest-not to mention the dead body found in her apartment. Meanwhile, all three are appalled by the FBI investigation into the Route 66 child murders, especially the use of a caravan of grieving parents as bait. Each struggles in his or her own way to protect the civilians on this most hazardous of road trips. O'Connell once again weaves a complex, gripping tale with layers of emotional resonance. This is another satisfying thriller in a rich, character-driven series that belongs in all public libraries. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 9/1/06.]-Devon Thomas, DevIndexing, Chelsea, MI Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Plenty of creepy goings-on along Route 66, including missing children and serial killing. Call her "Mallory." Just one name. It fits, for blonde, beautiful, brilliant as she is, she's tight-lipped and tough. All action and results. Sending her ace detective back onto the mean streets, O'Connell (Winter House, 2004, etc.) makes her even more intriguing than in any of the eight previous Mallory novels. From the get-go, she's on the run. In her own Upper West Side apartment, the police discover a corpse-Savannah Sirus, shot in the heart-and by her side, a cryptic note: "Love is the death of me." No way Mallory could be the perp-she's a legendary sleuth, envy of the department. But still, gun freak, control addict, computer whiz and orphan raised up wild in the urban jungle, she's no Joe Friday, but a truly strange bird. Another corpse turns up, mutilated in the Windy City "with one arm extended, pointing down the road to say: Follow Me." Mallory hits Route 66 and gets her kicks showing up FBI agents and other bumblers, all the while questing to connect the homicide dots. On the highway, she's drawn into the wake of a caravan of cars that soon figures into the labyrinthine plot. For they're a funeral procession of sorts, kinfolk of packs of missing kids. Stopping at roadside eateries, they flash photos of the disappeared and search for clues, and then it's on the road again, relentlessly seeking. "Relentless" has become synonymous with O'Connell's series. She gets all the genre stuff right: the cops' jaded inside jokes, the forensics jargon, the violence. Mainly, though, she's masterful at revealing the detective mind. Very smart murder fare complete with a rain-swept mood and psychologicalheat. Agent: Larry Kirshbaum/LJK Literary Management

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