A murder victim is discovered, piece by piece, in the lifelike sculptures of acelebrated artist. True crime author Garner Quinn thinks she knows the killer. But thetruth is stranger than fiction when life imitates art and death.
As Waterhouse's story opens, narrator Garner Quinn, a forceful, driven and highly successful writer of true-crime books, is convinced of the innocence of a young farmboy accused of being a serial killer known as Holy Ghost. She champions his cause and works tirelessly to free him.Once the young man is acquitted, Quinn, despite her promise to spend time with her teenage daughter, is immediately caught up in her next case. How can she help it when it concerns body parts found in the sculptures of Dane Blackmoor, a romantic enigma Quinn once cast as her father in lonely childhood fantasies? Is Blackmoor a killer? Is Quinn being stalked by the real Holy Ghost?Although the plot takes several meandering turns, Waterhouse's writing is punchy and vivid, her flawed heroine skillfully depicted, and the ending pulls out all the stops, involving the forces of nature as well as the diabolical workings of a sadistic killer's mind.
satisfying read
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 21 years ago
This is the fourth Jane Waterhouse book that I have read. I read two later Quinn Garner books which I liked so much that I decided to read Jane Waterhouse's backlist. I found the characters complex and compelling. The plot was a little bizarre at times, but I found the book hard to put down.
Enjoyed it alot
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
This is my first excursion into a Jane Waterhouse book. I found it to be a very satisfying read that kept me turning the pages. When the main character (Garner) is being "wrapped" by Dane, I felt like it was happening to me. The relationship with Garner and father was excellent, though unresolved as many relationships are...particularly with parents. I am looking forward to reading other Waterhouse mysteries.
Beautiful writing -- one too many plots.
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 27 years ago
I really enjoyed the sophisticated pen and hope to see more. Wonderful development -- of each story. Waterhouse created Garner Quinn, a character to whom anyone with an ounce of critical marrow could relate. Garner Quinn could easily live on in subsequent stories -- which could be the flaw with this one. Waterhouse, in her enthusiasm to create a brilliant mystery, actually created two. If it had worked, the brilliance would have been in the glue that held them together. Instead, without any connection whatsoever, other than Quinn's frantic pace of overlapping one crime with another, all that is left is a quick summary, short explanation of why any of it happened at all. I think that with more indepth development of a single plot, further development of her household relationships and the true brilliance of her penmanship, Waterhouse will become one of the best in this genre.
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