Ladykiller

Ladykiller By Lawrence Light and Meredith Anthony ISBN: 1-933515-05-8 Suspense/Thriller 240 pages Oceanview Publishing Ladykiller is the debut suspense novel by Lawrence Light and Meredith Anthony, the husband and wife writing team, and what a unique writing team. They have penned a novel that is a must for crime enthusiast. The setting is the streets of New York, and the year is 1991. Four women have been murdered from all different walks of life, including a cheerleader, stockbroker, a housewife and a prostitute. Homicide detective Dave Dillion of the NYPD is on the case and must solve these murders or risk losing his job. Dave encounters a beautiful social worker by the name of Megan Morrison, the two join forces in search for the serial killer, and romance ensues. The press is calling the serial killer "Ladykiller". The killer has left no clues and no trail behind to follow. The murders always take place in some out of the way place where no witnesses can be found. There are never any signs of the victim being taken against her will and no signs of a struggle with their attacker, and the murders all appear to be personal in nature. Will Dave find the killer before its too late? Lawrence Light is an award-winning journalist and is currently the Wall Street Editor for Forbes magazine. He graduated from Columbia School of Journalism and is the author of the Karen Glick novels. He currently resides in Manhattan with his wife and co-author Meredith Anthony. Meredith Anthony has written for a variety of sources including film, television, print and the web. She graduated from St. John's College and also received a MA from The Johns Hopkins University. Ladykiller is an intriguing, compelling and suspenseful crime novel packed with enticing twists and turns to keep you on the edge. The authors have created a powerful thriller that tantalizes with a sense of suspense and a steady flow of action. The characters are believable, finely developed and engaging. Ladykiller is superbly crafted with vivid detail that draws you into the story. An astounding 5 stars!

Set in the gritty streets of New York City, Ladykiller reveals just how hard it is to catch a killer in a city of 8 million. I really loved following the characters through the cold, dark neighborhoods of midtown and wondering who was gonna get it next. Despite learning the identity of the killer early on in the book, the authors managed to keep me guessing until the last pages as to how the story would actually end! It was fun to try and piece things together in a different way than most mysteries present. If you're looking for a fresh thriller, this is one I highly recommend!

Contrary to the "Publisher's Weekly" review, I really liked the structure of the prose and found it easy to read, but without losing the important details. In addition, I found the plot far from improbable and actually more believable than most mystery books I've read (save for the strange little twist at the end, which of course I won't reveal). Overall, I found this book to be an exciting, quick read with interesting plot twists and memorable characters. I hope this author duo strikes again with more books of intrigue!

There are evil people in this world and one of them is at work in New York City. Women are being murdered - viciously shot through the right eye. The NYPD detective on the case, Dave Dillon, cannot find anything they have in common. They come from different walks of life, different incomes, different jobs - but he knows there is a link he just has to find it and fast because more and more innocent people are being killed. This case is going to revive Dave's career as a detective or be the end of it. He has some dark problems haunting him from the past in relation to his career. Dave has to prove himself with this case because his Chief is just waiting for him to fail. The trail leads to a Crisis Center where Dave meets Megan Morrison, a social worker. Megan is enlisted to assist Dave in interviewing the victim's friends and family. Dave and Megan start going through files at the Center and interviewing clients while Nita, Megan's supervisor, is being extremely unfriendly and downright hostile putting more roadblocks in the way of the investigation than is reasonable in Dave's opinion. Is it jealousy? Does she know something she's not telling? Is it because she believes that patient records should be kept private? Or maybe she is just territorial? Light and Anthony have created a super-charged thriller that has many intricate twists and turns along the way. The identity of the serial killer was the first surprise of many that keep the pages turning to an ending that shocks the reader. The characters are complex and multifaceted giving real life to the story line.

Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (03/07) I've long believed that books - just like medication - should come with warning labels. There are those who will definitely put you to sleep, those that have strange side effects and cause cravings of all kinds, those that do not make a difference and those that will keep you awake for hours. Lawrence Light and Meredith Anthony's "Ladykiller" definitely fits in the last category. Four women, four corpses, no clues and no trail to follow. Detective Dave Dillon of the NYPD has to solve the crimes or else he will be looking for a job. During the investigation he meets a beautiful social worker, Megan Morrison. Romance is not far away. Nor is the trouble. Nita, Megan's mentor and co-worker, is not happy with the way things are developing. Jamie, Dave's co-worker and a brilliant detective herself, has the hots for Dave. Then the Ladykiller changes his modus operandi. Will Dave solve the crimes? Will his romance with Megan work out? What exactly has he done in the past that his job is hanging on such a thin thread? The seemingly straightforward story of a `Ladykiller' who kills women from different walks of life has a number of surprising and chilling twists and turns. If you think you have it figured out, think again - and again and again... The novel moves fast, with a pace as frenetic as the scene of it, New York City. It is dark, it is disturbing and above all, very believable. The characters are three dimensional and convincing. The descriptions of some of the less fortunate dwellers of New York City are unsettling and will stay with you for a while. I found "Ladykiller" to be an enjoyable read, if slightly disturbing. The meanness of New York streets and some of their residents leaves one wanting to take a shower - or a couple of them - of course with lights on and the alarm fully armed. The motivation of some of the characters for their deeds remains slightly unclear to me and I wish some of the questions raised towards the end of the book would be answered fully. As it is, this book in my opinion fairly screams out for a sequel and if one is indeed written, I'll gladly read it. I would recommend this book to anybody who likes a fast-faced, gritty and harsh crime novel with well developed characters and a gripping story line. This book delivers.