Partners: A Novel of Crime

This novel follows the evolution of a serial killer. The first murder is almost happenstance. The killer, however, quickly realizes that he has a taste for blood and sets out to refine his methodology. It is horrifying to watch the handsome Finito Rakowski hone his "skills" and choose his victims.At the same time, police partners Belinda Moore and Pudge Pedersson must refine their investigatory skills and flout the rules to catch this guy before he claims another victim.While we know "who" done it, the suspense level is terrific as the beleaguered cops try to run him to ground. It's a real page-turner and a "must read" for mystery/suspense aficionados.

Cray's black topics and sense of humor are impressive, and I've read each of his three prior outings ( "Bad Lawyer", "Little Girl Blue" and "What You Wish For") with enthusiasm, but, in "Partners", he takes it to a new level. A compelling, interesting read by an author who is keeping his real identity a secret. In this tense story of serial murder, Cray tells his story from two points of view: that of an NYPD twosome, detectives Belinda Moore and Pudge Pedersson and that of the killer himself, Jorge "Finito" Rakowski. In Moore and Pedersson, Cray gives us a contrast of two partners who read each other's signals well, and who both struggle to put in perspective the balance between a job that can sometimes be all-consuming, and a personal life. Cray does a masterful job of giving us a friendship and a contrast in styles that succeed in getting the twosome what they want, (namely, the recognition of the powers that be that their early and insightful hunch that a serial killer is loose in Manhattan) and help them create the task force that will hunt Finito down. As good a write as Cray gives us about the police duo, the real draw of "Partners" is the character of Finito, himself. Finito roams Manhattan as a small-time grifter, a handsome con man who has spent his younger days with petty crime, and who's recently finished a stint in prison. Finito's anger at the world and at his lot in life, and his latent sociopathic tendencies, Finito is surprised and gratified by the thrill he gets from killing a hooker he is trying to rob. From that point, Finito makes a conscious decision to make his mark on the world with an escalating pattern of attack, torture, and death for a variety of women. With no "signature" initially, it is difficult to piece together Finito's early crimes as the pattern of a serial, but his "progress" is tracked by Moore-Pedersson until he eventually paints himself into a corner. In looking at the world through Finito's eyes, Cray gives the reader a real sense of soulessness and depravity, of one man's revenge and intent to discard his own life in return for grisly fame. Finito is the serial killer that many of us do not expect, the one whose latent tendencies and good looks hide his need to inflict pain. He's not the young kid who started out by killing animals, not the social outcast, not the type of man who makes women nervous in his company. In short, Finito is the most dangerous of all types - the killer that walks among us, disguised by his normalcy. This book may be too violent for some, but if you like the genre, don't miss "Partners".

This tight, dark, authentic police procedural matches two very human detectives with a worthy opponent, a serial killer who is so creepy yet believable that you won't stop reading until he's been caught. A terrific insider's view of NYC, police work and the criminal mind.

David Cray's new police procedural, "Partners," is a gritty look at how a petty criminal becomes a cruel predator. Twenty-seven year old Jorge "Finito" Rakowski is a small-time hood blessed with startling good looks but little else. Recently released from Rikers, with a long rap sheet, no education, and no job prospects, Finito relies mostly on theft to keep him afloat financially. Finito soon discovers, much to his surprise, that he derives enormous satisfaction from killing women. New York City police detecives Belinda Moore and Pudge Pedersson are partners. As friends, they discuss their hopes, fears, and disappointments, and as professionals, they work well together. Pudge and Belinda are convinced that one man is behind the murders of quite a few young women in recent months. Their bosses do not agree with this theory, and they make Moore's and Pedersson's lives increasingly difficult. However, Belinda and Pudge are old-fashioned cops who care about the victims, and they are determined to catch the killer any way they can.Cray has done an excellent job of getting inside the minds of both a serial killer and the detectives who seek to bring him down. We get to know Finito Rakowski, who is equal parts con artist, immature little boy, and sociopath. We also become well acquainted with the two detectives, Moore and Pedersson, who have the same irritating personal problems that everyone else has, but who are focused on getting results when they are on the job. Cray's writing is smooth and occasionally darkly humorous, his plotting is fast-paced and exciting, and his depiction of police procedure is authentic and engrossing. I highly recommend "Partners" for an inside look at the grim world of two homicide detectives.