The Cheater

Couldn't read the book...it was so water damaged from the previous user the pages were stuck together.

As far as I'm concerned Nancy Taylor Rosenberg can do no wrong, everyone of her books are real page turners, this one being no exception. I have kept all of her books because they are always worth a second, or third read!

Assigned to the FBI's 'Support Unit' in charge of serial murderers, Special Agent Mary Stevens is called upon to investigate a killing spree where the perpetrator is using 'alibi services' (companies that provide philandering husbands and unfaithful wives with cover stories) to pick out his victims. Men who are committing adultery are being slain and their bodies dismembered as a form of vigilante justice. A superbly crafted mystery/suspense novel, "The Cheater" by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg is masterfully narrated by Hillary Huber, thoroughly engaging from beginning to end, and a welcome, popular and recommended addition to community library collections.

Lily Forester has come a long way from when she killed her daughter's rapist (see Mitigating Circumstances) as she is now a Ventura County judge. She even survived killing the wrong man at that time and her daughter killing the right male (see Buried Evidence). Recently Lily and lawyer Anne Bradley have become friends. However, Anne has accused Lily's husband Bryce Donnelly of rape in Vegas. Meanwhile FBI profiler Mary Stevens has begun finding a pattern of a female serial killer murdering cheating spouses. She is unaware who even as Alibi Connection inadvertently helps Anne locate cheaters in order to kill them. THE CHEATER is a fascinating cat and mouse serial killer investigation. The story line is fast-paced and gripping though the readers know who the killer is early on and that man-eater is a zillion kilometers over the top of the Sierras as a psychopath. Mary is a terrific support character as she struggles to profile a female predator while Lily remains tormented and remorseful though she does not prevent her internal demons from doing her job. Fans will enjoy her return and want more profiling from Mary. Harriet Klausner

I rarely read thrillers. Apart from a handful by Thomas Harris, John Grisham, and a few others, they're not usually my thing. "The Cheater" is my first Nancy Taylor Rosenberg novel. But it definitely won't be my last. Rosenberg grabbed me on page one and refused to let go. I imagine her long-time fans will already be familiar with Lily Forester, but "The Cheater" was my introduction to this remarkable lady. Unlike some genre authors, one can't help but feel Rosenberg cares deeply and passionately about her creations. Or perhaps they all care, but Rosenberg wears her heart closer to her sleeve? Whatever the explanation, she made it all too easy to become personally invested in the fate of these characters. The author embraces the immortal words of Heraclitus: "Character is destiny." The action plays out like a modern Greek tragedy. These characters are very human, looking for the same things we all desire - love, companionship, understanding, and perhaps most of all answers to life's toughest questions. And like all of us they find themselves undermined by their mistakes and frailties. Not unlike real life, the consequences are rarely predictable and always engaging. Count on plot twists you don't see coming - a highly addictive experience! With less than 50 pages to go, I found myself dreading the inevitable final one, when I'd have to say goodbye to these kindred spirits. Thankfully, Rosenberg never shoves the moral(s) of her yarn down our throats. But beneath this "light" read lies an ocean of unexpected depth and resonance. The climax alone probably already has filmmakers forming a queue at the author's door. Cast Julia Roberts as Lily, hire a sure handed director - and get ready for a box office smash.

Really loved this book. Fast paced, great character development. I highly recommend it!