The Bodies Left Behind by Jeffery Deaver

So-so stand alone..., April 21, 2011

I have read all of Jeffery Deaver's previous books but this stand alone cat-and-mouse tale doesn't hold up to the high octane suspense thriller that I'm used to reading when I open one of his novels.

Deputy Brynn McKenzie is dispatched to Lake Mondac to investigate an aborted 911 call from a cell phone that appears to have originated from a secluded lake house there. When she arrives and enters the house, she discovers the bodies of a man and woman who have been murdered. The killers are, however, still on the scene and when Brynn finds another potential victim unharmed at the residence they band together and run out from the house to evade the two killers. Although the plot advances at a rapid pace, and even as the events unfold and the reader is swept up into the tense chase, the narrative requires the reader to suspend disbelief as Brynn McKenzie and a friend of the murdered couple escape into the dark Wisconsin woods on a dark, cold night in April. Pursued by two ruthless hit men, they rush blindly toward any avenue of safety only to be thwarted by the men time and again. Dirtied and injured, they encounter others out in those dark woods that night. Are they friend or foe? The whole "in the woods" portion of the book goes on and on and on. In addition, there is another subplot involving union shenanigans and other red herrings that don't necessarily add to the story but only confuse the reader.

The loose ends are all tied up neatly at the end, as expected. While not Deaver's best, I'm sure his fans will want to read this one but I suggest they borrow rather than buy. I enjoyed the experience of reading the Large Print version of the book as it is much easier on the eyes.