The Stranger You See by Amanda Kyle Williams

4.0 out of 5 stars Murder and mayhem - southern style..., October 16, 2011

  

I love suspense thrillers and this one kept me turning the pages as I wanted to find out two things: first and foremost -- who was this monstrous serial killer dubbed "Wishbone"? and who was this ex-FBI profiler turned private investigator and skip tracer named Dr. Keye Street? With many twists and turns and an almost unbelievable climax, we do get an unequivocal answer to the first question and a desire to learn more about the female protagonist in this debut of what will be a new series by this author.

The setting is Atlanta, Georgia, in the waning days of summer. Mutilated bodies of all ages, races and gender have been found and the killer is taunting the police team led by Keye's friend, Lieutenant Aaron Rauser. He brings Keye into the case when he receives the first letter and wants her to help him by developing a profile and listening to him discuss the case. She was a brilliant criminologist and profiler before alcoholism ended her career with the FBI, but she is drawn in and begins to delve into the psychological and behavioral aspects of the investigation. In addition, Keye continues her private work for local attorneys and bondsmen.

Since I don't "know" Georgia, the atmosphere and detail about the southern culture and lifestyle were intriguing and made me want to visit. I enjoyed the novel because the main character, Keye Street, is imperfect and interesting and I want to follow her into a complete recovery from her past and addictions. I imagine that the rest of the cast of supporting characters, now sort of cardboard stereotypes, will be fleshed out as the series develops. I was a bit chagrined about the romance but it seems inevitable in this type of book. I'll be looking for the follow up novel to see how it all holds up.