Review: Roadside Crosses by Jeffery Deaver

Kathryn Dance is back in her second novel from thriller master Jeffery Deaver. This novel begins shortly after the conclusion of the first novel, The Sleeping Doll. There are complications with the court case involving Daniel Pell, the villain from said first novel. Kathryn is pulled away to begin work on a new case. A young girl was found bound in the trunk of her car on the beach, left there to die as the high tide rolled in.

The new case revolves around a blog, The Chilton Report. The publisher of the blog posted a story about a killer that leaves roadside crosses for his victims before they are attacked. People commenting at the blog decide that a teenage boy, Travis Brigham, is responsible for the attacks. He is viciously attacked by the commenters, labeled a freak.

Travis denies any connection with the attack but then disappears. More attacks occur and Kathryn is forced to track down Travis. Travis is very savvy in the online world and Kathryn recruits Jonathan Boling, a college professor, to assist her with the technical aspects of the case. Just to make matters worse, Kathryn's mother is arrested for the mercy killing of a patient at the hospital where she works.

Jeffery Deaver delivers another great thriller. This is a book that you will read quickly. The story sucks you in, you are helpless to control it. The whole novel takes place in just five days. That makes the story even more suspenseful, a technique Deaver uses in a lot of his books. Also in true Deaver form, the ending is full of twists and turns. The story is wrapped up in a nice bow and then, suddenly, maybe it's not. I know his books have twists at the end and yet he still is able to surprise me.

I enjoyed this novel very much and I look forward to further novels featuring Kathryn Dance.