Serial

Starred review from November 15, 2011
Just as Ed McBain gave readers an unprecedented glimpse into real police procedures with his "87th Precinct" series, Lutz has breathed new life into this genre with his Frank Quinn books. These novels are often brutal and lurid but never unbelievable. "Serial" is no exception: a madman known as "The Skinner" is targeting women who falsely accused men of rape and is exacting a horrible form of justice against them. His butchery chills even the most hardened members of Quinn's squad, and when one of its female members is nearly beaten to death, Quinn, Pearl, and the group go after him with a vengeance. This is not an easy book to listen to, but narrator Scott Brick manages to present the Skinner's brutality in a way that keeps the terror on a high burner without veering into salaciousness. His calm, clear reading gives the victims a dignity that the killer tries so hard to deprive them of. Lutz's titles are popular in all libraries, and there is no doubt that this will find a ready audience. Highly recommended.—Joseph L. Carlson, Vandenberg Air Force Base Lib., Lompoc, CA

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