The Stranger You Seek

Starred review from August 1, 2011
Williams makes her debut with an explosive, unpredictable, and psychologically complex thriller that turns crime fiction clichés inside out. Sarcastic and fast-thinking independent investigator Keye Street, a Chinese-American whose alcoholism got her booted from her FBI profiling job four years earlier, makes a living serving subpoenas, tracking down bail jumpers, and tackling the oddest of odd jobs. When a friend from the Atlanta PD calls her in to help track down a mysterious serial killer, Keye soon finds herself battling past ghostsâfrom her murdered grandparents to an unscrupulous former employerâwhile attempting to protect herself and her loved ones from a sadistic mastermind whose games become increasingly deadly. A sweet "friends first" romance, a diverse cast, and doses of humor enhance the relentless hairpin action. Those looking for a strong female protagonist not a sexpot and as intelligent, tough, and flawed as any male thriller hero will be richly rewarded.

Keye Street was a profiler for the FBI before alcoholism destroyed that part of her life. Now she's a bounty hunter and process server who sometimes assists the Atlanta police. As APD's Lt. Rauser involves her in the hunt for a serial killer dubbed "Wishbone," Ann Marie Lee's performance creates an original character who stands out from the current crop of women P.I.s. Lee portrays Street as feisty and smart yet vulnerable. The killer contacts Rauser and Street via email, blogs the gruesome details of the murders, and eludes and confuses everyone since there doesn't seem to be a "type" to Wishbone's victims. Williams offers a thoughtful investigation into the minds of both the flawed heroine and the deeply disturbed killer, and Lee narrates with expertise. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine