The Killer's Wife

January 14, 2008
Despite the intriguing premise of exploring a serial killer through the eyes of his wife, Floyd's debut falls short of its potential. Six years after Nina Mosley discovered evidence linking her husband, Randy, to a string of murders across the country, she's finally settling into a new life with their seven-year-old son, Hayden, in Cary, N.C. Now calling herself Leigh Wren, Nina hopes that she's heard the last of her ex-husband, who's on death row in California. But when the father of one of Randy's victims tracks her down and exposes her identity, Nina knows her troubles are far from over. As friends shun her, Nina struggles to come to terms with her past. When Hayden's life is suddenly put in jeopardy, Nina must revisit Randy's crimes and uncover who's continuing his killing spree before it's too late. Floyd shifts awkwardly between Nina's past life with Randy and her new life as Leigh, while his textbook portrayal of a serial killer offers nothing new for veteran thriller fans.

Starred review from November 15, 2007
After Leigh Wren's ex-husband, Randy, is convicted and sentenced to death for killing a dozen people in a ten-year spree, she relocates to a new town, changes her name, and lives an uneventful six years as a single mom to the couple's young son, Hayden. But when the vengeful father of one of Randy's victims locates her and publicly reveals her secrets, her picture-perfect life is shattered, her world, turned upside down. As Leigh struggles to keep their comfortable life intact, a copycat killer mimicking Randy's bizarre murders strikes too close to home. Newcomer Floyd has crafted a powerhouse thriller that plunges the reader into the intimate life of a serial killer as viewed from his wife's vantage point. Nail-biting flashbacks into Leigh's past with her dangerous husband and frightful glimpses into the psyche of a new killer keep the tension mounting. This is a book that grabs you and won't let go; highly recommended for all public libraries.Mary Todd Chesnut, Northern Kentucky Univ. Lib., Highland Heights

Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2008
Nina Mosley has taken a new identity and moved halfway across the country to distance herself and her seven-year-old son from her notorious ex-husband, a deviant serial killer now awaiting execution on death row in California.Then she is accostedby the father of one of the victims, whoouts herto the news media. Her life once again becomes a nightmare as she is hounded by the press and forced to answer questions about her past life and her knowledge of her husbands gruesome crimeshe was known as the Cross-Eye Killer for his signature move of replacing his victims eyes with small objects. Then new crimessurface that appear to be the work of a copycat, and a desperate Nina turns to a husband-and-wife PI teamfor help. Floyd doesnt fully explore his intriguing premise, offering the standard portrait ofa cruelkiller who subtly terrorizes his wife whileabetting her sense of denial. Still, readers never seem to tire of portrayals ofserialkillerswho succeed in passing themselves offfor years at a timeas workaday suburbanites.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)