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Panic grips the
small college town of Lyndon, Pennsylvania when, all of a sudden, female
residents named ‘M. Douglas’ are being brutally murdered in the order
their names appear in the phone book. Mara Douglas, whose name’s next on
the list, perforce gets a bodyguard, albeit a most unlikely one, in the
form of FBI agent Aidan Shields. Although broken in both body and
spirit, Aidan feels obligated to help protect Mara and moves into her
house.
Both loners and both
with painful, unresolved pasts, Mara and Aidan at first have difficulty
adjusting to the new arrangements. But over time, they grow to tolerate
and later, like each other’s company and an attraction slowly develops.
Meanwhile, the killer skillfully evades both the police and FBI and
stalks ever closer to his next victim. Something about the killer’s MO
rings a bell in Aidan’s memory. Can he discover the truth before it’s
too late for Mara? Can there be a happy ending in sight for two such
misfits as Mara and Aidan?
This latest Mariah
Stewart book “Dead Wrong”, is the first in a highly compelling
trilogy. With taut narrative and never-ending suspense, Stewart sets the
stage for the story which begins lightly as a game and, most
incongruously considering what results, inside a courthouse. Building
upon a true-and-tried suspense formula, the author explores the twisted
psyche of a serial killer, as well as delves deep into the troubled
lives of the protagonists. With so many disturbed characters, there’s
opportunity galore for pathos and angst, and as a result there’re plenty
of emotional scenes, but expressed in a manner which is far more
effective, for being restrained. Without mincing words, Stewart also
explores the mutual antipathy between the local police and FBI which
hampers many an investigation. She also brings back some favorite
continuing characters from her previous books. What romance there is
between the main protagonists, is of a gentle nature and secondary to
the developing drama; but it’s slow development gives it a feel of
reality. All in all, “Dead Wrong” is sure to elate the author’s
regular fans and also gain her many more new readers.
Note : Not all is
wrapped up neat and tight towards the end of this story, leaving the
readers waiting in suspense for the upcoming novels, “Dead Certain” and
“Dead Even”, due to be released in summer 2004.
Reviewed By
Rashmi Srinivas for The Road to Romance
April 14, 2004 |
