cover image And Soon I'll Come to Kill You

And Soon I'll Come to Kill You

Susan Kelly. Villard Books, $18 (213pp) ISBN 978-0-394-58415-7

Although its title suggests a murderer's-eye view of graphically described deaths, this spine-tingling addition to a noteworthy series features a savvy, independent female narrator. When true-crime writer Liz Connors (last seen in Until Proven Innocent ) gets anonymous threats in the mail, she is unnerved but not terribly worried. But the missives continue, and Liz's lover, Cambridge, Mass., police detective Jack Lingemann, convinces her to move in with him until they find the culprit. Methodically, Liz goes back over the stories she has written while Jack uses his connections to learn if those she profiled are still in prison. Then Liz finds a fashion doll with a big red ``X'' painted across its chest and an anonymous note arrives at Jack's apartment, convincing Liz that she faces real danger. Kelly's careful descriptions of the gradual changes in Liz's life and her anger at having someone else orchestrate her existence bring the horror of being a victim into sharp focus. (Sept.)