In this gripping if uneven mystery, the first in a new series from Schorr (Ace of Diamonds
), Brian Hansen, a Vietnam vet and recovering addict, works as a psychologist at a Portland, Ore., mental health and addiction clinic. Soon after his patient Tammy LaFleur misses her weekly appointment, Hansen is chilled to learn that she has killed herself. Despite her paranoia, Tammy had seemed optimistic; the suicide method arouses his suspicions, as does the victim's connection to an influential Portland police family. Schorr weaves Hansen's inquiry with an investigation into a vigilante serial killer who targets recidivist criminals. The resolution, which involves a sadistic deputy mayor, shifts the novel from a gritty look at corruption and substance abuse toward unlikely fantasy. Still, Hansen is a complex, compelling amateur sleuth who deserves further development in future installments. (Sept.)
