To the Death

A clever psychopath elects himself judge, jury and executioner to mete out grisly death sentences on an ever-lengthening list of offenders. Michael Manning's young stepmother is in bed with two lovers when she is killed by a shotgun blast. His powerful father, the head of a news empire, is accused of hiring the murderer, but he collapses, leaving Michael to clear his name. With the aid of Karen Daniels, who has been working on a computer program profiling serial killers, Michael follows the killer and his trail of bloody calling cards across America. Their elusive quarry is most frightening when he's in the shadows, less so once he begins to play games with Michael. Despite occasional problems with pacing and dialogue, and splashy violence that will titillate some and repel others, this chilling first novel by a veteran newspaper writer is hard to put down. (Dec.)