Dead Men's Dust

Hilton's energetic but disjointed debut introduces British ex-soldier Joe Hunter, who after 14 years in counterterrorism now spends his time protecting those who need his help, as part hired muscle and part vigilante. Joe reluctantly agrees to track down his wayward half-brother, John Telfer, after his sister-in-law explains that her husband skipped out on the family and headed for America. As Joe and his friend Jared “Rink” Rington follow John's trail from Arkansas to the Mojave Desert, they come to realize that John's troubles run deeper than just unpaid debts. Interspersed are the musings of Tubal Cain, a man who claims to be the most prolific undetected serial murderer in America. When Cain's path overlaps with John's, it's up to Joe to bring his brother home alive and put a stop to Cain's spree. Hilton has an eye for action and gore, but can't quite wrangle his unwieldy plot. Hopefully, some of the many unanswered questions left at the end will be answered in the sequel. (June)