The investigation into a 25-year-old double murder of a wealthy socialite and her young lover is renewed with vigor in this sharp and sexy thriller from Edgar award–winning author Bayer (Peregrine; Switch). When Barbara Fulraine and her lover, Tom Jessup, were gunned down in the cheap Flamingo Court motel in the fictional Midwestern city of Calista, David Weiss was just a young boy. Soon after the homicides, David's father, who is also Barbara's therapist, committed suicide. Now, 25 years later, David is a forensic sketch artist who returns to Calista to cover a celebrity murder trial. While there, he becomes obsessed with the unresolved local scandal of the Flamingo murders, convinced Barbara Fulraine's death was the cause of his family's breakup. He interviews a handful of upper-crust locals as well as residents from the seedier side of town, all of whom seem intent on leaving the past alone. Just as the trail of clues grows cold and David's life is endangered, he comes upon Barbara Fulraine's diary from that time. He begins to unravel the history of the mysterious and erotic woman whose sexual prowess may have gotten her killed. Rough play, a nasty custody battle and a kiddie porn ring are just a few of the sordid highlights in this highly charged tale. Some may find the revelation of the killer's identity anticlimactic, yet still be sufficiently satisfied by this classy and compelling psychoerotic suspense tale. 6-city author tour. (Feb. 5)
