Shattered

Bonansinga's third outing with FBI profiler Ulysses Grove is a first-rate suspense thriller, as compelling as it is frightening. Grove is living with his wife, Maura, and their infant son, Aaron, in northern Virginia when he receives his latest assignment, tracking down a serial killer who offs his victims in pairs before systematically eviscerating them. As he continues his brutal rampage, with Grove doggedly in pursuit, the killer turns his sights on Grove's family—and the villain's preternatural powers may just lead him to their front door. Fortunately for Grove, he's got supernatural aid of his own in his mother's psychic visions; even more fortunate is the way Bonansinga never lets the intensity flag while balancing believable characters, forensic science, hard-nosed detective work and paranormal flourishes. Grove proves to be one of the most genuine, flesh-and-blood suspense-thriller protagonists out there, and the foe Bonansinga pits against him is truly chilling. (Dec.)