In Jacobson’s tepid third thriller (after Hunted
and False Accusations
), FBI profiler Karen Vail is obsessed with bringing to justice the Dead Eyes Killer, who’s gruesomely slain several women in Virginia. The action alternates between Karen’s attempts to unravel the clues left behind at the crime scenes and glimpses of the Dead Eyes Killer himself as he stalks future victims. A messy divorce and custody battle threaten to distract Karen, as do her tentative relationship with a local detective and disturbing revelations about her family history. The author fails to put a fresh spin on any of the genre’s clichés—the serial killer who taunts law enforcement, the FBI agent with an implausible connection to the case, the chaotic crime scene that contains clues only the hero can crack. Though Jacobson’s research into the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit is evident, he overloads his story with too much information and unbelievable coincidences. 5-city author tour. (Nov.)
