KILLING FEAR

Author: Allison Brennan ISBN: 9780345502711 2/2008 SUSPENSE Publisher: BALLANTINE

Theodore Glenn is bright, charismatic, and loves to inflict pain . . . both on his victims before they die and on those who later find their mutilated corpses. At his trial seven years ago, Glenn vowed vengeance on his persecutors: Detective Will Hooper, the cop who nabbed him, and beautiful Robin McKenna, the stripper whose testimony put him behind bars. When a catastrophic disaster sets convict Glenn free, he blazes a freshly-bloodied path across San Diego County. But the death he craves most is Robin McKenna's. Putting aside their past troubled relationship, Will rushes to protect Robin, now a savvy businesswoman operating her own upscale club. As the killings mount and Glenn proves a master manipulator, Robin and Will become snared in a twisted web of horror. But the shocking truth is even worse, for this macabre mystery has a twist: the evil they face is even more deadly than they fear.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

The exquisite Ms. Brennan has done it again!

The gripping, chilling KILLING FEAR adds another successful notch in the rising star Ms. Brennan's proverbial belt. This fast-moving, beautifully executed thriller is close to perfection from all angles—from carefully crafted, full-bodied characters to a dynamite killer thriller.

Ms. Brennan, who has made her mark by creating truly demonic serial killers, seems to tone down the shock factor in KILLING FEAR. The creepy killer is not only revealed early in this story, but the gruesome, up-close-and-personal violence evident in her previous work has been placed at a distance. This step back from in-your-face violation does not diminish any of the creepy aspects from KILLING FEAR. This killer's mind is enough to give readers nightmares all by itself.

KILLING FEAR is horrific, fascinating reading. The timing is flawless, the characters intriguing, and the suspense is air-tight... a terrific novel I highly recommend.

Debbie Jett