January 5, 2011
Everyday is an anniversary of something- a birth, opening of a business, meeting, or in this case anniversaries of serial murders from the past. Read" The Anniversary Man" and have a good ride!
You are 16 years old and you have your whole life ahead of you. Working hard in school and helping out in your father’s store you just want to be a typical teenager and enjoy life. In walks Nadia a beautiful redheaded teenager and your whole world changes. Getting to know her and developing strong feelings is normal when you are 16 years old. What does happen as a result of this relationship is anything but normal. It is tragic. After getting to know each other John and Nadia decide to meet at the beach to discuss that she is leaving to study art in New York City. The events of that afternoon will imbed themselves in John’s mind and forever scar him not only physically but mentally as well. “ I am the Hammer of God, “ he stated as he came upon the young couple and lifted his hammer killing Nadia and critically injuring John. This brings me to my review of a riveting thriller, “The Anniversary Man” by author RJ Ellory.
Detective Ray Irving is determined to find out how John Costello was able to link all of the murders together. Finding out about his past and learning a little about his present made him suspicious of him. John Costello a relative recluse that belongs to the Winterbourne club a group who meets weekly to discuss serial murder cases. Irving is on quest to find the killer and Costello might be his only source to help him succeed. John’s researching expertise and his connections, Detective Ray Irving begins the insurmountable job of trying to connect all of these murders before the body count rises even more. Ray Irving and John Costello along with Karen Langley form an unwritten bond to bring this man to justice forever changing all of their lives.
This extremely smart, insane killer who methodically plans each murder to the weapon used, the manner of execution and the dates that are linked to famous serial murders from the past, making the Anniversary Man one killer that needs to be stopped before he kills again.
Limited resources, the body counts rising and the suspect list sparse, Detective Ray Irving, and the NYPD are at a dead end until something changes all of that. Suspicions rise and then one phone call turns the entire city and the police force on a deadly chase for a sadistic killer. Sometimes we have to go back to the beginning in order to come to the end. Starting with Mia Grant and intertwining many others involved in trying to find her killer, author RJ Ellory creates an ending with twists, turns, deceit, lies and more that will send the reader on a ride with an end result more deadly than a Category 4 Hurricane and equally as devastating. John Costello was a victim along with his girlfriend and he was never the same. It was as if he knew how this would all end.
Unfortunately, he spent his life trying to overcome what happened that day. John, Ray, Karen, Vernon Gifford, Faraday, Turner and many more will be there at the end. Everyday is an anniversary of something- a birth, opening of a business, meeting, or in this case anniversaries of serial murders from the past. The Anniversary Man is someone no one wants to celebrate with. Would you?
Fran Lewis has reviewed this book and once again she does it well!
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