Sarah Broadhurst's view...
August 2010 Debut of the Month.
A complex tale of two plots, the main one of the serial killer the Strangler, and then one of the serial rapist the Rainman, with lots of incidental sub-plots to titillate. It slows up a bit in the middle, often a fault of first novels, but there is real potential here with the first three in the series coming very close together.
Comparison: Ingrid Black, Beverly Barton, John Verdon.
Who is Sarah Broadhurst ? |
Synopsis
All the Pretty Girls by J. T. Ellison
This is an electrifying debut packed with hold-your-breath suspense. When a local girl falls prey to a sadistic serial killer, Nashville homicide lieutenant Taylor Jackson and her lover, FBI profiler Dr. John Baldwin, find themselves in a joint investigation pursuing a vicious murderer. The Southern Strangler is slaughtering his way through the Southeast, leaving a gruesome memento at each crime scene - the prior victim's severed hand. Ambitious TV reporter Whitney Connolly is certain the Southern Strangler is her ticket out of Nashville; she's got a scoop that could break the case. She has no idea how close to this story she really is - or what it will cost her. As the killer spirals out of control, everyone involved must face a horrible truth - that the purest evil is born of private lies.
Reviews
'A taut, striking debut. Mystery fiction has a new name to watch.' - John Connolly
'A terrific lead character, terrific suspense, terrific twists... a completely convincing debut.' - Lee Child
'An impressive and arresting thriller.' - Publishers Weekly
About the Author
|
J.T. Ellison is the bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Taylor Jackson series, including All the Pretty Girls, 14 and Judas Kiss.
She is a graduate of Randolph-Macon Woman's College and received her master's degree from George Washington University. She was a presidential appointee and worked in the White House and the Department of Commerce before moving into the private sector. As a financial analyst and marketing director, she worked for several defense and aerospace contractors.
After moving to Nashville, Ellison began research on a passion: forensics and crime. She has worked with the Metro Nashville Police Department, the FBI and various other law enforcement organizations to research her books.
Her short stories have been widely published, including her award-winning story "Prodigal Me" in the anthology Killer Year: Stories to Die For, edited by Lee Child, "Chimera" in the anthology Surreal South ‘09, edited by Pinckney Benedict and Laura Benedict, and "Killing Carol Ann" in The Thrill Begins, edited by Lee Child.
She is the bimonthly Friday columnist at the Anthony Award–nominated blog Murderati and is a founding member of Killer Year, an organization dedicated to raising awareness for the debut novelists of 2007.
Ellison is a member of several writing organizations, including International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, Romance Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.
Author photo © Chris Blanz, Cabedge
More books by this author
Author 'Like for Like' recommendation |
|
Categories
Loading other formats...
Categories
Crime / Who-dunit
If you loved this, you might like these...
