Timothy Blake didn’t have the best childhood. Orphaned as an
infant. In and out of foster and group homes until he aged out. Lived on the
streets. Survived by his wits. Has an online business where he solves puzzles
and makes a little money at it, but not even enough for his rent. Now in his
mid 30s, he consults with the Houston field office of the FBI mostly on
kidnapping cases. Doesn’t get paid per se, but he does get a reward.
Blake has an almost supernatural ability to take seemingly
minor clues and piece together the who, the what, and the why of a kidnapping. The
local SAC knows Blake from way back and makes good use of Blake’s skill and
then arranges the reward. Agent Reese Thistle, like most agents, is skeptical
of Blake, but as she watches him at work, starts to gain some respect. And
interest.
Cameron Hall has been kidnapped. Lives with his mom in a
gated community. Money. Communication with the bad guy is strangely mechanical. Almost
pre-recorded. When Blake finally finds the kid, he’s had a kidney removed. A few
days later, Blake sees a ‘Have you seen this boy’ poster and the kid looks
nearly identical to Hall. Is there a serial kidnapper in Houston?
Here’s the deal. Blake has a secret only he and the SAC know
about. Almost all of Blake's actions are connected to keeping his secret. Has to
do with his reward for finding the abducted kid alive. Imagine a character who
is one part Dexter and one part Hannibal Lector. Yuck.
I have to say that when his particular affliction became
apparent, I considered closing the book. But I stuck with it. Yes, there were
some graphic passages that I skimmed, but the investigation into the multiple kidnappings
was fascinating and worth staying focused on the developments of the case. As a
procedural, this is first rate, but it is one creepy psychological study.
Publication date 12 Jan 2018.
ECD
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