Monday, December 13, 2010

Deeper Than The Dead - Book Review

One of the fun things about regularly winning books from GoodReads.com is that I get to read an ecclectic mix of genres and books that I might not actually pick up off the shelf at the book store. Deeper Than The Dead by Tami Hoag is one of these books. The book sat on my pile of to-read books for awhile and I decided to read it this weekend.

This murder mystery is intense and thrilling and will keep you up at night, which is exactly what you want from a murder mystery. In a quiet community, four ten year old children, cutting through the woods after school, find the dead body of a woman--brutally murdered by what appears to be a serial killer. Another young woman is missing.

Although written and published recently, the story is set in 1985, before DNA evidence and just as the FBI's Behavioral Science/Investigative Support Unit is getting attention for a new technique--"profiling". The 1985 time, allows the mind to work over time while the CSI aspect of most modern day murders. I liked that aspect. Also, I was also ten in 1985 and got a kick out of all the cultural references from the time.

I was pretty sure that I knew who the serial killer was early in the book and it turns out that I was right, but there is enough suspense and evidence thrown on other characters and enough twists and turns in the plot to keep me guessing and doubting until the end. There is a little romance and some interesting and sympathetic characters in the story to make it additionally appealing.

I really enjoyed Deeper Than The Dead and I'm glad that I finished only so that I can go back to sleeping at night.

In full disclosure, there is some bad language, gruesome details of murder and one sex scene.

I received a copy of this book free from Goodreads.com. This review is my honest opinion and no compensation has been given.

No comments: