Lacey Sherlock's life is forever changed when her beloved older sister's body is discovered in an abandoned warehouse with multiple stab wounds. Belinda is the fourth victim of the String Killer, the handle the media has given to the serial killer who leads his victims into a maze with a ball of twine. Seven years after Belinda's death, Lacey, now an FBI special agent becomes a member of Dillon Savich's new Criminal Apprehension Unit (CAU), where he has programs to aid in the apprehension of serial killers. When the String Killer strikes again in Boston, Lacey immediately spots his handiwork, resulting in his capture. But did he really kill Belinda? Or was it someone closer to home? Together, Lacey and Dillon must discover the killer's true identity - before they both become the next victims.

Reviews

Coulter (The Valentine Legacy, LJ 8/95) writes mainly romance novels but frames them in different genres. Her new work is a thriller about a young woman whose sister was murdered. For the next seven years, she dedicates herself to getting the training necessary to catch the killer, then joins the FBI. When she meets up with Belinda's suspected murderer, the String Killer, she questions whether Belinda was one of his victims. She dreams about the murder in vivid detail; meanwhile, she is distracted by her strange family and by the apparently growing feelings between her and her supervisor, Dillon Savich. While Coulter's characters relate well to each other, Dillon is too good to be true. Coincidence stretches belief, but the book is an easy, fast read, good for summer entertainment. This title will be in demand.‘Andrea Lee Shuey, Dallas P.L.

The strengths Coulter evidenced in her bestselling paperback, The Cove, are also showcased in this new romantic suspense novel. San Franciscan Lacey Sherlock was just a teenager, dreaming of studying piano at Berkeley, when her older sister's life was brutally ended by the serial murderer that the media dubbed the String Killer. Now, seven years and one brief mental breakdown later, her career plans have changed. Having completed FBI training and learned to be addressed by her surname, she's assigned to agent Dillon Savich's Criminal Apprehension Unit, which, utilizing Dillon's specialized computer program for profiling, is responsible for pursuing serial killers. This places the obsessed Sherlock exactly where she wants to be when the String Killer strikes again, this time in Boston. It also puts her in position to become romantically involved with her attractive superior. Coulter renders computer technology clearly and even interestingly, makes the Quantico training scenes absorbing and keeps the action moving fast. When Sherlock and Dillon apprehend the String Killer, they begin to doubt whether he really murdered Sherlock's sister, and though it's pretty easy to guess who the real villain will be, a lot of action occurs while Sherlock figures it out. Given Sherlock's vengeful mindset regarding the death penalty, the quality of mercy is definitely strained here. There are too many jokes concerning her surname; and Coulter's overuse of the adjective "plummy" to describe Dillon's voice can get on one's nerves. Otherwise, however, the book is gripping enough to establish Coulter firmly in this genre, even while she continues to attract a loyal following for her paperback historical romances. Major ad/promo; Doubleday Direct selection; author tour. (July)