Bill Crider, as you probably very well know, is a long-time crime, western and horror novelist who also maintains a popular blog. It's been years since I read something by him, but now I decided to read his Blood Marks, a serial killer thriller from 1991, that's been getting high praise from the likes of Ed Gorman.It's a good novel, with a horrifying central character and Crider does a pretty good job keeping the reader guessing who the serial killer might be. The book is divided in three chapters, and while it veers towards implausibility, the second chapter with the emphasis on the heavily abused three-year boy is the most horrifying.
There are some downsides to the novel as well. One of the characters leads a double life, but I didn't really buy that. The main female character doesn't feel like she's been studying English literature and is looking for a job to teach it. (I've known quite a few literature students, mind you.) One of the lead characters is too pointedly unpleasant. The revelation in the end doesn't feel so much a reveleation as it should feel.
But this is a fluent and suspenseful read, I recommend it wholeheartedly.
More Forgotten Books at Patti Abbott's blog here.
3 comments:
I wish more people would blog about older books like you do. Too many really good books don't get the attention and recognition they deserve. Blood Marks sounds like a great work of crime fiction that shouldb't be passed by just because it's on a back list.
If you shoot me an email when you have a forgotten book, I would love to include it.
Howard: you should read the other Forgotten Books posts that I'm linking to, I'm sure you'll find plenty to like there.
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