Deeper Than the Dead
Overview: California, 1985. Four children, running through the woods after school, stumble upon a partially buried female body, eyes and mouth glued shut. Close behind the children is their teacher, Anne Navarre, shocked by this discovery and heartbroken as she witnesses the end of their innocence. What she doesn’t yet realize is that this will mark the end of the innocence for an entire community, as the ties that bind families and friends are tested by secrets uncovered in the wake of a serial killer’s escalating pattern of destruction.
Vince Leone, a pioneering FBI investigator called in from Washington to consult on the case, is charged with interpreting that pattern. He’s using a brand new technique – profiling – to develop a theory of the murders, a strategy that pushed him even deeper into the lives of the four children, and closer to the teacher whose bond with her traumatized students puts her on a collision course with the killer.
As new victims are discovered and the media scrutiny of the investigation bears down on them, both Vince and Anne are unsure if those who suffer most are the victims themselves, or the family and friends of the killer – unaware that someone very close to them is a brutal, calculating psychopath whose reign of terror is only just getting started
Pages: 421 Pages
Writer: Tami Hoag
Recommendations:
Review By: Jason Schulte
Rating: 
This book mysteriously appeared on my shelf one day, and I decided to give it a chance when I needed a break from my usual series. I had no idea what to expect since it was my first time reading anything by this author. The story starts off a bit slow, introducing all the characters, including four kids who stumble upon a body in the park. From there, we’re thrown into a mix of kids, a teacher, and their parents, each with their own unique home life.
After the kids return home, they each deal with the situation in their own way, all wondering who could have committed such a crime. Enter detective Mendez and Vince Leone, a top-notch investigator from Washington. I loved that the story was set in the 1980s, with no fancy computers or internet databases to rely on. It was all about good old detective work and solving the case. The historical references to baseball players and music really transported me back to the 80s.
Tami Hoag does a fantastic job with the characters, telling the story from both the children’s and adults’ perspectives. It’s like getting two stories in one! The only downside was a few chapters where the dialogue felt a bit clunky, disrupting the otherwise smooth flow of the book.
There were moments when I found myself scratching my head, trying to remember who certain characters were. It was like playing a game of memory – “Ah, that’s one of the kids’ parents!” And don’t even get me started on the ending of the book. It felt like Tami Hoag hit the fast forward button, leaving me wondering if she was in a rush to catch a flight or something. But let me tell you, the second half of the book was a wild ride. I devoured over 160 pages in one sitting, feeling like I was on a literary rollercoaster. The pages were practically turning themselves!
This book is more than just a run-of-the-mill murder mystery. It’s a thrilling puzzle that keeps you guessing until the very end. It’s like a game of Clue, but with a lot more suspense and a lot less Colonel Mustard. The murder is just the backdrop for the real action – the characters. They’re the ones who steal the show and keep you hooked from start to finish.
Overall, I’d say this book is a must-read for anyone who loves a good mystery/thriller. It’s like a guilty pleasure that you just can’t put down. So, if you’re a fan of twists, turns, and heart-pounding suspense, then this book is right up your alley. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.