2 in the Hat: A Novel of Suspense [Hardcover]

In the town where I live, there aren't many unsolved murders. In Boston, however, there are a lot. There are some that were killed in a bathtub, but their bodies were never found. There are some gang bangers, from different cliques that are getting shot by the same gun. And, of course, there are the Prom Night Murders, where couples are found dead, dressed to the nines.

In 2 in the Hat, we follow a couple of detectives who are trying to solve the Prom Night Murders, 10 years after they started. Once again, a couple turns up dead, wired to trees in formal wear. There are too many similarities to make it the work of a copy cat, but they end up needing someone who doesn't know a whole lot about the case to lend them a hand. Turns out though, that hand may also have the answers to the other murders.

I got this book from the Kelley and Hallcompany. I was really impressed with how creative the murders were that Yessayan wrote about. I always feel so morbid when I feel like that, but it's the kind of creative writing every author wants to be able to pull off. I imagine Yessayan's time as an ADA probably helped with this.

There were a couple of things about this book that I had a hard time with. First, each chapter is from the standpoint of a different character. There are a lot of players in this book, including the two detectives, the ADA, two convicted felons who now try to get gang bangers off the street, the Prom Night Killer, you get the point. For the first few chapters, I had a hard time deciphering who all of these guys were. The longer I read with them, the easier it was, but it took a while.

I am always a fan of the murder mystery. It keeps my mind ticking, trying to figure out through the twists and turns who the killers are. I wish in this book, the killer would have been kept under wraps for a little longer. The ADA figures out who the Prom Night Killers is about 2/3 the way through, so the suspense is kind of gone from that portion of the plot. I mean, obviously he could be wrong, but the evidence is pretty tight. There are a couple of twists through the last 1/3, but I like waiting until the last little bit to know who my killer is going to be.

I will definitely keep my eye out for more Yessayan books in the future! I give 2 in the Hat 3 bookmarks.

When former Boston Assistant District Attorney Raffi Yessayan released his first novel "Eight in the Box," he was writing about what he knew. Set in his Massachusetts hometown, "Eight in the Box" explored the police hunt for a serial killer known only as the Blood Bath Killer. The novelty of Yessayan's plot was that no bodies were ever uncovered in the investigation--only tubs of bloody water. With detective Angel Alves and ADA Conrad Darget on the case, however, the trail was never cold. "Eight in the Box" was an entertaining, if improbable, addition to the massive collection of serial killer legal thrillers that overflow popular fiction. It was brisk, if overly familiar, but showed some promise.

When I heard that a sequel called "2 in the Hat" had arrived, I picked it up to see if Yessayan had delivered on that promise. The good news is that if you enjoyed the first book-- Alves, Darget, and many other familiar faces have returned to combat yet another serial killer! Wow--not good for the Boston tourism industry. "Eight in the Box" left the story a bit open-ended, so it is fascinating to see how the loose ends are woven into this tale set several years in the future. "2 in the Hat" interweaves the manhunt for the new murderer (the Prom Night Killer for those of you keeping track of all the nifty nicknames), a reexamination of the Blood Bath Killer case, and a series of street shootings into a messy and somewhat predictable narrative.

My main issue with Yessayan's tales are that they really offer little that is new in an already overstuffed genre. That said, they are readable and enjoyable. They just don't stand out. Hey, I remember today reading Thomas Harris' "Red Dragon" on its initial publication (and yes, I know this severely dates me). There's something magical about a book that can separate itself from the pack! I had a bit of fun with "Eight in the Box" and "2 in the Hat" but I never took them too seriously and they won't stay with me beyond a month. Yessayan, as a writer, still has some issues with exposition as well. Often times, in both books, the characters would explain some legal concept or case that anyone actually in the law enforcement field would already be familiar with. As a casual reader, I didn't think this effort to dumb down the proceedings for the audience was necessary. But again, if you enjoyed "Eight in the Box"--by all means, check this out. If you didn't read that novel, however, I wouldn't recommend "2 in the Hat." Its more successful elements come from the continuation of the prior story. KGHarris, 4/10.

I really enjoyed this book and actually could not figure out who done it until the last few pages. This is extremely well-written story about two homicide detectives and an ADA trying to catch a serial killer. The author's characters are excellently crafted and totally believable. All through the book you get glimpses of Sleep the actual serial killer, but not until the very end is his real identity revealed.

As an aside, the author writes in small chapters, so it makes for an excellent "beside the bed" book for unwinding before attempting sleep. A great story and highly recommended.

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