From Publishers Weekly
Savage enters the realm of the serial killer with this blood-soaked tale, whose creepy killer goes by the name the Family Man. He's acquired this epithet because he wipes out entire familiesApets includedAthen poses the bodies in scenes of domestic contentment, such as sitting around the fireplace or in front of the Christmas tree. Now, more than a decade after the last of these unsolved murders, mystery writer Mark Stevenson has just published a bestselling novel based on the horrific crimes. Taped to the door of his Greenwich Village apartment, Stevenson discovers a computer diskette that contains a message from a person calling himself Scavenger, who hints that he knows the truth behind the Family Man case. Scavenger says he will tell all, as long as Stevenson is willing to play a game of scavenger hunt. The writer agrees, following a series of clues that lead him to each of the crime scenesANew Orleans, Los Angeles, rural Illinois and two in New York. Along the way, he runs across more dead bodies and escapes the deadly clutches of someone who's following his every move. Why would Stevenson agree to play such a macabre and dangerous game? Unbeknownst to almost everyone, he's the lone survivor of one of the families that was slaughtered, and he wants revenge. He finally gets the chance in the inevitable showdown in an abandoned farmhouse outside New York City. Savage (Valentine; Inheritance) keeps his story briskly paced, yet several scenes strain believability and much of the dialogue and descriptions are overly dramatic. The homestretch of the novel is laden with guessable revelations and a disappointingly thin explanation for what's behind the Family Man's monstrous behavior. (Jan.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
This intricate thriller begins with another. Mark Stevenson's new novel is a thinly disguised recounting of the exploits of "The Family Man," an elusive serial killer who killed entire families (including housekeepers and pets) across the countryAand then stopped suddenly without being apprehended. The novel attracts the attention of the mysterious "Scavenger," who challenges Mark to a scavenger hunt. If Mark follows the clues and successfully finds all of the prizes, he will eventually be led to the Family Man's identity. How could any writer resist? What follows is an irresistible and deadly contest with a truly surprising and twisted ending. Savage's fourth thriller (after The Inheritance) is a real winner; you'll be tempted to cheat and read the ending half way through. Fans of James Patterson will be delighted. Recommended.ARebecca House Stankowski, Purdue Univ. Calumet Lib., Hammond, IN
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
