Sunday Salon - In For The Kill by John Lutz

John Lutz is one of the mysteries grand masters. Lutz continues to take tried-and-true formulas in the mystery and thriller genres and tinker with them, making them --- and each of his books --- better.

IN FOR THE KILL grabs you and does not let go until you have reached the last page. For purposes of a very general frame of reference, Ed McBain’s 87th Precinct novels but much different --- with a cast of characters almost as interesting as the villain of the piece, a serial killer known as The Butcher. The victims are all single females living and working in and around Manhattan, and The Butcher is killing them all in the same horrific manner. The reader gets an idea fairly early on as to the inspiration for The Butcher’s actions, as well as the fact that he is sending a message to retired NYPD Homicide Detective Frank Quinn, who has been pressed back into service to help catch The Butcher.

Lutz puts a spin on the police procedural scenario by reassembling Quinn’s old team, which consists of Fedderman, away on his retirement down in South Florida, and Pearl, Quinn’s ex-girlfriend who herself had quit the NYPD to become a bank guard. The three of them together function as a well-oiled machine, even if Quinn’s residual feelings for Pearl cause him some wistful moments while not getting in the way of the investigation.

Matters are complicated, however, by the sudden appearance on Quinn’s doorstep of Lauri, his 18-year-old daughter from a prior marriage. Lauri has decided to leave her mother’s home on the West Coast and live with Quinn in New York, which will have unexpected and immediate repercussions for both father and daughter in ways neither of them can imagine or anticipate.

The Butcher, meanwhile, is continuing on his murder spree. And as a terrified city waits for him to do more damage, he prepares to make his most significant statement of all, one that will strike at the heart of Quinn’s task force.

IN FOR THE KILL stands on its own merits as an entertaining and enthralling crime novel, but there are tiers to this tale that Lutz has interwoven into the fabric of the plot in a subtle manner. He has much to say here about father-daughter and mother-son relationships, and how things can go wrong (and right) with both. What stands out, however, is his continuing ability to publish a fast-paced, readable novel without sacrificing characters, plot or style.

I highly recommend this novel for a Sunday Salon read!