William Morrow (Hardcover), ISBN 0-380-97875-X

Frank Corso writes true-crime books. He also possesses "a real interesting way of putting two and two together and coming up with nine. Then getting everybody else to agree…" Both talents frequently lead to hard feelings between him and law enforcement officials. For instance in his latest book, "Death in Dallas," he claimed to know where the murderer buried the body, but his informant turned up missing. Now the Texas court system wants him to provide information he doesn't have.

Taking flight from the fugitive material witness warrant, Corso and his tattooed photographer/companion Meg Dougherty find themselves stranded at O'Hare Airport during a raging snow storm. Hoping to elude captivity and extradition to Texas until the nine days remaining on the Dallas grand jury session expires, they rent an SUV and head for Madison, Wisconsin. Blinded by the wind driven snow, they wreck the car in a snow bank. Injured and suffering from the numbing cold, they find refuge in an abandoned farmhouse. While burning everything they can find to stay warm, they discover several long-dead bodies wrapped in plastic and hidden under the floor of the barn. Their eventual rescue by a road grader operator saves their lives but places them in the custody of the local sheriff. The discovery of the bodies instigates an inquiry, which reveals Corso's warrant.

Before the investigation of the murders gains steam and other law enforcement officials can act, Corso uses his persuasive talents to make a deal with the local sheriff. The sheriff will let Corso escape, and Corso will attempt to track down the murderer while making sure the sheriff gets ample credit for the successful conclusion of the case. Corso and Dougherty slip out of town just ahead of pursuit by Texas police officers. The ensuing search for clues about the multiple murders takes the pair on a wandering course through several states. Along the way they encounter the remnants of a mysterious and reclusive society, a soon to be abandoned nunnery inhabited by twin nuns with a dark secret, and more cemeteries than either wishes to visit. They also discover a trail of murders left by a serial killer whose modus is inconsistent, puzzling, and unlike any seen before.

Quirky characters, an absorbing plot, and a particularly dastardly villain make this, the fourth in G. M Ford's Frank Corso series, a delightful and fast paced reading experience.

Clint Hunter

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