Bloody Mary by J.A. Konrath

I just finished listening to Bloody Mary on CD in my car. I have wanted to read some of this author's books for awhile, so when I saw this at the library I jumped on the chance. I am glad I did. I gave the book a B with the reading an A.

When two arms, sans body, turn up at a Chicago morgue, Det. Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels is surprised to discover that the mysterious limbs are joined by her own handcuffs. The killer appears to have a grudge as well as unsettling access to Jack. The dual narrative alternately follows detective and murderer, leaving little to the imagination, particularly in the realm of gore. The author reveals so much about the crimes and their motivation that the plot loses steam until the fiend is caught (halfway through the novel) and the focus shifts to ensuring that he doesn't walk. The legal finagling is a bit far-fetched, but the battle of wills between the psychopath and the cop keeps the pages turning. And like any hard-boiled detective, Jack has a problematic personal life, juggling two unstable relationships and caring for her ailing mother.

It was a good story, though I would find it difficult to call the story a mystery. You discover early on who the murderer is, though there are some twists and turns that have you wondering how everyone is going to ge through all of this. I enjoyed the way the story is told over several months, and there were quite a few laughs.

I really loved the readers. There were two, one male and one female. They changed their voices for each of the characters and really gave more depth to the story. They were able to go back and forth with each other and it was a lot of fun. I will definitely be looking for more of this author's books, particularly on audiobook.

Have a great weekend, again!