2008-04-19 Last Known Victim - Erica Spindler

The novel is set in New Orleans in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina in 2005. During the rescue and clear up operations there is a grisly discovery of severed human hands in a discarded refrigerator. The press label the murderer "The Handyman". The main police character, Captain Patti O'Shay's husband is also found murdered. The case is closed with his murderer never found.
Two years later, the body of a young woman is found in a shallow grave along with O'Shay's husband's police badge. At the same time a young stripper/dancer asks for help as she is being stalked by a person calling themselves "The Artist". O'Shay sees similarities between "The Handyman" and "The Artist" together with the opportunity of nailing the person responsible for her own husband's death.
There is a fast pace to the novel, in easily digestible chapters. Spindler uses a great deal of dialogue throughout which flows well and is believable adding roundness and insight into her characters. I also like her style of using italics as a way of conveying characters' inner thoughts and real thoughts to those stated out loud - it gives character credibility.
The only down side to this novel, for me, was that the ending lacked credibility and was a bit weak compared to the rest of the book.