Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Dead of Knight by William R Potter Is a Suspenseful Thriller That Is Tough to Put Down

Author William R. Potter scores big with his mystery, suspense thriller, Dead of Knight. Set in the rural community of Hanson, British Columbia, we follow a police detective and his partner as they hunt down a serial killer.

This may sound like a well-used storyline, but Potter weaves a different kind of tale, rich in details, twists, and heart-thumping scenes. As the number of victims increase, the story-plot thickens, and we find ourselves in a mess of false suspects, copycats, and dead-end clues. Add to all this the element of differing and bickering politics between various branches of law enforcement, and you've got some frustrating moments. Just when you think the case is about to broken, something happens which throws the police off and another murder is committed.

In addition to all of the above, our main character police detective is being haunted by a past. He's a good cop and a thorough detective, but he once made a terrible mistake that resulted in a child being shot. These memories almost cause him to lose his career as well as his cool a few times. As we go along, there's an incident where he's close, but the killer gets the upper hand and makes an attempt on his life that results in severe injuries. At one point, a criminal is caught that many think is the killer, and this guy even confesses to the murders. But our detective knows better and continues on his quest to capture the real serial killer even when other cops, including his own boss, don't believe him. Against these and other odds, our detective keeps focus and in some cases, single-handedly pieces together clues about the killer.

The press has come to call this killer 'The Birthday Boy' due to the fact that one of his many trademarks is killing on the victim's birthday. But we come to find out there's a specific reason for this. In fact, the killer leaves several trademarks that end up having to do with particular events in a very dark past. This killer is actually out for revenge, and his whole life has been consumed with planning and executing a series of murders he believes he's doing in the name of justice and even righteousness.

There are elements throughout this work that make it believable and realistic. If you're a reader that needs to have the feel-good and hero-saves-all storyline, this is not a book for you. This is a gritty account of how evil can and does hurt not just some, but in this case, a lot of innocent victims. Our killer is smart and is able to stay several steps ahead of the police even as he knows they are closing in. Unfortunately, this is a reality that cannot be denied. In real life there have been very intelligent killers that have gotten away with scores more than this killer does, and some have never been caught. This work also contains a level of violence and language that some may not want to read. But again, this is the world we live in.

In the end, there is justice, but not without a huge price. Our police detective is drained both physically and emotionally for a number of reasons. Additionally, one of the cops we come to know ends up dead. But with his remaining strength, our detective sets out in search of a lost person that helps him, at least to some extent, heal his broken past.

If you think this book is for you, then read Dead of Knight, but be prepared to read in long bouts without putting it down. It's suspenseful, it's sometimes frustrating, but it's gripping. It will make you want to see how it concludes. I would be surprised if a movie company didn't eventually pick up on this work.

Kelly Libatique is a professional speaker, technical trainer, and author. He holds a Master's in Education and a Bachelor's in Psychology. He resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife Anne and two sons.

No comments:

Post a Comment