by J.D. Robb
Part of In Death, book 16
First published 2003
Eve Dallas discovers a young woman's corpse in a Delancey Street dumpster after a news station receives an anonymous tip. Hours earlier, the same station had been sent professional portraits of the victim. The photos appear standard for an aspiring model, but the woman never worked in modeling. The killer took these pictures after her death. Dallas tracks a murderer who combines artistry with obsession. He stalks his targets methodically, documenting their daily routines before striking. His goal goes beyond simple killing. He wants to possess the innocence of beautiful young women, to freeze their youth and energy in his final photographs. Each victim becomes part of his twisted gallery. The case forces Dallas into the mind of someone who sees murder as creative expression. She must decode his selection process and predict his next move before another young woman dies for his camera.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: cat-and-mouse, criminal-mind
Setting: Delancey Street, New York
Period: Contemporary
347 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Berkley
Content warnings: murder, violence