Deep Freeze

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY FEB 28, 2005

When beautiful Jenna Hughes moves with her two children to a small Oregon town in bestseller Jackson's well-crafted romantic thriller, the retired movie star expects to start a quiet new life, but a psychotic fan's deadly obsession soon throws the tranquil community into chaos. One by one, women are kidnapped by a serial killer who hopes to mold them into the likeness of his favorite actress, and Jenna knows that it's only a matter of time before she's the next victim. Jackson (The Morning After) weaves together various subplots, including Jenna's relationship with her rebellious teenage daughter and the inevitable love interest with the rugged local cop, to create a fast-paced and surprisingly complex story. Unfortunately, the focus on the villain's absolute evil rather than on his humanity doesn't allow him to be as disturbing as he could be, but most of the other smalltown characters are more believable. The depiction of the protagonist, a woman who desperately wants her life to be as normal as possible, reaches an unusual depth, and the crisp, skillful language infuses every sentence with suspense. Despite some predictable moments and over-the-top torture scenes, this chilling novel about the high price of fame will keep readers riveted.