Desert Remains
A Gus Parker and Alex Mills Novel
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
Detective Alex Mills turns to psychic Gus Parker to help him solve a series of baffling murders perpetrated by a deranged killer who leaves his victims' bodies and taunting clues in the desert surrounding Phoenix, AZ. Someone is filling the desert caves around Phoenix with bodies--a madman who, in a taunting ritual, is leaving behind a record of his crimes etched into the stone. With no leads and no suspects, Detective Alex Mills sees a case spinning out of control. City leaders want the case solved yesterday, and another detective wants to elbow Mills out of the way. As the body count rises, Mills turns to Gus Parker, an "intuitive medium" whose murky visions sometimes point to real clues. It's an unorthodox approach, but Mills is desperate. When Parker is brought to the crime scenes, he sees visions of a house on fire and a screaming child. But what does it mean? He struggles to interpret his psychic messages, knowing that the killer is one step ahead and that in this vast desert, the next murder could happen anywhere. Nor does it help that he's always been unlucky in love and now finds himself the prey of a lovelorn stalker. She is throwing him off his game. Someone will win this contest, and both Parker and Mills fear it will be the cunning, ruthless killer, who is able to use the trackless landscape as a cover for his brutal crimes.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This accomplished series opener from Cooper (Deadline) introduces Phoenix, Ariz., homicide detective Alex Mills and reluctant psychic Gus Parker. When a hiker finds the corpse of 27-year-old Elizabeth Spears in a desert cave alongside a carving that depicts her death, Gus senses that her murderer is already stalking his next target. He volunteers his services to Alex, who's in charge of the investigation, but while Gus's visions lead to the discovery of additional victims, they fail to identify the killer. As the body count climbs and public pressure mounts, Alex's son is arrested for selling drugs. A media circus ensues, distracting Alex and inspiring his rival to angle for control of the case. Witty banter, colorful characters, and a strong sense of place give life to this intricately plotted procedural. Gus and Alex take turns narrating, with Gus's breezy tone balancing out Alex's hard-bitten one, and the unlikely camaraderie that develops between the two men adds humor and depth. Riveting subplots and a shocking twist pave the way for an electrifying conclusion.