The Competition
By Marcia Clark
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Published: July 8, 2014
ASIN: B00GG0GIPO
Amazon Synopsis:
A
Columbine-style shooting at a high school in the San Fernando Valley has left a
community shaken to its core. Two students are identified as the killers. Both
are dead, believed to have committed a mutual suicide.
In
the aftermath of the shooting, LA Special Trials prosecutor Rachel Knight teams
up with her best girlfriend, LAPD detective Bailey Keller. As Rachel and Bailey
interview students at the high school, they realize that the facts don't add
up. Could it be that the
A
dramatic leap forward in Marcia Clark's highly acclaimed Rachel Knight series, The
Competition is an unforgettable story that will stay with readers long
after the last page has been turned.
Book Links
My Thoughts:
Detective Bailey Keller and
Prosecuting Attorney Rachel Knight are the lead investigators in a mass murder
shooting at a high school. The murderers get away on this one and are
determined to keep killing until they are stopped. They are out to prove they
are "better" than any of the other mass murderers out there, by
racking up bigger body counts.
Keller and Knight race against time
to figure out what the killer's next target will be as as well trying to figure
out who the killers are before they can kill again. The killer seems to know
them and what they are thinking.
The Competition was an incredibly tense, suspenseful read. Starting with a
high school shooting and having the suspects be high school aged youths made it
even more suspenseful. These killers were extreme geniuses who were even able
to fool the experts. They might even make you think twice about that quiet,
loner-type student in your science class.
The Competition was an eye-opener from the investigation side too. I was
amazed at how the clues can sometimes fall into place so perfectly, and be
perfectly wrong! There were a lot of twists and turns and misdirection in this
investigation that made it very fascinating to follow.
The story was mainly told from the
first person point of view of Rachel Knight. In a few places it was told by a
narrator. I thought this was an effective way of bringing the story across. I felt
like I was there with Rachel and her partner, along with them on their
investigation.
The slayings themselves were brutal,
but the author was able to tell about them without too much gory detail, so
those of you who find blood and gore distasteful will not risk losing your
lunch while reading this novel. There is profanity in this novel, be prepared
for it if you choose to read this book. While Rachel and Graden have an
intimate relationship, the author has chosen to keep that relationship behind
closed doors. It's obvious what's going to happen, we don't need it described.
Some things should stay private. Thank you, Ms. Clark!
I really liked that the two main
protagonists were female. These women maintain their femininity while holding
tough, stereo-typically male jobs. Their dialogue was natural and suited their
role.
The Competition was an excellent suspense novel that I would highly
recommend to all aficionados of crime and suspense readers. I gave this novel 4
stars out of 5.
Thank you to the publishers who
provided a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. A
positive opinion was not required. All thoughts are my own.
About the Author:
Marcia Clark is a former LA, California deputy district
attorney, who was the lead prosecutor in the O.J. Simpson murder case. She
wrote a bestselling nonfiction book about the trial, Without a Doubt, and is a
frequent media commentator and columnist on legal issues. She lives in Los
Angeles.
Author Links
No comments :
Post a Comment