I’m thrilled to have a chance to talk about Cristyn West’s Plain Jane. I love a good serial killer story, and Plain Jane is one that doesn’t disappoint.

Someone’s murdering brunettes, plain, ordinary women with seemingly nothing in common.  The cops are at a loss, and the somewhat unhinged profiler brought in to help is wreaking havoc on the investigation. Not only are Kent Harbinger’s methods unorthodox, his complicated past with Detective Nicole Usher doesn’t make things in the investigation any easier.

The killer takes a macabre trophy from each victim, which is only the first touch of the creepy and slightly sickening (in a good way) tidbits that West throws into the mix.

Plain Jane is one of those stories that had me rooting for the good guys. Harbinger’s a genius, and while I loved getting inside his head a little bit, I was also a little repulsed by why I found there.  That’s a twist you don’t often get with heros. Sure, they’re flawed in some way, but West’s Harbinger  highlights how thin the line between madness and sanity can be.

The other real treat in this story is that I didn’t figure out who-done-it.  I love being surprised in thrillers, and Plain Jane did not disappoint.  Our killer is also delightfully mad, as serial killers tend to be.  It was a nice surprise to be surprised in the end.

I don’t want to say anything else at this point- after all, spoiler free is the best way to read any mystery- so I’ll leave you with this.  If you’re looking for a thriller that will make your heart race and make you excited to turn the page, then Plain Jane is the read for you.

Thanks for stopping by- and keep checking out other titles in IBC Blog Tour de Force.