As a major flood threatens the city of Portland, Oregon, a
serial killer stalks the streets, using the impending
disaster to cover his crimes. Archie Sheridan, a local
detective who gained notoriety and nearly lost his life
pursuing Gretchen Lowell, the Beauty Killer, finds himself
once again tracking a fiendishly clever foe. The search
gets personal when Archie's partner and best friend, Henry
Sobol, is attacked and hovers between life and death. But
the case takes a truly bizarre turn when the task force
discovers what the murder weapon is.
Susan Ward likes bizarre (current hair color: raspberry). A
reporter for the local paper, she met Archie while doing a
profile on him in relation to the Beauty Killer case. Their
paths have continued to cross -- not always by coincidence,
at least on Susan's part. She's currently researching the
story behind a skeleton turned up by the floodwaters, which
may be that of a victim of the last great flood, in 1948,
but a modern-day serial killer is so much more interesting.
As she "helps" Archie with the investigation, she finds
that the past may well hold the key to solving the present
case -- and that the killer has chosen his next victim: her.
Chelsea Cain has a scary talent for creating twisted
characters -- not only the bad guys, but the good guys as
well. Archie possesses an obsession with saving people,
even at the expense of his own physical and emotional well-
being, but that's what makes him a great cop; Susan is
often self-sabotaging and reckless, but her motivation is
bringing the truth to light. This strange pair are two of
the most interesting "partners" in crime fiction today. In
this story, the setting also plays a major role, with the
relentless rain and raging river creating an atmosphere of
grimness and urgency, even without a serial killer in the
mix.
Some fans may be disappointed at Cain's move away from
Gretchen Lowell in this book. I found it refreshing, and I
really liked seeing Archie as a stronger, more independent
character -- although he will obviously always be haunted
by her, scarred inside and out by what she did to him. But
I think it was time to move forward, and I for one can't
wait to see what deliciously creepy villain Cain dreams up
next.
With Beauty Killer Gretchen Lowell locked away behind bars
once again, Portland detective Archie Sheridan can finally
rest.
Meanwhile, the city of Portland is in crisis. Several
people have drowned in heavy rains that have flooded the
Willamette River. But the medical examiner discovers that in
fact the latest victim was poisoned before she went into the
water—she didn’t drown. A little detective work shows that
so far three of those previously thought to be accidental
drownings have actually been murdered. Portland has a new
serial killer on its hands, and Archie and his task force
have a new case.
Meanwhile reporter Susan Ward is following up on an
entirely separate mystery: the dramatic flooding has
unearthed a skeleton, a man who might have died during
catastrophic flooding more than sixty years ago that washed
away an entire neighborhood and killed at least 15 people.
As Archie follows the bizarre trail of evidence and evil
deeds to catch his killer, he has to battle the rising
waters of the Willamette first.
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