Sunday, January 20, 2008

Pg. 99: Kathleen George's "Afterimage"

The current feature at the Page 99 Test: Kathleen George's Afterimage.

About the book, from the author's website:
A new thriller featuring Pittsburgh homicide detective Richard Christie and his new colleague, Colleen Greer...

In the humid dog days of a Pittsburgh summer weekend, Richard Christie, Head of Homicide, faces not one, but two mysterious murders. The victims — a polite woman and an angelic child — do not seem to be connected in any obvious way. Christie is short-handed, the clues don't stack up, and he's got a rookie detective, Colleen Greer, to look out for. These are his problems.

Colleen has problems, too. Her boyfriend is trying to break up with her, she's got a serious crush on her mentor, Christie, and it turns out she knew both victims slightly. Early in the investigation, she gets an alarming idea about the perpetrator's identity, but the man she suspects has no obvious connection to the victims. She has to move carefully with nothing but a gut feeling to go on — all the while disturbed by a series of memories of her own childhood.
Among the praise for Afterimage:
"[T]he skillfully rendered characters draw you into their lives. An excellent procedural."
Kirkus Reviews

"A gripping, gritty police procedural."
Booklist

"George's solid third Pittsburgh thriller (after 2004's Fallen) introduces rookie detective Colleen Greer to the homicide squad... George leaves enough balls in the air that fans will eagerly await Christie and Greer's next case."
Publishers Weekly

"In her third crime novel (after Fallen; Taken), George showcases her ability to craft a good mystery with an in-depth understanding of police work and attention to detail."
Library Journal

"Afterimage sizzles with irony, tension, and surprise.... Nearly flawless in its plot and execution, Kathleen George's Afterimage is — we can hope — just one of many Colleen Greer adventures waiting for us in the future."
—Tim Davis, Mystery News

"Dark and gripping, Colleen Greer's progress in this top-notch police procedural is further enhanced by the author's deftly deployed humor and irony. Written with a noteworthy flair for plotting and a sharp eye for psychological details in her characters, author Kathleen George's Afterimage is a well-crafted and entertaining novel."
BookLoons
Read an excerpt from Afterimage and learn more about the author and her work at Kathleen George's website.

Kathleen George is a professor of theatre at the University of Pittsburgh. She is also the author of the acclaimed novels Taken and Fallen, the short story collection The Man in the Buick, scholarly theatrical books and articles, and many short stories.

The Page 99 Test: Afterimage.

--Marshal Zeringue