Cold Hit - Shane Scully, Bk 5 Author:Stephen J. Cannell Shane Scully and his partner are assigned to the case of “the Fingertip Killer” -- a serial murderer preying on homeless veterans in Los Angeles. Every two weeks he strikes: he beats his victims, then shoots them in the back of the head. Once they’re dead, he cuts off their fingertips, closes their eyes, and tosses them in the ... more »river.
The latest killing, however, does not quite fit the pattern. It appears to be the work of the Fingertip Killer, but Scully suspects an elaborate copycat murder meant to hide a criminal conspiracy. A bullet pulled from the victim’s skull produces what police call a “cold hit,” an unexpected ballistics match linking one unsolved case to another, and the previous victim was an LA Police officer, killed ten years earlier.
After heavy-handed FBI agents throw him off the Fingertip Killer case, Scully teams up with his wife and boss, Alexa, and a pair of tough cops from the LAPD’s anti-terrorism squad. Outside the law and deep undercover, they fight to see justice done for the slain officer, and, possibly, to unravel a murderous plot with connections high up in the Homeland Security office.« less
Like the characters in this series, this is a good story but it gets tiresome getting through all the initials of everything, every little title of some kind of law agency or event or something is reduced to initials and it gets tiresome reading those, otherwise good book.
This was my first time reading this author, which is surprising since he is pretty well known.
I really liked his writing style and found the Shane Scully character very likable. I also liked the pacing and the storyline was believable. All in all, a very good mystery/thriller.
This is a great book..both my husband and I loved it. Shane Scully is trying to solve the murders of what appears to be a serial murderer. Meanwhile, his partner is falling apart.. drinking and arriving to work late or not arriving at all. Because his partner had helped him when he was a drunk, Scully tries to help him.
However, the corpses keep appearing and it would seem as if someone with inside information is committing these crimes. The corpses are all defiled. Scully feels that these are "copycat" murders and runs afoul of other agencies as he tracks his prey. Not able to trust anyone as the murderer could be a cop, he must work quietly and patiently.
Soon he is led into the world of international espionage and things get more and more complicated.
This is a cannot put down kind of book. Realize that once you start it, you will not want to put it down.
Vikki C. (Vikki) reviewed Cold Hit (Shane Scully, Bk 5) on
Solid series - I especially like his smart aleck attitude. Sometimes a bit fantastic (Alex and a helicopter?) but the journey makes it worthwhile to suspend credibility
