Valentine - Hardcover

Tom Savage is the author of three previous thrillers, including Precipice, Valentine, and The Inheritance (all available from Signet). He lives in New York City, where he divides his time between writing and working at Murder Ink, the world's oldest mystery bookstore. He is at work on a new novel.

Though laden with gimmicks (murders that take place on St. Valentine's Day; a killer who slays by means of the ancient elements of fire, earth, wind and water), Savage's second thriller is a pleasurably crafty yarn, albeit not quite the puzzle box that his debut, Precipice, was. Bestselling mystery author Jillian Talbot is on top of the world: she has money, fame, a terrific lover, a baby on the way and a great best friend. Then she starts getting mysterious-and soon nasty-messages from an unknown "Valentine." Eventually, Jillian learns that she's being stalked by ex-college classmate Victor Dimorta, whose expulsion from Hartley College, prompted by a cruel Valentine's Day prank, sent him back to his abusive parents, whom he then killed. Now Victor is on parole from a mental hospital. After listening devices are found in Jillian's apartment, and after she finds out that the three women who pulled the prank-Victor mistakenly considers her a fourth-have each died or disappeared on the three preceding Valentine Days, she flees to a writers' retreat far out on Long Island. The subsequent bloody climax is a bit unlikely, but Savage tells his story smoothly-and the trail of red herrings he scatters as he does so is truly awesome. (Feb.) ~ FYI: When not writing, Savage works at Manhattan's Murder Ink, the world's oldest mystery book store.
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