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Dogged
Dogged
Sandy Dengler | 2018 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Joe and Tommy must Doggedly Track Down Another Killer
It starts with the discovery of a naked body in Camelback Mountain. The victim, a female, had been discovered not too far from the hiking path by some early morning hikers. The weirdest part is that all of the bones in her legs and arms had been broken before she died. Phoenix homicide detectives Joe Rodriguez and Tommy Flaherty are assigned to the case, but while they are still tracking down the victim's identity, another body is found. This one has the same broken bones, but it is several months older. Joe is finding himself distracted by his concerns over his new relationship with Bridgid, Tommy's cousin. Can he focus on the case long enough to solve it?

I was very pleasantly surprised earlier this year when I saw this book pop up. This is definitely a book that falls into the traditional part of the mystery spectrum, but it doesn't get much worse than what I teased already. The plot is strong and doesn't try to delve into the mind of the serial killer, just tries to catch the person, and we get a strong mystery as Joe and Tommy work to do that. I did feel the ending was a bit weak since it hit two of my pet peeves, but they were minor overall. The characters are absolutely wonderful, and it was fantastic to see them all again.
  
Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer
Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer
2021 | Crime, Documentary, Mystery
And finally, the most recent addition, from January this year, another 4 parter that is over and done in 3 hours, which plays like a long movie when watched as intended in one sitting. The case of the Night Stalker is another well documented case most people will have at least heard of. If, like me, you knew nothing of the crimes, motives and man behind it up front, then this is a jaw dropping addition to the genre that serves as a slice of history that has a strong sense of place and time, and how a community could be terrorised over a period knowing a killer was at large in their neighbourhood.

The point of difference here is mostly hearing the case explained from the direct point of view of the detectives at the centre of the manhunt. It seems that a killer so indiscriminate in choosing his victims, and so random in how he killed them, is very difficult to catch. With no distinct modus operandi – it seemed like a real demon was on the loose, satisfying his dark needs on a whim. An excruciating thought! And the truth of the man behind it is even more disturbing in reality. As with Bundy, this one is compelling because of the cult of personality and media involvement. Almost a little short if anything, but probably the main model for dozens more shows like it in coming years. 4 x 45 mins, the perfect binge package.