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Split Second
Maggie O'Dell [2]
Alex Kava
Harlequin MIRA (2001)
Rating: ★★★★☆
They dubbed him the Collector, so named for his ritual of collecting victims before disposing of them in the most heinous ways possible.
FBI special agent Maggie O'Dell tracked him for two years, finally ending their game of cate and mouse. Now Albert Stucky has escaped from prison…and he is setting up a new game for Maggie O'Dell.
Some say Maggie O'Dell has lost her edge as one of the FBI's best profilers. Since capturing Stucky, she has been walking a tightwire, battling nightmares and guilt over the victims she couldn't save. Now that Stucky is loose again, she's been pulled out of the field. But as Stucky's trail of victims leads closer and closer to Maggie, she is put back on the case under the supervision of Special Agent R. J. Tully. Together they race against the clock to hunt the killer, and Maggie finds herself pushed to the very edge. Has her desire to stop Albert Stucky become a matter of personal vengeance? Has she crossed the line? And has that been Stucky's goal all along—to make her into a monster?
From Publishers Weekly
FBI profiler Maggie O'Dell, star of Kava's first thriller, is back again in her second, but her return is not a happy one. From the very first scene, in which serial killer Albert Stucky escapes from two pitifully inadequate prison guards, through the inevitable and apparently endless escalation of brutality (usually against women), to the predictable ending, this is strictly a blender job: part Thomas Harris and part Patricia Cornwell, with odd bones and scraps tossed in from other similarly grisly and more successful sources. O'Dell, who plays Clarice Starling to Stucky's Ha
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Review
". . . a roller coaster read. Although your heart is in your throat the entire time, you enjoy every scary minute." -- Woman's Own
". . . first novel is a formidable one, filled with characters comfortable with themselves and acting out their roles intelligently and believably." -- Dallas Morning News
"A suspense thriller with enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing until the last page." -- Mystery Scene
"Alex Kava has crafted a suspenseful novel and created a wi
"Engaging debut . . . a well-crafted page-turner . . ." -- Publisher's Weekly
"This debut thriller pumps the suspense out . . . Maggie is gutsy and appealing as an FBI agent facing constant danger." -- Library Journal
ALEX KAVA
SPLIT SECOND
ALEX KAVA
SPLIT SECOND
For Amy Moore-Benson, Dia
an incredible team that makes dreams come true.
One book was a privilege; two, an honor.
For Amy Moore-Benson, Dia
an incredible team that makes dreams come true.
One book was a privilege; two, an honor.
Special thanks to:
Patricia Sierra, fellow author and friend—I’m not sure this one would have been completed without your tender, gentle nagging. Thanks for seeing me through all the anxiety attacks.
The amazing crew at MIRA Books for their enthusiasm, hard work and dedication, especially Valerie Gray, Craig Swinwood, Krystyna de Duleba, Alex Osuszek and the best sales force in the business. Perhaps there is a reason we call them publishing houses—you’ve certainly made me feel as if I’ve found a home.
Megan Underwood and the gang at Goldberg McDuffie Communications, Inc. for their expertise and hard work.
A
Sharon Car, fellow writer and friend, who listens and encourages through the good and the bad.
Marilyn and John Cooney and Mary Means for taking such loving care of my kids when I need to be on the road.
Patti El-Kachouti for your unconditional friendship and encouragement.
Nicole Friend, who has often been my sounding board and voice of reason.
Tony Friend for sharing information, images and ideas that only you can provide.
Ellen Jacobs for telling the truth, first as a reader, then as a friend.
LaDo
For their inspiration, enthusiasm and loving support, many thanks to Ke
Also, I want to thank the many book buyers and booksellers for making room on your lists and on your shelves for a new voice.
And to the readers. With all the wonderful fiction available, thank you for choosing mine to be a part of your escape and entertainment.