The Book Stacks

Beside each body, he leaves a simple charm bearing a woman’s name. Ruth. Martha. Judith. The victims were strangers to each other, but they have been chosen with the utmost care. Each bears a striking resemblance to Kendall Shaw, a local anchorwoman… each brutally strangled by a madman whose obsession will never end…

The deeper Kendall Shaw and Detective Jacob Warwick dig into the victims’ backgrounds, the more terrifying the discoveries. For from the shadows of the past, a legacy of evil has resurfaced. Every murder, every moment has been leading to Kendall. And this time, nothing will stop the killer making her his final victim…

As I have mentioned before, I never considered myself a murder mystery woman until I started reading books by Mary Burton. Her latest book, Dead Ringer, doesn’t disappoint.

Dead Ringer picks up a while after I’m Watching You left off, with the focus now on Kendall Shaw. Having mostly healed from her brush with a murderer, she’s doing pretty well with moving on with her life. This is a book that readers of I’m Watching You called for, as it brings in the romance between Kendall and Jacob – the sparks of which we saw briefly in the first book.

If you’re expecting a practically sizzling romance, then it’s time to adjust your glasses. Kendall and Jacob certainly don’t lack for chemistry or passion, those elements just don’t get as much ‘on screen’ time as they could. Which is arguably just fine, given Burton writes murder mysterious and not straight romances.

However, true to form, Burton has created a book that well and truly stands up on its own. You don’t have to read I’m Watching You to enjoy this book nor is it better to read one or the other first if you decide to get them both.

While I enjoyed Dead Ringer very much and recommend it as a good read, I can’t help but fell that the ending was a bit rushed. Be it because of a deadline or because Burton’s heart wasn’t completely in it, there was just a tiny sliver missing for me to give this a five out of five stars. (If I rated with stars.)