Richard Montanari has quickly climbed the list of my favorite, and go-to authors when I need a fix on a well written crime procedural that keeps me guessing from page one to page...whatever. I was first introduced to the crime-fighting duo Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balsano. I was first introduced to the two in The Stolen Ones. It is there I first realized Montanari was an author I should be on the lookout for.
The Doll Maker is a multi-layered mystery that leads Byrne and Balzano on a race against time and a criminal mastermind who invites each of his victims on a the Dansant that is a tea dance that's more macabre than Cinderella-esque. The first victim found on a lonely park bench, leads to the next invitation, and clue for the "Dansant". A dansant that includes the death of innocent children, ending in an intricate display of them as dolls. Seems familiar?
We are allowed moments, and clues, that help us to determine who the possible killers could be. And while we work on the clues provided, there's another mystery brewing. Byrne is haunted by a case from 10 years earlier that is similar to the one at hand. A woman was accused and found guilty of killing children. Byrne is not satisfied with the case being closed and goes as far as... well you'll just have to read it. All I'll divulge is that the two crimes might have more in common than expected.
Anyway, The Doll Maker is definitely a must-read. This is only the second book I've read by Richard Montanari but he's proven his position on my list of must reads. I can't wait for the next installment of the Byrne and Balzano series. Montanari is definitely an author to watch for. ****
Copy provided by Mulholland Books via Netgalley
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