8 in the Box: A Novel of Suspense [Mass Market Paperback]

Raffi Yessayan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 23, 2010

The harrowing scene is always the same: the home of a single woman, no signs of forced entry, no evidence of an intruder, and no victim—only a bathtub filled with blood. Newly promoted homicide detective Angel Alves wants to make his mark in the department and a difference on the streets, but tracking this elusive serial killer sorely challenges his commitment and skills. Meanwhile, assistant DA Conrad Darget has his own hands full mentoring an ambitious young law student and rallying his fellow attorneys in their daily courtroom battles. With each new attack the twisted mystery only deepens, and the hunger for answers—and action—intensifies. No sane mind could comprehend the dark design behind it all. And no one can anticipate the final fateful strokes that will lead to a shocking endgame.
 

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Defense attorney Yessayan's promising debut nicely juggles a large cast of attorneys and cops, though at times it comes close to sounding like a legal spinoff of the TV show Friends. Someone is killing young women in Boston, or at least young women are disappearing, leaving behind no trace except bathtubs full of blood. The police are pretty sure the victims must be dead, but no bodies have been found. The killer, who's identified for the reader as Richter, is doing something with the bodies that involves embalming, but it remains unclear what he's up to until the very end. Extended forays into race relations, the plight of the poor and questions of legal responsibility tend to slow the action. Hopefully, Yessayan, who doesn't stray beyond the conventional bounds of the legal thriller/serial killer subgenre, will strike out in his own direction next time. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

The television series Law and Order meets the city of Boston in this first novel. A serial killer drains the blood from his victims, leaves it in the bathtub, and then removes the body from the scene. Newly promoted to homicide, Detective Angel Alves wants to prove his worth to his superiors, even at the cost of his marriage. Assistant District Attorney Conrad Daget struggles to juggle the hundreds of cases piled on his desk and still help officers and attorneys catch this elusive maniac. First-novelist Yessayan provides a deeper, more complex look inside the criminal-justice system than we usually see on television, and he holds our interest with a cast of full-bodied characters. The plot begins to fall apart a bit near the end, but Yessayan saves the best for last and redeems himself. For a better read, ignore the jacket blurb, which gives away too much. --Jeff Ayers --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (March 23, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345502620
• ISBN-13: 978-0345502629
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,147,441 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A 5-Star Legal Thriller from Debut Author!, July 8, 2008

By 

Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eight in the Box: A Novel of Suspense (Hardcover)

On the streets of Boston, one by one women are being murdered by a vicious serial killer- the Blood Bath Killer, who leaves nothing behind but a bathtub full of the victim's blood. The bodies of the victims are missing from the crime scene and the police are wondering whether the victims are still alive. The amount of blood in the tub leaves the police to assume the victims have been murdered and that the killer is keeping the bodies as trophies.

Angel Alves is newly promoted as a Homicide Detective but he must still prove himself to his boss, Sergeant Wayne Mooney. Alves is working the Blood Bath Killer case alongside Mooney, but he is also a husband and father and finds the unconventional work hours hard to juggle. Will Alves find the killer and make a name for himself as a top Homicide Detective?

Assistant DA Conrad Darget (or Connie to his friends) is working side by side with the police department hoping to find the serial killer. Connie is the district attorney that represents the office at all murder scenes so he has a privileged inside look at what is happening behind the scenes in the case. When he isn't at the murder scenes, Connie is prosecuting in court and teaching his fellow peers how to become a successful prosecutor.

Will the Boston Police Department be able to solve the Blood Bath Killer case and put an end to his murderous spree, or will things blow out of control when the killer decides to change his MO-and anyone could be his next victim?

Eight in the Box is an outstanding, suspenseful, thrilling, debut novel by Yessayan. The chapters are short, making for fast reading. The story is superbly plotted and there are numerous possibilities of whom the killer could be. Every character is nicely developed and shines through the pages of this book. The suspense is relentless and I couldn't put this book down. This is a truly fantastic thriller that I definitely recommend.

Raffi Yessayan is the former chief of the Gang Unit in the Suffolk County DA's Office. He has prosecuted many violent offenders and has lectured nationally on the issues of gangs, guns and crime prevention strategies. Currently he is in private practice as a criminal defense attorney in Quincy, Massachusetts.

Armchair Interviews says: A heart-stopping legal thriller that readers are sure to enjoy!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Debut Novel!, July 4, 2008

By 

N. Martini (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eight in the Box: A Novel of Suspense (Hardcover)

Being someone who does not normally read suspense novels, I found this book gripping, entertaining and very hard to put down. Each character is well portrayed so you feel as though you know them, and you just want to keep reading to find out what the murderer is going to do next, and how the police are going to try and catch him. Working in the law enforcement/criminal justice field in Boston, it's refreshing to read a book that is so true to the facts of life, from the court proceedings, to the police investigation. Raffi Yessayan did an incredible job with his research and his experience as a prosecutor definitely brought a real life feel to the book. I could hardly put down the book, and I am eagerly awaiting the arrival his next novel! Great job Raffi!!!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read, July 6, 2008

By 

Athina (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eight in the Box: A Novel of Suspense (Hardcover)

I couldn't put it down until I finished! As the characters develop and the suspense grows, you find yourself flip flopping over who the killer might be. The author has an extraordinary ability to make you feel as though you are watching it unfold in front of your eyes with vivid detail and dialogue. Excellent book if you enjoy gripping suspense novels! I highly recommend it.