COLOR BLIND [Paperback]

Jonathan Santlofer (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Unknown (2004)
• ASIN: B0028Q8OD4
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting, fast paced sequel to THE DEATH ARTIST, December 7, 2004

By 

Bookreporter (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Color Blind: A Novel of Suspense (Hardcover)

THE DEATH ARTIST introduced Kate McKinnon, former cop turned polished art historian with her own PBS series. A serial killer who strikes too close to home draws Kate back into the police station and her former life. And she becomes the only one who can find the death artist.

Kate returns in Jonathan Santlofer's sophomore effort, COLOR BLIND. Happily married and well respected in Manhattan art circles, Kate has put the previous murders behind her. She is focusing all her time and energy on her marriage, her volunteer work, and her career.

But two eviscerated bodies found with oddly colored paintings lead the police to call on Kate's expertise. Despite her reluctance, she agrees to offer her opinion on the troubling pieces of art. And then, before she can extricate herself from the case, she is once again drawn in by a personal --- and devastating --- connection.

Grieving and angry, Kate teams up with her former partner, now chief, Floyd Brown to track down the homicidal maniac the police have dubbed the Color Blind Killer.

As in THE DEATH ARTIST, Kate's involvement in the case transcends an investigatory role and she becomes pivotal in future crimes. She immerses herself in a world better known to the people who live on the streets or behind bars. She is equally comfortable and believable as a character in the world of cops and socialites. Santlofer has drawn a likeable and convincing female in Kate. Vulnerable, pained, smart and strong, Kate returns to the mean streets of Manhattan in an exciting, fast-paced and worthy sequel to Santlofer's first book.

--- Reviewed by Roberta O'Hara

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Premise..., November 23, 2004

By 

Sebastien Pharand (Orléans, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Color Blind: A Novel of Suspense (Hardcover)

I was a big fan of Jonathan Santlofer's first novel, Death Artist. Now, he is back with Color Blind, which, although not as entertaining and striking as his debut effort, proves that the author has a great deal of talent when it comes to creating an intricate tale of suspense.

Kate McKinnon, The Death Artist's heroine, is back in this new tale of the art world gone wrong. This time, a serial killer leaves small paintings at the murder scene as his calling card. Only, the paintings seem odd since the colors are all wrong in these paintings. The NYPD is quick to call Kate since she so successfully resolved the Death Artist case.

But this case becomes personal when Kate's husband, Richard, is found brutally murdered in a fashion similar to the other murders. Is Richard's murder connected to the other case? And where will the Artist strike next? Although Kate is a retired NYPD agent, she quickly gets back into mode in order to solve the case before more innocent people fall victim to the brutal killer.

What I liked about the Death Artist was that Kate was an imperfect character in an imperfect world. She had her celebrity (coming from her television art show) and she traveled across the world, mingling with major artists. She came off as a bit pretentious at times, which was a change of pace from the all-too-perfect characters that people today's crime fiction. But in Color Blind, all of that is forgotten. Kate becomes a great, simple lady who seems just too perfect at times which was greatly disappointing at times.

Santlofer is great at mixing art with fiction. Throughout the novel, he often gives his readers quick little lessons in art history. None of it is too expository or overly done. He gives us just enough to be able to comprehend the world we're in and the people we're facing. And he brings us right into the killer's shoes, a technique I more than welcomed. It gave the story that extra little something that made the whole read greatly entertaining.

I can't say that I enjoyed Color Blind as much as I had The Death Artist. Nonetheless, Santlofer's freshman effort is still very intense at times and it offers a finally that will leave you sitting on the edge of your seat. This one is still better than most mysteries you'll find out there these days.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars exciting serial killer tale, October 27, 2004

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Color Blind: A Novel of Suspense (Hardcover)

NYPD Detective Floyd Brown does not want to leave the "City" for his old working area, the Bronx, but the two repulsive mutilated corpses are there. The killer has left a trademark at each crime scene, weird arranged colorful paintings. Baffled by the "clues", he decides he needs a consultant and the obvious one is his former partner turned art historian Kate McKinnon who worked on the Death Artist case that somewhat seems eerily similar to Floyd.

Kate refuses to get involved as she likes her work, loves her successful wealthy lawyer husband Richard Rothstein, and never fully recovered from the Death Artist investigation though the MO excites her. However, when apparently the painter murders Richard, the investigation turns personal. Now the homicidal artist who happens to be colorblind and the art expert play cat and mouse, but who is really the hunted in this deadly game?

This exciting serial killer tale is well written and spiced up by insight into the art world from painting techniques to attending a show, etc. The story line hooks the reader once Kate becomes involved. However, the deranged culprit except for his reaction formation to his only able to see the world in shades of grey comes out of serial killer 101 even similar to the Death Artist as Floyd notices. Still this is a fine thriller enhanced by the "City's" art scene.

Harriet Klausner