Eyeshot [Paperback]

Lynn S. Hightower (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1997

Some days Cincinnati police detective Sonora Blair doesn't want to be a cop. Not when she has to tell the father of two young children that the body parts turning up along I-75 belong to his missing wife, Julia. Eight years ago she witnessed a murder that was never solved, but not forgotten. A murder in which the body disappeared, and no one believed her story. Years later, Julia thinks she sees the killer. Then Julia disappears. And a dangerous sociopath, left undisturbed for eight years, is back in business in Cincinnati.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

At certain moments, Cincinnati homicide detective Sonora Blair hates her job. One of those moments comes while interviewing Butch Winchell about his missing wife, Julia: while studying pictures of the stunning woman with her two young children, Sonora has to deal with the "come-hither" looks of her partner, Sam Delarose. Throughout this third Sonora Blair crime novel (after Flashpoint and Satan's Lambs), Hightower lightens the atmosphere by juxtaposing sexual tension and banter with the step-by-step hunt for a homicidal maniac. The chase starts when Winchell's mention of a tattoo on his wife's ankle reminds Sonora that a colleague has discovered a leg amputated above the ankle, perhaps to prevent identification. A search of Julia's hotel room reveals evidence of an affair?and also turns up notes implicating prominent Cincinnati D.A. Gage Caplan in the unsolved murder of his pregnant wife eight years ago. Julia witnessed the murder, although at the time she couldn't get anybody to believe her. As Sonora and Sam piece together the clues, it becomes apparent that Caplan's pregnant second wife is likely to be next on his list. As a crime puzzle, this novel is nothing special. What gives it depth and resonance is the way Hightower counterpoints the murder plot with the details of Sonora's daily life in homicide, from the annoyance of having to share the station's women's room with male cops to discussions among women about how to tell if the man they're seeing is married. This wry, easygoing narrative overlay gives Sonora and her latest adventure an appeal that should draw in readers despite the lack of cliff-hanger suspense.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Hightower brings back Cincinnati homicide detective Sonora Blair, who investigates the case of a Tennessee woman, Julia Winchell, missing after coming to the Queen City for a small-business conference. Body parts discovered along the interstate appear to be the remains of the woman, who believed she had witnessed a murder when in college in Cincinnati, but a search failed to discover any evidence of a crime. Just before going to the conference, Julia told her sister that she had recognized the murderer from a picture in the Cincinnati paper--a prominent district attorney. Sonora reluctantly investigates these somewhat doubtful circumstances and finds a compelling trail of evidence that points squarely to the DA as the murderer. Proving her case against a well-respected public figure is the real challenge in this tautly plotted, engaging story, enlivened by crisp dialogue. Sonora's continuing search for a relationship and the exhausting task of raising two children provide the enjoyable subplots. Stuart Miller --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins (Mm) (November 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061096091
• ISBN-13: 978-0061096099
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,004,963 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great plot line, herky-jerky follow-through, March 16, 2005

By 

DWD "DWD's Reviews" (Indianapolis, IN) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Eyeshot (Paperback)

Have you ever been in a car with someone who is learning how to drive a stick shift? If not, let me assure you, you will be bounced around without warning and it will be quite unpleasant until you get used to it or until the driver gets better.

In the case of 'Eyeshot', you'd better get used to it.

Hightower has created a wonderful concept for a police novel - how do you get the criminal when the suspect is a high profile prosecutor? Her characters work the outside edges of the system until they can finally make their move and it is an interesting concept and quite the challenge.

Unfortunately, it is made even more challenging by Hightower's choppy plot lines. Oftentimes, I felt like I was coming in to the middle of a scene or a conversation - the characters were meeting people I did not know - nor did I get clued in until much later on. Conversations were started and spoken almost completely in the shorthand that characterizes friendships - but I'm not friends with these people so I have no idea what they're talking about! It is not a good thing to make the reader feel like the third wheel!

So, I gave the book 3 stars, which means I do recommend it. Let me explain my reasoning. The underlying plot is so strong that the annoying habits of the writer do not overcome it. Or, to put it another way (and to return to my first analogy...) - I just got used to her poor use of the stick shift!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly enjoyed this book!, December 6, 2003

By 

"bungfritz" (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eyeshot (Paperback)

Succinctly and beautifully written, with a flawed lead character who immediately drew me in and had me cheering for her all the way through. Quite different from the rest of the current crop of female-detective-crime-murder-mystery heroines. I can imagine spending time with Sonora Blair and really enjoying myself! Looking forward to reading Hightower's other Blair offerings.

3.0 out of 5 stars Better Than Her First Sonora Blair Novel, February 26, 2005

By 

garry1952 (Russell Springs, KENTUCKY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eyeshot (Hardcover)

I saw Ms Hightower's first Blair novel at my local library and needing something quick and easy to read that week picked it up. The dialogue and plot make her works quick and easy. One can easily finish them off in one sitting. BUT, I agree with another reviewer here - for someone living in Lexington, KY I wish she would try to get her details a little straighter. Of course for anyone not from this neck of the woods, her errors are not apparent. But, to those of us in the KY/OH area it is annoying to say the least. I have read several of Hightower's other early novels and will likely read a few more. While she is no Cornwell, she does have characters and a writing method that makes her mysteries/detective novels easy to take and does not require one to think to much about the plot or story. I would recommend her early novels to anyone just to allow them the opportunity to see if her books appeal to them. Worth the minimal investment!