Past headlines said it all: Serial Killer Plucks Hearts from Victims! The most despicable and prolific serial killer of New Orleans has escaped! Top Detectives Callow and Smith urgently try to beat the clock as the homicides begin again, with the vengence of two perpetrators. Is there also a copy-cat? Why the modus operandi of plucking wives' hearts? Where is the operation done, and the bodies displayed in other, public locations? The detectives are the emotionally constant, methodical heroes needed for the job again. During the arduous course of the case, Callow reexamines his religious faith that had vanished, with enriching results.
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Early in the book there is a revealing piece of description about a shooting attack on a bus of prisoners, The foggy, cotton candy aura was saturated with bright red, turning darker as it oxidized and splattered, turning the movie into the genre of horror. Revealing because the serial killer detectives Callow and Smith need to recapture literally rips the hearts out of his adulterous victims. But also this passage foreshadows a cinematic approach the author uses to great advantage. There is something about serial killers that appeals to the movies. Maybe because they seem an unstoppable force beyond reason that is easily frightening to audiences. In this case Jack Callow s wife was murdered by the escaped convict two years earlier so there is personal involvement which heightens the drama. Also he has a young daughter, who he believes could be hurt as a way for the killer, Ralph Mules (a great name), to get back at him. But there are also some twists that keep readers guessing. For one, we don t know whether or not the dead wife Callow idolizes was adulterous. Second, it seems that the killer is in two places at once. Is there an accomplice possibly one of the people responsible for ambushing the prison bus? The dialogue crackles. New Orleans (the setting) enters mostly through descriptions of food. And the story pulls together toward a tense climax. The author is adept at withholding information (Callow s fate) from us to build suspense. And there are some subtle touches, such as juxtaposing description of the crime lab with that of the actual crime scene. Zenon has done research for there is some detail the average person wouldn t know that adds credibility ( I parked behind the squad car and switched off the portable Rawl s light that sat on my dash... ). I m less enthusiastic about the religious overtones (quotes form Psalms and the Bible, between sections). They seem a bit heavy handed though they do mirror the detective s return to God after his despair when his wife was taken from him, and there is one good interchange between Callow and Mules about rectifying evil. The cover is very creepy. Maybe too creepy. But this is a young author going places (and I don t mean just in the Army). I applaud his energy and skill. Even his description of his home town in the bio is evocative: His place of origin is New Orleans, Louisiana, sometimes the hottest but definitely the loveliest, verdant spot on Earth, where every night the orange sunset touches the water and the crabs leap out, inviting a feast for the city rising in reconstruction. --BookReview.com (John Lehman)
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More About the Author
Perry E. Zenon was the third of four children born to Larry and Brenda Zenon in New Orleans, LA. Growing up with his sisters; Esperonza ?Marie? Zenon Stanley, Lorenza M. Zenon and Miranda E. Zenon, Perry relied on his imagination to escape his female world not knowing that one day his imagination would be in print for the world to enjoy. While attending L. W. Higgins Senior High Perry?s English teacher submitted his short story to a local writing competition as one of the three best in her class. Her belief that his class project was good enough to go against the best in the state propelled him to further his skills and become a published author.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A gripping mystery that will start readers reading and keep them going until the last page,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Hearts (Paperback)
What drives a man to the sadism needed to remove the hearts from living people? "Hearts" is a mystery following a serial killer who has earned quite the infamous name for himself doing just that. Two detectives, Callow and Smith, are left on a trail to track down this killer who has escaped their grasps and has continued with his grisly method of slaughter. "Hearts" is a gripping mystery that will start readers reading and keep them going until the last page.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great read,
By Lerrgoo "Laura" (Conroe, TX USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Hearts (Paperback)
This was a great, quick read that was kind of scary. It centered upon a serial killer, Larry Mules who ripped the hearts out of females. The killer escapes from prison and sets out to haunt and torment the lead Homicide Investigator, Detective Callow. The detective's own wife died at the hands of Mules and Callow is left with his thirteen year old daughter to raise himself and is now struggling with his belief in God. After going thru that ordeal, he is very angry with God. Callow has a partner, Dean Smith who follows him in the pursuit of Mules. I really liked the biblical quotes in this book and really liked the fact that the author served in the Army. This book is very well written and very descriptive. I also like the fact that the setting is in New Orleans and the author himself is from there as well. I highly recommend this book.
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