Measure of Vengeance: A Mystery [Hardcover]

Jerry Jellison (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2000

Megan Rourke, aspiring author and full-time editor for a major new York publishing house, is battling a new boss, downsizing in the company, and a mile-high stack of lousy manuscripts, when the first chapter of an unsigned work mysteriously appears on her desk. Annoyed, and then revolted by what she reds, she suffers week after week as each week brings another chapter, chronicling the life and kills of a serial murderer. At first she believes that the chapters are fiction; gradually and dreadfully, she begins to believe that the author is actually the killer telling his story.

Lieutenant Oscar Colunga, transferred from his home and job in New Mexico to Connecticut, gets a call from the local uniforms informing him that a body has been found unearthed in the Nepaug Reservoir -- Colunga's territory. More bodies begin turning up in the days that follow, and with no clues to give him any leads, Colunga is stumped by the ever-growing scope of the case.

Megan hears a news report about one of the bodies, and realizes that she shows who it is -- the killer has given her the victim's name, and described her death in one of the chapters. She learns about Colunga and phones him, using an alias, fearing that the writer will somehow know what she's doing, and she'll be the next victim. Stymied by Megan's reluctance to come forward, Colunga has to figure out who Megan is, and then identify the killer before he gets to Megan.

Colunga, haunted by the death of his own daughter by a serial killer, vows that Megan will not die the same way -- but can he find the guy before he finishes the job on Megan?

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Intellectual beauty and book editor Megan Roark, horrified by graphic descrioptions of murder sent to her office in unsolicited "fiction" manuscripts, recognizes frightening similarities to news reports of recent murders. Instead of trusting the serial murder task force, she hires a private investigator to identify the sender of the manuscripts. As she and the task force close in on the truth, the murderer also moves in. The clever use of one story within another, credible subplots involving a corporate merger, romance, the death of a daughter, and a spooky killer make this a memorable chiller. For all collections.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"...a memorable chiller. For all collections." -- Library Journal, Vol. 125, No. 2, February 1, 2000

"Readers will delight in the fast-paced intrigue as they are led through the well-executed plot twists ..." -- Clive Cussler

"Take a deep breath before you read the first page...." -- Ron Franscell, author of Angel Fire and The Deadline

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 296 pages
• Publisher: Write Way Publishing; 1ST edition (February 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1885173725
• ISBN-13: 978-1885173720
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,587,328 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Scary!!, November 24, 2000

By 

Katt - See all my reviews

This review is from: Measure of Vengeance: A Mystery (Hardcover)

Being a big fan of the mystery / serial killer genre it usually takes a lot in a book to scare me, but this one did!

Megan Rourke, an editor at a big NY publishing house and aspiring author, starts receiving an anonymous manuscript detailing the disturbed life of a serial killer. She passes it off as a bizarre work of fiction, but soon realizes that the killings match those she's seen on the news. Megan phones the police using an alias, for fear of being the next victim.

Enter Lieutenant Oscar Colunga, who's own daughter was murdered by a serial killer, and the chase is on. He's determined to find out who Megan really is before it's too late.

Mr. Jellison does a wonderful job of using first person narrative when describing the vicious acts that the killer instills upon his victims. Parts of this book were downright creepy!

This book is a terrific thriller with a great surprise ending. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fast read, just be warned you may have to sleep with the lights on!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Measure of Vengeance, June 19, 2000

By 

Pamela Stone - See all my reviews

This review is from: Measure of Vengeance: A Mystery (Hardcover)

Megan Roark, aspiring author and full time editor for a major New York Publishing house, starts receiving black envelopes with chapters of an unsigned work. At first she believes the chapters are fiction. Gradually she begins to believe that the author is actually telling his own story. Megan hears a news report of a body being found and realizes the name is same as one of the women in the chapters sent to her. Megan finds out who is on the case, a Lieutenant Colunga, and calls him with details but refuses to give her name for fear of becoming a victim.

Go along on the journey to find this sadistic serial killer who is looking for love in all the wrong places. Jerry Jellison guides the reader into the soul of this sadist killer who wears a mask of sanity while going about his daily job in society. The first four chapters are slow to get started but after that the story really takes off fast.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Hitchcockian like thriller, February 7, 2000

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Measure of Vengeance: A Mystery (Hardcover)

Megan Roarke is an acquiring editor for New York based Gladiator Press. Megan is also an aspiring author. One day she receives an unsolicited black envelope containing a partial manuscript. It turns out to be the memoirs of a serial killer. Each chapter is devoted to a graphic depiction of a murder. Megan begins to believe she holds an autobiography and that she is the next chapter. Megan sends the manuscript to the lead police officer working the serial killer case.

When a serial killer murdered his daughter, the memories in his home proves too great for Lieutenant Oscar Volunga. He left New Mexico to work for the Connecticut police force. However, his current assignment leaves him filled with sad memories about his beloved Julia. When he receives a chapter from the notorious manuscript, Oscar vows to protect the proposed victim from a madman even if it means his own life. That is the only way he can put away his guilt of not being there when Julia needed him most.

Journey if you dare into MEASURE OF VENGEANCE to gain an entry into the mind of a serial killer seeking love in all the wrong ways. The story is narrated from the murderer's point of view, the police officer tracking him, and that of the woman he wants to love/kill. This perspective allows author Jerry Jellison to guide his audience into the "soul" of pure evil, a being who wears the calm mask of sanity while going about his daily dealings in society. In this book, evil is so well hidden that readers will wonder if their neighbor or co-worker masquerades as a model citizen to hide a sinister side. This a powerful debut.

Harriet Klausner