Customer Reviews

PROBABLE CAUSE.

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

No doubt about it, Pearson is magnificent. He has an incredible knack for creating suspense and developing believable characters. I enjoyed this novel so much and carried it with me just so I could finish it more quickly!
James DeWitt is a brilliant forensic scientist turned detective in Carmel, California. He switches jobs a few months after a horrific loss rocks his family. When suspicious suicides start popping up, DeWitt bulldozes his way past doubting fellow officers to investigate what everyone else says are open-and-shut cases. He teams up with Clare O'Daly, current forensic investigator, to get to the bottom of the mysterious deaths. Along the way he battles bureaucratic red tape, political interference and a burning suspicion that someone is building a bizarre cover-up. Did I mention that someone seems to be stalking his family? DeWitt doesn't even realize the impact this case will have on his life.
Pearson gives us great characters, a likeable hero, a ghastly villain and an intriguing little mystery. This is a taut thriller that held my attention and had me zipping through the pages to find out what would happen next. I'm so glad I found Pearson's books, and now I can't wait to move on to the next one!

As with most authors I become enamoured with, Ridley Pearson's top notch crime writing has led me back to some of his earlier works. This one is a definite winner.

In "Probable Cause" we meet James Dewitt. He is on the prowl for a serial killer who stretches out a nasty string of murders. One catch. This psychopath makes them all look like suicides. Using the fewest of clues, Dewitt begins his relentless search. Add to the mix a re-birth of happenings Dewitt would rather forget and we also see a man striving to save his reputation, as well as possibly his own life.

A well written criminal thrill read.

other reading suggestions: "Messiah" by Boris Starling, "Mayday" by Nelson DeMille, and "Running Blind" by Lee Childs

Thanks for your interest & comments--CDS

This was my first introduction to Mr. Pearson. After reading it, I was hooked on his writing forever. And now, after reading every Lou Boldt book, Hard Fall, and Hidden Charges, I would definitely rate this as one of his best! It begins by introducing a character who is recovering from the loss of his wife and daughter. Mr. Pearson develops this man into someone we really care about. Without giving it away, let's just say that if you like books that cover the art of forensic science in a skillful way, I would recommend The Pied Piper, Middle of Nowhere, and Probable Cause as his three best!

I liked the book very much. It is a clever story line that is both entertaining and unpredictable. As usual, Pearson is extremely descriptive and insightful in forensic science. If you like thrillers about serial killers, this book is for you!

The main character in Probable Cause is James Dewitt, a former forensic scientist who has become Carmel, California's sole detective, after his wife is murdered in a bizarre courthouse incident. A few month's into his tenture as a detective in a town renowned for its scenery, peacefulness and lack of violent crime, 2 dead bodies appear within days of each other... apparently unrelated suicides. Dewitt's forensic background and disciplined observation reject the easy way to close the cases. When a third body appears, the complexities skyrocket.

An excellent story. Dewitt is somewhat remote but grows on you as the story unfolds. The other characters, from likeable to extremely disagreeable or grotesque, are believable. As much as the book held my interest throughout, I feel there is a lack of balance between subplots and the main plot, with the latter suffering. That said, it is well worth reading.

I didn't find this book to be up to his usual standard. Perhaps the extremely distasteful description of the animal killings (in particular, the cat) were abhorrent and I thought, did not add to the content in the least. There had to be a better way to give some insight into the mind of the killer!!

You may feel that this genre is now flooded with every crime scenario that could ever happen. But then comes this wonderful book by a seasoned vet. Mr. Pearson never fails to deleiver high caliber writing. This book is no exception. It is well written and right on the money. A must read for any Pearson fan.