Puppets [Paperback]

Daniel Hecht (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 2001

The New Jersey State Police had started calling him Howdy Doody, after the famous TV puppet of the 1950s. Three people killed in northern New Jersey, then three in Manhattan and another in the Bronx, in a thirteen-month period. And all of them hung up with strings attached to their limbs, like puppets, and objects arranged in geometric patterns throughout the murder scene. The murderer had been caught in New York city several months previously. Then State Police detective Mo Ford found another victim, killed and arranged in exactly the same way...Put in charge of the investigation, Mo finds himself in thrall to the DA, who has him over a barrel because of the recent accidental death of a suspect. As he investigates further, Mo begins to construct a theory that involves the US intelligence agencies and a horrific experiment with human beings. But how many puppet masters are involved?

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Guitarist-turned-novelist Hecht explores the sinister side of science in this gripping prequel to his 1998 bestseller, Skull Session (1998). New York state police detective Mo Ford is in a funk: his relationship with his live-in girlfriend, Carla, has fallen apart, and a violent encounter with a 300-plus-pound assailant has him facing probation or worse. But the detective's investigative talents make up for his reputation as a rebel cop, and the local district attorney is willing to give him a second chance. The case is a doozy: catch a serial murderer who strings victims by their limbs, like puppets. It couldn't be the "Howdy Doody" killer, caught with the help of the FBI several years before, but could it be a copycat, or did they nab the wrong guy? As Ford peels back the layers of the case, he discovers disturbing truths about military mind-control experiments that turned enlisted men into killing machines. Detective Ford pairs up, professionally and romantically, with svelte psychologist Rebecca Ingalls, while his ex, an astrologist and psychic, has eerie premonitions about his demise. Hecht, who's also authored a second mystery series featuring Seattle parapsychologist Cree Black, delivers a first-rate thriller with a killer combination of wit, grit, and gore. Allison Block
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Before becoming a writer, Daniel Hecht spent twenty years as a guitarist, a musical career that included albums on Windham Hill Records, concerts at Carnegie Hall, and international performance tours. He now lives in Vermont.

Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (October 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 074342896X
• ISBN-13: 978-0743428965
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,658,220 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling!, August 20, 2006

By 

Charlotte Vale-Allen (CT USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Puppets (Paperback)

I had to shake my head over the so-called reviewer who hadn't bothered to read the word "prequel" on the cover, and then fussed over the ending of the book. Groan. One should have at least basic reading skills before deigning to criticize a writer of Hecht's enormous skills. Puppets is, like all Hecht's work, addictive. The author has an all but peerless ability to create mood and genuninely creepy tension; this, coupled with great narrative drive, makes for a superior reading experience. Puppets is fascinating on many levels, dealing as it does with the issue of control--something that is central to all our lives--and it delivers the goods. It isn't so important to learn the identity of the villain (and the pathway is strewn with a fair number of adroitly dropped red herrings) as it is to watch Mo Ford and the other main characters take shape before us and act out in entirely believable ways. What I like best about Hecht's work is the believable fallibility of his characters; they remain true to themselves, even when it isn't pretty, even when we, the readers, wince at their ability to embarrass themselves and then scramble for redemption. Puppets is Hecht doing what he does best: making us care about his people to the extent that we're willing to go with them, wherever they have to go. Highly recommended!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Outstanding!, December 23, 2007

By 

bc "bc" (Connecticut) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Puppets (Paperback)

This is the first book (actually audiobook) I've read by Hecht and I must say it's now one of my all-time favorites. Hecht keeps the wheels on the story right through the very end. Most fiction seems to disappoint by either being too long winded, too far-fetched, or by having a preposterous ending, but not here, this is good till the last drop.

Hecht is an extremely gifted writer. Do yourself a favor and ignore the negative reviews posted here and give it a try. Not for the faint-of-heart.

5.0 out of 5 stars If this isn't a great thriller, I don't know what is., November 19, 2010

By 

Twitchy - See all my reviews

This review is from: Puppets (Paperback)

I was literally losing sleep and sneaking this book into class, it was so compelling.
Daniel Hecht intertwines the plots perfectly, dropping just a right amount of red herrings and GASP moments.

It is however not for the faint of heart- I was shaking at certain points when I was reading the book because of the intensity- and I've read "Helter Skelter".

All of Hecht's books are addictive, once you catch the bug, you will want to read more.