TCK seemed to have an obsession with numbers. He took three female victims each year, of increasingly younger ages (20, 19, 18, etc.). In addition, the girls were abducted three days apart, and the body of each victim was found seven days after her kidnapping.
Finally, one of TCK's abductees, an eleven-year-old girl, escaped......and the murders stopped. There was speculation that TCK had committed suicide, but there was no definitive proof of his death.
Now Elle Castillo - a self-styled investigator who hosts a true crime podcast called 'Justice Deferred' - is revisiting the TCK case. Elle thinks TCK is still alive and she broadcasts a podcast about one of his victims every week. Elle then invites the public to help track the killer down.
One listener sends an email claiming to know the identity of TCK, and Elle arranges to meet him at his house.
However, when Elle arrives at the informant's home just an hour later, he's dead. Elle calls the police, then helps investigate the murder, thinking it might be connected to TCK.
Things go from bad to worse, because Elle's podcast seems to inspire someone to begin the abductions again. An 11-year-old girl disappears, and Elle and the police are frantic to catch the perpetrator.
The narrative is interspersed with episodes of Elle's podcast, which have increasingly dramatic revelations each week. In addition, the segments occasionally feature Elle's husband Martin Castillo, a medical examiner who contributes his expertise to the show.
The narrative is interspersed with flashbacks to a frightening incident in Elle's past as well as anecdotes about TCK's history - which help explain his crimes.
Elle is so determined to catch TCK that she becomes reckless, thrusting herself into dangerous situations without backup. This is a bugaboo of mine about fictional female characters, but Elle at least packs a gun. 😊
This is an enjoyable fast-moving thriller, recommended to fans of the genre.
Rating: 3.5 stars
No comments:
Post a Comment