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Fiction. Mystery. HTML:Texas-based crime reporter Molly Cates has just published her first book, describing the blood-curdling exploits of serial killer Louie Bronk. Now on death row, Louie's sentence is about to be carried out. Molly will be there as a witness, and she wants to write about it�??the final coda to Louie's story. But suddenly, she's being strongly discouraged by her boss at the Lone Star Monthly and by Charlie McFarland, the millionaire real estate developer whose first wife, Tiny, was Bronk's most famous victim�??and the only one whose murder is a capital offense. Then Molly starts to receive dark hints that Louie may not have killed Tiny after all. There is another murder following Louis's M.O.�??one he could not have committed. The veracity of Molly's book is threatened�??and then her very life. Caught between a rock and a hard place, Molly realizes that by attempting to save Louis she is putting her own life on the line, and discrediting her own work. Mary Willis Walker brings a lusty new voice to the mystery scene. Already recognized for her first novel, she has now created a character just cheeky and gusty enough to take her place among the top ranks of female protagonists such as Kinsey Millhone and Ka… (more)
User reviews
Protagonist Molly Cates is a crime reporter for a magazine not unlike Texas Monthly. (Some readers apparently think she's based on the late Molly Ivins.) She has an adult daughter who's a lawyer, some ex-husbands (one of whom figures in the book), and has just published her first book, a true crime story of a notorious serial killer. Under Texas law (at the time anyway), Louie Bronk is about to be executed for the last of his murders only because it occurred during the commission of another felony (theft). Just a few days before the execution, various events combine to make Molly suspicious that Louie's confession to the murder of wealthy Tiny McFarland was a false one -- and he now recants that confession. Molly races against time to prove or disprove Louie's statements, while her first ex-husband, Austin cop Grady Traynor, investigates the murders of Tiny McFarland's successor and of one of the key witnesses in the original trial. Although I had a pretty good idea of one element of the ending, there were others that surprised me. The writing is excellent (perhaps the reason for Willis Walker's slim output) with realistic characters who are capable of change, believable dialogue, and a real feel for the setting -- mostly Austin, Texas, but with visits to Fort Worth and Huntsville as well. Very highly recommended.
But suddenly, she's being strongly discouraged by her boss at The Lone Star Monthly and by a multi-millionaire real estate developer to not continue with her writing. Charlie MacFarland - the multi-millionaire real estate developer - lost his first wife, Tiny, to Louie's horrendous murder spree. She was Louie's most famous victim and the only one whose murder is a capital offense.
Then Molly starts to receive dark hints that Louie may not have killed Tiny at all. There is another murder following Louie's M. O. - one that he couldn't have committed. The veracity of Molly's book is questioned and then her very life is threatened. Caught between a rock and a hard place, Molly realizes that by attempting to save Louie she is putting her own life on the line, and discrediting her own work.
Honestly, I wasn't expecting this book to be as good as it actually was. I found the characters to be extremely likable; the book was well-written and ultimately the mystery was engaging enough to keep me guessing until the very end. I give this book an A+! and I plan to find some other books by Mary Willis Walker to read in the future.