December 1, 2020
How many mysteries remain once a notorious serial killer has confessed? Still reeling from the scandal that sent his second documentary feature into limbo and prevented him from capitalizing on the ego-swelling success of his first, Theo Snyder is desperate for a subject for his third when he suddenly gets a brain wave: He'll tell the story of dermatologist Jasper Ross-Johnson, the Halo Killer sitting in a Delaware prison after dispatching 16 women. Bringing back his winning team, cinematographer Jessica Ransom and investigator Zora Monroe, Theo is excited when Jasper agrees to be interviewed on camera and repeats the confession he already made in court. The deeper Theo gets into the case, though, the more the hook he'd originally planned for his movie--why did Jasper allow his final victim, Barbara Yost, to survive the ritual that had left all the others dead?--gets lost in a tangle of other questions that loom with growing urgency. What's the connection between Jasper's methodical campaign of murder and the case of Miracle Jones, the Miracle Baby abandoned shortly before by her mother at what would become his first crime scene? What unidentified parties were present at his very last crime scene? Have the authorities succeeded in identifying all the Halo Killer's victims? And--a question that becomes agonizingly important after Jasper's escape from prison--exactly who's scripting each of the possible endings to the work in progress Theo is counting on to resurrect his moribund career? Reardon keeps the complications coming so thick and fast you'll be deeply relieved that you're not making this movie yourself. A virtuoso exercise for serious players determined to keep playing each other to the bitter end.
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December 21, 2020
When serial killer Jasper Ross-Johnson reaches out to documentary filmmaker Theo Snyder, the narrator of this taut if flawed tale of deception from bestseller Reardon (The Perfect Plan), Theo agrees to meet him at the Wilmington, Del., prison where he’s incarcerated. Jasper wants Theo, whose first documentary was a hit but whose career has since tanked, to tell his story. Theo, keen to redeem his reputation, succeeds in interesting a studio in the project and starts filming interviews with Jasper at the prison. PI Zora Monroe joins Theo in an effort to get Jasper to reveal what led to his being captured before he could kill his last intended victim. Theo and Zora come to realize that the daughter of Jasper’s first victim is in peril, and they embark on a deadly chase up and down the east coast to find her. Ingenious twists and well-developed characters compensate only in part for a convoluted ending that will leave many unsatisfied. Newcomers are advised to start with one of Reardon’s earlier, stronger thrillers. Agent: Stephanie Rostan, LGR Literary.
February 15, 2021
Theo Snyder was famous once. His documentary, The Basement, became a massive hit and brought all the fame he'd ever dreamed of having. Just as quickly, a scandal brought Theo to the bottom. Looking for a way to find his voice again, he decides to tell the story of the infamous Halo Killer, Jasper Ross-Johnson, a serial murderer facing life in prison. At first, Theo expects Jasper to cooperate, but the further Theo delves into the Halo Killer's past, more questions arise than answers. Why did Jasper fail to murder his last victim? Who was the woman seen on the beach the night he was captured? Reardon's mastery at weaving together the strands of a complex psychological thriller is palpable on every page. Theo's manic foray into Jasper's life and mind is described in disturbing detail, but this is not the typical murder mystery. Instead of focusing on the gruesome outcomes, Reardon brings forth Jasper's methods and mind-set, answering the question of why someone would commit such heinous acts. Fans of Gillian Flynn will jump at this one.
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