At the Stroke of Madness by Alex Kava

". . . Kava?s suspenseful tale takes us into the life and mind of a serial killer . . ."

". . . a quick-paced novel, with outstanding structure that paints a clear picture of a foggy night."

Joan Begley has turned up missing and bodies are being found stuffed inside barrels. Alex Kava lures us into this fourth Maggie O’Dell novel, just as Joan Begley is lured to a Connecticut park for a mysterious rendezvous.

FBI Agent O’Dell has a relaxing week’s vacation planned when her friend, Dr. Gwen Patterson asks O’Dell for help in finding her missing patent, Joan Begley.

Kava’s suspenseful tale takes us into the life and mind of a serial killer who seeks to rid the world of imperfection. She builds mystery and intrigue from the beginning of this quick-paced novel, with outstanding structure that paints a clear picture of a foggy night.

The plot has as many twists and turns as a drive through the Connecticut countryside, and each character introduced is unique enough to keep the reader on course with the investigation and the suspects.

While our heroine searches for this bizarre serial killer, O’Dell is forced to face new information about her own dark, family secrets. The author has crafted a fast-paced tale that creates mixed feelings as we turn the page to learn more, but don’t want the novel to end. Kava leaves us wanting more, right through to the intriguing last sentence of her epilogue.

Reviewer: LaMaril Mercier