THE DYING GAME
Beverly Barton
Zebra
Romantic Suspense
ISBN-10: 0821776894
ISBN-13: 9780821776896

• About the Book
• Read an Excerpt
• Author Interview -- April 13, 2007

"Blonde, brunette, redhead" easily could be the thoughts of any hot-blooded male hungrily eyeing a room full of beautiful women in search of a one-night stand. It also could be the thoughts of the judges searching for the winner of a beauty contest. But New York Times bestselling author Beverly Barton creates a macabre dying game where former beauty queen blondes are worth 15 points, brunettes are worth 10 points and the coveted rare redhead is worth 20 points.

A scene of sheer terror and brutality rivets the reader's attention in the prologue to THE DYING GAME. The pure horror of the scene, helplessness of the victim and heartbreak of Judd Walker hugging his beautiful wife Jennifer --- now handless --- draw the audience further along the game board to the next killing. Murder after murder, the victim's lover or husband finds the gruesome remains --- body parts savagely chopped off, a rose always left by the killer --- adding to the emotional roller coaster of reading this book.

The Dying Game is no "game" to the still-beautiful women who are carefully selected for death by the serial murderer. The perpetrator is cleverly disguised and convincing enough to entice each former beauty queen to trust him. Who would believe him to be an eccentric millionaire who grew up in the lap of luxury, drives a Bentley and attends cocktail parties with Griffin Powell, one of his pursuers?

Even though the FBI and a team of private investigators, led by Griffin, are on the trail of the "Beauty Queen Killer," he gets away with slaughtering multiple women over a five-year period. "Killing was like a massive shot of adrenaline." His sick thoughts reveal, "With each kill, the act itself had become easier, and eventually, he had begun to enjoy hearing their screams." Part of the "game" includes taking a picture of the victim's mutilated body and framing it next to her photo as a contest winner. The dichotomy of beauty and brutality displayed in a secret gallery of "pretty little flowers" in the killer's home intensifies his savagery. "The photos would allow him to enjoy this moment over and over again."

The twists and turns and brutality of victims with limbs chopped off by the killer will keep you awake and fearful. Thankfully, there is a prevalent romantic entanglement between Judd Walker and Lindsay McAllister. THE DYING GAME begins with the most recent murder and the memory of one of the first beauty queens to be slain, Jennifer Walker. Lindsay is a rookie detective who is present when a crying Judd is holding his wife's brutally murdered body. Four years later, Judd is still a broken man, consumed with grief and a recluse who has drowned his sorrows in alcohol for far too long. Lindsay is focused on finding the Beauty Queen Killer and teams up with Judd and Griffin. Once the two most eligible bachelors in Chattanooga, the men use all their resources to locate the culprit. We are given a brief glimpse into Griffin's resources, his relationship with FBI agent Nic Baxter and psychic associate Yvette Meng.

Lindsay is hopelessly in love with Judd, even though he still mourns his wife. Judd's unbearable grief leaves him incapable of "human emotions, other than hatred and revenge," but Lindsay tries to help him face his demons and accept her love.

THE DYING GAME is gruesome, gory, gutsy --- and unlike any other romantic suspense novel I have ever read. Barton takes a chance writing graphic scenes for a mostly female audience, but she masterfully weaves steamy romance and raw intensity to keep the reader looking forward to the next love scene or sexy banter.

   --- Reviewed by Hillary Wagy

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