Beverly Barton

Determined to prove herself to her new partner, Sheriff Bernie Granger takes on the case of a serial killer who romances his victims then brutally murders them, trapping Bernie in a deadly game with a brilliant psychopath who can read her mind--and his next move is all too personal. Original.

Close Enough to Kill

CLOSE ENOUGH TO TOUCH . . . He’s their secret admirer, wooing them with phone calls, love letters, and special gifts. From a distance, he admires them. Desires them. Despises them. And when he gets close enough, he kills them all. CLOSE ENOUGH TO KISS . . . Adams County, Alabama, is a small, friendly place where everyone knows each other—but not well enough, it seems, because Sheriff Bernie Granger has a serial killer on her hands, a total psycho who first romances, then stalks, kidnaps, and kills his victims. It’s Bernie’s first big case, a chance for her to prove herself to her new partner, Memphis police detective Jim Norton, but it won’t be easy. This killer is uncannily smart. It’s as if he knows what Bernie is thinking. And his next move is more than shocking—it’s chillingly personal. . . . CLOSE ENOUGH TO KILL. A terrifying game is underway. A desperate hunt has begun. Bernie is determined to stop a twisted serial killer at all costs. But is she getting nearer to catching him—or being drawn ever deeper into his deadly web?

Bad Girl Bex

Usual run of the mill serial killer guff & gubbins. Had figured out who it was by about page 100, which didn't necessarily take anything away from the pace or suspense, because Barton actually did a good job of dropping in enough red herrings along the way for me to doubt that I'd gotten the perp pegged, on at least two occasions. Obviously this book isn't a serious read. It's pure junk-food for the blackened soul of tragic folks like me who love vivid descriptions of torture and graphic violence. 

I liked the fact that the female lead wasn't a feminist-esque character. She was an accurate reflection of how a woman is not necessarily as strong or as powerful as a man, so being a police officer, she had to understand her own limits and have a good working relationship with her fellow officers, in order for everyone to function as a useful, productive unit. I hate reading books where the woman is some super ass-kicking, infallible, invincible creature who can do anything a man can do, just as well. Barton is obviously a southern belle at heart and she understands that men and women are equal in importance whilst being different and unequal in capabilities, across the board. She has a good handle on what genuine strengths each gender possesses, which in turn means that her characters are believable, engaging and likable. 

I wasn't overly fond of the amount of romantic sub-plots going on, although in the context of a thriller built around the concept of someone who confuses obsession with love and how they go on to stalk their victims who initially mistake their fixation for romantic inclination. So I gave Barton a pass on having featured so many romantic pairings-off, because in this particular story, it did help to create a sense of balance and perspective, regarding what makes a good or bad relationship.

This was never going to be a mind-altering, life-changing book. It's just a pure unadulterated procedural thriller, designed to up the pace, chapter by chapter, before ending with a climactic denouement. And it did exactly what it said on the tin. The ending was a little anti-climactic, with the final act being somewhat predictable, but then that's often the case with this genre. Give it a go if you're looking for an unchallenging yet thoroughly enjoyable lark of a crime thriller/police procedural. Good for those days when you just want some literary candy floss, peppered with glorified violence and if you like Karen Slaughter or Tess Gerritsen, you'll probably enjoy this too.

Close Enough to Kill

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