By: Lisa Gardner
Series: Quincy & Rainie, #6.5
Short Story
ISBN: 9781101986325
Publisher: Dutton
Publication Date: 12/27/2016
Format: e-book
My Rating: 5 Stars FBI Profiler Pierce Quincy and Officer Rainie Conner return in a baffling cold case in this exclusive eBook short story by New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner. A young woman is found strangled in the stairwell of a college library, only her sneakers missing. With no physical evidence, no signs of sexual assault, and no witnesses, all the police have to go on are the three men who were in the library with her: her boyfriend and two campus security guards . . . all of whom have secrets, none of whom can be proven guilty.
Five years later, ex-FBI profiler Pierce Quincy and his wife, former police officer Rainie Conner, agree to consult on the still-unsolved case, delving into deep background to comb for any clue that will lead to the woman's murderer. But with no leads and the case colder than the body, will they be able to build a case against one of the three suspects, or is there a fourth man out there? And if the killer has eluded the police this long, how far will he go to ensure justice is never served?
With Gardner's singular ability to delve into the minds of criminals and law enforcement alike, The 4th Man is a shocking look at the reasons for taking a life . . . and just how far profilers need to go to learn them.
It also includes an early look at Gardner's next chilling thriller, Right Behind You, coming January 31, 2017.
My Review
A special thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The "queen" of crime thrillers, Lisa Gardner returns following Find Her (2016) with a tantalizing mystery suspense short story, with an un·be·liev·a·ble twist:
THE 4TH MAN (Quincy & Rainie #6.5) with a preview of the upcoming highly anticipated Right Behind You, which will leave you salivating, and rushing to pre-order.
Boston Homicide Detective DD Warren has inherited a cold case and FBI Profiler, Pierce Quincy and his partner wife, Rainie Connor, have flown in from Oregon to assist with the case. (love this duo)!
A ten-year-old case of a young woman murdered at the university library, in the stairwell. Manual strangulation. No signs of struggle, no evidence of sexual assault. Non-violence. Not a single print, hair, thread, speck of dirt, or swab of DNA to be recovered.
The only detail out of place; she’d been missing her shoes. A pair of dirty white Keds, which per her family, she purchased the year before for less than twenty bucks. They were never recovered from the crime scene.
There was a guard on duty for the evening, plus one for the graveyard shift. The students used an electronic access system to enter the library. However, the students could also bring guests with them. These were to be manually logged in by the guard under the student’s ID.
Over the course of the years, they did not have these guest’s names and the original investigators had dropped the ball. From a list of over sixty possible murder suspects, with ten years to run and hide, the person could be clever or cold.
Rainie and Quincy’s job was to push buttons of the prime suspects. (They remind me of <i>The Mentalist</i> ), one of my favorites. Observant. Intuitive. Sharp.
The beautiful honor student, Jaylin Banks had whispered conversations and phone calls, as well as canceled meetings leading up to the night of her murder. A smart girl dating a bad boy. Sweet and introverted.
Suspect #1: James Duchovny, the boyfriend at the time. Binge drinking, a bully, hoodlum, explosive temper, violence and a rap sheet. He had been 22 yrs. Of age at the time of the murder. A jealous rage?
Suspect #2: Dennis Ringham, early thirties; one of the two security guards working on the night in question- the university’s rent-a-cop. Someone who wanted a uniform but couldn’t have one.
Suspect #3: Laurel Santana, a professional security guard, working the graveyard shift. Married with a baby. The wild card. He had been the one to find the body. He came on at 11:50 pm.
There had also been a mysterious older female visitor. A secret meeting? Who was The 4th Man? Did someone come back or stay behind?
James and Jaylin were supposed to meet at the library and go out afterward. Her paper was not finished. He had told the security guard she was on the second floor and to keep an eye out for her. She said she needed an extra hour and would meet him at the bar.
Did he return to the library later? Whoever killed her had to be someone already inside the library. Someone with access to the library.
A student, a guest, or a security guard? A 4th Man. Motive? Obsession?
A classic closed-room murder, based on a true story—Lisa Gardner once again delivers an intriguing crime thriller with characters’ reader's love. The investigators prevailed, identifying the perp and finding justice in a case where the truth truly is stranger than fiction.
As always, Gardner has the perfect combo and all the essentials: Setting, a perpetrator, an alibi, a suspect, a victim, a puzzle, evidence, a motive, a detective or sleuth, a clue, a plot, and a finally, a breakthrough.
Lisa Gardner and Karin Slaughter always deliver the best novellas!
A killer teaser, with a bonus preview of more "real-life inspired "suspense, with Right Behind You, where we continue with an unstoppable team; Quincy and Rainie as they take on a spree killer with the help of their foster daughter and an expert in fugitive tracking.
The novella is worth the read to get the preview of the real deal. Trust me, it is extraordinary. Was fortunate to have received an early reading copy (1/31/17) - Right Behind You (review forthcoming) is one of Gardner’s best yet! Jaw-dropping, spine-tingling . .
“Had a family once. Father. Mother. Sister. Lived in our very own double-wide.” . . . .
Review Links:
Coming January 31, 2017
Right Behind You (5 Stars +)
Lisa Gardner's next thriller following her runaway New York Times bestseller Find Her takes her wildly popular brand of suspense to new heights. Read More
About the Author
Lisa Gardner, a #1 New York Times crime thriller novelist, began her career in food service, but after catching her hair on fire numerous times, she took the hint and focused on writing instead. A self-described research junkie, her work as a research analyst for an international consulting firm parlayed her interest in police procedure, cutting edge forensics and twisted plots into a streak of internationally bestselling suspense novels, including her most recent release, Find Her.
With over 22 million books in print, Lisa is published in 30 countries. Her success crosses into the small screen with four of her novels becoming movies (At the Midnight Hour; The Perfect Husband; The Survivors Club; Hide) and personal appearances on television shows (TruTV; CNN). Read More
About the Author
