Fair Game — Rochelle Krich

In this first-rate page-turner, an apparently ordinary man, who as a child was forced to play board games with his bullying father, vents his rage in murders that seem to occur without pattern or motivation and baffle the police. LAPD Homicide detective Jessie Drake catches on to the killer's methods (to the obvious dismay of some of her male colleagues on the force), but remains powerless to predict his next move. Quick cuts from the killer's premeditations to murder scenes and to Jessie's investigation build a palpable tension. Anthony Award-winning Krich ( Till Death Do Us Part ) adds deft explorations of Jessie's failed marriage, her difficult childhood and current family relationships, subtly comparing the emotional histories of many in the cast, from criminal to cop. Recognizable characters, accelerating action and an intriguing plot combine with an open-ended resolution of Jessie's personal life to comfort readers with the suggestion of future installments. (Sept.)