In this gritty, riveting new novel, Detroit reporter Julia Gooden tracks down a serial killer—only to realize she has become his obsession . . . Crime writer Julia Gooden has just completed the most important story of her life—a book about her beloved brother’s childhood abduction and how she found his killer after thirty years. But that hasn’t taken her focus off her day job—especially with … day job—especially with what looks to be a serial killer terrorizing the city. Female runners are being snatched off jogging trails, then slaughtered in abandoned churches.
As Julia begins investigating, with help from Detective Raymond Navarro, she realizes just how personal this case has become. The murders, planned and executed with uncanny precision, are of women who share traits with Julia. Now he’s contacting her directly, insisting things will get much worse unless Julia makes him famous through her writing.
But no matter how skillfully she plays along, her opponent’s ultimate goal is clear. And only by unraveling the threads that link a killer’s twisted mind to her own dark past can Julia prevent herself from becoming his final victim . . .
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Crime reporter Julia Gooden is being contacted by a serial killer who is giving her clues about his next victim. This serial killer is abducting women out running in the early morning. The police have found the bodies brutally murdered in abandoned churches dressed in a blue dress wearing a dark wig. Julia realizes that the victims are similar to her. Detective Raymond Navarro joins Julia in trying to solve the murder cases and prevent future murders. This story is a complex crime thriller. I loved the plot and the characters. I will be reading more Julia Gooden Mysteries for sure!
Detroit investigative crime reporter Julia Gooden is back in the fourth installment of author Jane Haseldine’s series, You Fit the Pattern.
After solving her brother’s murder thirty years after he disappeared, Julia has written a book about the case. But now a serial killer is on the loose in Detroit, targeting female runners. The killer abducts the women from their jogging trail, and then kills them and stages their bodies in abandoned churches.
When Julia’s boyfriend, Detective Raymond Navarro, and the Detroit PD begin investigating the cases, it becomes clear that the killer is obsessed with Julia. All of his victims share traits with Julia, and the murderer contacts Julia directly, threatening that things will get much worse unless Julia makes him famous through her reporting of the story.
Julia convinces the Detroit police chief to embed her in the investigation — with specific caveats — in order to assist the detectives. But Julia is playing a dangerous game because no matter how skillful and careful she is, the killer’s ultimate goal is clear. Julia must unravel the threads linking the killer’s twisted mind to her own dark past in order to escape becoming his final victim.
Haseldine has once again crafted a taut, complex thriller with the beloved Julia at the center of the action. She is moving cautiously forward with Navarro, her young sons’ welfare always her prime consideration. She has finished the most challenging project of her career — the telling of the story of her beloved brother Ben’s abduction, killing, and how Julia finally found his killer thirty years later. However, her editor is less than thrilled with a project and the criticism is difficult for Julia to hear. She does not have time to dwell on the necessary rewrites, however, when a series of grisly, precisely planned killings of female runners put Detroit citizens on alert. The killer’s motive is a mystery — none of the victims are sexually assaulted. However, they are found wearing the same blue dress and a long, dark wig, and their bodies are left in abandoned inner city churches.
Haseldine takes readers into the mind of the killer. In alternating chapters, she narrates Julia’s work with the police — and her tendency to go rogue — while describing the thoughts and motivations of the killer. Along the way, several characters are potential subjects, but Haseldine expertly keeps readers guessing, as clue after clue brings their guilt into question. As always, the cast of supporting characters, including Navarro, his fellow detectives and the chief, Julia’s children, and her devoted but beleaguered housekeeper, is both eclectic and endearing. The action is nonstep, and the book’s pace builds to a frantic level as Julia, et al. zero in on the killer’s identity and location.
You Fit the Pattern is another exciting and entertaining chapter in the beloved Julia Gooden adventures series that keeps readers guessing about the killer’s identity right up to the very end. However, as satisfying as it is, it also leaves readers clamoring for the next book in the series, especially to check back in on Julia’s relationship with Navarro, as well as see what her next big story will be about!
Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader’s Copy of the book.