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 Book Reviews

Spring 1997

Final Victim
Final Victim by Stephen J. Cannell
Stephen J. Cannell, Penguin, A$19.95 		You'd be hard pressed to miss Stephen J. Cannell if you watch television. He has produced numerous series. You know that guy at the end of some shows who types a bit and throws the paper in the air? That's him.

So you can assume that Final Victim has been written by someone who has access to the right stuff. The forensic science, the psychology and the computer nerdery have the quality of detail that implies research and technical consultants.

But did I enjoy it? Final Victim has a strong look-and-feel that is a part of the American serial killer genre. There is a combination of being inside the head/heart/psyche of the killer, and inside the head of the hunter.

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Final Victim's hunters are a male customs officer with a reputation for getting results without caring whose toes he steps on, and a brilliant female profiler relegated to typing case files in the basement.

Ultimately, the familiarity of the book was its downfall for me. I appreciated the research, I was somewhat interested in the technology (computer and police), but really, I didn't come away from reading this book with any new insights, or with the feeling that I had enjoyed my adventure-by-proxy.

This is a very professional book, and you won't waste you time reading it, but it is unlikely that it will give you that special joy you get from discovering a new book for your 'favourites' shelf.

by Ali Kayn

See also: Val McDermid's The Wire in the Blood

Val McDermid PageSeries Series, Kate Brannigan page

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