A Familiar Sight by Brianna Labuskes

 

First Line: The lace curtain created patterns of splattered light on the back of Reed Ken'ts hand as he held the wispy fabric away from the window, just far enough so that he had a clear view of the Porsche pulling to the curb.

 

Psychologist and criminologist Dr. Gretchen White is Boston homicide detective Patrick Shaughnessy's go-to person for help in solving important cases, but that doesn't mean he's forgotten about her past. Accused of murdering her aunt when just a child, White is a self-professed non-violent sociopath-- and Shaughnessy still thinks she got away with murder.

 

When teenager Viola Kent is accused of killing her mother, the case seems open and shut. The public has already tried and convicted the girl. But Dr. Gretchen White isn't so sure because she sees something in Viola that no one else can: herself. And if Viola is indeed a scapegoat, then who really did it? This is something White is determined to find out, regardless whose toes she has to step on.

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None of the characters in Labuskes' A Familiar Sight really reached out and grabbed me. It was the puzzle of the plot that kept me hooked. Filthy rich Dr. Gretchen White who refuses to lock the doors of her Porsche and loves toying with people always remained a bit gimmicky to me instead of feeling human. Marconi, the sergeant assigned to follow White around, was the only character that piqued my interest.  She had the smarts to adapt to White's idiosyncrasies, and both White and I appreciated her skills.

A lot of your reactions to this book will hinge on how you feel about Gretchen White. May you get along with her better than I did. Even though the story is compelling, the characters aren't calling me back for more.

 

A Familiar Sight by Brianna Labuskes

eISBN: 9781542027342

Thomas & Mercer © 2021

eBook, 369 pages

 

Psychological Suspense, #1 Dr. Gretchen White

Rating: B-

Source: Purchased from Amazon.

Mirror Image by Dennis Palumbo

First Line: Shame is a deep well.

Dr. Daniel Rinaldi is a psychologist who specializes in the treatment of victims of violent crime. As a result, he's become a consultant for the Pittsburgh Police Department.

Rinaldi's patient, Keven Merrick, is a victim of violent crime. The troubled young man is desperate for a role model and a sense of identity. The role model Kevin has chosen is Daniel-- dressing like him, acting like him, even mirroring his appearance. Before Daniel can work with Kevin on this, he finds the young man brutally murdered. Both he and the police suspect that Daniel, not Kevin, was the intended target. And now the killer is coming after Rinaldi.

Feeling responsible for Kevin's death, Daniel is determined to solve the crime. What he isn't prepared for is all the secrets he will uncover along the way.

Palumbo infuses Mirror Image with a strong sense of place, and I certainly enjoyed his descriptions of Pittsburgh. Another strength is his pithy one-line descriptions of characters that often made me laugh.

Daniel Rinaldi is a strong character whose major "fault" seems to be caring too much for the welfare of others. He thinks nothing of putting himself in danger to protect someone else. As he says, "Justice and compassion. Everything else is just...talk." Throughout the book, Rinaldi provides excellent insight into both himself and the behavior of others.

Mirror Image is a strong mystery that deals with mental illness and how to make the real bad guy pay for his crimes. If there was any weakness to the story, it was Rinaldi's love interest and the-- to me-- unnecessary love scenes. It was also rather easy to identify one character's true identity. However, with those complaints out of the way, Dennis Palumbo has created a strong, sympathetic character that I enjoyed getting to know. I'm looking forward to another visit to Pittsburgh.

Mirror Image by Dennis Palumbo

eISBN: 9781615952397

Poisoned Pen Press © 2011

eBook, 332 pages

Amateur Sleuth, #1 Daniel Rinaldi mystery

Rating: B+

Source: Purchased from Amazon.