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| The sequel to Zoe Whitten's The Lesser of Two Evils, Trail of Madness picks up where the first book left off. Jobe, Wendy, and Jaime are on the run and on the case, trying to track down the so-called Mad Dog Killer without getting arrested themselves. This book left my head spinning. At times I felt I needed a scorecard to keep track of who was doing what and when. Which is, of course, how it should be. Whitten has upped her game considerably with this sequel, which really allows the key players in this knotted web of murder and intrigue to develop into full realized personalities. The unique chemistry between Wendy and Jobe is particularly well done. While Jobe is the de facto "adult". often it is Wendy who takes the leadership role. Alone with Wendy's brother Jaime, the trio form one of the most functionally dysfunctional family unites I've encountered in quite a while. The killer in question is infected by a lab-crafted virus and is part of a government experiment (you would think the government would do a better job of keeping these things under control, but somehow they never do). Wendy hopes to use her paranormal powers to unlock the secrets in his mind, secrets that may lead to more questions than answers. But the killer's mind is rapidly deteriorating, and even if the trio get to him first there may be nothing left. The paranormal angle firms up more in this installment of the planned trilogy. I had issues with the psychic angle in the first book, because it didn't feel needed. The angle is more focused in this book, however, and helps move the story towards its chaotic conclusion. If you did not read the first book, I strongly suggest you do so before jumping into Trail of Madness. Much of the book won't make sense without having read The Lesser of Two Evils. And I have a sneaky suspicion you'll need to brush up on both books before Book Three comes out. But if Trail of Madness is any indication, the final book will be an explosive, chaotic, and entertaining conclusion to an original series. |
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| Trail of Madness Written by Zoe E. Whitten Softcover, 200 pgs, retail $13.00 |