I Hunt Killers

What if the world's worst serial killer... was your dad?

Jasper "Jazz" Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say.

But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could - from the criminal's point of view.

And now bodies are piling up in Lobo's Nod.

In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret - could he be more like his father than anyone knows?
from goodreads.com

Beth says 4 Stars...
On occasion I have the urge to read a twisty thrill-ride type of mystery novel.  This book had exactly what I wanted in spades. Importantly, the mystery is wonderfully done and the ending was a shocker.  The pace flowed smoothly and kept me engaged; I read this book obsessively. The crimes unfold with a well-balanced mix of suspense and gore that doesn't go too far to the gross direction. Jazz embarks upon his own investigation that sometimes overlaps with the police's and other times goes into different directions.  His relationship with the police officials is a bit odd, but works well in the story. The occasional flash from the perspective of the killer adds another dimension to the narrative.

Jazz is a wonderful narrator to take you to the dark and weird places inside the mind of a serial killer. He's conflicted, but doesn't let everything get too intense all the time. There's a constant internal grappling with Jazz balancing his desire to hurt instilled by his father and the inherent good in his nature. He has a great sense of humor that's enhanced by his best friend Howie, a hemophiliac whose presence reminds Jazz of how easily he could do harm. Howie's a good foil for Jazz, with his fragility and good-hearted resilience bringing out the best in Jazz. The specter of Jazz's father hangs over the whole book, infiltrating the story with its menacing presence.

Overall, this is a really nice start to a new series that fills an unusual niche. The obvious comparison is to Dexter, but it isn't quite accurate. When you see through Jazz's eyes, you see the conflict that comes from his experiences as a serial killer-in-training. Get ready for the funniest book you'll read about serial killings.
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