Harper & Levene - Review
Link to the author's (O. Stark) personal website
Book 1: American Devil
Book 2: 88 Killer
Blurb: (From Book 1) A violent killer is stalking New York's streets, and the trophies he will take from his victims are essential if he is to complete his masterpiece. That he also likes playing games with the police and his pray is a bonus. He can outwit everyone he comes up against. Or can he?
Review: I haven't read much crime in the past few years, and this is on the boundary of that, but I distinctly remember how this novel did a fantastic job of changing the point of views. The changing perspective every so often from Tom, the main character, to small real-time snippets of the killer worked wonders. I don't believe this is a first, but it worked beautifully in this series, especially so in the first book. The villain was just well written, with some moments humanising or at-least eliciting some form of sympathy for them, which is incredibly impressive given their previous activities.
The main characters Tom / Denise aren't necessarily unique by crime novel standards, but I liked them and I find that some stereotypes can be juggled without oversimplifying anything as long as the writing and story are solid. This a big recommendation from me, and as the first book is self-contained you're not tying yourself into something longer. The first is definitely the better of the two, but the second still would be a recommend, and provided you liked the style of the first then the second will be enjoyable.