Review by Booklist Review
Four decades ago, the man known as the California Bear killed several people and then dropped out of sight. In this excellent novel, a handful of characters--an ex-cop, the ex-cop's wife, an ex-con, a teenage girl--are connected to the Bear in various ways which will not be revealed here, because the author works very hard to reveal the connections in his own way. The novel tackles a number of themes, including the current fascination with true-crime stories, the difficulties of reconciliation between people who have been estranged for many years, and the question of whether someone who acquires a taste for killing can ever really stop. The characters are beautifully designed, and the author offers up some tantalizing questions. Why did ex-cop Cato Hightower work so hard to get Jack Queen released from prison? What is the Bear's real identity? Will the Girl Detective (her name isn't revealed for quite some time) find out whether her father is a killer? And who is her father, anyway? Swierczynski, who's written fiction, comic books, and crime nonfiction, brings the story to a magnificent, surprising, exhilarating conclusion. An ambitious and deeply satisfying novel.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Swierczynski delivers his best work since the Charlie Hardie series in this virtuoso serial killer thriller. Jack Queen was convicted of murdering real estate tycoon Julian Church by running him down in a car while drunk, an apparent act of revenge for Church's involvement in the death of Queen's wife. Ten years into Queen's sentence, ex-cop Cato Hightower springs Queen from prison, hoping he'll be grateful enough for his new freedom to aid Hightower in an unofficial investigation. Hightower is convinced he's identified the "California Bear," a serial killer who's eluded justice for nearly 40 years and hasn't struck in 30. His suspect is Christopher Albin Dixon, another former cop whom Hightower plans to extort--with the help of Queen's muscle--for a share of the money he believes Dixon's receiving from a deal with a streaming service to make a documentary about the California Bear's killings. Queen has other priorities, such as providing support for his precocious 14-year-old daughter, Matilda, a brilliant young sleuth whose dedication to exonerating her dad has just been sidelined by a devastating cancer diagnosis. Swierczynski is brilliant at fooling even savvy readers, and his jaw-dropping twists never compromise his exceptional character development. This is a tour de force. Agent: Katherine Fausset, Curtis Brown, Ltd. (Jan.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Swierczynski's (Charlie Hardie series) latest is a fun ride, taking suspense and crime enthusiasts into the heart of a compelling serial-killer thriller. Narrated by James Urbaniak and Jesse Vilinsky, the novel immediately jumps into the mind of the California Bear serial killer, then passes the story off in turns to the other central characters--Jack, a father recently released from prison; his sick daughter Matilda; Cato, a former police officer who sprung Jack from prison; and Cato's ex-wife Jeanie, a skilled genealogist. Why did the Bear stop killing for three decades, only to return now? Like Matilda, who is searching for answers about her father's past, listeners will turn sleuth, caught up in the story's twists and turns. The novel starts with many questions, all of which are painstakingly revealed as the story unfolds. The two narrators, while skilled, don't always distinguish between the four characters, which might be confusing for some listeners. Even so, the audiobook moves quickly and is hard to put down. The afterword, read by the author, is heartfelt and worth a listen, as it provides emotional context for the entire book. VERDICT An unstoppable listen, highly recommended for those craving a thrilling break from reality.--Molly Olney-Zide
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