Stone Maidens

by Lloyd Devereux Richards

Hennepin County Library paperback 311 pages

Published: 2012

Genre: murder mystery, thriller

This first-time novel didn't sell well when initially published. But when the author's daughter made a TikTok about it, it went viral and shot to #1 on Amazon's book list. I read a story about all this and requested it from the library.

Overall, it was a well-written thriller. This isn't my favorite genre, but I like the "whodunit" aspect of it. I won't get the sequel that he is writing, though. 

My main issue is the protagonist, forensic anthropologist Christine Prusik. Her panic attacks and coping methods were troublesome to me. Then when she did something incredibly risky and unethical (and illegal) - page 244 - when she calls the prosecuting attorney Preston Gray and LIES . . . I was frustrated. It was such a dumb move, and it didn't seem as though it fit with her character. 

I put in three other post-it notes when she did other stupid stuff. Dude. Seriously. There's a serial killer loose AND he has made it clear he's after you, so when the cab dies, you get out and walk?!?!?! Let the girl scout troop be disappointed that you missed a speaking engagement! Ever hear of rescheduling due to circumstances beyond your control?

Then climbing into a field to go after the killer BY YOURSELF after he tried to kill you AND there are police officers nearby? I was too frustrated with her. But too close to the end to stop.

Later when she's talking to Joe about her experience in Papua, New Guinea, it seems as though she's not really learned anything in the decade-plus since that horrifying time. "I knew the Ga-Bong clan was treacherous. But I went down that forest path alone anyway, knowing full well the danger."

And the whole business with mirror twins . . . there are some uncanny things we've learned about identical twins from studies, but I don't think the degree of interconnection is remotely realistic.

It sounds as though I'm just bashing this book. Actually, it was a more interesting book to read than the last Kathy Reichs / Temperance Brennan book I read. And good on this author's daughter for giving him a boost. This book has some merits to it.