Helpful Score: 3
One of many fun things about PBS is that I discover authors whose work is new to me, whose books I've not seen while browsing in bookstores or the library, perhaps because their work doesn't get a big sales push from their publisher. Dan Mahoney is the latest such discovery for me; if you enjoy well-paced police procedurals, you may also find him a welcome discovery. Mahoney is a former New York city police officer, and his procedurals have a real ring of truth. It's all about piecing together the rare and tiny leads to make sense of the case, not the brilliant flashes of total inspiration found in so many detective stories. In "Hyde," a serial killer is stalking the homeless of New York, killing an HIV-positive homeless man every few days. Offering a complex puzzle, well-drawn characters, and tension that builds to the very end, Hyde is a compelling and thoroughly enjoyable read.
