Eight stars
Andrew Mayne proves yet again to be one of the most captivating thriller writers that I have had the pleasure to read. His novels are easy to comprehend while tying the reader up in knots with complex plots that are quite unique. The versatility he exemplifies creates a reading experience where one can never be sure what awaits them around the bend. This series, my third, utilises some of the most thought-provoking stories that I can recollect ever encountering, mixing thrills with science and peppering in some humour when time permits. Mayne’s protagonist, Theo Cray, is highly unique himself and never shies away from controversy, which only adds to the experience. After being sprayed with an unknown toxin at the end of the last novel, Cray is off his game and wondering if he is infected with Hyde virus. He is handed another unique serial killer case and heads to Louisiana to see if a nurse is responsible for a series of deaths across a number of hospitals. What looks like a simple case grows exponentially more complex, leaving Cray on the wrong end of the authorities and a jail cell! Mayne dazzles yet again in this thriller.
Theo Cray may be a talented computational biologist, but he cannot shake the feeling that something is very wrong. After being sprayed with an unknown toxin a while back, he cannot help but wonder if it was Hyde virus. The virus is said to turn the rational brain into that of a killer for no apparent reason. While he is not showing any outward symptoms, Cray is not taking any chances and has been receiving brain scans to check for any anomalies.
While he feels less than ready to tackle another case, one falls into his lap down in Louisiana. Cray is sent to look for a nurse who appears to have been killing people, children included, and leaving a wake of disaster. Always able to sneak off before he’s been discovered, this nurse is out to kill, likely hundreds, without justice being served. Cray is on it, sure that he can find the pattern.
When he arrives in Baton Rouge, Cray receives some confidential material to which he is not legal entitled. Using it, Cray is able to create a graph that shows the killer’s progress through a number of facilities. While Cray is eager to offer up some answers, he must tread carefully. Inching towards an answer, Cray does all in his power to name the killer, sure that this will impress everyone and return him to hero status once and for all.
However, things go awry and Cray finds himself on the wrong end of a legal probe into his actions. He is able to escape, barely, but a hefty fine lingers over him. During a visit by one of his former professors, Amanda Paulson, Cray realises that he has been looking at the case through too narrow a scope. This new insight opens the door to new data plotting and reveals that the killer may be using additional resources to cover their tracks.
On a whim, Cray travel outside of the continental United States and makes his way to an old facility in the Caribbean, only to realise that American justice is a tad more patient than here. Cray finds himself awaiting for the wheels of justice to turn, as a killer continues to lurk in the shadows. It is sure to take Cray more than a little luck to finally solve this case and ensure his safety.
Andrew Mayne seems to keep getting better the more he writes, particularly in this series, With the less than ‘normal’ The Cray, Mayne has developed quite the series, leaving no rock unturned and helping to educate the reader on the nuances of the lesser known sciences that can help in the forensic battle. It is hard to believe this is the final in the Theo Cray series to date, though there is a treat that awaits Mayne fans later in 2021, where two stellar protagonists will come together.
Theo Cray may be off his game, but he remains as sharp as ever throughout this piece. His scientific mind is like no other and appears to spin in some really interesting directions. Cray is keen to impress, while also worrying that he may be infected with a horrible disease that could turn him rogue. Balancing that with a burgeoning personal life, The Cray has little time to rest on his laurels. This may not be one of his most harrowing cases ever, but he certainly has the most riding on it.
Mayne does a masterful job with his supporting cast yet again, coaxing out some great banter that fuels an already strong narrative. As the book moves through various parts of the United States and into the Caribbean, those who encounter Theo Cray add a wonderful depth to the experience. There is a great deal going on and Cray sees many faces, each a little more daunting than the last. There is little time to stop in the book and these characters enrich the story perfectly, flavouring things effectively throughout the journey.
As always, the stories are on point and perfectly paced. Mayne has a wonderful way of getting to the root of the matter and impacts things with his strong writing. The narrative pace keeps the reader wanting to learn a little more and the dialogue banter provides some needed entertainment between the serious portions. Mayne has always made a point of showing his reader more of the protagonist as the story advances and this was no exception. Short chapters keep the reader moving forward and wondering what awaits them. While Mayne likely has some other plans for Cray in the coming months, I cannot wait to see him evolve and become an even more endearing, if not awkward, character for the masses to enjoy.
Kudos, Mr. Mayne, for another piece that connects things just enough for the reader to want more. I am glad to have had this series recommended and can only hope there is lots more to come.
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
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