Book Review: Dead Sleep

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Dead Sleep     Amazon US PB Amazon US TPB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada TPB Amazon Canada HC
Greg Iles
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Thriller
Putnam, Jul 2001, $19.95, 352 pp.

Thirteen months ago, Jordan Glass’s twin sister Jane vanishes in New Orleans and is probably dead. Though Jordan subsequently wins a Pulitzer like her deceased father did in Cambodia, she feels empty. Her agent and her friends insist she take a vacation so Jordan complies, but arranges a book deal because she knows she would feel naked without a camera.

Jordan travels to Hong Kong and at the urging of a friend, visits the Hong Kong Museum of Art where everyone acts strange towards her. She learns why when she sees the exhibition of "Nude Women in Repose" by an anonymous artist, whom the Asian art world believes paints dead models. One picture looks identical to her; thus Jordan knows that the "model" is Jane. Jordan informs the FBI Investigative Support Unit and heads to New York to confront the unknown artist’s agent Jonathan Wingate. Soon she finds herself as the bait in a deadly game of cat and mouse with the FBI on one hand and one or two unknown subjects kidnapping, killing, and painting New Orleans women.

DEAD SLEEP is an exciting suspense thriller that hooks the reader the moment Jordan steps into the museum and never slows down for a paragraph. Jordan is a fabulous lead character struggling between her fears and her needs to find the culprit(s). The story line is exhilarating as Jordan, the perp(s), and two Feds (the return of Baxter and Lenz from MORTAL FEAR) make Greg Iles latest tale a sure shot for most short lists for thriller of the year.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner