Book Review: The Landlord

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

The Landlord     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Ken Merrell
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Thriller
Kay Dee, Apr 2001, $7.99, 460 pp.

In a small Utah town, an unknown male molests young girls. Though he has not raped anyone yet, the police and townsfolk worry that he will soon especially since they have no clues to his identity. Luck and the skills of police officer Stacey and his K9 Sig rescue the latest intended victim Amber, but the perpetrator escapes.

While investigating a car in the impound lot, someone shoots a cop. The evidence points towards Stacey's boss as the gunner. Stacey investigates his captain even as his superior tries to frame him into looking like a killing drug dealer.

Melvin Briggs, a peeping tom, is the LANDLORD to Don Rodriguez and his daughter Christina. Melvin, an expert in surveillance, knows exactly what is going on, as he is part of the conspiracy. Anyone who crosses the conspirators faces execution with Stacey and Sig the only hope to stop the faceless group that has high-level government protection.

Ken Merrell has written an unusual thriller in which no one except perhaps Melvin knows what is going on until the closing chapters. There are many subplots and characters that blend well as if each is a piece of a difficult jigsaw puzzle. It is when all the pieces metaphorically come together that the reader sees a cohesive tale that never loses sight of its prime theme even with the complexity of the myriad of pieces. Anyone who enjoys two tons of suspense in their reading material will find that THE LANDLORD contains five tons.

Harriet Klausner

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

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