BOOK OF THE DAY: Killer in Sight by Sandra Carrington-Smith

Killer in Sight (A Tom Lackey Mystery)

by Sandra Carrington-Smith

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BOOK DESCRIPTION

When a young woman is found murdered in a public park, it is up to RPD detective Lt. Tom Lackey to locate her killer. With the help of his longtime girlfriend and professional photographer, Kathy Spencer, Lackey unravels a mystery laden with psychosis and unexpected revelations. While Tom is busy following the multiple clues pouring in from different directions, Kathy gets to work to prove her own theory: The last image viewed by the dying person can be lifted from the eyes of the victim to identify the murderer. Using her background in photography and her passion for iridology, Kathy enlists the help of Dr. Greer, a snow-haired medical examiner who allows her to take shots of Tracey Newman’s eyes. Her findings are puzzling, but they are supported by Alexis Howard, the dead girl’s ten-year-old half sister who volunteers information she claims was delivered to her by her imaginary friend Lily. With multiple suspects floating up to the surface and skeletons yanked out of unlikely closets, Tom must rely on his methodical expertise and on Kathy’s insight to find the killer before tragedy strikes again.

PROUD SUPPORTER OF FOOD-AID.ORG: 10% of net sales from Killer in Sight will benefit Food-Aid.org, an organization whose aim is to fight world hunger and provide relief to disaster-stricken areas.

AUTHOR BIO

Sandra Carrington-Smith is an Italian-born author who relocated to the United States in the late 80's after marrying a US soldier who was serving overseas. Although writing was Sandra's deepest passion since childhood, her dream of becoming a published author had to be placed on hold for several years. Moving to a new country provided several challenges, the biggest one being the language barrier she encountered when she first arrived. In order to become fully integrated, Sandra tapped into her love for reading, and over time her vocabulary grew extensively. She gave birth to three children and devoted most of her time to raising a family. By the time she was in her late 30's, Sandra decided to revisit her old passion for writing, and penned a novel of paranormal suspense, The Book of Obeah, followed by a self-improvement book, Housekeeping for the Soul: A Practical Guide to Restoring Your Inner Sanctuary. Both titles were sold to the same publisher and released in 2010, and The Book of Obeah went on to win an international book award. Sandra Carrington-Smith lives in Raleigh, NC, with her husband, children and three cats.

REVIEWS

5.0 out of 5 stars "Killer in Sight" | Book Review May 21, 2012

By Milena Rimassa

Format:Kindle Edition

Sandra Carrington-Smith's latest novel opens with a kaleidoscope of rapid-fire images that viscerally transport you through the last moments of a dying woman's life. Impossible to put down from word one, I had to - if only briefly - to get a glass of water, a slug of Scotch and make a call my own daughter, roughly the age of the book's victim, Tracey Newman. I also had to come back. Immediately.

The same morbid curiosity that compels every one of us to rubberneck for glimpses of details at the scene of a horrific car wreck had me retrace Tracey's last jog in the North Carolina woods into the arms of her killer with a second reading of the first page. My ankles burned with her cuts. My stomach curdled as she observed her own impending demise depicted in the author's hyper-real montage of Tracey's final random thoughts, sensations and emotions. I strained to see the killer through her fading eyes and thought to myself, "Great set-up, Sandra, you really got me." Tracey was dead and the story begins.

Ms. Carrington-Smith weaves together multiple back-stories that cannot be taken at face value. First, there is a love story between the detective handling Tracey's case and his long-time photographer girlfriend. Through their relationship, we peek into a complex and inspiring dynamic between these two people. Secretly, I couldn't help say a prayer that the detective would not be killed in the line of duty. Then, there is a universe of brilliantly crafted who-coulda-done-it characters. As the story unfolds, we learn that each has intersected with Tracey in unexpected ways. The author delves into universal themes ranging from the complexities of infidelity, abandonment, sexual orientation, victimization, redemption - and perfectly weaves each character's back story into the context of this murder/mystery. Magically, each character's demons are exorcized through their relationships with Tracey.

Then, there is the author's unmistakable moniker - the other realm. In this book, Lily, a spirit stuck between this world and what lies beyond, holds the key to solving Tracey's murder.

OTHER WORKS

The Book of Obeah (The Crossroads Series)  
Housekeeping for the Soul