The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly

Michael Connelly is very good at scaring me - and this book did, too.

He brings back his character newspaperman Jack McEvoy, who first appeared in The Poet. In this book, Jack has just been downsized out of a job, which he's not very happy about. But before he leaves his post at the Los Angeles Times, he gets a phone call from a black woman who says her son was convicted of a crime he didn't commit. This is a common comment from most women believe in their men, but she caught Jack's attention when she accused him of being part of the reason he was behind bars. She claims that what he printed in the paper was what condemned him.

Thinking about it, Jack decides he'll check it out a bit and see if her claim might be right. If her son isn't guilty, it would be a great blow out story to end his career.

As it turns out, it could end his life...

He's tracking a very astute killer who is also a computer whiz and knows all the ins and outs of hacking as well as using connections available to track people. He's also not alone.

As he begins following the tracks of the killer, he finds his email doesn't work, his cell phone is dead, all his credit cards have been cancelled and more... Then he notices someone following him in Vegas, and the only thing that saves him from death is the fact that Rachel, an FBI agent and a former girlfriend, is waiting in his room for his return.

From there, the speed of the story picks up. Jack's "replacement" is young blonde reporter who has cuthroat instincts and writes a good story. When Jack gets back home, he finds her under his bed - dead...

The FBI question him, but he had Rachel with him so he has an alibi.

The closer he gets to the killer, the more dangerous it gets for both he and Rachel.

And until you get to the very last page, you aren't sure how many will die and who will win.

A very entertaining read!

If you'd like my ARC, leave a comment here on the blog AND email me at info@bookfaerie with your name and address and tell me why you'd like to have it. I'll pick a winner in about a week.