I Hear They Burn for Murder by J.L. Aarne

Enter Ezekiel Herod, an FBI psychological profiler. Not at this point. Two years ago he had a pretty lively ‘Ripper’ spree and one of the missing women comes from a wealthy family who eventually pull strings to get the cold case sent to the FBI for investigation. He has two serial killer monikers – The Lamplighter and Ripper Copycat Killer, not that anyone knows it’s him. However, when things don’t go well or people get in his space for too long, annoy him, he has his off, reactive moments. Right from the get-go, quite brutally, you know that Rainer is a serial killer. Although he comes from a privileged background he lives in a modest unit, drives a Dodge Dart, and his students seem to like their attractive lecturer. To most people he appears like an average guy. Rainer Bryssengur is a respected English professor. The murder in the book is paced well in amongst brilliant characterisations, humour and interesting life moments, including friends and brothers, but when it’s intense, it is very intense and totally unapologetic – see tags above. It’s balls to the wall and unrepentant writing throughout. The book doesn’t start out edgy for a hook and then calm down. If this does not sound like you, turn back now. In you face violence and in your face serial killer mentality and behaviour, including being with a victim who has been randomly chosen and is being toyed with and tortured. This book starts with a bang. I can’t describe it any other way. “Which one of us isn’t? That’s the real question.” They’re more alike than either of them suspect and soon Ezekiel gets pulled in deeper than he thought possible, past the point of no return. Rainer sees in him the perfect adversary. But Ezekiel presents him with a new opportunity, a challenge… a game. The serial killer the media has dubbed The Lamplighter has been dormant because Rainer’s heart just isn’t in it anymore. Sometimes even a psychopathic serial killer gets tired of killing people and that’s where Rainer is when Ezekiel walks into his office and stirs things up. Then he meets him and gets a glimpse behind the carefully crafted mask Rainer wears every day to the monster he is at heart. Rainer Bryssengur is only a professor of English and Ezekiel doesn’t expect to gain any insight from him into his case, only to cross him off the list as a person of interest.

Special Agent Ezekiel Herod knows the game well, but he’s never played it quite like this before.

“We’re playing Murder in the Dark, Agent.” Mental Health, Psychological, Edgy, Humour, Contemporary Setting, Slight Paranormal Aspects – Shifters, Series **Warning Tags – Very Descriptive Violence, Torture, Murder, Cannibalism, Gore, Discussions of Rape. Tags: Gay MCs, Serial Killer, FBI Agent, Love, **Taboo – Twincest, Brocest.

I Hear They Burn for Murder by J.L. Aarne