The Secret Witness by Victor MethosMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
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When I spotted this as an option for an Amazon First Read selection, I was almost giddy. Methos is, after all, a literary genius whom I both admire and, possibly, just a little, worship. I dove in without a moment of hesitation. I must admit, however, now that the shiny newness of a “latest release” has faded, what remains is the sense that this just not reflect the Methos-level work he has penned in the past. The shine is definitely dulled.
The story is that of a retired hermit-like prosecutor, Solomon Shepard, who is approached by the local sheriff, Billie Gray, when “the one who got away” appears to resurface. A serial killer known only as the Reaper has been on a prolonged hiatus, but a recent string of murders is so similar to those of the Reaper himself, many are convinced that the original killer is back in the game. Solomon is lured back into the realm of the Reaper with the hope of finally identifying the murderer and putting the case to rest.
So is the story engaging? Well….yes, it is. The characters are a tad shallow, but they are believable and consistent. The plot is one that offers a surprise ending that I never saw coming, and it was a quick page-turner. Why, then, only three stars? Because this book lacked the spark that has made me such a Methos fan. There were no examples of clever wordsmithing. There was no snarky dialogue, no characters who engaged me to the point of sadness at turning the final page. In short, there was no shadow or imprint of Methos on a single page.
If you’re looking for a well done, fairly straight forward story, with a twist right at the tail end, you may very well enjoy this. If, however, you are a Methos fan looking to pad your love affair with his work, I’d skip this one and wait for Methos to rise again to the greatness of which he is fully capable.
