Book Review Rewind: The Shark by Mary Burton

 

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,

  The Shark is written by Mary Burton and is the first novel in her Forgotten Files series. It is published by Thomas and Mercer, an Amazon imprint. In this tense thriller, we are introduced to the Shark, an aging serial killer who uses games of chance to find his victims. Many years ago a young socialite, Riley Tatum, escaped her abusive stepfather only to be drugged and delivered to one of the Shark's games. The stakes were simple: if the Shark won, the girl dies. If his opponent won, the girl lives. On that day the Shark lost and the girl survived, leaving the madman forever regretful.  Now a member of law enforcement, Trooper Riley Tatum has escaped her demons.

   But after a decade of silence the Shark returns, and so does the body count. Riley is on edge as her past begins to seep into her present. With the aid of Agent Dakota Sharp, Riley tries to piece together the fuzzy memories from her decade-old abduction.  That is until a DVD with a recording from the time of her disappearance arrives on her doorstep. Riley is the star of the video and proves to be sent by the Shark. A dangerous game of cat and mouse has begun as a diabolical serial killer emerges from the past to destroy the future of the one girl who escaped him. But who holds the winning hand in this new game of life and death?

  The Shark was a pleasant surprise that sucked me into its twisted tale from the first few pages. Riley fast became a new favorite of mine as I saw how determined and strong her character was. Riley's co-stars in this story were also very well fleshed-out, with interesting backgrounds that worked well with their character development. The mystery was excellent with teases here and there as to who not only the Shark was, but the identity of the player that won Riley's life back when she was kidnapped. The Shark was a villain that was creepy and relentless, with Burton handing us many suspects that may be our culprits. And when the finale was revealed I was very satisfied with the ending, which was tense and exciting.

  I read this novel in part with the narration of actress, Christina Traister. I have enjoyed her work before. I enjoyed her accents and even her male voices came through convincingly. Her sense of urgency during tense moments lent a dimension to the narrative that had me continuing until the late night hours. Excellent work.

  The Shark was a four-star book. Burton's an amazing addition to my favorite crime thriller writers. If you enjoy a fast-paced thriller that will keep you turning the page, then this is a book for you. Happy reading!        

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