You Fit the Pattern

January 15, 2019
A fearless crime reporter works a case horrifyingly close to home.Julia Gooden is no stranger to cases that involve her dysfunctional family. She lost her beloved brother to kidnapping and murder and her cheating husband to a bomb (Worth Killing For, 2018). Now she's targeted by a killer who's warming up by dispatching other women he dresses up to look like her. Julia, who's currently writing a book about her brother's kidnapping, is in a stable relationship with her former boyfriend Detective Raymond Navarro and caring for her two sons. When a second woman, a runner like Julia, is found dressed like Julia and with her throat slit, Julia's spooked but determined to find the killer. Recognizing the hand-drawn heart on this second victim's body as a voodoo or occult symbol, Julia calls on her friend Douglas Prejean, of the New Orleans Police, who comes to Detroit to lend his expertise. As she goes through her everyday rounds, Julia searches for a connection between the dead women and herself. She's alarmed to receive a call from the Blue Dress Killer, unhappy with this sobriquet, who asks Julia to come up with a better name. The caller knows all the details about the murders and claims to have selected several more women as targets. Redubbed the Magic Man Killer, he continues to call and leave clues for Julia while still keeping ahead of her and the police. Her success in foiling his third attempt enrages him and puts Julia in even greater danger.An action-packed, highly believable suspenser starring a tough and determined journalist.

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March 1, 2019
Having finished writing a book about her brother's murder, Detroit newspaper reporter Julia Gooden returns to the newsroom just in time to take on a juicy serial-killer story. The Magic Man is murdering runners (like Julia) who are single mothers (like Julia) and fit in a size-two blue dress (like the one Julia wore to a public event recently). When the killer finally breaks down and calls Julia, there can be no doubt that this is all to capture her attention. And, ultimately, her. Julia has her customary backup?police officer and not-so-secret boyfriend Raymond Navarro. She's also joined by an old friend from the New Orleans PD who can shed some insight on the voodoo allusions that are the killer's calling card. As in the previous three installments of this suspenseful series (Worth Killing For, 2018), Haseldine does a good job leaving the door open for a number of suspects, making Julia's safety a constant, unnerving uncertainty.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)