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Detective Matt Sinclair has a lot on his plate. Not only is he continuing to cope with the psychological aftermath of shooting a suspect and serving in Iraq, he's also battling alcoholism, dealing with a less-than-supportive police chief who wants to fire him, and hunting a serial killer who commits horrific acts and threatens those closest to Sinclair as well as Sinclair himself. It's no wonder Sinclair comes close to having that drink. But in true police-procedural tradition, Sinclair slogs through the paperwork, follows the leads, and gets the killer in spite of all the obstacles thrown in his path.
Brian Thiem spent twenty-five years on the Oakland police force, so it's not surprising that his gritty debut novel rings true. What is perhaps more surprising is that such well-worn ground can seem so fresh and appealing. RED LINE has all the elements of a classic police procedural, right down to the anguished cop, a lot of violence, some thrilling chases, and a beautiful love interest, so it scores points for readers who prefer that segment of the mystery genre. But it's also a well-told story with some nice twists, including the killer's motivation and methods.
Set in Oakland, California, RED LINE opens with a drugged girl getting dumped at a bus stop before she wanders into traffic and gets killed. The next scene has Sinclair at that same bus stop when a teenage boy from a well-to-do family and no history of drugs is found there, dead from an overdose. The case of the Bus Stop Killer as it is dubbed by the media (including Sinclair's girlfriend) escalates quickly from the opening chapters as Sinclair follows the scant clues to tough neighborhoods and trendy suburbs. Throughout the novel, Thiem does a good job of keeping things real, and he uses that realism to increase the sense of drama--and threat; Sinclair is often in danger, and the danger is definitely believable. Thiem plays fair, too, giving the reader the same clues Sinclair has, but he also throws in a few scenes from the killer's point of view just to keep things interesting and a little bit off balance. Overall, the plot moves quickly and believably, the characters are interesting (although Sinclair is the only one who gets much development), and it's a good story. The ending seems a bit rushed, but it's clear that Thiem intends to continue the series, so the promise of more Sinclair books makes this hurried ending more palatable.
§ Meredith Frazier, a writer with a background in English literature, lives in Dallas, Texas
Reviewed by Meredith Frazier, September 2015
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