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Billy Straight |
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Bil ly Straight byJonathan Kellerman Little, Brown 452 pages, 2000 ISBN 0316644374 Reviewed by our South African Editor, Merilyn Tomkins adams.west@saol.com - Adams Bookshop, Durban, SA A young boy witnesses a particularly brutal murder by stabbing - but who will find him first? The police or the killer? When blond, beautiful Lisa Boehlinger Ramsey is found savagely stabbled to death in a parking lot of Los Angeles' Griffith Park, a highly sensitive investigation begins for Detective Petra Connor and her partner, Stu Bishop. Lisa was the ex-wife of TV star Cart Ramsey. Just before their acrimonious divorce, Lisa had publically revealed how Ramsey had beaten her up, so suspicion must fall on the millinaire actor. However, this is the L.A. home of media frenzy and O.J. Simpson, and the brass at LAPD do not want history to be repeated. Meanwhile, forensic evidence points to a witness of the murder: twelve-year-old Billy Straight, a runaway living rough in Griffith Park. Billy is a very scared little boy, too frightened to come forward. When Lisa's parents put a reward out for him, only Petra ralises the danger in which this child has been placed. Billy has a sad background, a humble home in a derelect caravan. His mother is an alcoholic, encouraged by her live-in love "Motor" whose life revolves around drugs and his motorcycle. Motor destroys Billy's school books, the boy's sole possessions and treasures, as Billy is highly intelligent and an eager reader. When he has suffered enough physical abuse from Motor, Billy runs away. And when reward money is offered for this child witness, Motor goes after him. In a thrilling new novel full of suspense, Jonathan Kellerman has written a story at times terrifying, at times deeply affecting, and created an unforgettable and believable heroine. This is a real page-turner - an L.A. murder mystery to read with the lights on everywhere. |
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