Title: Senseless
Author: Mary Burton
Publisher: Zebra; 1 edition
Publication Date: January 1, 2011
Paperback: 416 pages
ISBN: 978-1420110197
Genre: Fiction, Romantic Suspense

From the Publisher:

Every Serial Killer Knows…

The vicious burns scarring the victims’ flesh reveal the agony of their last moments. Each woman was branded with a star, then stabbed through the heart. With every death, a vengeful killer finds a brief, blissful moment of calm. But soon it’s time for the bloodshed to start again…

The Perfect Time…

Ten years ago, Eva Rayburn and her sorority sisters were celebrating the end of the school year. That party turned into a nightmare Eva can’t forget. Now she’s trying to start over in her Virginia hometown, but a new nightmare has begun. Every victim is linked to her. And Detective Deacon Garrison isn’t sure whether this mysterious woman needs investigating—or protecting…

To Make His Mark…

Only Eva’s death will bring peace. Only her tortured screams will silence the rage that has been building for ten long years. Because what started that night at the sorority can never be stopped—not until the last victim has been marked for death…

My Review:

I enjoy suspense novels that are clever, dark, and complex and Senseless, by Mary Burton satisfied me completely. Burton does not waste time; the beginning is a scene of a brutal murder and the reader is kept as much in the dark as the police, learning at about the same pace as lead homicide detective Deacon Garrison. The reader early on meets Eva Rayburn who by the young age of 27, has already served ten years for manslaughter and is working three jobs to make ends meet. Eva has been beaten but is not down when the homeless shelter she works at burns and a victim tied to the Sorority House Murder is discovered. Is Eva a suspect or a potential next victim? Eva is a courageous woman and has some of the most intriguing friends; many whom she happens to work for, my personal favourites from early on were Toby King and Bobby. Senseless is a wonderfully crafted and delightfully clever suspense novel with well-developed characters and a plot that is pieced together as one might piece a puzzle together. Burton takes the reader to Alexandria, a city which is filled with at least one serial killer, deep, and complex relationships and secrets that are slowly being unearthed. I enjoyed Senseless immensely and look forward to what Burton has in store for the town of Alexandria in her next book, Merciless, which is released in February and my review will be up in a few weeks, so do check back. In the meantime I recommend all who enjoy an excellent suspense novel to read Senseless, the sleepless night will be well worth it.

About the Author:

Mary Burton lives with her family in Central Virginia. She is an avid hiker and enjoys the occasional triathlon.
For more information about Mary Burton and her books:
Website
Twitter
Facebook

I received a complimentary ARC of Senseless by Mary Burton from Joan Schulhafer Publishing & Media Consulting to review. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned novel.