Senseless by Mary Burton, a Mysterious Review.

Review: The newspapers called it "The Sorority House Murder," but the young woman convicted of manslaughter when Josiah Cross, the boy who raped and branded her with a four-pointed star, dies in a house fire maintains her innocence, even after serving 10 years in jail for the crime. But now a serial killer has targeted the former sorority sisters who were present in the house at the time in Senseless by Mary Burton.

Eva Rayburn, newly released from prison, is trying to rebuild a life for herself working three part-time jobs in an effort to raise enough money to finish college. One of those jobs is a night attendant at Hannah's House, a homeless shelter. When she arrives one night, she finds the building burnt to the ground. Everyone was thought to have escaped unharmed, but the police find a young woman in the back, stabbed to death, her body branded with a four-pointed star on her stomach. An investigative reporter thinks there may be link to the old "Sorority House Murder," which gets the police taking a strong look at Eva … as both a potential suspect and a potential victim. Cross's parents are both dead, so it seems unlikely a family member is involved in this latest crime. But when another woman is murdered, stabbed with an identical brand on her body, and it's learned she was in the same sorority as Eva at the same time, it's clear someone is looking for revenge.

Senseless is a terrifying novel of suspense, with complex yet realistically drawn characters and a fast-paced, often relentless plot. Though the police initially suspect Eva may be involved, homicide detective Deacon Garrison quickly enlists her help after she's alibied for one of the murders. This leads late in the book to a tentative romantic relationship between them, but the foundation for it has been solidly laid, and it is contextually credible. A diverse cast of supporting characters adds interest to the twist-filled story, and helps balance the "senseless" murders under investigation in this strongly developed thriller.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of Senseless.

Acknowledgment: Joan Schulhafer Publishing & Media Consulting provided a copy of Senseless for this review.

Dying Scream
Zebra (Mass Market Paperback), December 2009
ISBN-13: 9781420100280; ISBN-10: 1420100289

Merciless
Zebra (Mass Market Paperback), February 2011
ISBN-13: 9781420110203; ISBN-10: 1420110209

Senseless

An Alexandria Homicide Unit Mystery by Mary Burton