Book Review

The Stove Creek Butcher           tale of a serial killer by Paul Wagner Publisher: iUniverse ISBN: 0-595-44096-7

 

                                                                                —Review by Hayward Lovell
A serial killer on the loose in a rural religious cult could make a grizzly and sordid tale. However, in The Stove Creek Butcher the author's engaging characters and homespun humor deliver a marvelously entertaining adventure with a bare minimum of gruesome details.
Stove Creek is a very small town where a cult has moved in and captivated the community—including its civic leaders like the mayor and police chief. No one suspects a serial killer belongs to the cult. No bodies have been found, and it's not unusual for teenagers to wander in off the road, join the cult, then leave later without notice. So when a kid goes missing, there is no concern.
But then Rob Swift comes home to Stove Creek. He had been the town's super star in high school. Now he's a San Jose cop in trouble with his department. Shortly after he arrives back home in Stove Creek, a corpse hacked up by the serial killer is discovered, then more deaths occur. Even then, the small town cops can't believe they have a serial killer in their midst. When they finally begin to suspect a serial killer, Rob Swift has gotten involved in the investigation, and is eventually suspected of being the serial killer himself by the chief of police. It seems like he's been set up…again.
This is a very satisfying, suspenseful whodunit, and a pleasure to read—in spite of the disturbing real-life possibilities suggested by the plot, and the chilling presence of a serial killer.
Not recommended for readers under 18.
Can be ordered at Barnes And Noble or any major bookseller.

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