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Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite
The Calling Card Murders by Kathleen Lopez follows Mike McAllister, an author struggling with writer’s block, who is developing a serial killer novel that features meticulously planned murders. As he researches various methods of killing, several real-life homicides occur that closely resemble the detailed scenarios in his manuscript, including strangulations, poisonings, and stabbing deaths. Detective John Crawford leads the investigation into these mysterious deaths, noting the uncanny similarities to McAllister’s writing. Despite McAllister’s protests of innocence, suspicion mounts because the crimes follow the exact patterns and timing of this fictional work. With no obvious suspects or evidence, the police arrest McAllister on multiple counts of murder. He faces pressure from both law enforcement and his publishing team while trying to prove that his novel is purely fictional and unrelated to the actual killings.
The Calling Card Murders by Kathleen Lopez is a really tightly written whodunnit with an intriguing premise, grounding it in a manuscript that eerily mirrors real-life murders. Lopez’s writing shines in scenes where the murders actually occur, with a kind of man-in-the-shadows killer stealthily making his moves in places like a rooftop, with brilliantly calculated deception and cruelty in the chaos of a nightclub. Some good twists kept me guessing, with a bit of cleverly embedded symbolism that can only come from the pen of a seasoned author like Lopez. I connected the red pen editorial notes to the manuscript as if it were bleeding itself, and this constructively raises questions about who is manipulating the story, and how it connects to the crimes. Overall, this book successfully marries forensic details with the mystery of a serial killer, making it a perfect read for fans of all things literary and murder. Very highly recommended.
