THE SHAKESPEARE KILLER

An FBI profiler pursues a new case when prominent defense lawyers start dying under suspicious circumstances in Wood’s thriller.

Two years after catching a dangerous serial killer in New Orleans, Special Agent Chris DiMeglio is now chief of the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit and tasked with becoming the poster boy to improve the FBI’s image with an increasingly disgruntled public. If working closely with the media weren’t already disconcerting enough, the fact that it is investigative reporter Carla Lane (whom DiMeglio finds overbearing) who calls his attention to a new potential serial killer on the loose aggravates him even more. Butonce he learns the details, it becomes clear that the connections between the murders could not be coincidental. The victim profiles speak for themselves: Several prominent criminal defense attorneys, mostly ones who have taken on cases defending the lowest, cruelest types of criminals, begin dying by apparent suicide, leaving behind extremely similar notes. When the killer contacts DiMeglio directly with text messages that indicate a hatred for lawyers, a penchant for quoting Shakespeare, and the dedication and the means to commit these murders across the globe, the profiler realizes it will take a lot of work to catch the Shakespeare Killer before more lawyers die and the FBI loses even more of the public’s esteem. The author’s second outing with DiMeglio is a standalone novel anchored by engaging tidbits about the profiling of serial killers and a competent, if troubled, hero who has an alarming proclivity to sleep with women related to his cases. At least he is self-aware: “DiMeglio wondered if he had some sort of need to get involved romantically with women who were connected to his work.” While the narrative hops around awkwardly in places, and the story at times feels dissonant as it focuses more on showcasing Tuscany’s delightful cuisine and sights than on the FBI team’s grueling search for a cold killer, this is an effective, if familiar, procedural.

A crime novel that reflects its main character: It’s rough around the edges but gets the job done.