GONE FOR GOOD

A dogged Chicago police detective becomes both hunter and prey in the search for a legendary serial killer.

Annalisa Vega is rescued from yet another disappointing blind date by a call to a crime scene. The victim is Grace Harper, found dead on her spotless kitchen floor, and Annalisa’s rugged partner, Nick Carelli, is already on the scene. The M.O. indicates that the crime could be the work of the Lovelorn Killer, who bound and garroted seven women to death in the 1990s before going underground. Grace also bears a strong resemblance to Katie Duffy, a close friend of Annalisa's who became the seventh victim. Annalisa has been haunted by her failure to catch the Lovelorn Killer ever since. Grace belonged to the Grave Diggers, a group dedicated to investigating cold cases. Had she discovered the killer’s identity? Revisiting the old crimes is a painful necessity if Annalisa is to find Grace’s murderer ahead of the FBI. The original investigators ignored many witnesses, and waitress Lora Fitz reported an encounter with the Lovelorn Killer shortly before Katie’s death. An additional thread is provided by Grace’s interspersed diary entries. As part of his pathology, the killer repeatedly contacted his would-be victims. Could the whispery voice calling Annalisa be his? Schaffhausen combines familiar tropes in an unsubtle but arresting way and concisely fleshes out the supporting cast, from Annalisa’s womanizing partner to her Pops, who’s battling Parkinson’s, to Police Commander Lynn Zimmer, nicknamed the Hammer.

Visceral chills, a colorful cast, and a handful of effective twists add up to a promising series debut.