THE GRINDING WHEEL

A Kansas City lawyer tries to help identify a serial killer while prosecuting another one in this seventh installment of a legal thriller series.

Senior Litigation Counsel Jeff Trask’s latest case involves WaShaun “Gloomy” Stewart Jr., who supposedly killed five people. But as only the most recent murder occurred when Gloomy was 18 years old, Trask struggles to link them all to try him as an adult. But the attorney’s biggest obstacle is the new criminal division chief, Ray Marsh. He blames Trask for stunting his career advancement when they were both in Washington, D.C. That’s the likely reason Marsh attempts to sabotage Trask’s homicide case. At the same time, a serial killer terrorizes Kansas City; he abducts and mutilates prostitutes, leaving body parts for others to find. Trask may be able to assist investigating detectives with the murders; all he needs is a “federal connection.” But Marsh once again stands in Trask’s way, as he somehow gets his hands on the investigation. Trask must fight to put Gloomy behind bars and stop a proficient killer’s horrifying spree. When these two cases suddenly clash, everyone’s workload gets even more complicated. The latest volume in Rainer’s series comes with a bevy of unexpected turns. Most of these unfold in the final act, igniting the narrative’s latter half and its explosive ending. Trask is, as always, a consummate professional whose home life—with his wife, a former undercover agent, and two charming canines—lightens the story’s serious tone. His fusion of lawyer and sleuth, which has become a series staple, works especially well with the dual-cases plotline. The author masterfully handles a populous cast, including Trask’s Department of Justice friend Cam Turner, who dishes out the bulk of the tale’s wry humor. Cam even has a recurring joke; he mocks despised Judge Richard Horney by exaggerating the man’s faux French pronunciation: “Reeshard HorNAY.”

A knockout mystery with twists aplenty.