THE SUNDANCE REVENGE

An ex-Marine wrestling with anger hunts a serial killer in Pace’s thriller.

Belle Bannon is trying to make ends meet as a hunting guide and a ski patroller in Park City, Utah. She has a dark secret, and it’s one that drove her out of the military: She has intermittent explosive disorder, a condition in which certain stimuli can cause disproportionate, uncontrolled rage. Park City’s preeminent event, the Sundance Film Festival, is the site of a series of deadly accidents, resulting in the deaths of a Wisconsin politician, an A-list actor, a local judge, and a high school senior to whom Belle was close. Belle suspects that the deaths are somehow connected, and she’s proved right: A vengeful killer who calls herself the Sword of Justice has been orchestrating them. The Sword is in a relationship with Danny Pagano, a drug dealer whom Belle crosses, and before long, Belle is dodging multiple attempts on her life. She joins forces with Carrie Palmer, her new ski patrol friend, and Alonzo Longabaugh, an attractive Drug Enforcement Agency operative, as they attempt to determine who the Sword is. They also seek to prevent the death of her next target—a top DEA official—while racing against the clock. Meanwhile, Belle struggles with guilt over the deaths of three fellow Marines. Fortunately, Carrie, a pacifist; Alonzo, a fellow veteran; and Belle’s uncle Sal, a lawyer, are there to provide much-needed support. This novel provides a promising start to a new series. Pace, the author of Dead Light(2013), brings his background as an attorney to his latest thriller, which lends a sense of authenticity to the various legal obstacles that Belle faces during her investigation. However, readers may find it baffling that local law enforcement doesn’t make more of an effort to investigate a distinct uptick in deaths during the city’s busiest time of year. Still, Belle’s doggedness in searching for answers more than makes up for the indifference surrounding her. Ultimately, Pace’s narrative flies along like an expert skier on one of Park City’s famous slopes.

A brisk, action-packed tale featuring a complex amateur detective.