J. Mark Bertrand lived in Houston, where the series is set, for fifteen years, earning an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Houston. But after one hurricane too many he relocated with his wife Laurie to the plains of South Dakota. Mark has been arrested for a crime he didn’t commit, was the foreman of one hung jury and served on another that acquitted Vinnie Jones of assault. In 1972, he won an honorable mention in a child modeling contest, but pursued writing instead.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
It’s Christmas in Houston, and homicide detective Roland March is on the hunt for a killer. A young woman’s brutal stabbing in an affluent neighborhood bears all the hallmarks of a serial murder. The only problem is that March sent the murderer to prison ten years ago. Is it a copycat — or did March convict the wrong man?
Alienated from his colleagues and with a growing rift in his marriage, March receives messages from the killer. The bodies pile up, the pressure builds, and the violence reaches too close to home. Up against an unfathomable evil, March struggles against the clock to understand the hidden message in the pattern of wounds.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Pattern of Wounds, go HERE.
Learn more about Mark and his books on his Website.
MY REVIEW:
J. Mark Bertrand’s second novel featuring Houston homicide detective Roland March, Pattern of Wounds is another page turner. March finds himself investigating a case that is eerily similar to an earlier case that Roland solved and was later featured in a book. His theory that the crime is a copycat one by someone who has read the book is dismissed by the other officers. Although the original murderer was convicted and is currently in prison, an investigator from another department presents numerous unsolved crimes with similar earmarks that indicate that the wrong man may have been convicted. As Roland becomes embroiled in solving the murder and trying to prove that he got the right man the first time, his personal life and even the relationships with fellow officers become strained. Racing against the clock, he follows a confusing trail of clues that offers more than one possible suspect.
Pattern of Wounds is an attention holding narrative that kept me guessing almost to the end. Once again Bertrand’s characters are realistically portrayed with all their human shortcomings. His inside look at the life of a homicide detective is both informative and chilling. A subtle spiritual message was woven throughout the story and although Roland’s heart might have softened somewhat, the reader will still find him mostly resistant to the gospel.
I enjoyed this book, especially the fact that I didn’t guess the guilty person early in the story. I can also say that the way the story ended pretty much guarantees that I will read the next book in the series (at least I hope there will be another one). I can once again recommend Bertrand’s latest book to all who enjoy a good murder mystery.
