Book Review For "Crucifying Angel"

Book Review for: "Future Imperfect, Book 1, Crucifying Angel"
Written by: P.I. Barrington
Desert Breeze Publishing
ISBN: 1-936000-19-9
Ebook Format
5 Stars

Reviewer: S. Burkhart

Barrington creates a futuristic world full of heart pounding suspense with "Crucifying Angel." Set in Las Vegas in the not so distant future, detectives Payce Halligan and Gavin McAlister must solve a series of bizarre crimes before the murderer strikes again.

Sin City is slowly turning into a wasteland. The Earth's ozone layer has been decimated and after a certain amount of time in the desert environment, protective suits have to be worn. Las Vegas casinos are crumbling due to lack of upkeep. It's to this world that Payce comes back to the police department after an extended leave of absence and paired with newcomer Gavin to solve four unusual murders - victims who were killed and then hung up on crucifixes throughout Vegas.

There aren't many clues to follow and Gavin has a hard time earning Payce's trust. What they do discover leads them to two place - a casino called The Amazon and a religious compound in the desert called New Creation.

While at New Creation the detectives come to believe that the compound is hiding something, or at least someone, who has information on the murders. They're led to the Amazon to look for answers, but when Payce and Gavin spilt up, Payce is kidnapped.

Gavin goes on a fierce hunt for his partner, tracking her down to the old mercury mines in the desert. With the help of James, a boy who has escaped from New Creation, Gavin faces one trap after another in his quest to find Payce.

Payce has her own problems. When she gains consciousness, she finds herself face-to-face with the "Crucifying Angel."

Barrington moves from thrill to thrill with ease. Her writing is crisp and the pace flows well. She uses a good economy of words to describe her futuristic world, painting a vivid setting for the reader.

Both Gavin and Payce are interesting characters, and come to the story with scared backgrounds. Payce accidentally shot her last partner during a confrontation and is now finding her emotional scars healing. Gavin, who is British, had to witness the death of his family. His emotional scars still haunt him. How Payce and Gavin grow and deal with their pain is a joy for the reader to discover. Their courage and dedication are traits to be admired. Ralphie K. Teon as the "Crucifying Angel" is the perfect villain. Instead of taking his tragedic past and using it to inspire him to be better, he twists it into a morbid cause.

"Crucifying Angel" is a suspense that will take the reader on a pulse-pounding thrill ride and give them an ending that begs for a sequel.

StephB is an author who likes to read many books and a variety of different genres. StephB is an author at http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Creative Writing.