Book Review: So Close the Hand of Death

So Close the Hand of Death is the sixth book in J.T. Ellison’s Taylor Jackson thriller series. Taylor Jackson, a Nashville homicide lieutenant, has her hands full in this one. She’s dealing with multiple serial killers, all under the command of one man, known as The Pretender. Each of those killers takes on the persona of past mass murderers, the Boston Strangler, the Zodiac Killer and Son of Sam, recreating those horrific killings.

As more bodies turn up, Taylor is desperate to stop the killings, especially as she begins to realize that she is the one The Pretender is really after. The closer he gets to her, the more she pulls away from those she loves, in an effort to save them from becoming collateral damage.

So Close the Hand of Death is fast moving, action packed, and tense. J.T. Ellison has written a thriller where no character is safe. And, in The Pretender, she’s created a killer who manipulates others to do his bidding, while saving the prize kill, Taylor, for himself.

So Close the Hand of Death is the first in this series that I’ve read. It took a little while to understand the dynamics of Taylor Jackson. I consider this a good thing, since I’m not fond of series books that put a paragraph or two upfront to get new and past readers caught up. I like getting to know the protagonist through action. And in this one, Taylor hit the floor running.

The Pretender is a truly demonic guy, but we don’t really see him until near the end. By that time, we know him, though. We know him through his manipulations and minions.

So Close the Hand of Death
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I give So Close the Hand of Death a rating of Hel-of-a-Story.

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FTC Disclaimer: Magdalena Burnham of Planned TV Arts sent So Close the Hand of Death to me, but that did not influence my review. I do not know the author nor do I know any serial killers. Although I do know a serial golf player, but that’s another story -- a story which would not be nearly the page-turner J.T. Ellison’s book is. If you’re looking for a fast read with interesting characters and you don’t mind being scared, I recommend So Close the Hand of Death. I would not recommend you go play golf, leaving your wife alone at home on the one day in months that the sky is dark and thundering and raining in Texas. Oops, lights just blinked. Gotta go. What was that noise?