Review – The Bishop

The blood-spattered dead man rose to his feet to join the shaken woman. Together they surveyed the crime scene-two police offers killed with unexpected shot gun blasts from a corpse.

“That was close,” Astrid said in an adrenaline laced voice. “The second one almost had time to aim.”

“Yes,” Peter replied. “How long do you think we have?”

“Less than five minutes,” she said. “Let’s make the call.”

The couple walked into the kitchen, giving no notice to their other victim sprawled on the linoleum in a dark pool of blood. Astrid dialed the police and screamed her hysterical lines into the phone, “…he’s gonna kill me…he’s…” before she let the phone clatter to the floor, timed to the sharp crack of another shotgun blast.

On their way out Astrid said, “I’ve got an idea for the next one,” an ingenious one, she thought, before I tell him I’m pregnant. A well-planned kidnap and murder of Congressman Fischer’s daughter Mollie, with creative clues left behind pointing to their next victim for those with eyes to see.

Fourth in the Patrick Bowers series, The Bishop starts with a bang and doesn’t let up for 500 plus pages. It’s way too long to read in one sitting, but readers will want to. The story begins to unfold at the first crime scene with clues that offer more questions than answers. Then readers follow well-plotted, never expected surprise twists and turns until the unexpected, unanticipated conclusion.

The additional elements of Trans-humanism, Neuroscience, Nanotechnology and Meta-cognition gives the book an authentic, scientific feel. The cutting-edge frontier science that enhances human reflexes, strength and eyesight through genetic manipulation, neuro-implants and gene therapy adds depth and realism.

The story is told in first person, with an excellent blend of themes, characters, misdirection, dialogue and suspense that engages readers on every level. From FBI Agent Patrick Bowers, with his well-earned reputation of catching high profile serial killers with unique geospatial investigative techniques to his likeable, vulnerable, quick-witted seventeen-year-old step-daughter Tessa.

Tessa’s flawed relationship with her step-father Patrick is a continuing thread that runs through the innovative series. In The Bishop, Tessa’s birth father unexpectedly approaches Tessa and she secretly e-mails and meets with him. The added conflict complicates crime scenes and her growing father-daughter relationship with Patrick. But humor is added with Tessa’s advice to her father about his own personal relationships with attractive, confident female detectives Lien-hua and Cheyenne. James portrayal of the cunning, cold, brutal serial killers, their evil games and behavior’s leave readers with goose bumps and chills, unable to guess their identities until the author reveals who they are. Yes, I’m a fan of Steven James since I read his first book!