Cohen, Mark - THE FRACTAL MURDERS

[LJ Roberts]

THE FRACTAL MURDERS (Private Investigator) – VG Mark Cohen – 1st book
Mysterious Press, 2004 – Hardcover

Math professor Jayne Smyers asserts that the probability of three other professors, experts in fractal geometry, must be related, despite what the FBI says. So she hires investigator Pepper Keane, a former Marine JAG and prosecuting attorney, to look for the link, and the killer.

Pepper is intelligent and fully dimensional, a man still on the search for who he is. There are wonderful relationships between him and his family and friends, and well as some good humor. I even learned something about fractal geometry and philosophy along with way without it miring the plot. There’s not a lot of suspense, but it’s the characters that drive the story and the killer is a complete surprise. I also enjoyed the inclusion of small towns and cities settings; Nederland and Boulder, Colorado; Lincoln, Nebraska and Walla Walla, Washington. I really enjoyed this book and will be interested to see where the series goes from here.