Prayer for the Dead

Rating:
Summary: Fans of Lucas Davenport and Alex Cross will love John Becker
Review: David Wiltse has written a psychological thriller that takes you into the mind of a serial killer. Much like Sandford, Patterson, and Kellerman Wiltse explores the deep-seated causes of the psychopath. The lead character is, former FBI serial killer hunter, John Becker. Becker has retired to a his hometown for the quiet life only to be confronted by another maniac on the loose. Becker's friend the local police chief drags him reluctantly into the chase for the maniac. Wiltse leaves the reasons for Becker's retirement and where Becker got the "gift" of understanding serial killers unexplored. Perhaps these issues were covered in a previous novel. Character exploration aside the book is a fast and frightening look into a very disturbed villian. Good for the beach or a plane not what i would consider a book of substance but highly enjoyable nonetheless.

Rating:
Summary: Riveting
Review: John Becker returns to the serial hunting fold when men mysteriously disappear. Flashbacks were a bit much. The mode chosen to murder the victims was gruesomely sick. I couldn't stop reading though.

Rating:
Summary: AWESOME!!
Review: This book sent me on a reading frenzy of all of David Wiltse's books. He is an amazing writer who depicts the psychological aspects of serial killers' psyches with aplomb!! He will scare you, excite you, thrill you, and ensnare you in the web that I hope to never leave! I check the web daily to see if a new Wiltse book has been written. He has captured me as an avid reader of mystery and I must say that I've never read anything like his books. All Wiltse books are amazing and I crave his next book more than my next breath of air! Unforunately, I don't have his gift of words and can't possibly hope to express how much I adore his novels. I've never appreciated another author quite like I appreciate him. I worship him!!!

Rating:
Summary: A Typical Psychological Thriller
Review: This is a psychological thriller that introduces us to ex-FBI agent John Becker. It's one of those fast paced books that ensured that I was frantically turning pages in an effort to keep up.

John Becker is asked to have a bit of a look into some recent disappearances of some young men in the local area to see whether they are related. Becker, who is trying to enjoy his retirement, very reluctantly agrees and has soon linked the missing men through a common, yet obscure similarity. From here the chase is on to identify and track down a man who we know as Dyce. We learn a lot about Dyce quite early on, and follow along as he finds himself a girlfriend. This was probably the only part of the book that I had a problem with as the girlfriend is cast as a real desperate, so much so that she completely ignores some pretty weird things about her new boyfriend. And when I say pretty weird, I'm talking right out there, baby.

This is quite a typical psychological thriller with the usual extreme - dare I say it - psychotic behaviour by the killer accompanied by the odd flashback to his childhood to explain his present day actions. Becker's character is established, casting him as reliable in his instincts, but difficult to work with, particularly when fool superiors are involved. It's the sort of first book of a series that promises further development of a character who already has issues.

Rating:
Summary: Prayer for the Dead
Review: Whoa, whoa, whoa! Be careful with this one, I didn't sleep for a week afterwards. So this is how John Becker got started. What a debut! I've been working my way backwards through David Wiltse's stuff, and I see he just started at the top and stayed there. Remarkably scary book!

Rating:
Summary: Loved it!
Review: Wiltse is at his best in Prayer for the dead. If you like Hannibal Lechter - you'll love This book.