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Photographic Memory
At the turn of the 20th century, one of history’s first serial killers traveled across America. His name was Otis Johnson. a roving photographer, he was an opportunistic murderer who made it a point never to kill the same way twice. The random nature of the deaths, his sporadic movements from place to place, and his unremarkable appearance, all worked to his advantage As he hid in plain sight.
More than a century later, retired police detective Roy Archibald has spent forty years of his life attempting to piece together a case against Johnson. It’s a case that has plagued his mind, ever since he unwittingly stumbled upon the first piece of evidence - Through A strange vision. It was to be A vision that set him upon a path to seek justice for those who never received it.
With the assistance of an unlikely group of friends, and a mysterious girl, Archibald finds himself closer than ever to solving the case in his lifetime. And in doing so, he will literally rewrite history.
That is, if he can live that long…
More than a century later, retired police detective Roy Archibald has spent forty years of his life attempting to piece together a case against Johnson. It’s a case that has plagued his mind, ever since he unwittingly stumbled upon the first piece of evidence - Through A strange vision. It was to be A vision that set him upon a path to seek justice for those who never received it.
With the assistance of an unlikely group of friends, and a mysterious girl, Archibald finds himself closer than ever to solving the case in his lifetime. And in doing so, he will literally rewrite history.
That is, if he can live that long…
316 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 6, 2014
2 people are currently reading
315 people want to read
About the author
Heath D. Alberts
31 books95 followersAuthor, blogger, bibliophile, audiophile, technopihile, publisher, and maker-upper of stuff. Currently working on a pair of novels: 'Uncharted' and 'Koreatown Blues'. He lives in Rockton, Illinois.
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Heath D. Alberts - Amazon.com Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/Heath-D.-Albert...
Heath D. Alberts - Website:
http://www.heathdalberts.com/
Heath D. Alberts - Blog:
http://www.heathdalberts.com/blog.htm
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
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July 7, 2014Expected publication: June 7th 2114
Damn, that's a long wait.
Damn, that's a long wait.
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December 7, 2023Amazingly creative and well-written!
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March 25, 2016Kirkus Review:
"A mystery that toggles between centuries and pits present-day antiquarians against a 19th-century serial killer—with a ghost thrown in for good measure.
Alberts’ (A Twist of Fate, 2015, etc.) story begins with Roy Archibald, a retired police detective, and his charming friends, who all work at an antique store. Roy deals in antique photographs, and as such, has a rare gift: when he holds certain photos in his hands, he goes into a sort of trance and can relive the stories behind the images. In this way, he uncovers the fact that Otis Johnson (1856-1918), a roving professional photographer, was also a serial killer. Soon, the search is on to uncover all of Johnson’s heinous crimes, and at least provide some closure to the cases and relief to the victims’ descendants. Then, just as readers settle into this rather benign historical mystery, a plot twist gives them a real kick in the gut; suffice it to say that the flourishing of evil didn’t end with Johnson. The story shifts nicely between the present and Johnson’s era as he dispatches one victim after another. One subplot shows how the oldsters become closer as they work on the case; there’s even, eventually, a wedding. There’s also a snarky teenager, Holly Wilson, who has a psychic gift as well—and a mysterious habit of showing up in Roy’s stall and then disappearing. Alberts does a good job of developing his characters, and even Johnson is more fascinating than appalling. The writing, however, is somewhat uneven; for example, the author has a habit of overreaching with his diction (such as using the phrase “ocular intake” for “looking around”), which, if it’s a conscious choice, doesn’t work as planned. Characters also seldom “say” things; rather, they “posit,” “scold,” “observe,” or whatnot, which becomes a game, but not a pleasure.
This novel has a devilishly clever gimmick and a plot to go with it; worth a read, despite its flaws."
"A mystery that toggles between centuries and pits present-day antiquarians against a 19th-century serial killer—with a ghost thrown in for good measure.
Alberts’ (A Twist of Fate, 2015, etc.) story begins with Roy Archibald, a retired police detective, and his charming friends, who all work at an antique store. Roy deals in antique photographs, and as such, has a rare gift: when he holds certain photos in his hands, he goes into a sort of trance and can relive the stories behind the images. In this way, he uncovers the fact that Otis Johnson (1856-1918), a roving professional photographer, was also a serial killer. Soon, the search is on to uncover all of Johnson’s heinous crimes, and at least provide some closure to the cases and relief to the victims’ descendants. Then, just as readers settle into this rather benign historical mystery, a plot twist gives them a real kick in the gut; suffice it to say that the flourishing of evil didn’t end with Johnson. The story shifts nicely between the present and Johnson’s era as he dispatches one victim after another. One subplot shows how the oldsters become closer as they work on the case; there’s even, eventually, a wedding. There’s also a snarky teenager, Holly Wilson, who has a psychic gift as well—and a mysterious habit of showing up in Roy’s stall and then disappearing. Alberts does a good job of developing his characters, and even Johnson is more fascinating than appalling. The writing, however, is somewhat uneven; for example, the author has a habit of overreaching with his diction (such as using the phrase “ocular intake” for “looking around”), which, if it’s a conscious choice, doesn’t work as planned. Characters also seldom “say” things; rather, they “posit,” “scold,” “observe,” or whatnot, which becomes a game, but not a pleasure.
This novel has a devilishly clever gimmick and a plot to go with it; worth a read, despite its flaws."
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews