Chameleon

P. J. Gray #3

by Shirley Kennett

From Shirley Kennett, author of the highly acclaimed Fire Cracker and Gray Matter, comes an electrifying new suspense novel featuring her smart, engaging cybersleuth PJ Gray.A string of seemingly unrelated murders baffles the St. Louis police until PJ Gray, psychologist and pioneer in forensic computer simulation, detects a pattern. As head of the Computerized Homicide Investigations Department, PJ has already cracked a number of cases using an innovative virtual reality program that allows her to "see" the murders from the victim's or killer's perspective. And while PJ uses her keyboard, her partner and friend, Detective Lea Schultz, uses old-fashioned legwork to sift through the grisly pieces of this puzzling case.

But the truth is more shocking than either of them could ever have imagined. For the killer is a friend of PJ's son -- and he is 12 years old. His name is Columbus Wade, and although in reality he is a seventh grade misfit, in virtual reality, he is the ruler of a gruesome alternate universe, a secret cyber world where he rehearses his brutal murder. And PJ's son may be his next victim -- unless she can beat Columbus at his own deadly game.

Genres: Thriller

381 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 1, 1998

About the author

Shirley Kennett is the author of the PJ Gray series of thrillers, which center on a psychologist and single mother who deploys virtual reality technology to solve homicides for the St. Louis Police Department. The novels in the series include Gray Matter, Fire Cracker, Chameleon, Act of Betrayal, and Time of Death. She is also the author of Burning Rose, a stand-alone environmental mystery. Under the pseudonym Dakota Banks, Kennett wrote the Mortal Path series of supernatural thrillers. She lives in Missouri.

Shirley Kennett is a member of International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and the American Crime Writers League. She lives with her husband, two sons, and several cats in the St. Louis metropolitan area.

aka Morgan Avery, Dakota Banks.

Reviews

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was good, but not great. You know who the killer is from the beginning. You are just waiting for the rest of the people to figure it out. I didn't like reading about a child sociopath, it made me feel uncomfortable. But the last part of the book was really exciting.

[Jerry King · Rating 3 out of 5]

1998 good but gory

[Angie crosby · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was okay. Not the best, not the worst. There was a bit too much concern about relationships in it for my liking. The characters were okay, though I didn't find any of them particularly great or awful. The writing was okay.

[Roland Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book which kept me hooked all the way to the end. Characters well rounded including the antagonist. Descriptions very good and added to the plot & characters. Definitely going to read other books by Shirley Kennett about the very real PJ Gray

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

PJ Gray #3

[Carolee Horning · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was good but not real believable, hence only three stars.