The purpose of any book is to get you to turn the page. From the first kill in Ottenhausen's The Killing Zone (2007), the author hooks us into a journey with twists and turns and unpredictable unfoldings.

What starts out as a dramatic homicide that literally crashes into an upscale Hotel dining room, becomes a maddening sequence of crimes, strangely linked together by the six degrees of separation that seem to dangle humanity by a strand of silk.

Lt. O'Malley, a cross between a rugged Gary Cooper and a somewhat more ragged Russel Crowe, bangs heads with the hot shot Medical Examiner who happens to be his ex-wife, as they each sift through the not so random clues that lead them to the most unlikely killer. Ottenhausen's authentically chilling accounts of the murders, artfully executed by an elusive killer, keep the reader demanding answers that don't come until the author deems the moment right.

Add to this perfect recipe for a thriller, the urban politics of a corrupt investigation into the death of a politician's daughter, the untimely attempt upon the life of O'Malley's good pal and superior, a good man wrestling with his issues about the women he happens to love, and you've got a compelling book that won't find its way to the nightstand till you finish.

Ottenhausen's clean, clipped prose makes the story the star of the show, as it should be when it's as good as this one. Be prepared to be caught unprepared for this read. It would make a terrific thriller movie, it's that good.

Nogulich is a renowned actress of stage and screen. She is also a produced screenwriter and accomplished novelist.

Ottenhausen is a retired Army officer living in Gulf Breeze, Florida and is the author of four other previous published novels.

His books are available for purchase online at www.patriotmediainc. com. He can be contacted at Nelson@patriotmediainc. com.