Cypher

A couple is shot to death in the apartment of Caroline Wainwright, and it is believed that Caroline herself is one of the victims. Until someone who looks just like the victim comes to the scene of the crime after the police arrive, that is.  Now there is a dilemma, who did the shooter intend to kill? Officer David Morris is on the case, and his partner suspects the new arrival is the shooter. Morris refuses to believe this beauty to be guilty of any crime. In fact, Morris breaks a cardinal rule; he gets personally involved with the primary suspect in a murder.

Cathy Perkins rolls out the mystery right from the first page of "Cypher".  The main characters are well thought out and easy to root for, although the secondary figures tend to be flat and deserve to be fleshed out. Vickie only has a small part, but plays an important role. It is a pity she is reduced to a few scenes of name calling until her big act. There is predictability to the storyline; one knows when the heroine is by herself that something awful will happen. Instead of one straightforward story, there is a blending of two story lines, which at times makes things confusing. There is enough intrigue and action to keep the story moving along at a good pace, and the reader won’t want to put this novel down until the last of the mystery is solved.

Belinda Wilson