Revenant

By Carolyn Haines

Book Overview

When a decades-old mass grave near a notorious Biloxi nightclub is unearthed, reporter Carson Lynch is among the first on the scene. The remains of five women lie within, each one buried with a bridal... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0778324176
• Release Date: August 2007
• Publisher: MIRA
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.6" x 1.0" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

A serial killer

The story is set in Biloxi, Mississippi, in early 2005 - before Hurricane Katrina rearranged the landscape. There is some commentary about substandard construction in hurricane prone areas, an issue in the background of the principal character. Investigative reporter Carson Lynch is dealing with demons in her own life when she is drawn into the investigation of five bodies unearthed by excavation at the site of an old waterfront nightclub. The victims were reported missing 24 years earlier. Then there is an additional killing with a gruesome detail matching the earlier victims. As the story progresses, Carson digs into the past. When you turn over rocks, you are never sure what you might find. Along the way, she also has to deal with problems in her own life and the lives of people around her. Many people have things to hide, and some people don't want things dredged up. This is a well researched, well written novel. The author is a native of Mississippi with a university appointment at the University of South Alabama in Mobile. She is intimately familiar with the settings used in the story.

One of the best of 2007

Clawing her way back from the death of her young daughter and collapse of her marriage, Carson Lynch has returned to her roots in Southern Mississippi. Too much grief, and too much drink, have taken a toll on the once award winning journalist, but she has wrangled a job at a Biloxi paper. When the skeletons of 5 young women are unearthed in a parking lot, she has the skills and an opportunity to once again make a name for herself in jounalism. But nothing is easy, and Carson has plenty of baggage--old boyfriends, her complex relationships with her family, and an ex husband she still loves. The book is redolent with the atmosphere of a pre-Katrina Gulf coast, and Haines skillfully weaves the unfolding horror of a mass murderer and Carson's re-emergence into the world she left behind years ago. Then the killer strikes again, and Carson finds that she no longer knows whom to trust. The audio version is enriched by the thick as molasses southern accent of Lauren Fortgang. I think this book was buried as a "romantic suspense," which it is not. It is clearly a mystery and the brief romantic elements play important roles in Carson's character development without dominating the plot. It also could be the first episode of a fine series! In my opinion, this was one of the 5 best mysteries of 2007, the main mystery being why it received so little aclaim!

4.5 stars: a wonderful flawed journalist and an eerie case to solve

Carson Lynch, a washed up journalist with a drinking problem who has lost her child in a fire, her husband and her former prestigious career. Five bodies are uncovered that were buried decades ago beneath a parking lot of a Biloxi, Mississippi night club. Carson begins to investigate, hoping that this story can help her get her career back on track. Days later, two more recent bodies are discovered--each girl wearing a bridal veil. The ring finger has been taken by the murderer. Is this the work of a serial killer or a copy cat killer? Why has such a large expanse of time separated these murders? Can Carson find the clues in time to prevent other murders without risking her own life? Carolyn Haines intersperses the current thriller plot with ever increasing glimpses of Carson's life, creating a multi-dimensional reading delight. The reader wants to know about Carson's flawed character as well as the unfolding hunt for the killer. REVENANT has some intriguing twists and turns as the identity of the killer is discovered only through careful research and an understanding of the motive behind the crimes. The thrills continue down to the last tense dramatic resolution. The suspense focuses on the eerie nature of the crimes and the psychology behind the crimes. As Carson hunts for leads, Carolyn Haines reveals the psychological dimension of the past moments that led Carson to her present situation. A few more veiled clues in the beginning and throughout the novel would have heightened the reading suspense. Some clues arrive unexpectedly without earlier preparation so that the final revelation feels just slightly too easy in terms of the narrative structure. Fans will eagerly await another thriller with Carson at the center of the activity thanks to Carolyn Haines' brilliant characterization.

One of Haines Best Yet

We read for entertainment, knowledge, and to pass the time. It is nice to be challenged intellectually and Carolyn Haines provides this in her latest book Revenant. Always a good story teller in any genre you can name, in this mystery-thriller Haines cleverly plots a new angle and develops characters who will long be remembered. As a former journalist herself, she is also teaching us that the media has not always been as it is now. There was a time when news people sought to tell a good story without invading the privacy of victims ("Aside from that, what did you think of the play, Mrs. Lincoln?") and without trying to be sensational and entertainers rather than reporters. The setting along the lovely Mississippi Gulf Coast before the ravages of katrina is beautifully described and the action flows fast to a startling climax. If you are wondering about the title, read the book and you will smile and say, "Ah, yes."

Southern Literary Mystery

This book satisfies in so many ways. It's a great mystery--when revealed you can say, "yes, it's the only solution that makes sense." The protagonist Carson is the kind of "damaged" real-life character that we all love. And the writing is exquisite in the style of James Burke, revealing the rich tapestry of the Gulf Coast in the course of the novel.