The Grave Artist

Deaver and Maldonando’s second novel featuring Department of Homeland Security agents Carmen Sanchez and Jake Heron (after Fatal Intrusion) is a run-of-the-mill serial killer thriller. Given Sanchez’s investigative chops and Heron’s tech skills, the pair are assigned to a pilot program that tackles sophisticated and unusual threats to national security. One of their first cases concerns the Honeymoon Killer, who murdered the bride at one wedding in Italy and the groom at another. Each victim was rendered unconscious after their nuptials, then drowned. Either the same killer or a copycat is now active in Long Beach, Calif., catching the attention of the DHS. Interwoven with Sanchez and Heron’s investigation are chapters from the perspective of the murderer—an arrogant psychopath who believes he’s optimized serial killing—and a subplot about Sanchez looking into her father’s suspicious suicide. Unfortunately, none of the threads generate much suspense, and the authors fail to make the supporting cast three-dimensional. After the first book got the series off to strong start, this disappoints. Agent: Liza Fleissig, Liza Royce Assoc. (Sept.)