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For Ben Hawkins�the ex-cop turned mystery writer turned L.A. Times reporter�it was just another assignment: fly out to Hawaii to cover the disappearance of swimsuit model Kim McDaniels. It was an all-expense-paid trip�one that, if everything went according to plan, could pan out to be a best-seller.
For Levon and Barbara McDaniels, it was a late-night call that shattered their lives: their daughter was in danger.
But, for the man calling himself Henri Benoit�or Charlie Rollins�or Nils Bjorn, it was all just a game�one that paid him very, very well.
Worried that the local police aren�t doing enough to find Kim, Ben offers to help with the investigation. But the killer is watching�always one step ahead�and Ben and the McDanielses are playing right into his hand.
Swimsuit is a tricky book to explain. In the prologue, readers are told that the book is Henri�s story, as told by Ben�and it plays out in what feels like two separate (but connected) stories. For the first half or so, it�s an account of what happened in Hawaii�both from Ben�s perspective and from Henri�s (with a couple of others thrown in). Then, in the second half, Ben explains how he became a part of the story�and how the killer reached out to him. It�s an intriguing story�and, despite the challenges of writing such a multifaceted narrative, Patterson and Paetro (who last teamed up for The 8th Confession) generally handle it with the skill that you�d expect. In fact, it often feels so horrifyingly real that you�ll have to keep reassuring yourself that it�s just a story; it isn�t really true.
From its first chilling pages to its haunting conclusion, Swimsuit isn�t just another fluffy beach read. It�s a brutal�and often highly graphic�story of kidnapping, rape, and murder at the hands of a heartless contract killer. Its pages are filled with disturbing �I can�t believe he did that� moments. So it�s definitely not for the faint of heart�or the weak of stomach. If it were a movie, you�d watch it through the cracks between your fingers�but there�s no way of escaping the horrors that play out on the page and flood your imagination.
At the same time, though, Swimsuit is also a captivating mystery, built around one terrifying but fascinating character. Obviously, there�s nothing likeable about Henri; he�s a cold, calculating killer who plays with his victims like a cat plays with a mouse. Still, you can�t help but wonder who he really is�and why he does what he does�and what he�ll do next. Even as he opens up about his past, you�ll never really know what�s the truth�and what�s just a part of his carefully constructed story. And, as you read more of his story, you�ll root for someone (anyone) to stop him.
As Ben tries to put the pieces together�to figure out how to stop Henri without becoming one of his victims�the suspense builds to heart-pounding levels, until it all comes to an abrupt and disconcerting conclusion. It�s not entirely satisfying�but it�s appropriately disturbing.
If you�re looking for a light, fluffy mystery to read as you lounge by the pool, it�s best to look elsewhere. But for a terrifying thriller that will leave you with a knot in your stomach, try Swimsuit. Just don�t expect to get a good night�s sleep until long after you�ve finished reading.
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