3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
The Embalmer: A Steve Jobz Thriller was a 373-page serial killer murder/mystery story that keeps you guessing as the dead stack up.
The story starts out simple enough as you are introduced to Steve Jobz, no not the Apple CEO guy. Instead, you meet a simple meat and potatoes ex-cop turned insurance fraud investigator. Jobz is a blue-collar kind of guy, who has resigned himself to a life of mediocrity. He was involved in a shooting scandal, in which he shot a young African American boy during a convenience store robbery. This incident led to his early retirement. Working in insurance fraud turns out to be useful to him, when a Detective Miller comes knocking and looking for an inside guy to help with his investigation. Jobz finds himself entangled in helping Miller track down the newest serial killer in Albany, NY, who is killing and embalming pretty girls all over the city. The horror gets real as the murders continue to progress at an alarming rate and Jobz finds that those closest to him are on the predator’s list.
I found that I was excited that this story took place close to home in Albany, NY. I love reading about cities that are geographically close to me. It makes the story feel more real and attainable. I get tired of reading stories that take place in NYC or LA, California. This added to Jobz’s middle class personality. He had an air of familiarity about him, like he could be my uncle. He is the everyday guy. There is nothing particularly special about Jobz, since he represents the Charlie Brown character in life. This gave him a slightly depressing persona, but one I could relate to.
The story was never boring as it clipped along at a convenient pace. It was a relatively clean read with minor grammatical issues. It was an easy story to immerse myself in.
However, because it was an easy story to read, this meant for me that it was lacking in depth. Serial killers are dark characters, and I felt that the story slid by without getting into the juicy bits of what makes a serial killer tick. I was creeped out by the killer, but not enough to feel affected in any real way. This was a light murder story that did not evolve enough for me. I was hoping for something darker and more representative of true crime. Jobz is a one-dimensional character that didn’t inspire heroism, which resulted in my lack of caring about the protagonist’s role and safety.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. It was a good story, but it lacked character depth.
Readers who like detective fiction and mystery will find this story attractive. It was a quick read that entertains and keeps the darkness light.
******
The Embalmer
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like sgmurphy's review? Post a comment saying so!
