From Publishers Weekly
Kate Austen, in her third appearance (after Murder Among Friends, 1995), seems almost too good-hearted to be an effective sleuth. But, as is quickly clear in this busy and intriguing tale, the well-mannered, compassionate high-school art teacher also possesses a steely determination. A serial killer is terrorizing Kate's tranquil San Francisco suburb. First, a young coed is found murdered in a city park, the killer leaving a distinctively grisly trademark. Then Julie, a talented and troubled student of Kate's, is killed in the same bizarre manner. Kate is in a unique position to aid the overwhelmed police, since she can tap into an array of high-school students who, although wary, still offer some insightful comments into Julie's tragic past (she is an orphan whose prominent mother died in a boating accident). Suspects abound. A secret, older lover? Her guardian, who seems to be dipping into her trust fund? Kate works smoothly with her significant other, police lieutenant Michael Stone, but it's her own dogged perseverance, fueled by a sense of guilt (she feels she failed Julie in some way), that compels her to investigate Julie's past?with ramifications that are particularly hazardous for herself. This fine mystery is buoyed by rich characterizations, a gripping plot and some scene-stealing performances by Anna, Kate's unpredictable and articulate six-year-old. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Kate Austen may live in the quiet Bay Area community of Walnut Hills, but her life there is full of stress. As a mother and part-time teacher, she runs a household with two daughters, ages 6 and 16, and a rambunctious dog. In addition, she is finalizing a divorce; entertaining her soon-to-be former mother-in-law, Faye; and missing Michael, her police detective boyfriend, who moved out when Faye arrived. Then a young woman is murdered, and Kate's best student disappears. Frustrated with the plodding official investigation, Kate takes matters into her own hands. This third Kate Austen novel combines realistic characters and dialogue, intriguing insights on cybersex and computers in school, and a well-realized suburban setting. The mystery itself is mostly nonviolent yet hard to unravel; Jacobs effectively uses Halloween to inject suspense into suburbia, leaving the reader in the dark as to whether trick-or-treaters have been abducted. Fans of Susan Dunlap's Jill Smith will enjoy getting to know Kate Austen. John Rowen

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Hailed for "taking the suburban mystery to new heights" ("The Tulsa World"), Jonnie Jacobs has delighted a legion of fans with her two previous Kate Austen mysteries. Now, she puts the intrepid single mom and suburban sleuth to the test by pitting her against two formidable foes: a cunning killer and a meddlesome mother-in-law.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly