During the time Meagan is following her husband, she encounters a mysterious man to whom she has an instant attraction. The two begin sleeping together and even though her husband has been unfaithful, Meagan carries a tremendous amount of guilt and plans to break off the relationship with Christian.

A man found dead in a ritzy hotel with his face and fingertips cut off leads police on a wild goose chase as they attempt to identify the unmarked corpse. A false identification and angry wife of the man thought to be dead puts more pressure on the police to learn the dead man’s identity and to locate the brutal killer.

The Seventh Sin is a little awkward to read as the beginning is told in several voices and times. The police investigation in the present is interspersed with Meagan telling her lifelong friend Kevin about Richard’s infidelities, and then flashbacks, which include Meagan’s memories and Richard’s actual actions. Then, the entire scene shifts to the present, the main focus on Meagan and the police, after her arrest. The tension is high throughout most of the book, but the ending is not very satisfying as it just ends and does not answer any questions nor give any clues as to the real answers sought.

There are several things that are never fully explained in the book, including the reason for the brutality of the crime, why the murderer didn’t want the body to be able to be identified. Also, Richard seems to be hiding a terrible secret, that by the time it is revealed is not as devastating as his words, thoughts and actions would lead the reader to believe.

The characters in the book are very flat and uninteresting. Meagan and Richard have made their lives the way they are and even though Meagan proclaims unhappiness, she does not appear to be a victim of circumstance and does not make any attempts, other than her brief affair, at changing her life. A corrupt police department and district attorney round out a weak cast.

The Seventh Sin is a fast-paced but disappointing book that will leave many readers looking for something more in the pages.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry