Frank and Bolton quickly discover that there are other forces at work - that other agendas are interfering with their manhunt. Wendy Pouldice, owner of Boston Trial Television, has kept in touch with Felix since his sister was kidnapped two years before his first murder spree. BTT cameras seem to appear wherever Felix is. Is Wendy using her connection with Felix to increase her station's market share? Dermott Fremont is head of Vigil, a militia group that seems to have its own plan for Felix. They too seem to show up everywhere, usually with bloody results. Neville Waycross has become a street monk after Felix killed his wife. He joins in the hunt, but his motivation is unclear.

Philpin chooses to alternate the storytelling between Frank and Zrbny. Normally I don't like dual narration, but both characters are so interesting that this device works perfectly. Frank, after too many rough cases in Boston, has retired to Northern Michigan, where he relishes the quiet and the isolation. Frank is not a classic courtroom psychiatrist. Instead, he is every bit as involved as any other investigator. Frank bluffs, bullies, shoots, and finesses his way to the facts that will help him to get inside Zrbny's head.

And Zrbny's head turns out to be a very interesting place! As the story gradually fills in the blanks in his past, Zrbny become an almost sympathetic character. Of imposing size and intelligence, Felix displays both psychotic and sociopathic traits, making him an extremely dangerous killer. But he is aware of his psychological state and understands that he is using death as a way to manipulate symbols in the public eye. He is also capable of concern and conscience in his relationships. He has a sense of honor, and he is capable of remarkable insights into human behavior. I wouldn't call him sympathetic, but the reader will feel an attraction to him.

The drama builds in unexpected fashion to a truly surprising conclusion. Philpin displays fine writing skills, knowing just when to describe, when to build character and when to move the plot forward. This is the fourth Lucas Frank novel John Philpin has written or collaborated on, and I fully intend to read the others. If you are a fan of the serial killer genre, put The Murder Channel on your must buy list.

--Marc Ruby