The young women in his seminar seem very interested in the subject matter; one student, Amanda Squires, is especially knowledgeable in the subject of female serial killers. Another student, Jaycie Waylon appoints herself Frank’s guide and guardian. Frank senses there is something more Jaycie wants to tell him, but before she is able, she and her two roommates are found murdered, their bodies mutilated.

The police, immediately recognizing the professional profiler in their midst, call upon Frank and his expertise in this murder. Frank recognizes some similarities to another serial killer, but deep down, he thinks that is the wrong way to go. FBI agent Karen Jasper, however, latches on to the serial killer and doggedly pursues that angle, threatening Frank with obstruction if he doesn’t keep his alternative theories to himself.

Bodies continue to pile up, and each one seems to have only one thing in common with the next, the elusive Martin’s International and its even more elusive CEO Melanie Martins. So elusive is Melanie, that Frank begins to entertain thoughts of multiple personalities and considers the people he has had contact with.

The plot becomes more complicated as one trail leads to the trailer park door of Frank’s one time, casual, summer girlfriend, Katrina Martin. Katrina was apparently in an abusive relationship and at one desperate moment, told her daughter Lily that Frank was her father. Now, in a race with a killer, Frank tries to locate all the players and fit them together before the killer finds the final target, possibly Frank.

Dreams in the Key of Blue is an intense book with a very complicated plot and many twists and turns. Some of the twists, however, seem contrived and added on, rather than carefully thought out. Frank is not an especially likable character and it is hard to figure out what motivates him. He comes out of retirement to teach a seminar at a relatively small school at the request of an anonymous benefactor, then makes no attempt to ascertain who his admirer is, nor is he the least bit suspicious when there is no formal interview in Maine, nor by telephone. He also makes breaking and entering a habit to secure information when he feels it is warranted.

When all is said and done, it seems that someone has gone through an awful lot of trouble to bring Frank to Maine and to set all of this up to make him first watch the drama unfold and then be the final victim. The elusive Martin’s International is also odd because even the police cannot seem to gain entry to the plant or find any paper trail.

There are some very tense moments and the time spent in the seminar delving into the mind of a serial killer is very intense. Readers who enjoy dense, complicated plots will enjoy trying to untangle all the various threads, but will most likely have all the identities sorted out long before the professionals.

-- Jennifer Monahan Winberry