Enter Patricia Derrick, self-proclaimed do-gooder. Patricia is recovering from the shame of a marriage shattered by an unfaithful husband. Living in a small rural town, she faces people every day who know and remember all the gossipy details. Patricia's now devotes her energies to the church, which sponsors the Senior Aid Mission.

Patricia's minister believes she has the humanity to gain McTeague's confidence, even though he has refused previous offers of aid. Surprisingly, he accepts her and permits her to take him places and perform small tasks for him. As she gets to know him, she is stuck by the poignancy of his walls which are filled with over 200 photographs of different empty roads which represent "McTeague's memories."

McTeague is most distressed by the fact that he will likely die before anyone knows of his life's work. He realizes that killers such as Jeffrey Dahmer became famous only after they were caught, so he focuses on Patricia as a potential messenger.

McTeague keeps killing people. Since it is hunting season the first ones seem to be errant hunter's bullets, but former big-city detective Richard Morello becomes suspicious.

Up to this point, the book was moving quickly with truly unique characters, a well-defined plot and, surprisingly, humor in a number of places. Then it changes course. McTeague's quest for recognition becomes a platform for the exploration of the psychological reasons that make and sustain serial killers. The first casualty is the tension that usually exists between good and evil, and with that gone, the book progresses to a predictable end.

Still, this is an unusual treatment of a fairly common plot line and the author deserves kudos for originality.

--Thea Davis