The Pawn by Stephen James

Here is one of the books I read from my NOOK. I mention this only because the NOOK, as another resource. has opened me up to reading different books. The book / ebook is called The Pawn by Steven James and I probably would not have picked it up to read - if not for the NOOK. It is called "A Patrick Bowers Thriller".

Who is Patrick Bowers? In this series, he is in the FBI and uses geographic profiling to learn more about serial killers. This was a concept I was unfamiliar with. The author did a good job introducing me to this through Patrick Bowers and his investigation. In fact, Patrick was able to point out through his geographic profiling that two of the murders in the string of murders - even though they were so alike - were actually by a different person.

If I had to pick one word that describes how this book made me feel, it would be uncomfortable. It was very intense and not like some of the mysteries I read. The focus shifted between the investigator and the murderer(s). One of the murderers saw himself as an 'illusionist' - leaving clues and always able to steer his 'audience' in a different direction. To him - the murders were just a part of the game he enjoyed. It was the illusions he created and the game he was playing that really thrilled him.

But even the illusionist was a "pawn" in a bigger game. I can not give anymore of the story away. It is something you need to experience from your own point of view.

Finally, there was another reason why I enjoyed the book - even though it made me feel uncomfortable. The author used Patrick Bowers to speak directly to the readers through some of his comments. For example when he was talking to another agent, he says, "Jurors love motives. So do people who read mystery novels and thrillers. Without a motive we feel cheated. The plot needs to make sense." As uncomfortable as I felt, the plot indeed made sense.