I Hunt Killers

Four years ago, Jazz's father was convicted of over one hundred and twenty murders. Now Jazz hopes to stop whoever is re-creating those murders. Lyga explores compelling questions of nature, nurture, and free will in Jazz, who has more heart and conscience than he thinks. The biggest strength of this taut thriller is the engrossing mystery of the killer's identity--and what Jazz will do when he finds him.

Seventeen-year-old Jasper "Jazz" Dent’s life changed irrevocably four years ago when his father was convicted of over one hundred and twenty murders. "For Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round"; Billy taught Jazz tricks of the serial killer trade throughout his childhood. But when another killer strikes, Jazz hopes desperately that preventing more murders will prove to his small town (and himself) that he’s not destined to follow in his father’s bloody footsteps. He runs his own investigation alongside the official one and pieces together a pattern: the killer is doing a Billy Dent "impression" by re-creating his murders down to minute details. Though the characters are underdeveloped, Lyga explores compelling questions of nature, nurture, and free will in Jazz, who has more heart and conscience than he thinks. A wisecracking best friend, a compassionate girlfriend, and a father figure provided by the local sheriff anchor him and occasionally offer advice on "being human" to counterbalance Billy’s macabre life lessons in violence and manipulation. The biggest strength of this taut thriller is the engrossing mystery of the Impressionist’s identity -- and what Jazz will do when he finds him. katie bircher