To Kill and Kill Again

Coston, a news editor at the Wall Street Journal , has reconstructed the rampage of Wayne Nance, a Montana psychopath who in daily life appeared polite and generous but who committed at least four brutal sexual murders over 12 years. Police did not thoroughly pursue Nance, who was a neighbor of the first victim and placed by witnesses near the murder scene. He certainly gave cause for concern: in childhood he had displayed a sadistic streak; he collected knives and swords and had branded a pentagram on his arm. After a troubled stint in the Navy, Nance returned home to a job in a furniture warehouse, which gave him entree into many homes and the opportunity for deadly deeds. Coston's story proceeds to a suspenseful climax in which Nance finally meets victims who fight back and kill him. Though the narrative sometimes seems choppy with flashbacks and background on victims, Coston effectively conjures up the tense atmosphere of small-town Missoula. He theorizes superficially about Nance's dysfunctional family and the nature of serial killers, but his lack of psychological insight doesn't get in the way of a good tale. Photos not seen by PW. (Aug.)