cover image Kill Switch

Kill Switch

Neal Baer & Jonathan Greene. Kensington, $24 (304p) ISBN 978-0-7582-6686-6

Fans of high-octane, intricate thrillers will welcome TV producers Baer and Greene’s fiction debut, which introduces New York City forensic psychiatrist Claire Waters. A traumatic childhood experience—witnessing a friend’s abduction—still haunts Waters, who feels responsible for not having prevented the crime. She gets a whole lot more to feel guilty about after she’s assigned to the case of Rikers Island inmate Todd Quimby, a relatively minor offender whose mother murdered his father. Their initial conversation goes off the rails after she unexpectedly conjures up her long-standing feelings of self-loathing and helplessness. Her mentor and biggest booster, Paul Curtin (aka “Dr. Oz of Forensic Psychiatry”), still believes in her potential, but is concerned about her performance. The violent fallout from the botched interview leads her to team with NYPD Det. Nick Lawler, back on the job after his wife used his service weapon to kill herself, to track down a serial killer. The twists are de rigueur, but are delivered with skill. (Jan.)