Thou Shalt Kill

This sprawling, overlong first in a new suspense series from the pseudonymous Blake introduces Pittsburgh, Pa., homicide detective Franco Patrese and his partner, Mark Beradino. A series of what initially appear to be unrelated killings points initially to a young man of Arab descent, Mustafa Bayoumi, an undergrad at Pitt who's studying chemistry, though the possible perp list grows to include Beradino's wife and Franco himself. Dubbed the Human Torch by the press, the killer pours gasoline over his victims, then burns them alive. Like many a thriller villain these days, he's prone to quoting biblical scripture and sententious religious philosophizing. The plot wanders in too many directions, and when the surprise twist finally occurs, most readers will have already guessed the fiend's identity. (Apr.)