Hangman

Australian YA author Heath (500 Minutes of Danger) makes his adult debut with a thriller marred by preposterous plot twists and excessive violence. Timothy Blake, who developed a perverse taste for human flesh during a period when he was homeless, reaches an unlikely agreement with Peter Luzhin, a cop who discovers his secret. When Luzhin becomes the director of the Houston Field Office for the FBI, he volunteers the extremely observant Blake to aid the bureau in its cases. When the cases lead to the death penalty, the FBI unrealistically rewards Blake with the bodies of the executed criminals. The story line goes in even more improbable directions after Blake partners with an attractive agent, Reese Thistle, who falls in love with the repellent Blake, on the missing-person case of 14-year-old Cameron Hall. Readers will find it difficult to stomach Blake’s behavior—such as convincing his roommate that the human meat in their freezer is bear meat—and will be disappointed in the book’s groanworthy conclusion. Heath’s fans will hope for better next time. Agent: Daniel Kirschen, ICM. (June)