The Immortal Gene

This entertaining, if contrived, supernatural thriller series launch from Saul (the Sarah Roberts series) pits Canadian detective Jake Wood against a brutal serial killer and a mysterious company, Fortech Industries. Jeffery Harris, the Blood Eagle Killer, has selected, killed, and kept the corpse of one victim every two years for the last decade. His latest conquest brings him into the jurisdiction of Jake and his partner, Kirk Aiken. Jake vows to find the killer, but he’s called away to the Amazon jungle to help his friend, Luke. After Jake is bitten by a snake, he falls into a coma. Awakening 18 months later, Jake learns that everything about his life has changed, including his own body, which is becoming snakelike. Jake’s physical transformation is intriguing, and his use of his new skills to pursue the Blood Eagle Killer keeps events moving at a brisk pace, but several unaddressed questions (why a successful serial killer would change his m.o. after a decade, what exactly Jake’s relationship with Luke is) undermine the story, and graphic descriptions of bodily mutilations may put some readers off. Saul knows how to ratchet up the tension and keep pages turning, but his inconsistent plotting is disappointing. Agent: Italia Gandolfo, Gandolfo Helin & Fountain Literary. (July)