Product Description

In each soul, a secret ...Philadelphia homicide detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano's first assignment from the Cold Case files is the brutal murder of a young runaway. The lifeless body of Caitlin O'Riordan was found carefully posed in a glass display case in the desolate Philadelphia Badlands but, as Byrne and Balzano rapidly discover, she was just the first pawn in the killer's twisted game...A mysterious phone call leads them on a scavenger hunt for a second victim. This time a young girl has been dismembered, her body parts left in three boxes in the basement of a deserted house. More clues lead to other victims and, as the body count rises, it becomes clear that there is a serial killer on the loose, hell-bent on completing the 'performance' of a lifetime.As more runaways vanish, Byrne and Balzano come to realize that the homicidal mastermind plans to complete seven depraved tricks in his dark and dangerous magic act. With Balzano increasingly obsessed by a case that haunts her, and Byrne struggling with a loss of his own, the stakes are mounting. But this is one game they can't afford to lose...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #179845 in Books
• Published on: 2008-08-14
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 400 pages

From the Inside Flap
In each soul, a secret...

Philadelphia homicide detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano’s first assignment from the Cold Case files is the brutal murder of a young runaway. The lifeless body of Caitlin O’Riordan was found carefully posed in a glass display case in the desolate Philadelphia Badlands but, as Byrne and Balzano rapidly discover, she was just the first pawn in the killer’s twisted game…

A mysterious phone call leads them on a scavenger hunt for a second victim. This time a young girl has been dismembered, her body parts left in three boxes in the basement of a deserted house. More clues lead to other victims and, as the body count rises, it becomes clear that there is a serial killer on the loose, hell-bent on completing the ‘performance’ of a lifetime.

As more runaways vanish, Byrne and Balzano come to realize that the homicidal mastermind plans to complete seven depraved tricks in his dark and dangerous magic act. With Balzano increasingly obsessed by a case that haunts her, and Byrne struggling with a loss of his own, the stakes are mounting. But this is one game they can’t afford to lose…

From the Back Cover
Praise for Richard Montanari

'A relentlessly suspenseful, soul-chilling thriller that hooks you instantly' TESS GERRITSEN

'Be prepared to stay up all night' JAMES ELLROY

'A no-holds-barred thriller that thrusts the reader into the black soul of the killer . . . those with a taste for Thomas Harris will look forward to the sure-to-follow sequel' Library Journal

About the Author
Richard Montanari is the Top Ten Sunday Times bestselling author of The Rosary Girls, The Skin Gods and Broken Angels, as well as the internationally acclaimed thrillers Kiss of Evil, Deviant Way and The Violet Hour. He lives in Cleveland, Ohio.

Customer Reviews

Play Dead - Richard Montanari
Detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano are called to a scene where a dead girl is found in a glass display case. Then a phone call is received which appears at first to help them in their investigations but in fact sends them on a hunt and is the beginning of a deadly killer's psychological warped game.
This is a story that takes you into the mind of a twisted killer. There is realistic characterisaion - the relationship between the 2 detectives is so natural - there isn't a word wasted and the dialogue is sharp.
The plot has an energy that never flags and contains unforeseeable twists. There is also a strong sense of place in that the setting is so well described that you feel you are in and know Philadelphia.
Montanari is going from strength to strength - he must be one of the best crime/thriller writers about at the moment.

Better than the rest
I've read all the books in this Byrne/Balzano series so far. Although I found them all good enough to keep reading there were aspects in all of them before this one that were cliched and repetitive and prevented the excellent characterisation and atmospheric locations fully delivering for the reader. But Mr Montanari worked it out, this latest book is a truly great read, I highly recommend it

A very imaginative read..
Richard has proven once again, he is a master at making your mind go wild with images of what he's writing. Magic, Mayhem and Mischief!, brilliant.

If you have not read Richards other novels, do so!