Martha Powers writes romance and mystery novels. She wrote nine romance novels under Martha Jean Powers or Jean Paxton. She has written four mystery novels: Bleeding Heart, Sunflower, Death Angel, and Conspiracy of Silence. Death Angelwas a finalist for the National Best Books 2006 Awards and the Royal Palm Literary Awards. Conspiracy of Silence shared the bronze award for Genre Fiction for the 2008 Florida Book Awards. I have read both Conspiracy of Silence and Death Angel, and enjoyed reading both of them. Although Martha Powers now lives in Florida, she lived in the Midwest for many years, and both Death Angel and Conspiracy of Silence are set in this area.
Death Angel tells the harrowing story of a parent’s worst nightmare. Their little girl has been molested and killed. Not only have they lost their daughter, but the police believe the father guilty of the heinous crime. Since the police are focusing on the father and not looking for another suspect the parents must hunt down the killer.
Kate and Richard Warner are raising their only child, Jenny in the suburbs of Chicago. Far enough out to believe that big city crimes could not possibly happen on the street where they live. Unfortunately for Jenny this is not true. The sex offender abducts Jenny after school, just a few yards from the bus stop. The police believe Jenny was abducted by some one she knew probably the father. Then Richard goes missing. Kate must find the killer to prove Richard’s innocence, and bring justice for her daughter. She enlists the aid of a couple of Richard’s friends. But could one of them be the child molester and killer? Or could a powerful local political official be guilty of the crime, and the police are doing a cover-up?
Powers writes a good psychological thriller with several twists and turns that keeps the story suspenseful. The reader is kept guessing write up to the very end. This is no blood and guts gross out book, but a true psychological mystery thriller. Death Angel is a good read, but not necessarily a fun read. It deals with a major taboo in our society, child molestation and murder. Because of that, the book provides a little touch of horror.
Bruce G. Smith 8/29/2009