In the Shadow of the Arch

By Robert J. Randisi

Book Overview

A child's bloody footprints . . .Joe Keough, a transplanted New York cop, signs on with a small St. Louis area department just in time to track a psycho who chooses his victims from among the young... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312181159
• ISBN13: 9780312181154
• Release Date: December 1997
• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• Length: 355 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.8" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Enjoyable read

I grabbed this book from a limited selection at an airport newsstand, not being terribly familiar with the author, but needing something to help distract me from a four-hour flight. The author manages to integrate several story lines and does a nice job of mixing mystery, a little romance, as well as some humor. It was one of those "have to finish it" books as opposed to the many half-read titles on my book shelf. It was easy to picture the people and places in my mind - almost like reading the script of a screenplay.Was it the best book I've ever read? Nope. But it was entertaining and will probably be enjoyed by others as well.

Simply outstanding

Brooklyn native and former police detective Joe Keough flees the rough edge of the Big Apple to what he expects to be a more tranquil lifestyle in St. Louis. Within minutes of reporting to his new Midwest assignment, a bloodied little child enters the station (and ultimately Joe's heart). Joe accompanies the child back to his home to find an even bloodier scene, but no signs of the lad's parents. Joe is also assigned a second case. Mothers with infants are being kidnapped. The children are always found alive, but the mothers are typically murdered. Joe begins to investigate both cases, wondering if his new city is just a microsm of his former residence. IN THE SHADOW OF THE ARCH is a well-written police procedural that deserves full attention from fans of the sub-genre. Joe is a great character, who learns the ultimate lesson for a cop, namely that murder knows no geography. Using the mall as a setting for a nightmare adds a chilling depth to a terrific tale. This reviewer recommends this book and the first Keough novel (ALONE WITH THE DEAD) for two entertaining but hard boiled detective stories. Harriet Klausner