Into the Fire

The Bowers Files' prequels continue with Every Deadly Kiss by the master storyteller Steven James. 

It's always an experience to read a Steven James' novel. His villains wreak havoc on those who dare to become their unsuspecting victims. Not ever for the faint-hearted or gore-averse readers, these thrillers present visuals on the page the reader can't unread.

With more than one psychopath in this story – two of whom are brothers of sorts – and others who are jihadists, it's always disturbing to read of the demonic carnage produced by these sick individuals. In Every Deadly Kiss these murderers possess different kinds of motives which all converge at the same time in Detroit, Michigan.

FBI Special Agent Patrick Bowers is called in on the case of a serial killer by a former girlfriend FBI Special Agent Sharyn Weist when he and his present girlfriend Christie are experiencing some conflict in their relationship. He leaves from Christie's apartment in New York for Detroit knowing things are not resolved but hopeful they soon will be. (No one does awkward better than Steven James. Patrick Bowers is sometimes a mess with his inexpressible emotions and trying to understand that thing called love and what all it requires of him.) 

You might imagine how convoluted this plot – and subplots – can be trying to follow the different avenues of all involved. At times it's confusing and even distracting as we follow the diverse individuals in their quests for revenge, destruction, and basically hellacious intentions. We're waiting to see how all these multi-purposed agents of death will superimpose themselves in this broken city.

In the meantime we learn that Agent Weist used to be someone else (I admit I kind of snickered at her former name, a combination of two "real" people's names in her former field), and who she was is being sought by one of the killers. Patrick always manages to get banged up in his pursuits, and his frustration grows as he tries to piece together the wild disconnects in this weird puzzle of people. Added to the pressures of new threats within this mess, Christie shows up in Detroit to find Patrick's former girlfriend occupies a substantial amount of his time.

But, as usual, the writing is superb, there is a semi-cliffhanger ending although much is resolved. Let me just treat you to a couple of passages in this novel:

     On the way back to the motel, I noticed that all of the storefronts on this street except for a seedy looking marijuana shop called Puff and Blow were shuttered, dead, and dilapidated.

     Someone had written Just Married on the back window of the car parked in front of the cannabis store, but the i had worn off.

     Okay, that's awkward.  (pg. 110, Chapter 19)

                ~~~~~~

     What leads to an obsession?

     Who knows?

     Obsessions aren't something to make sense of, but instead they grow from any desire that remains unchecked by logic or unbridled by conscience.  (pg. 112, Chapter 19)

There's no doubt Steven James is an ambitious and complex storyteller – not to mention wicked clever – so the reader is often placed in the unenviable position of catching up to what's really happening and keeping some of the characters straight and in order. This is one of those novels for me. Always good but some more taxing than others. In spite of that, it's a compelling read. And you really don't want to know what happens with every deadly kiss . . . 

Father, you know Steven's heart and soul. His great gifting comes from you. I pray you would continue to bless his life and keep him safe from all harm. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.