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Friday, October 23, 2015

The Ripper Gene by Michael Ransom

Author: Michael Ransom
Publisher: Forge Books
Date of publication: August 2015

Dr. Lucas Madden is a neuroscientist-turned-FBI profiler who first gained global recognition for cloning the ripper gene and showing its dysfunction in the brains of psychopaths. Later, as an FBI profiler, Madden achieved further notoriety by sequencing the DNA of the world’s most notorious serial killers and proposing a controversial “damnation algorithm” that could predict serial killer behavior using DNA alone.

Now, a new murderer—the Snow White Killer—is terrorizing women in the Mississippi Delta. When Mara Bliss, Madden’s former fiancĂ©e, is kidnapped, he must track down a killer who is always two steps ahead of him. Only by entering the killer’s mind will Madden ultimately understand the twisted and terrifying rationale behind the murders—and have a chance at ending the psychopath’s reign of terror.

I know I've said it a million times, but you never know what you are going to get with a debut book.  I am happy to say that I was very pleased with The Ripper Gene.  I thoroughly enjoyed Lucas Madden's story.  He is a doctor turned  FBI profiler.  During his research years,  he identified a gene dubbed "The Ripper Gene" that tends to be found in serial killers.  His theory is that you could potentially predict who might become a serial killer and who would not.   But this story isn't solely about that alone.  There is a potential serial killer on the loose and Lucas ends up on the case.  

That is about all of the plot I am going to share.  I really don't want to spoil anything.  Let's just say that I loved how it all came together and tied into Lucas's past.  What I also liked what the way the author explained the scientific stuff without dumbing it down too much or making it too complicated to understand.  He was able to find the right balance so that I think any reader would have no problem "getting it".  I loved Lucas.  He is a character I would love to read more about in the future.  

This is a great debut that sucked me right in and made me stay up late into the night reading!  I see a bright future for this author and can't wait to see what he writes next!



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