The Watson Girl

By Leslie Wolfe


This story begs the question-How well do we really know the people that we know so well?

A whole family is murdered, at least that's what the monster thought, until he saw the "family sticker" on the van.  He killed three children - two boys and a girl. However, the sticker showed two girls and a boy.  He screwed up, but he couldn't imagine how.  He searched through the house one more time just to be sure, but there was no one else there (no one who was alive anyway).  Upon hearing sirens, he ran off, hoping his mistake wouldn't ruin him.  

Hours passed before Laura Watson was found.  She not only became known as the little five year old who survived while hiding in a laundry hamper, she also became known as The Watson Girl.   Though Laura was adopted by family friends, she still struggled growing up.  She couldn't remember her own family or the details of that horrific night.  At least the killer was captured; and now 15 years later, his execution was imminent.

With justice served, what else could go wrong?  Enter FBI Agent Tess Winnett.  She believes that the man behind bars known as The Family Man is a ruthless killer, just not the killer of the Watson family.  If the real killer is still roaming free, how long will it take him to seek out his only witness...to finally silence The Watson Girl forever?

I really like how Leslie Wolfe incorporates chapters in this story from the viewpoint of the killer.  Reading his firsthand account is a very realistic way to see how his sick mind works.  His arrogance reminded me a little of the narrator in Edgar Allan Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart.  In addition, I must add, I will never look at buying apples the same way again.

Dawn Girl

By Leslie Wolfe Two teens run off in the hours right before dawn. They run to the beach to be alone and you know...watch the sunrise! While Carl and Kris are enjoying themselves on the beach waiting for the morning light, a serial killer is a stone's throw away posing his latest victim. Once dawn's light shines through, Kris lets out a scream that both she and Carl would most likely never forget. There was a body of a dead girl right there on the beach where they were recently taking pictures and making memories. Little did they know their dream date would become a nightmare. Detective Gary Michowsky and the local police department were on the case, but soon thereafter Tess Willett of the FBI was sent in. Tess is a victim too, but no one knows that except Tess and her friend Cat. As Tess is fighting her own demons, she enters the crime scene of DAWN GIRL... a young woman posed dead on the beach at dawn.

Whether it's because of her personality or life experience, Tess is not much of a people person. I liked her interactions with Detective Michowsky. She was herself - a straight arrow who didn't pull any punches. Michowsky was a seasoned detective who, even though going through some rough times of his own, didn't feel the need to burden others with his problems. He did like to play it safe, but when it really counted, he put his life on the line for what he believed in.

As Tess worked the case, her own past continued to haunt her. Little by little pieces started to come together and in the end, a serial killer was found, but Tess got more than she bargained for!

I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the second book in the series - The Watson Girl.