A serial killer is haunting the streets of Philadelphia. He is brutally creative, modelling his crimes after famous movie murder scenes. Homicide detectives Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne are assigned to stop him " but the killer is smart, the body count is growing, and time is running out.

The Skin Gods is the new thriller from Richard Montanari, who achieved international fame with The Rosary Girls. The novel is put together in a classic "whodunnit' style, with a long list of suspects being slowly reduced as the book progresses. Lots of clues along the way, as well as some red-herrings. I thought I'd figured it out about 50 pages before the end " but I was completely wrong!

Montanari is a relatively new author, but he is already a skilled storyteller. Balzano and Byrne are appealing main characters, likeable, interesting and complex. The pace is brisk and the plot is intriguing. My one criticism is that the large-ish cast of supporting characters were not so well developed, which made the action a little confusing at times. But it is a small complaint.

What is a Christian to make of novels such as this? After all, the plot revolves around a number of rather gruesome murders. Thrillers (like any story) keep our interest through narrative conflict and resolution. Who is the killer? Who will die next? What will the police do? These questions keep the pages turning.
The arts are a gift from God, and part of His creation. A good book has merit simply for being a good book. More than that, though, thrillers especially present morality in stark terms. There may be some gray areas around the edges, but at heart you have the killer trying to take life, and the police trying to preserve it. It is classic good versus evil.

Montanari has been described as the new Thomas Harris, and the compliment is well deserved. Fans of thrillers and crime stories will enjoy The Skin Gods.