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Book Review By Harriet Klausner
The Hundredth Man by Jack Kerley



Dutton, June 2004, 23.95, 320 pp.
ISBN 052594821X

It was Alexander Caufield's first autopsy as a pathologist for the mobile Alabama police department and it went well until Dr. Caufield found an object in the victim's anus that exploded and destroyed his hand. The head pathologist Dr. Peltier hires Dr. Ava Davenelle as his replacement and Detective Carson Ryder who is observing the autopsy is almost immediately smitten. The case Carson is working on involves a victim with his head surgically removed from his body in almost perfect condition except for the knife wounds that that the killer inflicted.

Ava finds writings on the public area of the body and Carson thinks they are dealing with a sociopath personality. A special unit was formed to deal with killers like that with Carson and his partner heading up the unit but police politics push them into a lesser role. Two more decapitated victims are found, also with bizarre writing on their torso. Carson finally takes Ava on a date but she passes out from to much alcohol. He uses his connections to help her fight the disease while looking for a killer who will strike again and this time the victim could be someone he knows.

Jack Kerley's debut novel is a serial killer thriller that is on a par with the likes of Thomas Harris and Patricia Cornwell. The protagonist comes from a dysfunctional background and has his own problems but that doesn't stop him from being an expert detective with an intuitive sense that helps him solve cases.

Harriet Klausner


Plot & Themes
Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain? - Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
Time/era of story:
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 70%
Special suspect? - chronically deranged person
Kind of investigator
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
descript. of violence and chases - 10 %
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40 %
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10 %
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status:
Age: - 20's-30's
Ethnicity/Race

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status:
Motive of antagonist - revenge
How sensitive is this character?
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - Deep South

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
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