A serial killer is striking all over the US and there is no pattern to their killing locations. The killer ties the family to chairs and arranges them in a circle. Then they are killed, savagely. The killer leaves no trace. Nickname: The Tableau Killer.

Lukas Stark, an FBI Special Agent, has been chasing the Tableau Killer all over the country, with no leads. The killer is still active, but Stark is making no progress. The FBI brings in a “remote viewer”, Gilles Garnier. He claims he sees people, places, and events close or far, remotely, but as if they are right in front of him. Despite the FBI sending Garnier, Stark just wants him to go away. Until Garnier describes a crime scene, from hundreds of miles away.

While Stark still questions Garnier’s abilities, he starts to believe they may finally have an advantage. But Garnier’s abilities are hit or miss and when his skills work, he becomes very weak. As the case progresses, it becomes shockingly clear how the killer is staying ahead.

This book is a little like the movie Minority Report (sci-fi/futuristic), and maybe a little bit Intercepts (the horror book), but a fast paced crime thriller with doses of conspiracy. What an intense book!!

The narration is top tier! The narrator has a deep timbred voice and it was pleasing to the ear!

The narrator of this book approached it with a calm, somewhat nonchalant tone of voice for most of the chapters that perfectly encapsulated the serious, tough guy persona of Stark. It also added significantly to the overall creep factor of everything going on. It was such a good casting choice!

As for the story, WHEW. I wasn’t sure what to expect but this blew me away. It was like… diet sci-fi. It still has those otherworldly aspects but in a widely understandable and digestible way. The mystery and tension bleeds through this entire book. It’s bleak and intense, but in the best ways. I am completely invested and impatiently awaiting to see where this series is headed. I can see so many different potential storylines. Beware!! This IS the first book of a series so the ending may not feel completely satisfying but it’s for a reason.

This is a serial killer crime novel but it has a bit of a twist to it.

A sophisticated and devious serial killer is brutally murdering families and leaving behind no evidence. FBI Agent Lukas Stark forcibly partners up with Gilles Garnier after failing to catch the killer for over a year and a half. Gilles Garnier claims to have a unique ability to "remote" view. This allows him to look into the lives of people and also view places from afar. Stark is skeptical but has no choice but to work together with Garnier.

Not to say that I "enjoyed" reading about these brutal murders, but they thoroughly intrigued me. This book kept me wanting more. I wanted to learn more about the families and what they went through and why they went through it. I was incredibly immersed in this story. I listened to the audiobook and thought the narration was extremely well done. The narrator, Ari Fliakos, spoke clearly and was great at conveying the emotions in the story.

While I enjoyed the remote viewing piece of this book, it honestly wasn't my favorite part either. I thought the story was strong enough without it to the point where the remote viewing was a bit underwhelming to me. That's just me nitpicking though!

The writing was fantastic, the story was compelling, and the murders were brutal and thought-provoking.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

TW: blood, child abuse, child death, death, death of parent, drug use, gore, injury detail, murder, physical abuse, stalking, torture, violence

The story is fast paced and frightening. Stark and Garnier are flawed but likeable characters that I was rooting for. I’m excited that this is book #1 in a series and I’ll be looking forward to the next one! Ari Fliakos is excellent as the narrator on the audiobook production.

A serial killer, dubbed the tableau killer, is leaving his victims, staged in bizarre and gruesome scenes. FBI agent Lukas Starke has been in hot pursuit for about a year and a half, with little to show for his efforts. At the end of his rope, both personally and professionally, Lukas reluctantly takes on a partner. Gilles Garnier claims to be what he calls, a remote, viewer, with the ability to see things, people and places that are far away. Lukas believes the man is a charlatan, but he has no choice, but to work with Gilles, and when he is able to describe a new murder scene before they even get to it, Lucas is forced to question his own beliefs. This is an intense, white knuckle read.