On-Line Book Club Review
Think Jack the Ripper, Spring-heeled Jack, and Batman. What do they have in common, and how can they inspire a murder? This riddle kept Detective Selma Cibolo busy. She was the newest addition to the San Antonio Police Department, the youngest person to pass the detective exam, and the youngest detective on the force. However, her accomplishments meant nothing to her partner, Detective Sergeant Thornton Nix, who saw her as a liability and a nuisance. He buried her in cold cases to keep her busy and away from him. The tactic quickly failed when Selma came across an eerily familiar unsolved case with a present connection.
It seemed someone was killing young girls at comic conventions dressed as a particular video game character. The concept seemed far-fetched to the old-fashioned Thorn, and he tasked Selma to have concrete proof of her allegations. In a quest to prove herself and prevent further killings, Selma goes to every length to trap and catch her suspect. This leads to a chase that pits her against the FBI and threatens her career, sanity, and life.
Cosplay by Ernie Lee is a fast-paced crime thriller novel. It opens up with an intense argument between Thorn and his Captain as he vehemently refuses to accept Selma as his partner. This immediately captivates and leads to several emotions. The book is also very descriptive, like, the details of the victims' costumes or the bizarre crime scene set-ups. It is also easy to tell the distinct physical and personality traits of the characters, like the rigid and stern Thorn and the intuitive and resilient Selma. The flow of the chapters and scenes is also seamless, making for an enjoyable read.
My favorite aspect of the book is the suspense and unique plot. The story unfolds from two perspectives; a woman trying to find her place in a male-dominated space and a killer floating between reality and fantasy. The killer's identity remains a mystery for most of the story, leaving one guessing and piecing together the information. I equally love the story’s theme of breaking old and rigid traditions. My only complaint is that the ending was not as powerful as the body and buildup of the story. It left me yearning for something more concrete.
There was only one grammatical error, evidence of the book’s impeccable editing. There is minimal use of profane language and phrases; however, some murder scenes may be gruesome and disturbing for sensitive readers. Cosplay is a unique crime novel that highlights criminal psychology by diving into the mind of a serial killer, gender and police politics, and fantasy characters. It is an engaging read that poses riddles and merges three timelines and legendary myths. Therefore, I give the book a 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend it to curious readers, open to exploring the familial ties between Batman and Jack the Ripper and how that can inspire murders.
