I Am Your Judge

Pia Kirchoff has her bags packed for her vacation with her new husband, Christoph, when she receives a phone call from her superior, Oliver von Bodenstein asking her to supervise the body of an older woman who has been found shot to death.  Unfortunately the team is down a few members due to the flu.

Twenty-four hours before her flight is supposed to depart, Kirchoff is once again called out to a shooting because Bodenstein is unavailable.  Once again, the victim is an older woman.  As in the previous killing, the shooter has had a good hiding place and took the cartridge with him.  Both killings were well planned.

At that point, Kirchoff decides to cancel her vacation and stay back to help with the investigation.  At the same time, Bodenstein's superior decides to bring in a profiler, which does not go over very well with the team.  Later, the police stations nearest the murders receive anonymous obituaries in the mail for the victims.  This is concerning because the names of the victims had not been released.

A third victim turns up on Christmas morning.  However, this case is a bit different; the victim is a young male, and it was a shot to the heart and not the head this time.  Kirchoff's sister, Kim, is a prison psychologist and has a different view of the killer than the profiler does.

As the investigation continues, connections between the victims are found.  A possible perpetrator is considered, but when Bodenstein and Kirchoff go to speak to him, he is not available.  Later, when he is brought in, Kirchoff isn't sure that they have the sniper.

Soon, the investigation takes on a different aspect as new facts come to light.  But, more deaths pile up.  Can they stop the sniper before he kills more?

Throughout this thriller, author Nele Neuhaus keeps the action fast paced.  The reader is left guessing as to what will happen next.  I had difficulty breaking away from the book.  A thoroughly enjoyable read.