Other Eyes
Barbara D’Amato

Forge
January 2011 / ISBN 978-0-7653-2606-5
Mystery
Amazon

Reviewed by Dennis Collins

This story begins with an infant crawling into traffic on a busy Chicago expressway. Cars swerving to avoid the child are involved in a huge pile-up with multiple fatalities. One heroic teenager bolts through the carnage to scoop the baby up off of the pavement.

Forensic archeologist Blue Erikson is at her job at Northwestern University when she sees her young son on a news broadcast. Little Adam had been left in the care of her ex-husband at Blue’s house. How could he have wandered out onto a major highway during rush hour? Blue is shocked and near panicked as she rushes home. She arrives to find her house surrounded by crime scene tape… and cops.

Police have no suspects and no motive for the brutal murder of Blue’s ex-husband. Nothing in the house has been taken and Edward, the victim had no known enemies.

FDA agent Marcus Holton has tracked a paid assassin to Chicago. Nobody knows who his target might be but hit-man Felix Hacker seems to be on a mission. He slips out of town as quietly as he snuck in, without leaving a clue about his business during his visit. Agent Holton has observed that all of Hacker’s victims have had some sort of ties to the illicit drug trade.

Professor Blue Erikson has done some recent research into psilocybin, an hallucinogen found in a certain species in mushrooms. Her investigation has suggested that this chemical may actually be a cure for drug addiction. The study is in its early stages but promising enough to pursue vigorously. Blue needs more information and is headed out on an archeological expedition to Peru and then Turkey to collect tissue samples from mummies to compliment her analysis.

While in Peru a member of Blue’s team is killed in a mysterious rock slide which also injures Blue. Blue suffers a cracked rib but is able to continue her work.

Hacker, a skilled killer has missed his mark twice now and the frustration is beginning to influence his judgment. The vendetta has become personal and he begins to throw aside the discipline that has made him successful over the years.

Marcus Holton has now pieced together the situation and rushes to intercept the assassin.
Author Barbara D’Amato sits you up straight and at attention in the first couple of paragraphs and keeps you there for the rest of the story. Her amazing knack for detail is the product of extremely thorough research. You’ll get an education in ancient cultures as well as a solid adventure in this novel. The story flows so smoothly you hardly notice D’Amato’s gift for prose. It’s a winner.