California Bear

Starred review from October 30, 2023
Swierczynski delivers his best work since the Charlie Hardie series in this virtuoso serial killer thriller. Jack Queen was convicted of murdering real estate tycoon Julian Church by running him down in a car while drunk, an apparent act of revenge for Church’s involvement in the death of Queen’s wife. Ten years into Queen’s sentence, ex-cop Cato Hightower springs Queen from prison, hoping he’ll be grateful enough for his new freedom to aid Hightower in an unofficial investigation. Hightower is convinced he’s identified the “California Bear,” a serial killer who’s eluded justice for nearly 40 years and hasn’t struck in 30. His suspect is Christopher Albin Dixon, another former cop whom Hightower plans to extort—with the help of Queen’s muscle—for a share of the money he believes Dixon’s receiving from a deal with a streaming service to make a documentary about the California Bear’s killings. Queen has other priorities, such as providing support for his precocious 14-year-old daughter, Matilda, a brilliant young sleuth whose dedication to exonerating her dad has just been sidelined by a devastating cancer diagnosis. Swierczynski is brilliant at fooling even savvy readers, and his jaw-dropping twists never compromise his exceptional character development. This is a tour de force. Agent: Katherine Fausset, Curtis Brown, Ltd.

Starred review from December 1, 2023

Edgar-nominated Swierczynski's (Canary; Revolver) novel is loaded with emotion, redemption, and comeuppance in sufficient measure to inspire the hope of encountering these characters again. At a time when true crime is an enormously popular genre in podcasting and on Netflix, Swierczynski propels readers into a story that would be a hit on either platform. The Bear is a serial torturer/murder who's been at large for decades. He spends his day searching for his wife's hidden cookies and contemplating his stash of souvenirs from his victims. Meanwhile, hospitalized teen Matilda is reunited with her convicted-murderer father, Jack, who was freed on a technicality; Matilda is unsure whether he is in fact a killer. A retired cop looking to split Jack's compensation for wrongful incarceration, along with his genealogist wife, join Jack and Matida in an unlikely vigilante foursome using research skills to bring elusive criminals to justice. Matilda's research makes her a target of the Bear--but might it be a copycat killer? VERDICT Compelling not for its solution but for the act of solving, with modern cultural references and screen-worthy action. Readers who enjoy redemption and comeuppance dispensed by smartly written characters will enjoy.--Laura A.B. Cifelli

Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from December 1, 2023
Four decades ago, the man known as the California Bear killed several people and then dropped out of sight. In this excellent novel, a handful of characters--an ex-cop, the ex-cop's wife, an ex-con, a teenage girl--are connected to the Bear in various ways which will not be revealed here, because the author works very hard to reveal the connections in his own way. The novel tackles a number of themes, including the current fascination with true-crime stories, the difficulties of reconciliation between people who have been estranged for many years, and the question of whether someone who acquires a taste for killing can ever really stop. The characters are beautifully designed, and the author offers up some tantalizing questions. Why did ex-cop Cato Hightower work so hard to get Jack Queen released from prison? What is the Bear's real identity? Will the Girl Detective (her name isn't revealed for quite some time) find out whether her father is a killer? And who is her father, anyway? Swierczynski, who's written fiction, comic books, and crime nonfiction, brings the story to a magnificent, surprising, exhilarating conclusion. An ambitious and deeply satisfying novel.

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May 1, 2024

Swierczynski's (Charlie Hardie series) latest is a fun ride, taking suspense and crime enthusiasts into the heart of a compelling serial-killer thriller. Narrated by James Urbaniak and Jesse Vilinsky, the novel immediately jumps into the mind of the California Bear serial killer, then passes the story off in turns to the other central characters--Jack, a father recently released from prison; his sick daughter Matilda; Cato, a former police officer who sprung Jack from prison; and Cato's ex-wife Jeanie, a skilled genealogist. Why did the Bear stop killing for three decades, only to return now? Like Matilda, who is searching for answers about her father's past, listeners will turn sleuth, caught up in the story's twists and turns. The novel starts with many questions, all of which are painstakingly revealed as the story unfolds. The two narrators, while skilled, don't always distinguish between the four characters, which might be confusing for some listeners. Even so, the audiobook moves quickly and is hard to put down. The afterword, read by the author, is heartfelt and worth a listen, as it provides emotional context for the entire book. VERDICT An unstoppable listen, highly recommended for those craving a thrilling break from reality.--Molly Olney-Zide

Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.