WHOSE THE FAIREST OF US ALL?

Fairy Tale Murders: Kelly Money

Fairytale princesses care often quite beautiful, striking and have a special quality that is unique to them. Let’s take Ariel from the Little Mermaid, Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Rapunzel and Sleeping Beauty: Each having a special quality that would make someone notices them. But, what if the person that notices them is a killer who just wants to silence the beast within him and destroy the life of the beautiful princess. Mirror Mirror on the wall Fairytales are great but someone in everyone has to take the fall!

Some criminals leave their own special calling card. This one is no different. Imagine meeting someone at work thinking he’s an eligible bachelor and finding out you were wrong. Young girls, teens, young adults can learn many important dating lessons and cautions from reading this novel as the owner of Country Haven Mortuary becomes more than just an embalmer, cremator and businessman. In a Topeka, Kansas a place where many families enjoy a quite life lives a man haunted by his father’s cruelties, put downs and slow self-worth. Stan and his father run the mortuary and Stan will inherit it all when his father dies. So, why wait for the inevitable? Why not hurry the process? From a quiet mannered man Stan becomes a psychopathic killer who turns into the Fairy Tale Murderer. Mirror Mirror on the wall Sleeping Beauty is the first that is the fairest of us all. Kirsten’s mother passed away and she is determined to make sure that everything is in order for her mother’s viewing. But, someone has another thought and although she is grieving this person feels that her just reward would be to find a place along side of her mother. Detective Kate Kingsley is Kirsten’s best friend and when she cannot make the viewing and texts her that she is on a case involving the death of a homeless man, she never responds. After calling her voicemail and texting her several times it’s clear that something might have happened to her especially when she does not show up for her mother’s viewing. She and her partner Detective Harper search her condo, her phone records and files a missing person’s report to get the ball started to find her friend. Never realizing that the killer is in plain site and the end result is a hot ending. As the killer places her body in the crematorium and what’s left of Kirsten you might say is what happens when you flick the end of a cigarette.

Our killer lacks self-esteem, self-worth and confidence and feels that he is now coming into his own by running the mortuary, dealing with the receptionist Ruth and the tool man Morten hoping to get things done in his own way. But, his personality and attitude often get in the way and the end result will shock readers. Living up to his father’s expectations is no longer his problem and finding a way to get rid of the beast within him the solution. As the author takes us back in time to his childhood and his mother who first introduced him to fairytales and read them to him each night as he creates memories of his own special princesses in a sick and morbid way. Power over women! Power and control allowing him to soar in a different way as he finally feels unstoppable. Thinking that no one will catch him or catch on he continues to taunt, hint and leave clues for the police and at the places where his victim’s worked to set the police on a collision course to try and find him. But, will they? Sharon is a checker in a market and is his next victim. Thinking that a scout from American Idol called and wanted her to audition, not only Sharon but also her mother is manipulated by this diabolical killer. Allowing herself to be wooed by the killer she falls prey to being his Rapunzel. Next, is Ariel from the Little Mermaid or Lauren who is next? Working in Taco Tico she meets the killer and soon falls prey to his kind words, compliments and much more. A clue is sent with a message that this person is called the FTM murderer and books are sent focusing on the character that the killer has created in his own mind. As Lauren’s fate is met and her sister Lisa’s life is affected the police try and track down clues leaving “No stone unturned.” Frequent calls to Kristin by the killer alerts Kate that something about his behavior is off but she cannot figure out what. But, he’s just getting started and the graphic ways the murders and killings are depicted are not meant for anyone with a weak stomach to read. Added in the next victim is Belle from Beauty and the Beast the real life person is Rose who works in a library. Making believe that he’s an expert in literature he pretends to be Edmund Dante and poor Rose falls next. But, someone from the library named Mary is quite astute and just maybe this will lead to the killer. But, first Marilyn is his Cinderella and hopefully last victim but the killer is wise to Kate and what happens will shock readers. Marilyn works as a baker in her own bakery and her sister is a silent partner always looking for money but not doing anything to help Marilyn in the bakery. Words fly and Marilyn needs help running the bakery to make ends meet when the killer enters, flatters her and things get heated up. Thinking he really likes her Marilyn as many young girls are fooled by the man’s compliments, attention and created persona. Delusional, sick, paranoid to a point, alienating his staff and constantly disappearing or asking not to be disturbed our killer is in plain sight but no one sees him.

Author Kelly Money has created two characters in Kate and Detective Harper that she can easily bring back in a detective series. When the truth finally comes out and the media becomes more aware Kate finds herself in the hands of a killer. Will she be next? Will Marilyn, his Cinderella be incinerated next? Mirror Mirror on the wall: Would you want to be the fairest fairytale character of them all? Fast paced story that takes readers inside the mind of a killer, his thinking, reasoning and the procedures used to embalm a body and more.

Characters that are likeable well developed and a story that was easy to follow. The Fairytale murders: Gets Four and Half Golden Stars.

Fran Lewis: Reviewer