Panic Attack: Dennis Palumbo

A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause. Panic attacks can be very frightening. When panic attacks occur, you might think you’re losing control, having a heart attack or even dying. Many people have just one or two panic attacks in their lifetimes, and the problem goes away, perhaps when a stressful situation ends. But if you’ve had recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and spent long periods in constant fear of another attack, you may have a condition called panic disorder. Although panic attacks themselves aren’t life-threatening, they can be frightening and significantly affect your quality of life. But treatment can be very effective. What happens when you are not even aware of what this is when it is happening? Imagine a young man finding out that someone that took his place as a mascot at a sports game was killed in his place? Was he the real target or the person killed? No one knew that Jason Graham and Lucas Hartley agreed to switch places because Lucas’s girlfriend Vicki thought it would be cute to have him be the mascot at the game. How does she feel now? Daniel Rinaldi was attending the game with Martin Hobbs  dead at Teasdale College where this game was taking place. But, just when things were getting more interesting, and the mascot comes out someone shot him in the head but why? This is the first of many sniper killings and Daniel although he does not want to become involved in the investigation gets roped into it on many different fronts.

As part of the staff of the Pittsburg Police Department, Daniel knows the drill and realizes he will be called along with Martin to give statements. But this is just the tip of the iceberg as there are many more people killed within a short time span but is there a connection to the other deaths or are they just random. Author Dennis Palumbo sets the stage in a methodical and brilliant manner as he deals with Harry Polk from the police department and his sarcasm and lack of humor, the DA Sinclair and his relationship with Gloria Reese from the FBI and more. Each time he settles in he gets recalled as well as reminding himself of the traumas he went through with serial killer Maddox and the guilt he feels because so many get hurt.
Then the FBI is now taking over the case with the Police Department and Rinaldi is asked to talk with the DA and others confidentially in order to get a handle on the profile of this sniper as the author uses his expertise in the field and you won’t believe what the profile is. Added in connecting with Jason and then with Kyle and Angie all victims of killers and the sniper.

Dealing with each branch of law enforcement including the FBI and his girlfriend and new partner that seems to have a thing for her, Daniel gets enveloped into the sniper investigations, but someone wants him eliminated not just from finding out who is behind the attacks but permanently as well but who and why as Daniel escapes several times.
The police, the DA, the captain, the assistant director and the sheriff and more get involved in every murder as there are numerous victims and each time they are blindsided by this deadly sniper. But it’s more than that when the sniper goes after Jason as his real intended victim, and he’s critically injured will he survive? The killer goes after Daniel, and each time a suspect is caught they wind up dead as well as politicians, ordinary people and even Martin the Dean of the College is another one. Just what is the connection has yet to be revealed?

The connection is astounding as Gloria has someone search the dark web and the link among all the victims comes to light. Randy Porter is the sniper, but someone was controlling him and referrals of what Biegler thought the description that Gloria gave Daniel of Hubert Sedarki  did not give anyone the thought that he was criminal mastermind. But who was the Handler? What her link to the dark web finds out is why these people were targeted, what group they fit into and when you learn who was involved the shocks will blow louder than a huge bomb blast.

It gets even more complicated when Daniel is threatened by Billy Three’s lawyer and finds himself  as  target of threats making sure that he gets custody of Becky, and the result is shocking. When the truths are unraveled we learn more about Dr. Indra and her relationship with her daughter and Billy and the lies told to cover up actions and who was the real attacker? Why did Becky decide she wanted nothing to do with her mother? Just what happened when her father was killed? Hank Bowman was her partner and headed the region so why was he killed? When she learns the truth about him and his connection to the murders thinks take on a more sinister turn as Daniel thinks that someone in law enforcement is behind the killings and why. Final scenes that show that author Daniel Palumbo can create suspense, twists, turns, betrayals, deceptions, hate, race, false truths and lies that only this author using his real-life experience as a psychotherapist can do. Panic Attack? Do you get them?

Fran Lewis: Just reviews