Michael J Canzoniero

In Strictest Confidence Michael J Canzoniero

KIRKUS REVIEW: A Long Island, New York-based homicide detective searches for a killer who may be his therapist friend's patient inCanzoniero's (Conditional Love, 2015) thriller. In 1991, DS William Hael's newest case promises to be grueling: retired teacher Armand Esposito's mutilated body isfound nailed to a wall, akin to a crucifixion. Hael has been tormented since the deaths of his wife, Kathy, and 8-year-oldson, Billy, in an accident; he feels that he could have been a better husband and father. He'd previously seenpsychologist Dr. Michael Franz for help in raising Billy, who displayed symptoms of ADHD. As it happens, Franz mayalso have the key to solving the Esposito murder. Three people have been occupying the doctor's mind lately: emotionally disturbed former patient David Ulster and current patients Jack Rose, a psychopath, and Dolores Witowski, who suffers from multiple-personality disorder. One of them is connected to the recent killing, but although Franz candescribe the patient's demeanor and history to Hael, he can't divulge his or her name. The detective finds that he canrelate, in one way, to the three suspects; like him, they endured childhoods with abusive, alcoholic fathers. But as heinvestigates, it turns out that time is not on his side: the killer has targeted Franz, and Hael himself could be next. Canzoniero dives deep into what goes into the psychological makeup of a murderer, and his characters are suitablycomplex. Their environments often symbolize their internal agonies; David's family home, for example, has"multi-colored floral wallpaper" that's badly peeling. The story is a whodunit, with some parts following the unnamedkiller's actions. Most readers will likely guess the culprit. Nevertheless, the author effectively augments the mystery byhaving Hael link Esposito's murder to a similar death two years earlier-and a second murder in the present day. A sufficient mystery that's amplified by richly developed characte