Title: The Tooth Collector

Author: Bluebell Mertz

Genre: Horror

 

Children like Mara and Liam Quinn didn’t stand a chance growing up in a household where both of their parents were incurable drug addicts. The Quinn children were not atypical in their troubled neighborhood, where the only escape came from the state taking them away or the kids deciding to run away altogether. Oftentimes, the kids were sent to St. Brigid’s, a local orphanage, until the parents were deemed fit to reclaim their kids. Mara never forgot the time when she came home and Liam didn’t. Over the next 30 years, Mara tried to distance herself from the unpleasantness of the past, which lasted until the day she received the call about a dead body, where a tooth was extracted from the victim’s mouth and left beside them.

Author Bluebell Mertz has penned a thrilling horror novella about a troubled detective’s search for a serial killer, which forces a confrontation with the demons from her past. The story is composed of drama, suspense, and more than a few spine-tingling moments. There are claustrophobic moments of fear and paranoia that are deftly conveyed by the author as Mara and her fellow officers hunt for an elusive killer intent on fulfilling their agenda.

Mara managed to liberate herself from much of her painful past to become a highly competent detective, yet she carries around a heavy emotional burden. The author’s portrayal of Mara’s survivor’s guilt is both authentic while also adding to her character’s emotional complexity. As the case continues to trouble both the police and the public, Mara’s determination to follow the leads wherever they go becomes stronger even as her mental state threatens to become undone.

Remorse is a recurrent and sober theme throughout the story as Mara believes she owes a debt to her long-lost brother in solving the case. The bond that Mara and Liam possessed was strong and their separation, while not being her fault, left an indelible void in her life and a feeling that she could’ve done more. The moments of self-reflection that Mara experiences are written in a way that are haunting and unforgettable.

The mystery aspect of the story is brilliantly enhanced as the perspective switches from Mara to the killer. Mertz allows for those chapters to be both creepy and enthralling as the killer’s identity remains anyone’s guess.

This is an affecting and macabre story about a killer sending a message through a series of killings and the police frantically attempting to thwart further homicides. While pithy in prose and intriguing from beginning to end, the tale would be elevated with an extra chapter featuring the killer’s point of view, which was fascinating when highlighted.

The Tooth Collector manages to hit all the right notes in delivering a fine-tuned horror story with a troubled but compelling protagonist, a calculating killer with a touch of humanity, and a conclusion that is more than satisfying. Bluebell Mertz has created a story that will linger in the reader’s mind long after the book has been closed.

 

 

This Editorial Review was written by the Book Review Directory staff. To receive a similarly honest, professional review for one of your own books, click here.