What do You think about The Man Who Cast Two Shadows (1996)?
A Sgt. Mallory novel... Mallory was suspended from duty (she shot the gun out of a perp's hand rather than aiming at the wide part of the body, per regulations) and it seems she is temporarily in business with Charles. Charles is a genius with an eidetic memory, and investigates special talents and finds work (often with the government) for those who possess them. But a woman is killed in Central Park and the first detective on the scene finds Mallory's name-tag in the victim's blazer. Mallory takes the misidentification personally and sets out to solve the murder. And everyone else had just better get out of her way. Because Mallory doesn't approach a homicide investigation with any consideration of justice for the victim, or upholding the law for the sake of society, or anything like that. To her, murder is a game -- the "best game," as she once told Markowitz. The cops she works with describe her as a savage, with a killer's eyes. She's just not entirely, recognizably human. In any case, several of the possible suspects are very unpleasant people all on their on own, so Mallory decides to bring them all down. And she can do it, too, and, hopefully, without causing a massive lawsuit for the city.Meanwhile, Charles is dealing with a young boy suspected by his parents of engaging in dangerous psychokinetic pranks. Is it a paranormal ability? Or just skillful stage magic? Charles has a family background in professional sleight-of-hand himself, as it happens. And the two plots will gradually blend, of course.The dialogue and descriptions and supporting cast all are highly original and the book is, over all, a lot of fun to read (in a dark sort of way). Mallory is a little over the top as a police officer - and except for the fact that her adoptive father was the police chief - before he died - Mallory would probably never make it onto the police force.
—Linda Branham Greenwell
If you're the type of reader who prefers likable, touchy feely main characters, move away from this book (and the entire series). Kathy Mallory is not the character for you. Found living on the streets as a young child, she was taken in and raised by a police officer and his wife, both of whom soon realized that Mallory's sociopathic tendencies required special handling. Mallory does not form relationships like normal people. She doesn't bond; she doesn't chit chat; she doesn't smile; and she certainly doesn't laugh. She's like a hand grenade with a loose pin-- Handle With Care. A small portion of her past is revealed in The Man Who Cast Two Shadows, and although readers will be moved to feel compassion towards her, rest assured that Mallory herself will show none to anyone. The plot is tight and suspenseful, dealing with the woman's death, Mallory's toying with a killer, and a boy who may have telekinetic powers. The setting of New York City could be declared one of the cast of characters. O'Connell shows a touch of poetry now and again in her prose, but the tone of her poetry is bleak. More of the story could be told from Mallory's point of view, and there are a few too many times when we're told about her behavior rather than seeing it for ourselves. All in all, Mallory is like a black hole at the very heart of this book, and if you can withstand her gravitational pull and resist the need for her to change, you are in for a treat involving one of the most fascinating characters in crime fiction.
—Cathy Cole
I read Malory's Oracle when it debuted and didn't think much of it. After reading The Man Who Cast Two Shadows I'm wondering about the mistake I made. The more I think of this second outing for Sgt. Kathy Mallory, the more I keep grinning. This novel was well plotted and highly enjoyable. It was like a golden-age mystery puzzle in the guise of a police procedural. A corpse is discovered in Central Park with Mallory's name sewn into the label of the coat on the body. Even though it's not worthy of the Special Crimes Unit's resources, the sergeant takes it upon herself to find the killer rather than palm the case off to another precinct that may bury it altogether. As she works on the list of suspects for the murder, both in person and online, she is drawn into another mystery of a family with a child exhibiting telekinetic abilities. This novel was intellectually stimulating as well as visceral and I look forward to making Mallory's acquaintance again.
—Mark Shannon
