The Silenced Women is Frederick Weisel’s first Violent Crime Investigating Team mystery. It’s a debut, a police procedural, and the first in a new series. Sold me!

When a woman’s body is found in the largest park in Santa Rosa, California, it brings back all of Lieutenant Eddie Mahler’s memories of the bodies from an earlier case. His Violent Crime Investigations (VCI) team was convinced they had the murderer of two young women whose bodies were found in the same park, but there wasn’t enough evidence. Mahler was blamed for that earlier failure to arrest the killer.

Mahler suffers from crippling migraine headaches, and even talks to one of dead victims, but he’s able to direct his team, including the newest member. Eden Somers has a gift for analyzing evidence, but she burned out when working as an FBI analyst. She immerses herself in this case, and worries that, like Mahler, she might be endangering herself. However, the team’s intense investigation brings them to conclude they may be looking at a different killer for the latest victim. But, the new killer has the skills to target the team itself.

I’m not crazy about one aspect of The Silenced Women. I’ve never been fond of books that let the reader know the thoughts of the killer. I have to say, though, this killer is so off the wall and unusual, that that aspect wasn’t as obtrusive. However, it was the VCI team that stands out. They work as a team, and it’s the unexpected appearance of one member of the team that is a turning point. I’m going to admit I almost wanted to cheer at that point.

The Silenced Women is an intense police procedural, more intense than many of them. The reader is immersed in the investigation by a talented team, while also privy to the actions of a brilliant killer. This is a cinematic story, and readers who appreciate excellent police procedurals will want to start with the first in this new series. I just hope the second book lives up to this one.

Frederick Weisel’s website is https://frederickweisel.com/

The Silenced Women by Frederick Weisel. Sourcebooks/Poisoned Pen Press, 2021. ISBN 9781464214189 (paperback), 400p.

FTC Full Disclosure – I received a .PDF to review for a journal.

After I had published this piece, Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, and editor for Poisoned Pen Press, asked me if I wanted to be part of her chat with Frederick Weisel. I enjoyed the opportunity, and you can watch the chat here.