Short chapters propel the reader along in this engrossing legal thriller. The assistant district attorney of Cape Cod s Barnstable County, Martha "Marty" Nickerson, has just obtained the conviction of Manuel Rodriguez, who butchered a college student on Memorial Day in Chatham, Massachusetts. The day after the guilty verdict is announced, however, a teenager is found murdered in a similar manner. Marty s boss plays down the similarities; they won a conviction in the Rodriguez case on compelling evidence, and a serial killer on the loose will hurt the Cape s vast tourist industry. Unconvinced, Marty, along with Rodriguez s public defender, delves deeper into both crimes. Marty is a thoughtful, appealing heroine, concerned about the integrity of the legal system. Gripping courtroom scenes, crisp details of the legal system, vividly realized local color, and a nuanced portrait of the close-knit community, including Marty s personal life, all add up to a satisfying, often poignant debut novel. Recommend Connors to fans of Perri O Shaughnessy and Lisa Scottoline, although, thus so far at least, she lacks the humor of Scottoline.