The Serpent's Kiss

Trade Paperback, Midnight Ink, 2007

ISBN#978-0-7387-0882-9

Review by Douglas Quinn, Author of Blue Heron Marsh, etal

From the very first page I said to myself, "This author can really write," and throughout the novel I wasn’t let down. I was immediately drawn in by Mark Terry’s pacing and his wry sense of humor, which he weaves into his snappy dialogue and descriptive tapestry.

At first, when the main character was introduced, I was a little put off by how quickly he caved in about getting involved with the case, a serin gas attack–he had other, more important plans–but, hey, Terry is offering a fast-paced thriller here and there is no time for our unconventional hero, Derek Stillwater, to agonize.

As for Derek Stillwater, you’ve gotta love the guy. He’s cranky and impatient and acts on impulses about which the rest of us only fantasize. His foisted-upon-him sidekick, FBI agent Jill Church, is cool, pragmatic and likeable. Jill’s teen-aged son Michael is woven nicely into the story, including the exciting climax. Her politically connected boss, Matt Gray, is the perfect foil for both Church and Stillwater. Their antagonist, The Serpent, is diabolical and pure evil. There are many twists and turns and the ending has a nice little surprise that cleverly sets up the next Derek Stillwater novel.

Mark Terry baits his hook, casts it out into the world of the unsuspecting reader and, if you are one of the lucky ones who takes the bait and reads The Serpent’s Kiss, you will be glad he reeled you in. Set in Detroit, the pace of The Serpent’s Kiss is fast and furious. It’s a Derek Thrillwater of a read.