Gabriel McRay Series by Laurie Stevens

High in the Santa Monica Mountains near Los Angeles, grisly murders are taking place. On each of the victim's bodies a note is left for L.A. Sheriff's detective, Gabriel McRay. The killer's identity is locked in the suppressed memory of a horrifying trauma from Gabriel's own childhood.Teamed with his forensic pathologist girlfriend and his pyschiatrist, Gabriel runs two parallel investigations... moreHigh in the Santa Monica Mountains near Los Angeles, grisly murders are taking place. On each of the victim's bodies a note is left for L.A. Sheriff's detective, Gabriel McRay. The killer's identity is locked in the suppressed memory of a horrifying trauma from Gabriel's own childhood.Teamed with his forensic pathologist girlfriend and his pyschiatrist, Gabriel runs two parallel investigations. The a dark journey into the terrifying recollections of his past and the second, the hunt for a serial killer who seems to know more about Gabriel... than he knows himself. less

Troubled homicide detective Gabriel McRay confronts his nemesis Victor Archwood at the killer's Los Angeles trial. A surprise twist during the legal proceedings sets a course for Archwood to claim his ultimate revenge on the detective... moreTroubled homicide detective Gabriel McRay confronts his nemesis Victor Archwood at the killer's Los Angeles trial. A surprise twist during the legal proceedings sets a course for Archwood to claim his ultimate revenge on the detective. In a trap that combines Archwood's theatrical skills and criminal genius, Gabriel is forced to face his psychological demons once again and play a deadly cat and mouse game with a murderous opponent who will stop at nothing to achieve the detective's total destruction. As reviewers say of this Clue Award-winner, "Victor Archwood is one of the best villains I’ve ever seen written," and "Victor Archwood reminded me of Hannibal Lecter." From another reviewer, "The Mask of Midnight is nothing short of astounding. A psychological thriller of the first caliber, I had to remind myself on more than one occasion to breathe." less

Detective Gabriel McRay investigates a cold case from 1988 involving a missing teenager named Nancy Lewicki. Evidence is sparse and Gabriel has no leads. Much to his dismay, a celebrity psychic, Carmen Jenette, hypes the unsolved case on her television show. Gabriel warns Carmen not to interfere. Meanwhile, strange dreams of water and corpses haunt Gabriel's sleep. They unnerve him as he plans his wedding to LA County Medical Examiner, Dr. Ming Li... moreDetective Gabriel McRay investigates a cold case from 1988 involving a missing teenager named Nancy Lewicki. Evidence is sparse and Gabriel has no leads. Much to his dismay, a celebrity psychic, Carmen Jenette, hypes the unsolved case on her television show. Gabriel warns Carmen not to interfere. Meanwhile, strange dreams of water and corpses haunt Gabriel's sleep. They unnerve him as he plans his wedding to LA County Medical Examiner, Dr. Ming Li. When the psychic's life is threatened, Gabriel connects the dots back to the missing girl and realizes his cold case is burning hot. Someone doesn't want Nancy found and will kill to keep her hidden.This is the fourth book in the award-winning series that Kirkus Reviews calls, "A skillfully woven tapestry of subplots and character development" and what The Huffington Post refers to as "frighteningly great." It stands alone, but if you read one, you'll want to read all four. less