Stalking Susan

Starred review from May 19, 2008
Kramer's impressive debut, a thriller, introduces Riley Spartz, a Twin Cities investigative TV journalist. Riley's favorite source, a former Minneapolis homicide detective, suspects a serial killer is behind two cold murder cases of women named Susan strangled on November 19 one year apart. Still grieving for her late patrolman husband, Riley relishes the distraction of a possible hot story. After discovering that a raincoat links the two victims, one a 26-year-old waitress, the other a teen prostitute, Riley unearths other cases that may fit the pattern, including the apparently solved murder of a former Miss Duluth and the suspicious suicide of a terminally ill woman. Kramer, a freelance television producer, delivers more than another ho-hum remix of a 48 Hours
episode thanks to a snappy subplot—Riley's exposure of a bad veterinarian doing scam pet cremations. Readers will look forward to seeing a lot more of the appealing Riley, who cares about justice as much as snagging at least a 40 audience share.

July 15, 2008
First-time author Kramer uses her insider knowledge as a freelance news producer for the "Today Show" and "Dateline" to take the reader into the competitive world of the Minneapolis local television news scene. Reporter Riley Spartz isn't sure she's ready to return to work after a personal tragedy, but when a source (literally) drops an investigation into her lap, she decides now may be the time. The cold case involves the murder of two different women named Susan. Both were strangled on the same date, one year apart. As Riley delves further, she finds there are other Susans who have been killed in other years. Upping the ante is the approach of the anniversary; adding to the pressure for Riley is the sweeps drive for ratings at her station and a news director who thinks a story about the fraudulent disposal of dead dogs will be more interesting than a far-fetched story about murdered Susans. Though the climax of the mystery stretched credulity a bit, this is a fast-paced and nicely characterized debut that will appeal to fans of Linda Fairstein and Laura Lippman. Recommended for all public libraries.Jane Jorgenson, Madison P.L., WI

Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2008
Feisty Minneapolis television reporter Riley Spartz (named for her grandfather) is struggling with grief and guilt after her husbands death. Thenex-cop, friend, and fellow film buff Nick Garnett provides what could be her comeback scoop. Two cold cases reveal that women named Susan were strangled in the same manner on the same date in 1991 and 1992, and Riley--suspecting a serial killer and sensing high sweeps ratings--starts investigating. Meanwhile, her animal-loving producer assigns her to follow the trail of a veterinarian who proves to be as dangerous as he is disreputable. But its the Susan story that absorbs Riley, who follows some leads to dead ends before she entices the killer out of hiding. First-novelist Kramer, a TV producer, knows the news biz, although she should temper her use of jargon; "burying the lead" pops up more than once. But she spins a good story with a gutsy and appealing protagonist and leaves some plot threads dangling for Rileys next adventure. This is a series worth joining at the start.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)