Random Acts What this book is about: This book is about a criminal profiler Laurel Madden, she is at the top of her league. At her job in California, she is known as brilliant, beautiful, and one tough cookie says, Dan Sprague her colleague. She was very secretive about everything she did. Dan always wondered how she understood the criminal mind so well. He always wondered if it had anything to do with her past, or why she was such dark and secretive person. However, he had more things to worry about he was on the verge of solving the case of the disappearing children. His only problem was Madden. She always did have her way of standing between Dan and his work.
Dan tried not to let it phase him, because he was raising two daughters on his own, after his wife died if cancer, he needed his job so henever did question her.
David Madden
English: The Henry Madden Library on the campus of...
English: Mug shot of Owney MaddenWhile they were in California a reporter Claire Gillispe, from New York was sent to cover the story. She was sent right when she had finally landed an important meeting, which she had been waiting months for. So when her boss told her she had to pick up and leave she was not not too happy about it. When she finally got to California, she had a more personal agenda she wanted to reveal the veil of secrecy that Madden had around her. When she started to question Madden she was very secretive and would not let Claire get a word out of her, so Claire decided to look up all the stuff on Madden that she could. When she asked her boss to look her up, it turned out that Madden had committed murder! However, the worst part about it is that she got away with it. The thing is that the case that her boss pulled her had much to do with this.
It turns out that she was working on a case of her friends murder and the murderer happened to be Madden. When Claire found out, she wouldn't rest until justice was given to the victim, in this case, her friend. The only problem with this is that when Dan met Claire and suddenly had an irresistible passion for her, but Madden was his colleague and even though they were not close friends he still had a respect for her. But even though they both had feelings about Dan, as a friend and a lover they were determined to beat the other at their own game. After a close encounter to death Claire finds out one important thing that hunting a killer is a very dangerous game! Claire called into her boss a couple days after her encounter to assure him that she was okay.
He told her to stay out of it and just come back to New York so that he could send someone else out on the case. She refused to come back and said that her friend came first in this matter.
After she spoke to her boss, she was notified that there was a body found. The killer had probably left it there. With the body was a clue for Claire. She thought is was Madden who was the killer, but actually, it was not, it was one of her old friends. A friend that she had left because of an obsession he had grown for her. It was the only friend who know what she had done earlier in her life, the only one who knew about who she killed. He left a note that Dan saw and gave to Madden it read : DEAR LOUREL, THIS DIDN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN YOU KNOW. THE PAPERS CALL ME A MONSTER, BUT I AM NOT. THEY HAVE NOT UNDERSTOOD YET. HAVE YOU?HERE IS A HINT: IT IS NOT JUST THE BABIE, ANYONE CAN BECOME THE NEXT VICTIM, IF I DECIDE BUT TEHRE IS NOTHING LIKE KILLING A BABY TO MAKE PEOPLE SIT UP AND TAKE NOTICE IS THERE? DO I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION NOW? YOU ARE POWERLESS AGAINT ME, ALL OF YOU. I KNOW ALL OF YOUR LITTLE TRICKS. I AM THE ONE TO MAKE YOU SEE ALL THE ERRORS OF YOUR WAYS.I AM SURE THERE ARE MANY, MANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU WANT TO ASK ME. I CAN SEE OF FASANATING I MUST BE TO YOU, LOREL., IN YOUR LINE OF WORK. Although, AT THE RATE YOU ARE GOING YOU WILL BE OUT OF THE JOB SOON. THIS HASN'T BEEN YOUR FINEST HOUR, HAS IT? DON'T FEEL BAD ABOUT IT I AM JUST BETTER AT THIS THEN ANY OF YOU. I WILL TEACH YOU ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW YOURS TILL THE END SS After this Madden was more determined to get this guy more then anything. Dan and Madden agreed that he was not doing this for anything but shock. Mean while Claire was out making a deal with her boss, the publisher of the Newsmagazine she worked for. She told him about the note, and told him that she needed him to stop the press, she told him the newsletter for this needed to be done over. She told him she would give him pictures etc. If he did. Greedy and wanting more readers he agreed. She told him that she had been in contact with him and that it was all set out . She did this because she knew it would be a great way to get the murderers attention. About a week later, something crazy happened it was like by planting that little news article she made a deal with the devil. They came later to find out that Maddens old friends name was Doucet He had them trapped in a building surrounded by hundreds of police. Claire was talking to him, she told him that. She told him that they had them surrounded that there was no use, to give up. He told them that he would not give in. In the room with them were Lourel and some of the kidnapped kids. Doucet told them that he would let the kids go but that he wanted Claire and Lourel to stay. Dan was getting worried he came in to the room and started with Doucet. They started fighting and at one, point Doucet threatened to kill one of them but Dan stuck trough. He gave one pull of the trigger and there was a loud boom in the room. Doucet was DEAD! Laurel came to Dan crying, saying that is was her fault that all those innocent babies died. Dan told her that Doucet was crazy, that he had an obsession, and that it was his fault not hers. Then she and Claire apologized, I mean if it wasn't for Claire the police would not have come.
Moreover, they would not have busted him. Claire told Laurel that maybe it does take a killer, to catch a killer! My opinion: I liked the book it kept me on the edge of my chair with exciting turnarounds. I also think that Taylor Smith is a very good writer, and I would recommend this book to anyone who seeks thrillers or mystery books!
Bill Madden
Madden-Finucane
Josh Madden