The Scarecrow

Jack McAvoy, the newspaper reporter who exposed a serial killer named the Poet, has been working for the Los Angeles Times ever since.  However, it has been 12 years and he hasn't had a big story like that since.  Thanks to the internet, newspapers are downsizing and McAvoy was hired at a premium during the height of his fame.  As such, he is given a pink slip but can stay on for 2 weeks if he agrees to train his replacement.  Angela Cook is 20 years younger and much more tech savvy than Jack.  When they look into a murder case, she inadvertently alerts the killer by using specific search terms online.  They have hardly even begun to investigate the story and the serial killer is on to them.  The Scarecrow is a serial killer who hunts via the internet and is a master hacker.  In the information age, he is a formidable adversary.  Since Jack is on the trail of a serial killer, he calls Rachel Walling, the FBI Agent he worked with on the Poet case.  She is less than thrilled by his call but something he says nags at her.  Despite herself, she gets involved.

I didn't much like Jack in The Poet.  He was a whiner and his teenage antics with Rachel irritated me to no end.  This was no hard-as-nails Harry Bosch.  This time, he is much better.  The changing news industry is used to great effect, the villain is truly terrifying, and Rachel is more of a partner than a love interest/liaison.  Last we saw Rachel, she was working with Bosch in Echo Park.

An outstanding book and highly recommended.  Great page turner.