driving. He then uses his position to begin a surreptitious investigation to determine the fate of the person he thinks he hit.

Luke’s wife, Carrie, has her own problems, a longstanding case of amnesia. Thirteen years earlier, as a high school student, she fell off a cliff into a river in a secluded wooded area. The bodies of two other students Carrie knew were found in the woods, shot to death. Carrie has vague memories of running from someone and falling off the cliff, but none of how or why she met the other two girls or what happened to them. Since the incident, many people in town doubted her story and believed Carrie to be the killer, so much so that she moved to Los Angeles after high school and eventually met and married Luke. Carrie has tried to remember what happened, but her therapist believes that revisiting familiar settings (including the crime scene) may jog her memory.

Both themes have been done many times before, so much so that most readers will be able to guess a lot of what’s going to happen immediately after learning about the triggering incidents. Luke’s dilemma is similar to that of the protagonist of Clint Eastwood’s recent movie, Juror Number 2. Carrie’s situation reminded me of a 60s thriller, Mirage, in which Gregory Peck resolved his amnesia bout in much less than 13 years. However, as soon as the author completes the initial plot setup, he throws in complications. Luke incurs the wrath of a fellow deputy who’s jealous because Luke got the position he wanted. (Carrie’s father was the local sheriff at the time of the murders and, although now retired, put in a good word with the current sheriff to help get Luke hired.) In the meantime, Luke tries to figure out why his victim hasn’t turned up in a hospital or morgue, and, if not severely injured, why they didn’t report the accident.

Although the themes are familiar, the author throws in twists and complications so that readers thinking they know what will happen next will be fooled. I can’t reveal many of them without spoiling the book’s surprises. However, one major complication is that an inmate on Death Row in Texas became the prime suspect several years earlier in the deaths of Carrie’s classmates. He had been convicted of killing another woman under somewhat similar circumstances. Carrie’s father visits the convict before his execution to see what he knows. Rick Mofina is a former crime reporter who interviewed several death row convicts. The author’s real-life experiences make his description of the fictional execution vivid and unsettling.

If Two Are Dead is a deliberately paced thriller I enjoyed, but some readers may not. The author takes his time to reveal certain events. (Readers don’t learn until a third of the way into the book the details surrounding the suspect Luke shot in Los Angeles.) Significantly, Carrie recovers her memory in bits and pieces. The author describes these recollections in italicized flashbacks, as Carrie has a major realization when she revisits the high school cafeteria. That builds suspense, as Carrie’s recollections shed a different light on people’s common understanding of the events. The author also introduces a local Clear River newspaper reporter, who writes several articles about Carrie’s case, rekindling the public interest.

At times, the author’s holding back key information proves confusing, and some developments seem far-fetched or overly convenient. In particular, the book’s title, If Two Are Dead, is based on a quote from Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanack: “Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.” The author didn’t choose the title randomly; it’s a significant plot point. However, I felt the author strained to bring the quote into the story, and it didn’t have the impact on me that the author intended. More disappointing, the killer’s motivation, once revealed, borders on silliness.

If Two Are Dead is a slick, enjoyable thriller from a polished author who takes advantage of his experience with criminal investigations. Early in his writing career, Rick Mofina wrote several series featuring the same protagonists. More recently, he has written mostly standalone thrillers, and I applaud that decision. A standalone novel allows the author to create fresh scenarios and protagonists unbound by the constraints of a series. The author takes full advantage here, with two competent, likable protagonists and an intriguing setup. The plot contrivances are relatively minor annoyances that don’t affect the story’s overall feel. Suspense lovers will enjoy their time with Luke and Carrie in their small Texas town.

NOTE: The publisher graciously provided me with a copy of this book through NetGalley. However, the decision to review the book and the contents of this review are entirely my own.