Graveyard by William C. Dietz

Published by Ace on January 26, 2016

Graveyard is the third novel in the Mutant Files series.

When the body of a mutant who died from a botched face transplant is dumped near a church, Det. Cassandra Lee gets the call. She investigates that case while continuing her efforts (detailed in the first two novels) to track down the serial killer called Bonebreaker, who may be hiding in a mutant graveyard (hence the title). But first she has to rescue the mayor, who has taken shelter from shells that the Aztec navy is firing into Los Angeles as long-delayed payback for the Mexican-American War. The Aztecs have also landed mutant troops in California and Texas. Between the criminal gangs, the heavily armed civilian population, and the Aztecs, Lee doesn’t know who will be shooting at her next.

Lee is in a relationship with a psychologist named Kane, although the relationship is threatened when, after unlikely murder charges are brought against Kane (a street shooting in self-defense), Lee learns that Kane was accused of murder once before. The victim was Kane’s wife, prompting Lee to ask, “What wife?”

The bones of a good novel are present in Graveyard, but they are never given flesh. None of the plot threads have any emotional heft. The Aztecs exist as a backdrop to create action scenes but they do little to advance the novel. The Bonebreaker is a stock serial killer. He lacks depth and, as serial killers go, he isn’t very interesting. Neither the improbable political scandal that drives the plot nor Lee’s domestic drama are well-developed. They both just fizzle out.

If you’re a fan of dialog like “We need to get the killer off the street, pronto!” you might like William Dietz’ prose style. The novel has the feel of having been rushed to completion.

Dietz is a competent writer. The story is coherent and some aspects of the background are interesting. Unfortunately, the novel as a whole is not sufficiently interesting to earn my recommendation.

NOT RECOMMENDED