No one would describe “Whiskey Sour” by J.A. Konrath as a pleasant read, but it was hard to put down. As the first book in Konrath’s Jack Daniels series, it creates a true picture of the life of a Chicago violent crimes cop.
Police Lt. Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels has worked hard to achieve her rank but acknowledges that every step has taken a toll on her personal life. At this point, she lives in a small, sparsely furnished apartment, drives an aging Chevy Nova, battles chronic insomnia and deals with the loss of her most recent boyfriend.
On a rainy October night, she is called to a nearby 7-Eleven. The naked body of a young woman has been found head-down in the garbage can. An autopsy tells them the woman died from a crushed windpipe. It is obvious that she had been restrained and tortured as she suffered massive blood loss from multiple stab wounds. Toxicology shows rarely prescribed Seconal in her system.
They are especially concerned about the note stapled to her chest. It reads, “You can’t catch me. I’m the Gingerbread Man,” and he’s nearby watching Jack’s every move. She’s now his archnemesis. He has carefully planned this set of murders but is strangely drawn to the strong, powerful lieutenant.
Charles Kork has been practicing torture and killing since he was a child. His first victims were animals, but he soon moved on to children. When he’s with a victim, he feels strong, powerful and invincible. His desire grows with every kill, but this October, he has a specific plan with four names on his list.
Once Jack entered the picture, Charles knows he must alter his plans and include her. Kork’s hate for Jack forces him to recklessly attack her in her apartment. That ends with Jack suffering a gunshot to her leg and Kork escaping.
After she taunts him in a news conference, Kork hires a hit on her, but she and a friend manage to overpower the attackers. Kork is furious and rushes his next attack, then makes the mistake of dumping Thersea Metcalf ‘s body in another 7-Eleven.
This gives Jack’s team their first real clue. Kork has stolen 7-Eleven garbage cans, arranged the bodies in them and returned them to a different store.
To Jack’s disappointment, the investigation leads her to her first partner, Harry McGlade. Somehow, he is connected to both identified victims.
Things finally fall into place when McGlade recalls being on a TV program with the women. They were all publicly dumping their boyfriends. They are shocked to learn that Kork’s wife was on the show to dump him. He has been torturing and killing each of the women on that show. His wife is to be his final Chicago victim.
He takes her to his basement torture chamber and has just begun his ritual when Jack and her team arrive, intercepting McGlade as he breaks in. Kork lights fuses to barrels of gas and manages to escape, using his wife as a hostage, which leads to the final confrontation.
At long last, Jack can begin to reclaim her former life, reassess her choices and contemplate a healthy relationship.
No one knows what causes people to commit horrific crimes, but we can follow police procedures to catch them through books at your public library. Go ahead and check it out.
AT A GLANCE
Book: Whiskey Sour (Jack Daniels Mysteries, Book 1)
Author: J.A. Konrath
Publisher: J.A. Konrath
Year published: 2004
Number of pages: 234
Horrific story is first in a series
