Serial killers and anmesia – sounds like just another run-of-the-mill series read, doesn’t it? Fortunately, Fiona Brand manages to breathe new life into both of these well-used plotlines with her latest single title release. While the plotting and the action in this story really draw the reader in, the characters seem a bit distant, making this book less memorable than it should be.

Body Work opens with two well-written and rather chilling vignettes – one from 45 years ago and a second from 25 years ago – that set the stage for the thriller to come. It is obvious that the two situations are related, but the exact connection will take a little more time to figure out. This set-up is one of the strengths of the book in that it should be fairly apparent that most of its characters have secrets, though the exact nature of the secrets is where the mystery lies. Some will be easy to guess and others are not so blindingly obvious.

Jane Gale is a bestselling author of a suspense thriller. Though she thinks her work is merely fiction, one of her readers recognizes his own misdeeds in her work. Jane, who has no memory of her life before age seven, has actually written a fictionalized account of a murder she witnessed as a child. Despite the fact that she does not remember anything clearly, this account now marks her as a possible target.

Not realizing the danger she is in, Jane returns to her childhood home in Louisiana. Though she has no memory of her time there, she still carries a picture from this place and is determined to find out who the little boy in her photograph is, and why she would have his image with her. As Jane begins her hunt for that child, the killer starts hunting her. As Jane’s situation grows more dangerous, she finds herself having to rely on police detective John Toussaint.

John isn’t sure what to think about a mysterious woman with no memory – especially one who has suddenly found her way into town and become the target of a stalker. Though unsure if he should trust her, he keeps finding himself drawn to her. Protecting her from harm is certainly part of his motivation, but there is a lot more to it than that.

In this story, suspense definitely gets top billing. The romantic elements are pleasant, but this is simply not the kind of story that would accomodate much of a romance plot. Jane and John are either in danger or trying to solve the mysteries of Jane’s past and her current stalker for most of the book. The action flows very smoothly and, while the serial killer plot woven throughout the story is a little over the top, it is still very easy to get drawn into it. This is one of those thrillers where one is pulled along with the action and enjoys the ride, even if it is not entirely memorable.

Body Work was a fun and very quick read, but somehow it felt oddly distant. Though I enjoyed the book, its characters and action never fully engaged me, and for that reason I give it only a qualified recommendation. However, if you’re in the mood for an exciting thriller, this may be one to try.