Red Mist

Red Mist was published in paperback in April 1989 by Popular Library. The cover, featuring model Steve Holland, was created by Ben Perini. My efforts to determine a biography of author Michael O'Toole failed to produce any results. Further, the book doesn't present any information on the author. Your guess on who he is as good as mine.

This police procedural is set in Los Angeles. Vic Perry is a Raiders fan, a wealthy day trader, a womanizer, and a serial killer. Through 268 pages, Perry prowls the city for victims, often led by his hot temper and infatuation with power. He kills victims by shooting them point blank, often in the face, with a .38 Smith & Wesson, a gun that O'Toole sometimes foolishly refers to as a magnum. After several kills, Perry's onslaught attracts the attention of two LAPD detectives, Tony and Frank.

Through the book's opening chapters, readers ride in Perry's maniacal headspace, experiencing every detail from lust to rage. O'Toole develops a relationship between Perry and a local sexy barmaid named Andy. The two engage in pornographic sex on-page, similar to the graphic scenes found in adult westerns. In fact, the author injects sex in most of Perry's ambition, going as far as having one victim perform oral sex on Perry before the madman blows her chin off (with the revolver). 

When Tony is murdered by Perry, Frank begins an investigation into his partner's murder, tying it into the rampage shootings around the city linked to the same shooter. There's a surprise thrown in with Frank's wife that leads the police officer into some really dark places while hunting the serial shooter. 

Red Mist is far from a masterpiece, but was just engaging enough to keep the pages flipping. I enjoyed Frank's character and the ruthless aggression O'Toole injected with this radical villain. Whether or not the graphic sex and gore is too much is in the eye of the beholder. I thought it was borderline indulgent, but it never erased the plot. There were reasons for everything, which sometimes just all adds up at the end. Red Mist is an entertaining, recommended read. Get it HERE.