Connie book pic 2015-11-23 at 5.40.42 PM

Connie Dodson is a Tulsa city councilor and avid reader. She reviewed “Death Notice,” by Todd Ritter, for this week’s Frontier Reads./Courtesy photo

“Death Notice” is a murder mystery that will pull you in with vivid imagery and drag you into the embalming room and the mind of a killer.

“Step into the world of Perry Hollow and savor the mystery.

“George Winnick, 67, of Perry Hollow, Pa., died at 10:45 p.m. on March 14.”

A death notice is a simple statement, a formality in the passing of a loved one. The statements arrive regularly at the Perry Hollow Gazette, but this one was different. The receiver knew it. Fake notices came in on a regular basis. Mr. Winnick’s met the criteria for a prank, so it landed in the trash.

That same morning, a trucker reported debris along the Old Mill Road, and true to his description, it did look like a wooden coffin. Chief Kat Campbell doubted the assumption, and, in her attempt to find out what truck had lost the package, she pried it open. There inside the box was a body and it took a second look for her to realize that she recognized the deceased.

There on the side of the road, Chief Campbell was hit with the reality that a citizen of Perry Hollow had been murdered. It was the first murder in the history of the small town. In over her head, she calls in the state police. They predict more victims and they aren’t wrong. The murders are shocking, well planned, forecasted, and they keep coming.

As an editor, journalist, and film critic, Todd Ritter has interviewed celebrities, covered police standoffs, and even written obituaries. His debut novel “Death Notice” is a fantastic read, and has launched a series of Kat Campbell Mysteries, including “Vicious Circle,” “Bad Moon,” and “Devil’s Night.”

Connie Dodson is a Tulsa city councilor and avid reader. When asked her favorite book, she said: “I cannot possibly choose a favorite book, but my current favorite author is Janet Evanovich.”