Publishers Weekly
★ 06/17/2024
True crime author Sands (Wealthy Men Only) makes an auspicious fiction debut with this crackling mystery centered on a Lisbeth Salanderesque savant. Raised in a rusting trailer in Central Florida, 20-something Maggie Moore sees her extraordinary way with words—she can identify nearly anyone based on their syntax and sentence structure—as her only ticket out of poverty. When her linguistics professor recognizes Maggie’s talent and taps her to assist local police on a rape case, she helps nail the perp by decoding the notes he left at his crime scenes. Impressed, the cops enlist Maggie to track down Heidi Hemphill, the mayor’s kidnapped daughter. As Maggie analyzes the linguistic habits of the lead suspects and makes quick friends with Det. Silas Jackson, she starts to notice eerie similarities between Heidi’s case and that of Maggie’s best friend, Lucy Tidwell, who disappeared years earlier. The more Maggie and Jackson dig, the more they worry that the culprit might be too powerful to touch—and that they’ve unwittingly affixed targets to their own backs. Sands nails the genius investigator formula on her first try, spinning Maggie into a memorable heroine and handing her an enthralling first case. This transfixes from the first page. Agent: Anne-Lise Spitzer, Philip G. Spitzer Literary. (Aug.)
From the Publisher
"True crime author Sands makes an auspicious fiction debut with this crackling mystery centered on a Lisbeth Salanderesque savant . . . . Sands nails the genius investigator formula on her first try, spinning Maggie into a memorable heroine and handing her an enthralling first case. This transfixes from the first page." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Tattooed and pierced, diagramming sentences from famous novels and movies as a coping mechanism, Maggie is a refreshingly original heroine with literary sensibilities, a potty mouth, and no patience for the patriarchy. Despite the thriller construct, there is not a lot of action in the story, but unusual investigation tactics—and a brash new protagonist—lend the book energy and interest, and Sands leaves the door open for a sequel. Grammar nerds rejoice!” — Kirkus Reviews
"For readers who enjoy chilling mysteries and thrillers. Fans of strong character-building will delight in watching Maggie and Jackson’s partnership bring out their individual strengths." — Library Journal
“Maggie Moore is tattooed and pierced and drinks beer for breakfast, but she’s also a linguistic savant with a lightning quick mind. In short, she’s a winning protagonist for a smart, original, and entirely entertaining mystery. If you love words, puzzles, or just a well crafted story, you will love Wordhunter.” — Alafair Burke, New York Times bestselling author of Find Me
Library Journal
06/01/2024
DEBUT True-crime author Sands's (Baby-Faced Butchers) first crime novel is a gritty buddy-cop mystery that pairs two unlikely individuals. When the mayor's teenage daughter is abducted from a rural Florida town, it is all hands on deck for the local and surrounding police departments. A young forensics student from the nearby college, Maggie Moore, is also asked to help because of her acknowledged genius at forensic linguistics. Her analysis of texts and notes left by the abductor gives the police a leg up in tracking down the perpetrator. However, the case is deeply triggering for Maggie, reminding of her what happened to her childhood best friend, an assault by a professor, and her own insecurities. She teams up with detective Jackson, a man haunted by his own secrets, and soon the duo are chasing after an unlikely suspect with disturbing consequences. VERDICT For readers who enjoy chilling mysteries and thrillers. Fans of strong character-building will delight in watching Maggie and Jackson's partnership bring out their individual strengths. A somewhat open ending suggests that more installments are planned.—Laura Hiatt
