'14' Tracks Nashville Serial Killer

Southern setting + mystery series + female author + female protagonist = a book I am definitely interested in reading. J.T. Ellison is a Nashville writer and the creator of the Taylor Jackson mystery series. Ellison combines all of my favorite things in this series. Taylor's story began with Ellison's 2007 debut novel All the Pretty Girls. The twenty-something Nashville homicide lieutenant rose through the ranks quickly and has made a name for herself among her peers at a young age. In the first book, she and the Nashville PD were helped by Taylor's love interest, FBI profiler Dr. John Baldwin, as they chased the Southern Strangler killer.

In 14, the second book in this series, Taylor and her team work to beat the clock and solve the Snow White murders. Taylor and Baldwin are scheduled to be married in just a few short days, and she can't bear the thought of leaving this case unsolved. The Snow White killer was a 1980s phenomenon who stopped killing and disappeared into thin air almost twenty years ago. When new victims begin popping up, the Nashville PD is determined to bring this long-term killer to justice. Things become complicated when Taylor's own father is named as a person of interest in crimes connected to the murders.

Ellison has created a strong female lead character with homicide detective Taylor Jackson. While not quite on par with experienced female mystery writers such as Patricia Cornwell and Sue Grafton, Ellison offers an interesting plot with likeable characters. This series is definitely a must-read for local Nashvillians (and those of us who live close enough that we consider it our own), and not only because it is chock-full of Nashville references.

Ellison is currently offering the first novel in this series as a free ebook download. Take advantage of the gratis reading, and jump-start your introduction to the Taylor Jackson series. Ellison has released two other Taylor Jackson books, and the series' fifth novel is set to come out in October 2010. She will be appearing in Nashville several times in the next few months; check out her tour schedule for dates.