Mystery Thriller Week: Book Review- A Necessary Act (Tony Wirt) @Wirter #MTW

Can you stop a serial killer before he starts? If so, should you? How far would you go?

 In 1996, students at Lake Mills Community High School knew there was something wrong with Scott. One student, David, witnessed first hand what type of violence Scott is capable of; with the help of his best friend Matt, they set off to prove what they believe to be true. That teenage Scott is destined to be a serial killer.   Flash forward, fifteen years; Matt is back to his childhood home just as a teenage girl is found dead.  David believes it is Scott, but Scott appears to be different. Matt finds himself in the middle. As he becomes closer to the truth, the more danger he finds himself in. Can he stop the killer before he becomes the next victim?

A Necessary Act by Tony Wirt was such a refreshing piece of fiction. From the first pages, I found myself engrossed in this story. The novel opens in 1996 with David and his best friend, Matt, in their final year of high school. Creepy and aggressive Scott is the school bully and after David reads an article discussing the twelve signs of a serial killer (bedwetting, problematic parental relationships, trouble in school), David becomes convinced that Scott is a killer. And he must prove it before it’s too late.

This novel is narrated quite differently; instead of the traditional back and forth between past and present, Wirt gives the first half of the novel to set the stage. I loved how this one gives ample time to develop the backstory.  I also loved the character development. Each character is unique and complex.

A Necessary Act is also extremely fast paced, which as any regular reader of Clues and Reviews knows, is a necessary component in a thriller for me! I didn’t even have time to breathe with this one.

If you want a fast paced story with an original storyline, then you should read A Necessary Act. You will not regret it. I gave this novel a 4/5 reads on Goodreads.

 Thanks to the author, Tony Wirt, for a digital copy of this book; it was my pleasure to provide an honest review!