Ramona Emersons latest book “Exposure“ dives into the dark world of crime scene photography (its a follow-up to her first novel “Shutter“ which came out roughly two years ago). The story kicks off with a brutal family murder‚ setting the tone for whats to come
The main character Rita Todacheene works as a forensic photographer but theres a twist – she can see ghosts. As Rita goes about her job‚ sheʼs haunted by the spirits of the dead‚ who appear with their injuries still visible. This unique ability adds a supernatural layer to the crime scenes she documents
The little girls breath smelled of blood and gunpowder
The book switches between Ritas perspective and that of a serial killer whos on the loose in Gallup New Mexico. This guy thinks hes on a mission from God‚ picking out victims he believes need saving or punishing. His warped religious views drive his actions‚ making him a complex and disturbing character
Both Rita and the killer are looking for some kind of healing through faith. Rita‚ whos Navajo‚ turns to her grandmother and a medicine man for help dealing with her PTSD and ghostly visions. The killer on the other hand‚ has created his own twisted version of Christianity to justify his actions
Emersons writing style is straightforward but can be quite poetic at times. She doesnt rush the story‚ letting it unfold at a steady pace thats somewhere between a mystery and a thriller. The characters are well-developed‚ with backstories that explain how they got to where they are
Despite the heavy subject matter‚ theres something oddly comforting about the way Emerson tells the story. Its similar to how people find true crime podcasts soothing – the narrators calm voice guides you through the darkness‚ promising that youll come out the other side
Emersons background as a police photographer (she did that job for about 16 years before becoming a writer) gives the book an authentic feel. She knows how to take readers into some pretty dark places‚ but she always makes sure to bring them back out again