Kindle Edition Amazon Category:  Action/Thriller Publisher: Amazon ISBN-10:  B007H21EFO Type: Fiction Pages: 178 Copyright: March 5, 2012 A serial killer is leaving a trail of dead women across Chile, Peru, and Bolivia, and the reader is off on a fast paced pursuit of the killer through Lima, Cuzco, and Machu Picchu in Peru and Chile’s Atacama Desert. This is a true whodunit mystery novel set in an unusual and exotic locale. The Surreal Killer, the third Roger Bowman-Suzanne Foster South American mystery novel in the series, is now available as a Kindle E-Book from Amazon (+Amazon UK and DE) for $2.99; the novel is free for Amazon Prime members.  A serial killer is leaving a trail of dead women across Chile, Peru, and Bolivia.  The gruesome corpses all seem to have died in exactly the same macabre way.  There may be a link to a small group of scientists who meet annually in different locations in the region.  Roger Bowman and Suzanne Foster are asked by the local police to attend this year’s meeting of the group in Lima, Peru to try to find out who was present at the previous meetings when the murders occurred.  And the reader is off on a fast paced pursuit of the killer through Lima, Cuzco, and Machu Picchu in Peru and Chile’s Atacama Desert.  This is a true whodunit mystery novel set in an unusual and exotic locale. Excerpt Chapter 1. Santiago, Chile, A Year Ago He always thought of this part as cutting the calf out of the herd. The problem: Pick up the woman somewhere, somehow without any witnesses to the event. The solution this time: he found her hitchhiking late at night on the deserted street in a poorly lit part of town. He stopped the rented car and offered her a ride. She looked at him, decided he was safe, jumped in the car, congratulated herself on her good luck, and asked if he was heading towards the next town. "Yes, I am. Where can I drop you off?" "Anywhere near the middle of town would be great." "You've got it." The car started off in the right direction. "Can I offer you a little brandy? It's cold out there," he said. "I'd love a sip or two." He removed a flask from his pocket and passed it over. "Thanks a lot," she replied, and took a long slow swallow. She returned the flask to the driver. Five minutes later the long-acting drug in the brandy had worked its magic and she was completely helpless. Wide awake, but totally unable to move or speak. She stared at the driver with terrified eyes. The driver steered the car onto a dirt road and drove about half a mile into the woods. After stopping the car, he came around to the passenger side, and pulled her out onto the ground. She noted that there was grass and dirt in the clearing. He pawed her body for a few moments, but didn't seem interested in undressing or sexually assaulting her beyond the unwanted touching. Out came his syringe, and with a few well-coordinated movements he injected a few mL of fluid directly into her jugular vein. The powerful drug did its work and she was now completely paralyzed. He opened the trunk of the car. Out came a disposable paper coverall and disposable latex rubber gloves, which he donned. Out came a large machete and a protective plastic face shield, which he also put on. He returned to his terrified victim, dragged her about 150 feet from the car, and proceeded to systematically whack away at arms and legs with the machete for several minutes after she had completely bled out. The mutilation of the corpse continued for what seemed to be a long time after she was clearly dead. Finally he dropped the machete, picked up a small stick from the ground nearby, and dipped the end of the stick in one of the many pools of blood around the body. Very carefully, using the blood as ink, he wrote the words "no mas" on the ground near the body. At that point he made a low, throaty growl that might have meant that he was finally satisfied with the result, and the machete overkill came to an end. The bloodstained and splattered paper coveralls, latex gloves, and face shield came off and were thrown on top of the dismembered body. So was the machete. Careful examination revealed that there was no apparent blood visible anywhere on him or his clothing after the disposables were taken off. Back to the trunk of the car from which he removed a large plastic container of gasoline that he poured over the body and the disposables. One flick of a match and everything went up in flames, which burned long and hot. When nothing remained but charred flesh, teeth, bones, and ashes he returned to the car and went on to his destination, satisfied that any forensic evidence had been destroyed in the fire. Nothing remained that could link him to the dead young woman, who was a perfect stranger. He smiled a genuine smile of satisfaction.

The Surreal Killer
This is Jerry Last's best thriller yet. His two protagonists, Roger Bowman and Dr. Suzanne Foster could rank with Dennis Lehane's duo,Kenzie and Gennaro as a couple of super sleuths, although Bowman and Foster's patch is the high Andes where they are on the trail of a sadistic machete murderer. A compelling, fast-paced story and a great read.

Surreal/Serial Killer
This is the first of Mr. Last's books that i have read. It will not be my last.Despite the gory details,I enjoyed this thriller.The setting,South America is very interesting.His detectives are a pleasant change from the usual uneducated private dicks.

The Surreal Killer
The Surreal Killer by Jerold Last takes readers on a exhilarating journey inside the mind of a psychopath without revealing the killer's true identity until the very end.

When nine women in three different South American countries turn up dead, Detective Eduardo Gomez knows he must enlist the help of his American friends Suzanne and Roger Bowman. Eduardo has connected the killings to a small regional group of biochemists who study tropical plants. The killings have occurred each time the group meets in various South American countries. Eduardo's problem is infiltrating the group. He hopes Suzanne's expertise as a scientist at UCLA will give him the leverage he needs to gain access to the next biochemist meeting. Roger and Suzanne agree to help and are soon on their way to Lima, Peru. Eduardo's plan seems to work and Roger and Suzanne are welcomed by the biochemists without much suspicion. Roger and Suzanne decide the best way to find the killer is to get to know each of the biochemists and begin eliminating them as the possible killer. Unfortunately, their list of suspects is large and another woman ends up dead. Can Roger and Suzanne trust anyone in the group to get the help they need to catch a killer? Will they be able to stop the madman before he strikes again?

Jerold Last also interjects historical facts about South America throughout his story which gives readers a better understanding of the culture and helps them identify with the characters he creates.

If you enjoy some mystery mixed with a bit of history and a corny joke or two The Surreal Killer is a book you won't want to miss.