| This is the first work I’ve read of Mosiman’s, and I must say I’m very impressed with her craftsmanship. She develops the tension skillfully, using beautifully constructed prose and well developed characters. She is without a doubt a master of her art. Her use of description is detailed and raw, appealing equally to the senses and the emotions. I found the ending thoroughly gratifying, although I did hope to see a somewhat more hellish fate for Lansing. There were only a few character motivations that did not sit well with me, the most substantial being Sully’s refusal to call in Carla as missing until morning—at which time, there is a sudden sense of urgency to get the search for her started. It also seemed unnatural that any of the characters would even consider the token Lansing leaves in the garden would have come from anyone other than Carla. Lastly, Lansing’s sudden desire for Carla to be quiet just as soon as Sully and Flap reach the base of the mountain felt far too coincidental; it felt like the characters knew too much in that regard, although I do have to qualify this by adding that it deterred little from the overall quality of the work. Killing Karla kept me on the edge of my seat throughout most of the story, and I will definitely be reading more of her works. I rate this story a very enthusiastic 4.5 stars. | |
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