The Shining Girls

The Shining Girls (2013) by Lauren Beukes. A serial killer named Harper happens on a house in Chicago which opens onto other times -- in other words, he's a serial killer who can travel through time. The House has a will of its own, however, and chooses his victims for him. The chosen victims are known to Harper as the Shining Girls. He can pick them out of a crowd because they "shine." One intended victim, named Kirby, survives the attack because her dog intervenes. Kirby, choosing not to be just a victim, starts hunting down her attacker. She pursues Harper by getting an internship at a newspaper and using the newspaper's resources to track homicides of women through time. It's a rather interesting book, with thriller elements thrown in along with the murder. Kirby is an engaging character, and so is Harper, in a terrible way. Some elements of the plot don't make sense, but then what would you expect from a time-traveling serial killer? Grade: B