As a backwards whodunit, Once Bitten starts out by letting us know exactly who the murderer is. Dr Jerry Simons is a dentist. He is also a misogynist who treats women (especially those in his employ) like pieces of meat intended only to satisfy him. His wife, Michelle, is sick of Jerry’s nonsense. She meets Keith, an intelligent and attractive bartender, and the two start an affair and eventually fall in love. At Michelle’s request for a divorce, Jerry allows his narcissistic inclination to guide him, and he plans and implements her murder. With all of this, he is also able to plant enough evidence at the crime scene to frame Keith for the grisly deed.
Keith is convicted and is consequently awaiting his termination on death row. His sister, Diane, is convinced her brother was framed for the murder. Diane enlists the help of the Atkinson Detective Agency to clear her brother of the charges. Mike and Linda Atkinson are extremely apprehensive. After being offered a huge retainer by Diane, they decide to look into the case further – even if only to back up the original verdict. The deeper they look, the more they find out that this case is more than what was originally thought to be open and shut.
…show more content…
The author, Bill Hansmann, is also a dentist, and I enjoyed a lot of the technical aspects he included. Forensically, it helped the story become a bit more believable. The character's backstories and personalities took up a great deal of the narrative. He went into every one of their childhoods, their hopes and dreams, and how ultimately, they became who they were when our story took place. It made every individual