Not What It Seems Summary: Savannah Slasher Thriller
Story Snapshot
| Genre & Subgenre | Romantic Suspense, Police Procedural, Crime Thriller |
| Core Narrative Tropes | Serial Killer Investigation, Cop and Reporter Marriage, Copycat Killer, Hidden Secrets |
| Tone & Atmosphere | Gritty, tense, dark, swampy low-country gothic |
| Primary Conflict | Finding the Savannah Slasher amid personal threats and copycat crimes |
| Pacing Style | Fast-paced procedural with dual-perspective investigation |
| ISBN | 978-1496753748 |
| Pages | 400 |
TL;DR: The Quick ‘Not What It Seems Summary‘
- A serial killer dubbed the “Savannah Slasher” murders three people, leaving polished stones etched with numbers at each crime scene.
- Nikki Gillette connects the numbers to the Ten Commandments—each victim allegedly violated a specific commandment.
- A parallel murder of Naomi Kittle, wife of ADA Jamison Kittle, initially appears to be the Slasher’s fourth kill but proves to be a copycat crime.
- The real killer is Duke Wheelan, a religious extremist and church elder who believes he is executing divine judgment.
- The story concludes with Wheelan’s arrest after a home invasion, and Jamison Kittle’s exposure as his wife’s murderer.
Not What It Seems Summary: The Deep Dive
Spoilers ahead. This section recounts the full story, including the ending.
Set in Savannah’s moss-draped low country, the novel opens with Billy Huber’s brutal murder on his secluded farm. His throat is slashed and his head forced onto a garden tiller. A polished stone etched with numbers in Arabic and Hebrew is left near the body.
Independent crime writer Nikki Gillette and her husband, homicide detective Pierce Reed, enter the investigation from different angles.
Pierce tries to shield Nikki, but she conducts her own inquiry. She rescues Billy’s wounded dog, Arlo, and finds a secret altar to his dead infant son in the attic.
Pierce’s partner, Sol Augustin, uses a spiritual gift to sense the killer’s evil presence. She predicts more deaths. The Savannah Slasher then targets Mavis Greenlee, a wealthy socialite. Mavis is thrown down her grand staircase and her throat is cut. Another numbered stone is found.
Nikki digs into Mavis’s past. She learns about a long-ago affair with Nikki’s late father and severe neglect of Mavis’s elderly mother. Both Billy and Mavis had ties to All Christian Church, led by Pastor Westin Stark, Nikki’s childhood bully.
The third victim is Jeanne LaRoux, a swamp spiritualist. She fights back with a machete but is overpowered and hung from a rafter. A stone with the number one is found in her hand. Sol performs a midnight ritual and sees a shadowed vision of the killer.
Nikki is attacked in a parking lot. A masked figure throws a rock through her windshield and keys “COP KILLER” on her car. The culprit is Toby Yelkis, the angry son of Pierce’s deceased former partner.
Naomi Kittle, wife of Assistant District Attorney Jamison Kittle, goes missing. Her submerged car is found, but her body is missing.
Nikki later finds Naomi’s body hung upside down in Jeanne’s hut. The blood on her stone is chicken blood, not the Slasher’s signature mixture.
Sol and Pierce realize Jamison killed his wife and copied the Slasher. They confront him in a shootout. Sol is wounded, and Jamison is arrested. The real Slasher is Duke Wheelan, a church elder who believes he executes sinners.
Duke breaks into Nikki’s house to kidnap her toddler, Chloe. Nikki and her sister Lily fight him off.
The family dogs help subdue him. In the epilogue, both killers await trial, and Toby accepts the couple’s offer to live in their garage apartment.
Read Also: The Whispers Summary: A Neighborhood Thriller by Ashley Audrain
Key Characters
| Character | Role |
| Nikki Gillette | Freelance crime journalist who investigates the Savannah Slasher independently. |
| Pierce Reed | Lead homicide detective and Nikki’s protective husband. |
| Sol Augustin | Detective who channels victims’ spirits to aid the investigation. |
| Billy Huber | First murder victim, a reclusive hoarder grieving his dead family. |
| Mavis Greenlee | Second victim, a wealthy socialite hiding hypocrisy and neglect. |
| Jeanne LaRoux | Third victim, a swamp spiritualist who fights her killer. |
| Jamison Kittle | Assistant DA who copies the Slasher to murder his wife. |
| Naomi Kittle | Jamison’s unfaithful wife, strangled and staged as a Slasher victim. |
| Duke Wheelan | The real Savannah Slasher, a church elder on a religious crusade. |
| Lily Gillette | Nikki’s protective older sister who helps fight the killer. |
| Toby Yelkis | Troubled teen who vandalizes Nikki’s car out of grief. |
Who Will Enjoy Not What It Seems
This book suits readers who enjoy romantic suspense blended with gritty police work. Fans of Lisa Jackson’s Savannah series will find familiar characters and a darker procedural edge.
The dual investigation between a reporter and her detective husband creates steady tension without sacrificing family dynamics.
The pacing is fast, with short chapters and multiple crime scenes.
Those who like serial killer hunts with religious undertones and copycat twists will find the plot engaging. Readers who prefer psychological thrillers with forensic detail may also appreciate the lab reports and clue analysis.
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Summary by Chapter
Spoilers ahead. This section breaks down the forty chapters, epilogue, and teaser for readers who want a detailed walkthrough.
Chapter 1
Billy Huber falls from a ladder while cleaning a starlings’ nest. He impales his shoulder on a rake. A dark figure slashes his throat and smashes his head against a garden tiller.
Chapter 2
Pierce receives the call at a sweet-sixteen party. Nikki insists on joining him at the junk-filled farm. Deputy Ron Swanson finds a polished stone near the body.
Chapter 3
Sol visits the farm alone and channels Billy’s spirit, seeing his throat slashed. Nikki gathers reporting tools and plans her own investigation.
Chapter 4
Nikki photographs the scene and finds a secret altar in Billy’s attic. She lures his wounded dog, Arlo, into her car with hamburger pieces.
Chapter 5
Nikki learns Arlo was shot with birdshot. She researches Billy’s past at the Savannah Sentinel. Editor Tom Fink demands a homicide story.
Chapter 6
Dr. Maren Ito confirms Billy’s throat was slashed and his head forced onto the tiller. Sol researches Billy’s disputes with neighbors Otis Childers and Duke Wheelan.
Chapter 7
Lily brings the kids home from lunch with their mother Charlene. The killer works in his basement, honing stones and etching numbers while listening to Mozart.
Chapter 8
Billy’s daughter Janelle refuses to take Arlo. Lab technician Clint Darden reveals the stone’s etchings were highlighted with blood. Pierce agrees to adopt Arlo.
Chapter 9
Nikki’s agent pushes her to write a true-crime book. She publishes a dry article about Billy’s death. The family enjoys pizza while Arlo heals.
Chapter 10
Mavis Greenlee hears a noise and retrieves her pistol. A figure in black pushes her down the stairs. Her throat is slashed after her face shatters on marble.
Chapter 11
Pierce and Sol find a stone marked with the number five under Mavis’s clothes. Jamison Kittle arrives to support Archer Greenlee.
Chapter 12
The killer self-flagellates to quiet his mother’s voice. Sol channels Mavis’s spirit and hears the name Lucifer.
Chapter 13
Lily and Nikki discuss the murder. Nikki avoids Tom Fink’s calls and plans interviews to connect Billy and Mavis.
Chapter 14
Charlene reveals Mavis’s affair with Nikki’s father. Nikki interviews Duke Wheelan about his poaching dispute with Billy.
Chapter 15
Nikki cares for sick family members while researching online. Her agent suggests a serial killer book. She digs into Billy’s past fight with Calvin Smith.
Chapter 16
Nikki visits Mavis’s neglected mother, Blanche, who has dementia. She runs into her reclusive brother, Kyle, who works for Archer Greenlee.
Chapter 17
Nikki interviews Blanche, Oliver Crawford, and Pastor Westin Stark. She realizes both Billy and Mavis had ties to All Christian Church.
Chapter 18
Pierce tracks down Toby Yelkis, who accuses Nikki of causing his mother’s death. Toby’s sister Priscilla agrees to let him stay with her.
Chapter 19
Radley Bowers confirms Mavis cheated with Nikki’s father. Nikki confronts Archer at Tybee Island and learns his mistress gave him an alibi.
Chapter 20
Sol performs a midnight ritual at a ruined sawmill pond. She sees a vision of a dark figure she identifies as the son of Satan.
Chapter 21
Jeanne LaRoux senses evil and grabs a machete. The killer overpowers her, smashes her skull, and slashes her throat.
Chapter 22
The killer treats a cut from Jeanne’s machete. He plays loud music to drown out his mother’s voice and etches a stone with the number three.
Chapter 23
Nikki spots Naomi Kittle meeting Knox Quinlan at the stables. She later treats the girls to ice cream while pondering the case.
Chapter 24
Chalice Brown visits Jeanne’s hut and finds her body hanging from the rafters. She flees and calls police from a gas station.
Chapter 25
Pierce and Sol investigate Jeanne’s murder. Her son Granger arrives to identify her body. Nikki appears at the scene.
Chapter 26
Nikki researches Granger’s criminal record late at night. A figure throws a rock through her windshield and keys “COP KILLER” on her car.
Chapter 27
Pierce concludes Toby vandalized Nikki’s car. Jamison calls to report Naomi missing. Pierce keeps the news from Nikki.
Chapter 28
Pierce finds Jamison distressed and collects details for a BOLO. He notices Jamison’s extreme tension and suspects hidden information.
Chapter 29
Lab reports show blood on the stones is a mix of human, goat, and cow blood. Sol suggests a sacrificial ritual. Kyle asks his sisters to attend Mavis’s funeral.
Chapter 30
Kyle reveals his card group includes Archer, Otis, Stoney, and Knox. Nikki learns Naomi often met Knox at the stables. Pierce says Naomi is officially missing.
Chapter 31
Nikki confronts Knox, who claims ignorance. Lily shows her a TV broadcast about Naomi’s disappearance. Nikki and Pierce meet at a local bar.
Chapter 32
Naomi’s car is spotted crossing back into Georgia. Celeste reveals she keyed Tom Fink’s car. Nikki discovers Westin Stark was Knox’s prison minister.
Chapter 33
Nikki suspects a silver SUV follows her home. She spots it later passing her house. She and Pierce share a moment of escape.
Chapter 34
At Mavis’s funeral, Westin delivers a hypocritical eulogy. Pierce gets word that Naomi’s submerged car was spotted. Nikki rides with him to the river.
Chapter 35
Divers recover Naomi’s purse, but the trunk is empty. Sol senses Naomi’s energy is not in the water. Nikki drives home feeling dread.
Chapter 36
Pierce confronts Jamison about Naomi’s affair. The argument turns physical, and they fall into the pool. Pierce tells Jamison to go home.
Chapter 37
The killer prepares a stone for Nikki. She sneaks into Jeanne’s hut and finds Naomi’s body hanging upside down.
Chapter 38
Granger LaRoux confronts Nikki with a shotgun. Arlo attacks him and saves her. Pierce and deputies arrive to secure the scene.
Chapter 39
Nikki learns the silver SUV belongs to All Christian Church. Sol and Pierce realize Jamison lied about trying for a baby. They head to arrest him.
Chapter 40
Duke Wheelan breaks into Nikki’s house for Chloe. Nikki and Lily fight him off with help from the dogs. Pierce and Sol arrest Jamison after a shootout.
Epilogue
Both killers await trial. Sol recovers from her wound. Nikki leaves the Sentinel to write a book. Toby accepts the garage apartment offer.
Teaser
In Las Vegas, Didi Storm drives with her newborn twins and a desperate plan. Her daughter Remmi hides in the cargo space. A boy waits for her at a desert park.
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