mikepage7176's review against another edition
5.0
This is my favorite thriller of all time. Only the most foolish of mice would hide in a cat's ear, but only the wisest of cats would look there. I picked this up years ago off a table at work full of free books to borrow during a break, and once I got started, I couldn't put it down. It's off the charts in its story telling, cleverly written, paced insanely well, and you won't guess the secret.
Without doubt the best story of the genre. It's weaving something you can't fully understand to start, but realize later how much larger it was than anticipated. It's not just a serial killer case; it has spy story elements, it hearkens back to the Jonestown massacre, issues of family and deaths, etc. James can set a scene so well, and his descriptions are unique but work great in this genre. An alarm at one point is described drum drum drum..., invading the flow of the story; a count down - Keep the countdown going in my head... 12... 11... I sped toward the steps...10... These types of things are fun to read, immersing you in the story a bit more than just narrative description. He jumps back and forth between view points, creating a tension that mounts and grows until it bursts. Some people you are rooting for don't make it to the end. The pacing is enthralling, you never rest, or hit large periods of exposition, to the point the hero doesn't even have time to process everything. You are stuck and pulled along with the protagonists in the rapid pace of the story. I've read the story once and listened to it once, and even though this was my second time reading, I was still shaking by the climax.
The characters are fun. The Illusionist is so macabre, has background, and his sinister level is off the charts. The protagonist is confused, struggles to understand his place, how to relate to his step daughter. His boss is a pain in the neck. His friends have history, his romantic interest is complex and hard to understand.
I didn't know it's author's Christian background at the time (nor once the novel was completed - it's not evangelistic), but I felt that the parts that are often hard to relate to in other similar stories were noticeably missing from this one, and that was a huge plus. Overtly sexualized women, laissez faire attitudes towards sex, vulgarity, drug abuse, protagonists you can't stand, morally compromised heroes, etc., were all missing and I'm thankful. There's a reality to a guy who's lost a wife and struggles through it that this novel really embraces, but avoids the nihilistic approach so many of these deep dark heroes use to deal with the heaviness of their work. It's seems like it's the secondary plot but in many ways it keeps pushing through, just like real life.
I can't say enough about how much I love this story.
Without doubt the best story of the genre. It's weaving something you can't fully understand to start, but realize later how much larger it was than anticipated. It's not just a serial killer case; it has spy story elements, it hearkens back to the Jonestown massacre, issues of family and deaths, etc. James can set a scene so well, and his descriptions are unique but work great in this genre. An alarm at one point is described drum drum drum..., invading the flow of the story; a count down - Keep the countdown going in my head... 12... 11... I sped toward the steps...10... These types of things are fun to read, immersing you in the story a bit more than just narrative description. He jumps back and forth between view points, creating a tension that mounts and grows until it bursts. Some people you are rooting for don't make it to the end. The pacing is enthralling, you never rest, or hit large periods of exposition, to the point the hero doesn't even have time to process everything. You are stuck and pulled along with the protagonists in the rapid pace of the story. I've read the story once and listened to it once, and even though this was my second time reading, I was still shaking by the climax.
The characters are fun.
Spoiler
Especially the villains! To name them all would be a huge spoiler since you don't know how many their are until the end.I didn't know it's author's Christian background at the time (nor once the novel was completed - it's not evangelistic), but I felt that the parts that are often hard to relate to in other similar stories were noticeably missing from this one, and that was a huge plus. Overtly sexualized women, laissez faire attitudes towards sex, vulgarity, drug abuse, protagonists you can't stand, morally compromised heroes, etc., were all missing and I'm thankful. There's a reality to a guy who's lost a wife and struggles through it that this novel really embraces, but avoids the nihilistic approach so many of these deep dark heroes use to deal with the heaviness of their work. It's seems like it's the secondary plot but in many ways it keeps pushing through, just like real life.
I can't say enough about how much I love this story.
tabatha_shipley's review against another edition
4.0
Fast-paced and thrilling!
This one kept me guessing. Recommended for all thriller fans!
This one kept me guessing. Recommended for all thriller fans!
geneticginger's review against another edition
4.0
Such a great book! It kept me guessing and wondering the whole time and really caused me to think.
josiahdegraaf's review against another edition
4.0
This is one of those rare mystery books that both depicts a very intriguing mystery case, and also raises some of life's greatest questions from a Christian perspective without being preachy. A lot of the characters were very well developed, making the exchange between characters not relating to the central mystery just as interesting as the search for the killer itself. The villain of the book was also set up very well so as not to be a blank villain that doesn't have any real motivations. On the contrary, while the villain was insane and very twisted, he was also a fascinating--while horrifying--villain. My only qualms about the story is that I felt that the ending was a bit too rushed, and didn't resolve enough of the plot lines relating to the villain's real schemes and other characters involved. Overall, however, it was a very good read.
4-4.5 stars.
4-4.5 stars.
emmarj's review against another edition
2.0
There are much better mystery thrillers out there. This one isn't BAD, it's just not anything special.
The plot is very interesting but the characters are so cliché and predictable that I couldn't make myself care about them. Bumbling genius FBI dude. Female FBI agent with a chip on her shoulder and a mysterious past. Angsty teenager wears all black and self mutilates. Crazypants dudes running amok.
I don't even know what else to say about this I'm so apathetic about it. Whatevs. It was a book. It did book things and then went along its merry book way.
The plot is very interesting but the characters are so cliché and predictable that I couldn't make myself care about them. Bumbling genius FBI dude. Female FBI agent with a chip on her shoulder and a mysterious past. Angsty teenager wears all black and self mutilates. Crazypants dudes running amok.
I don't even know what else to say about this I'm so apathetic about it. Whatevs. It was a book. It did book things and then went along its merry book way.
ryanjamesburt's review against another edition
3.0
The whole time I was reading this book I was trying to decide if I like serial killer books. I got a bit of a creepy vibe while reading this book. I imagine that is a good thing when reading a book like this.
I liked the story. some good twists back and forth. I wanted to route for Patrick Bowers. But who wouldn't you route for over a serial killer.
I would recommend this book to people who like this genre.
I liked the story. some good twists back and forth. I wanted to route for Patrick Bowers. But who wouldn't you route for over a serial killer.
I would recommend this book to people who like this genre.
mepitts's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I wanted to like this book more than I did. I was drawn to it because the author identifies as a person of faith but was disappointed to find that not only were the spiritual references subtle to the point of invisibility but conversely there were more detailed descriptions of “emotional and physical torture” than in any purely secular novels I have ever read. Also, as a coffee drinker who spent three years in Kenya, while it’s possible to identify coffees by nations, I find it VERY unlikely that someone could identify it by sub-region—too much variety in roasting, etc for that. It just seemed pretentious. And Spoiler may have been great for the plot in a novel but it would be a STUPID thing for a stepdad to do in real life. I’ll probably try one more novel in the series, but if it’s as gratuitously violent or as void in the spiritual subtext as this one, it will probably be my last. Hoping for the best!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Violence
sandra_magdy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0