athoffman18's review against another edition
4.0
Archie has been destroyed by Gretchen Lowell, emotionally and at one point physically. Trying to recover some semblance of who was before Gretchen, a case comes up that send him back to work. Is there a connection between this current case and Beauty Killer Case that nearly destroyed Archie?
As the new case unfolds, the pieces of what happened between Gretchen and Archie come together to point a truly terrible picture.
Chelsea Cain has now become on of my favorite mystery writers.
As the new case unfolds, the pieces of what happened between Gretchen and Archie come together to point a truly terrible picture.
Chelsea Cain has now become on of my favorite mystery writers.
pn_hinton's review against another edition
5.0
This is an awesome book with a rarity in the thriller world; a female serial killer. She does very well at establishing the Stockholm Syndrome relationship with Gretchen and Archie Sheridan and this book will leave you wanting to know more about all the characters.
novelesque_life's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 STARS
"He thinks he sees a flash of emotion in her eyes. Sympathy? Then it's gone. 'Whatever you think this is going to be like,' she whispers, 'it's going to be worse.' When beautiful serial killer Gretchen Lowell captured her last victim - the man in charge of hunting her down - she quickly established who was really in control of the investigation. So why, after ten days of horrifying physical and mental torture, did she release Detective Archie Sheridan from the brink of death and hand herself in? Two years on, Archie now returns to lead the search for a new killer, whose recent attacks on teenage girls have left the city of Portland reeling. Shadowed by vulnerable young reporter Susan Ward, Archie knows that only one person can help him climb into the mind of this psychopath. But can Archie finally manage to confront the demons of his past without being consumed by them? 'Dark, distressing and disturbing . . . Just pray you never meet Gretchen" (From Amazon)
I thought I would love this book, but I did not care for Archie or Gretchen... the characters or the forbidden lust. A better novelist is Karin Slaughter or Cody McFadyen.
"He thinks he sees a flash of emotion in her eyes. Sympathy? Then it's gone. 'Whatever you think this is going to be like,' she whispers, 'it's going to be worse.' When beautiful serial killer Gretchen Lowell captured her last victim - the man in charge of hunting her down - she quickly established who was really in control of the investigation. So why, after ten days of horrifying physical and mental torture, did she release Detective Archie Sheridan from the brink of death and hand herself in? Two years on, Archie now returns to lead the search for a new killer, whose recent attacks on teenage girls have left the city of Portland reeling. Shadowed by vulnerable young reporter Susan Ward, Archie knows that only one person can help him climb into the mind of this psychopath. But can Archie finally manage to confront the demons of his past without being consumed by them? 'Dark, distressing and disturbing . . . Just pray you never meet Gretchen" (From Amazon)
I thought I would love this book, but I did not care for Archie or Gretchen... the characters or the forbidden lust. A better novelist is Karin Slaughter or Cody McFadyen.
destiel74's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
It was a good little mystery. The story was similar to the ones I've read before, but the ending did cause it to stand out a little. I will be getting book 2.
n0sferatu_woman's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
lakecake's review against another edition
4.0
One chapter in, six ribs broken....yeah!
So, to update, after finishing the book, it was just as good as those six broken ribs implied. I don't know what that says about me...maybe I don't want to!
So, to update, after finishing the book, it was just as good as those six broken ribs implied. I don't know what that says about me...maybe I don't want to!
wolfchanreads's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
marco5599's review against another edition
0.5
So..
Another serial killer on the loose and somebody decides it's a good idea to have the investigation lead by a detective (Archie) who narrowly survived a previous serial killer case, hasn't been able to do anything since and is clearly not over the whole thing.
And that's not all.
Oh no. This wreck of a guy has to team up with a reporter (Susan) for pr reasons. Yes, pr reasons. A not so experienced journalist by the way, on a case that involves someone who will most likely be front page news in the upcoming weeks or more. Nationwide probably.
Still not done yet.
Archie, who swallows more painkillers a day than I suck on mints in a month, is, literally and figuratively, a walking collection of scars. Despite this he still visits Gretchen, the serial killer responsible for his battered body and soul, in jail, on a weekly bases and when his wife told him to stop doing so, because it doesn't exactly help him in any way (duh), he, I kid you not, chose the psycho killer over the mother of his two kids.
There's more.
There's Susan. She bangs her married boss. She has pink hair and dresses like she's about to interview Metallica, so hey, you can't say she's a bland character either, can you? Same goes for Gretchen. Aptly called the Beauty Killer. Yup, she's female, a hottie, an amateur surgeon slash doctor, connaisseur of FBI profiling and a full-blown psycho who loves to torment her prey. Wouldn't be surprised if she was something of a rocket scientist in her free time as well.
I mean, come on.
Maybe, in some universe, these type of characters can be called complex, fascinating or something like that. But not in mine. In my universe these are simply ridiculous. And this includes their actions. The torture for instance. An attempt to be gruesome so desperate, it becomes laughable. Like so much in this book. All one big joke. Not a sick one, as mentioned somewhere, but a dumb one.
Next.
P.S.
I'm a mint sucking monster. Go figure.
Another serial killer on the loose and somebody decides it's a good idea to have the investigation lead by a detective (Archie) who narrowly survived a previous serial killer case, hasn't been able to do anything since and is clearly not over the whole thing.
And that's not all.
Oh no. This wreck of a guy has to team up with a reporter (Susan) for pr reasons. Yes, pr reasons. A not so experienced journalist by the way, on a case that involves someone who will most likely be front page news in the upcoming weeks or more. Nationwide probably.
Still not done yet.
Archie, who swallows more painkillers a day than I suck on mints in a month, is, literally and figuratively, a walking collection of scars. Despite this he still visits Gretchen, the serial killer responsible for his battered body and soul, in jail, on a weekly bases and when his wife told him to stop doing so, because it doesn't exactly help him in any way (duh), he, I kid you not, chose the psycho killer over the mother of his two kids.
There's more.
There's Susan. She bangs her married boss. She has pink hair and dresses like she's about to interview Metallica, so hey, you can't say she's a bland character either, can you? Same goes for Gretchen. Aptly called the Beauty Killer. Yup, she's female, a hottie, an amateur surgeon slash doctor, connaisseur of FBI profiling and a full-blown psycho who loves to torment her prey. Wouldn't be surprised if she was something of a rocket scientist in her free time as well.
I mean, come on.
Maybe, in some universe, these type of characters can be called complex, fascinating or something like that. But not in mine. In my universe these are simply ridiculous. And this includes their actions. The torture for instance. An attempt to be gruesome so desperate, it becomes laughable. Like so much in this book. All one big joke. Not a sick one, as mentioned somewhere, but a dumb one.
Next.
P.S.
I'm a mint sucking monster. Go figure.
wizardmacdonald's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
whaney's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting listen. A lot of things are left unsaid so you keep wondering what is really going on in Archie's head. Why did he choose Susan? What's really going on with Gretchen? Even at the end of the book there seems way more to the story that wasn't told. So, I'll be looking for the next one.