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necrabelle's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
dewey_scrapper's review against another edition
5.0
How have I never read Alex Kava before? Can’t wait to get my hands on the next one.
kmheselton's review against another edition
2.0
This was an okay book, but I found that I had a good bead on the plot early on. There weren't really any surprises, aside from the fact that the author felt the only way to generate sexual tension between characters was to have the male protagonist 'accidentally' brush a breast or thigh. Often. Like every time the two protagonists were together. That got old fast and felt a little juvenile. I've been in a book drought lately though, so it filled the empty space on my shelf for now. I might try another book in the series to see if the author progressed as the series continued.
jen_is_booked's review against another edition
4.0
What a gruesomely fun read! A serial killer is killing little boys, carving them up and leaving them on the riverbank. The FBI's best profiler, Maggie O'Dell is called in to assist the local Sheriff, Nick Morelli, on the case. This story moves pretty fast, so you really need to buckle in. I also really like how it wasn't only about the case, there were other issues, feelings, and situations all going on and making it difficult to trust your instincts on who was really the killer. The ending was satisfying in it's dissatisfaction if that makes any sense (I do believe it will when you read it). I most definitely will continue on with the series, I'm hooked!
tarahoc's review against another edition
4.0
Creepy but in the end easy to solve
A quick read, parts were scary but ultimately easy to figure out who did it. Good enough to try another book in the series.
A quick read, parts were scary but ultimately easy to figure out who did it. Good enough to try another book in the series.
jannenemarie's review against another edition
3.0
It was a good story. It had characters that you really got to know. There were a few red herrings thrown out for the killer but you eventually knew who it was which is why this book doesn't get a higher rating from me. You really grew to love Maggie and wanted her nightmares to end but the ending leaves you wanting to read the next book to see what happens...
lauren91's review against another edition
3.0
Just hit 3*
This is my first read of Alex Kava. I enjoyed it, although I didn’t really connect with the characters. I felt Nick didn’t really have any depth to his character, he was a useless sheriff and a man whore. When Timmy was kidnapped, I thought this is where we see more from Christine and Nick, but it was more in the background whilst Christine was more focused on going on a TV news broadcast and Nick with his feelings for Maggie. I will try the next book and hope the depth of the books are more developed.
This is my first read of Alex Kava. I enjoyed it, although I didn’t really connect with the characters. I felt Nick didn’t really have any depth to his character, he was a useless sheriff and a man whore. When Timmy was kidnapped, I thought this is where we see more from Christine and Nick, but it was more in the background whilst Christine was more focused on going on a TV news broadcast and Nick with his feelings for Maggie. I will try the next book and hope the depth of the books are more developed.
novelesque_life's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 STARS
" serial killer eludes an FBI profiler and a smalltown Nebraska sheriff in Kava's engaging debut, which manages to remain entertaining despite a fairly conventional plot line. As the story opens, recently appointed Sheriff Nick Morelli is as relieved as the rest of the citizens of Platte City that his predecessor, who also happens to be his father, has captured the child killer who plagued the town. But after the killer is executed, another child is discovered dead, and Morelli realizes that the convicted man was in fact a copycat killer, leaving the original criminal still on the prowl. Morelli gets some much-needed help in the investigation from FBI profiler Maggie O'Dell, but the hunt gets complicated when Morelli's sister, a journalist, leaks info to the media. Things become even stickier when O'Dell unearths a couple of unlikely suspects who've been dismissed by the police, and the search takes on a new level of urgency when Morelli's nephew is abducted and appears to be the next victim. Kava keeps her prose simple, but she does a nice job of setting up the chemistry between O'Dell and Morelli while balancing the various family issues Morelli faces in the investigation. She also makes good use of the smalltown milieu, tightening the tension by establishing that the killer is part of the fabric of the community. The result is a well-crafted page-turner involving the reader in the specter of murder in an intimate and disturbing fashion, with a plausible setup for a sequel." (From Amazon)
I love Maggie O'Dell! She is what a strong female lead should be, a fabulous story and great chemistry between the characters.
" serial killer eludes an FBI profiler and a smalltown Nebraska sheriff in Kava's engaging debut, which manages to remain entertaining despite a fairly conventional plot line. As the story opens, recently appointed Sheriff Nick Morelli is as relieved as the rest of the citizens of Platte City that his predecessor, who also happens to be his father, has captured the child killer who plagued the town. But after the killer is executed, another child is discovered dead, and Morelli realizes that the convicted man was in fact a copycat killer, leaving the original criminal still on the prowl. Morelli gets some much-needed help in the investigation from FBI profiler Maggie O'Dell, but the hunt gets complicated when Morelli's sister, a journalist, leaks info to the media. Things become even stickier when O'Dell unearths a couple of unlikely suspects who've been dismissed by the police, and the search takes on a new level of urgency when Morelli's nephew is abducted and appears to be the next victim. Kava keeps her prose simple, but she does a nice job of setting up the chemistry between O'Dell and Morelli while balancing the various family issues Morelli faces in the investigation. She also makes good use of the smalltown milieu, tightening the tension by establishing that the killer is part of the fabric of the community. The result is a well-crafted page-turner involving the reader in the specter of murder in an intimate and disturbing fashion, with a plausible setup for a sequel." (From Amazon)
I love Maggie O'Dell! She is what a strong female lead should be, a fabulous story and great chemistry between the characters.