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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It’s really TWISTED! –yet incredibly intriguing
Heart Sick is the story of Archie, a married father of two and a police detective, who spent ten years heading up a task force whose sole purpose was to capture a particularly heinous, evil and prolific serial killer. In a cruel twist of fate she (the serial killer, yes there in lies one of the many rubs in this book, the serial killer is a woman) captures and tortures him – unbelievably he survives. And so the story of how he is tortured to death, yes I said death, AND then is revived, yes I said revived, by the serial killer (her name is Gretchen if you must know) begins. While he is strapped down to a table and tortured to death an inextricable bond is formed between victim and torturer. I warned you, twisted.
The book reveals all of this slowly and is really the B plot in the book. You’re thinking there’s more? Well, yes there is; a lot more. The A plot happens two years after the B plot (remember B plot is capture, torture, death, resurrection, rescue) A Plot revolves around a new task force that Archie is leading. Its purpose: you guessed it, to catch a new serial killer.
Ms. Cain does an excellent job of weaving these two story lines together and illuminating just enough of both past and present to whet your appetite and create maximum tension while revealing back stories that motivate the characters in present day.
Even though Gretchen (the serial killer) is in prison for the rest of her natural born days, her relationship with Archie is still alive and well and prominently figures into his present day life. Their relationship is sick, heart sick, and is the crux for Archie’s every waking breath.
Heart Sick is crafted in such a way that both the A and B Plot are parallel lines that slowly and beautifully intersect. And that is the brilliance of it. You never see the convergence of these two lines until it appears before you on the page. When the lines finally do cross, it all becomes clear and at the same time leaves you wanting more. No worries on that score, there is a sequel.
This book crossed all of my boundaries. I mean this is the kind of stuff that is splashed across the headline news for maximum exposure and readership. The kind of stuff I stalwartly avoid; I will not give into this kind of news. However, I found myself fascinated, fascinated I tell you, and could not put this book down. I don’t have a clear answer as to why that is. Perhaps it was because the book was so well written, the characters well thought out and the premise both horrifying and intriguing at the same time. As, I’ve said, it’s very twisted but the dynamics, story arc, character motivations and dialog are interwoven and written in such a way that I kept turning the pages… I needed to find out what would happen next. It was powerful and different; but certainly not for the faint of heart. Think Dexter with a twist. With Heart Sick, I crossed a boundary in my reading taste that I never thought I’d cross and I’m ready for more.
Heart Sick is the story of Archie, a married father of two and a police detective, who spent ten years heading up a task force whose sole purpose was to capture a particularly heinous, evil and prolific serial killer. In a cruel twist of fate she (the serial killer, yes there in lies one of the many rubs in this book, the serial killer is a woman) captures and tortures him – unbelievably he survives. And so the story of how he is tortured to death, yes I said death, AND then is revived, yes I said revived, by the serial killer (her name is Gretchen if you must know) begins. While he is strapped down to a table and tortured to death an inextricable bond is formed between victim and torturer. I warned you, twisted.
The book reveals all of this slowly and is really the B plot in the book. You’re thinking there’s more? Well, yes there is; a lot more. The A plot happens two years after the B plot (remember B plot is capture, torture, death, resurrection, rescue) A Plot revolves around a new task force that Archie is leading. Its purpose: you guessed it, to catch a new serial killer.
Ms. Cain does an excellent job of weaving these two story lines together and illuminating just enough of both past and present to whet your appetite and create maximum tension while revealing back stories that motivate the characters in present day.
Even though Gretchen (the serial killer) is in prison for the rest of her natural born days, her relationship with Archie is still alive and well and prominently figures into his present day life. Their relationship is sick, heart sick, and is the crux for Archie’s every waking breath.
Heart Sick is crafted in such a way that both the A and B Plot are parallel lines that slowly and beautifully intersect. And that is the brilliance of it. You never see the convergence of these two lines until it appears before you on the page. When the lines finally do cross, it all becomes clear and at the same time leaves you wanting more. No worries on that score, there is a sequel.
This book crossed all of my boundaries. I mean this is the kind of stuff that is splashed across the headline news for maximum exposure and readership. The kind of stuff I stalwartly avoid; I will not give into this kind of news. However, I found myself fascinated, fascinated I tell you, and could not put this book down. I don’t have a clear answer as to why that is. Perhaps it was because the book was so well written, the characters well thought out and the premise both horrifying and intriguing at the same time. As, I’ve said, it’s very twisted but the dynamics, story arc, character motivations and dialog are interwoven and written in such a way that I kept turning the pages… I needed to find out what would happen next. It was powerful and different; but certainly not for the faint of heart. Think Dexter with a twist. With Heart Sick, I crossed a boundary in my reading taste that I never thought I’d cross and I’m ready for more.
From page one you are totally hooked! This was a fast, page-turner that I could not put down. This book is not for the faint-hearted as the torture scenese are very gruesome. However, for me, I found the psychological addiction between kidnapper/torturer and victim to be most disturbing.
THe story goes back and forth between the detective's captivity with a female serial killer and a current serial killer case he is working on. I found I was more interested in his captivity and current relationship with his captive than I was with the case he was working on. I didn't really care anything about it. In the end, however, it all became clear. Highly recommend.
THe story goes back and forth between the detective's captivity with a female serial killer and a current serial killer case he is working on. I found I was more interested in his captivity and current relationship with his captive than I was with the case he was working on. I didn't really care anything about it. In the end, however, it all became clear. Highly recommend.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
loving it! it satisfies my morbid love of the serial killer genre AND takes me back to my old hometown of Portland, OR. it's one of those you fight sleep for bc you can't put it down!
Ok I'm going to be honest, I have failed to read the Archie Sheridan and Gretchen Lowell books in order. Unfortunately I didn't realize it at the time but having read the first book in the series now I realize how fatal the error was on my part. So much of what I had read before suddenly makes more sense. Don't be alarmed, Archie Sheridan is still an annoying character in my mind which is intriguing, but now I understand the depth of his characterization more. It is so utterly interesting to me that this character has such a strong connection to the psychopathic killer that is Gretchen Lowell.
Now Susan, she is one of my favorite characters I've ever read! She truly the comedic relief of the entire series which I am thankful for. I had never understood the bond her and Archie shared up until I read this book. Beyond that I never fully understood the weird bond between Archie and Gretchen but after having read this book I get it now. And some sick, twisted part of me (I can hear Gretchen Lowell saying something about this) was enjoying the interaction between Sheridan and Lowell in the interrogation room scenes.
While a lot of the book is filled with some insanely grotesque details it certainly lives up to the Thriller genre it is a part of. Chelsea Cain truly has a style all her own because I finished the book in a day.
Now Susan, she is one of my favorite characters I've ever read! She truly the comedic relief of the entire series which I am thankful for. I had never understood the bond her and Archie shared up until I read this book. Beyond that I never fully understood the weird bond between Archie and Gretchen but after having read this book I get it now. And some sick, twisted part of me (I can hear Gretchen Lowell saying something about this) was enjoying the interaction between Sheridan and Lowell in the interrogation room scenes.
While a lot of the book is filled with some insanely grotesque details it certainly lives up to the Thriller genre it is a part of. Chelsea Cain truly has a style all her own because I finished the book in a day.
Maybe it's because I read it on audio, but parts of this one made me queasy. That's a good thing.
dark
tense
medium-paced
This is my first book by Cain. It was a great crime novel. I love a 'twisted' suspense thriller. I am hooked on the Gretchen Lowell series now.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
kinda silly but compelling & fun
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Drug abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent
Minor: Homophobia, Transphobia, Vomit
random use of T and D slurs on one occasion each