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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
Goodreads just ate my review. Mutter, mutter.
I loved the evil Gretchen Lowell. She is everything and more, a top of the line sadistic serial killer. Archie Sheridan is a Vicodan popping detective suffering from flashbacks of his time spent with Gretchen. The psychological hold she has on Archie bounces him between obsession and Stockholm syndrome.
Sheridan is brought back (too soon) from his sick leave to solve a new series of murders. To add to his stress levels, the Portland Herald assigns their pink haired wunderkind, Susan Ward to shadow him on the job. Susan has all kinds of issues of her own and keeps the present day serial killer storyline interesting and not completely overshadowed by Sheridan's tortured flashbacks.
The ending is a bit too made-for-TV but in our culture of one hour shows like CSI and Criminal Minds, I had no problem suspending reality and going along for an entertaining ride.
A pleasure to read.
I loved the evil Gretchen Lowell. She is everything and more, a top of the line sadistic serial killer. Archie Sheridan is a Vicodan popping detective suffering from flashbacks of his time spent with Gretchen. The psychological hold she has on Archie bounces him between obsession and Stockholm syndrome.
Sheridan is brought back (too soon) from his sick leave to solve a new series of murders. To add to his stress levels, the Portland Herald assigns their pink haired wunderkind, Susan Ward to shadow him on the job. Susan has all kinds of issues of her own and keeps the present day serial killer storyline interesting and not completely overshadowed by Sheridan's tortured flashbacks.
The ending is a bit too made-for-TV but in our culture of one hour shows like CSI and Criminal Minds, I had no problem suspending reality and going along for an entertaining ride.
A pleasure to read.
CW: gore, substance abuse, torture, child death, rape/statutory rape, surgery, transphobic slurs
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
Read for the "Read the States" Challenge for: Oregon!
I also read this for my March 2021 challenge of only reading books by women writers for Women's History month! You can read more about my experience here!
A perfectly serviceable thriller. I did like the flip of the male cop/female serial killer dynamic. Normally it's the female cop who's been traumatized by a male serial killer. (Think, like, Rizzoli & Isles - great show, extremely trope-y lol. Or the archetype, Hannibal and Clarice, which I probably should have thought of first but didn't lol.) The character writing was much better than I usually expect out of thrillers, especially the interview scene between Susan and Debbie.
Very unfortunately, there was the use of a transphobic slur as a throw-away line so I dropped my rating a half star. We don't allow for that kind of language in this house. If you're going to use slurs like that, you gotta earn them with your story and plotlines and this book did not.
And since I'm reading this during my Women's History Month project, I just want to comment I think it's interesting that everyone is referred to by first names when I'm used to male writers referring to them with surnames... But maybe I just don't read enough thrillers? It seems like a distinct choice to me.
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
Read for the "Read the States" Challenge for: Oregon!
I also read this for my March 2021 challenge of only reading books by women writers for Women's History month! You can read more about my experience here!
A perfectly serviceable thriller. I did like the flip of the male cop/female serial killer dynamic. Normally it's the female cop who's been traumatized by a male serial killer. (Think, like, Rizzoli & Isles - great show, extremely trope-y lol. Or the archetype, Hannibal and Clarice, which I probably should have thought of first but didn't lol.) The character writing was much better than I usually expect out of thrillers, especially the interview scene between Susan and Debbie.
Very unfortunately, there was the use of a transphobic slur as a throw-away line so I dropped my rating a half star. We don't allow for that kind of language in this house. If you're going to use slurs like that, you gotta earn them with your story and plotlines and this book did not.
And since I'm reading this during my Women's History Month project, I just want to comment I think it's interesting that everyone is referred to by first names when I'm used to male writers referring to them with surnames... But maybe I just don't read enough thrillers? It seems like a distinct choice to me.
OMG!!!!! I could not read this fast enough. I am hooked!
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book was a bit messed up but I enjoyed it, especially since I didn't, figure out who the murderer was way before the characters in the book. I would be interested in reading more in the series in the future.
The detective and the serial killer
This mystery is very different from what I’m used it and I love it. We have our serial killer Gretchen who owns being crazy and is not afraid to show it and Archie, the detective who became her victim when she caught him while he was chasing her. For some reason, after torturing him for 10 days she calls in an ambulance for him and ends up turning herself in and is now in a maximum security prison. They have a very interesting relationship where he visits her every Sunday and they have this crazy attraction to each other. This was an extremely entertaining story and I can’t wait to read all the other books in the series.
This mystery is very different from what I’m used it and I love it. We have our serial killer Gretchen who owns being crazy and is not afraid to show it and Archie, the detective who became her victim when she caught him while he was chasing her. For some reason, after torturing him for 10 days she calls in an ambulance for him and ends up turning herself in and is now in a maximum security prison. They have a very interesting relationship where he visits her every Sunday and they have this crazy attraction to each other. This was an extremely entertaining story and I can’t wait to read all the other books in the series.
I enjoyed Heartsick enough to give it a 5. It was fast paced, interesting and sick enough to make you cringe. I do have one problem with it. Ms Cain needs to get better people to help with her medical facts. She had the drug combination wrong in Vicodin and the dosing wrong with lidocaine. Otherwise I didn't find much wrong with it. Looking forward to the next one.
medium-paced
Such a thrilling, captivating read. If you enjoyed "Gone Girl", then you'd certainly like this one.
Archie Sheridan was once kidnapped by the famed serial killer, Gretchen Lowell. After the kidnapping, Archie tries to resume his life--but could he? Fear escalates. Pain uprises. More kidnappings and murders happen--and who exactly is behind those?
This book is such a pleasure to read. Hard to put down, and hard to resist. Beautiful twistedness.
Archie Sheridan was once kidnapped by the famed serial killer, Gretchen Lowell. After the kidnapping, Archie tries to resume his life--but could he? Fear escalates. Pain uprises. More kidnappings and murders happen--and who exactly is behind those?
This book is such a pleasure to read. Hard to put down, and hard to resist. Beautiful twistedness.