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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
Ha! if the following description makes any sense to you: "Hannigram with a genderswapped Hannibal Lecter" then I recommend this book.
It says on the cover something about the serial killer in it being like, Hannibal Lecter. Okay. Could be interesting, right? But there are a lot of those around. It still might be dull shit. But then. the back cover is all like, the serial killer is a woman. Hmm.. More interesting. You don't see that often. I could probably read it for some vicarious giggles. And then! It gets all *sexually tense* between her and the male detective that had been tracking her, and that she had intimately tortured for two weeks before turning herself in. And currently meets her every week in prison where they have *sexually tense* interrogations. Oh yeah! Gimme gimme gimme. Put it in my hands right now.
It doesn't get deliciously cray cray until the end when. I love it! These kind of books are best when they are crazier than a shithouse rat. The other mystery, or whatever, was BORING. But those are always BORING, amiright? They should just get like fan fiction and go directly to the good stuff (psychologically intense confrontations between tragically damaged people, with sex! lots of sex). The next book just gives in to the pulpy insanity and is much better for it. Not nearly as much sex as the stuff you find on ao3, but eh.
It says on the cover something about the serial killer in it being like, Hannibal Lecter. Okay. Could be interesting, right? But there are a lot of those around. It still might be dull shit. But then. the back cover is all like, the serial killer is a woman. Hmm.. More interesting. You don't see that often. I could probably read it for some vicarious giggles. And then! It gets all *sexually tense* between her and the male detective that had been tracking her, and that she had intimately tortured for two weeks before turning herself in. And currently meets her every week in prison where they have *sexually tense* interrogations. Oh yeah! Gimme gimme gimme. Put it in my hands right now.
It doesn't get deliciously cray cray until the end when
Spoiler
during one of their weekly interrogations the serial killer is all like, wanna hand job? and the detective is all like, OMG kinda.
So, most of the way through I was thinking "this is a good book, but not THAT good". Then I got to the end, and I was like, woah. Wow, do I sound like a teenager or what? Haha.
But really...that Gretchen Lowell is one twisted character. The stuff she did to Archie during the flashbacks made me want to scream in pain FOR him. I didn't really like Archie, or Susan for that matter, until about halfway through the book.
I'll definitely be reading the rest of the series. Definitely.
But really...that Gretchen Lowell is one twisted character. The stuff she did to Archie during the flashbacks made me want to scream in pain FOR him. I didn't really like Archie, or Susan for that matter, until about halfway through the book.
I'll definitely be reading the rest of the series. Definitely.
this was the first book that i have read by this author. i will continue the series i really did enjoy this one.
Really enjoyed this one! I listened to the audio and was pulled right in. The narrator's voice took a little getting used to but once that happened, I found that she really did a good job with these characters and the scope of the novel. This is the beginning in a serial killer mystery series featuring detective Archie Sheridan, who was kidnapped by a serial killer and almost died (don't worry, that's not a spoiler!). The novel opens with Archie in captivity and then flashes forward 2 years later so you see him in the aftermath of his kidnapping and torture. The book flashes between the current case Archie is working on and then flashes back to his kidnapping to gradually give the reader the story of what happened there. I found this book to be quite engaging, however it is definitely not for the squeamish! The descriptions can be very gruesome and detailed. I will definitely be continuing on with this series!
Somewhat predictable, but an interesting storyline that kept me entertained.
Gretchen Lowell is twisted. We know that from the start. Archie doesn't make for a traditional protagonist, but you root for him to overcome and win. With twists and turns, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.
December 2021
4/5 stars!
I have to say - this one was not as good as I remembered it to be! Don’t get me wrong - I still enjoyed it, but it doesn’t scream ‘best book of the year’ to me.
I don’t know if it was the ebook copy on Scribd that was weird or if the novel is actually written that way, but I found the text to be choppy. The story was often jumping from character to character without any evident separation. Definitely a turn off for me while reading.
Otherwise the story is decent, with some suspense and lots of graphic and brutal scenes where we relive Detective Archie Sheridan being tortured when he was caught in the grasps of the Beauty Killer. I liked how the past story was intertwined with the present. It adds a lot of backstory to Archie and helps with character flow.
All in all, I enjoyed it and will be continuing onto the next in the series!
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March 2011
5/5 stars!
Mm... what can I say?
This is a fabulous yet disturbing novel.
Heartsick opens with Archie Sheridan in the clutches of female serial killer, Gretchen Lowell. Archie is special to Gretchen because she is his 200th victim, her last victim. He is the man in charge of the task force that's been hunting her for the last ten years. After putting Archie through ten days of horrific mental and physical torture, Gretchen calls an ambulance for Archie and hands herself over to the police.
The main part of the novel is focused on the events two years following Archie's tragic experience. Archie is driven by this crazy obsession that Gretchen created when she tortured him continuously for ten days. Archie returns to the line of duty in search of a new killer who has been attacking teenage girls in the city of Portland, Oregon. He's being shadowed by a young reporter, Susan Ward, believing she is the only one who can help him delve into the mind of Gretchen.
This novel is filled with gruesome bits during Archie's ten days with Gretchen. You see how she tortures him and pushes him to the brink of death. It is quite disturbing in places, but leaves you wanting more, wondering what's going to happen next.
I don't want to say too much more about this novel, as it's really quite something and I don't want to give away anything. I think what I found most disturbing was the fact that Archie's captor was a female. And seeing how cold, calculating and callous she was really got to me. I am really happy I finally took the time to read this novel and I'm really looking forward to reading the next book in the Gretchen Lowell series, [b:Sweetheart|2983654|Sweetheart (Gretchen Lowell, #2)|Chelsea Cain|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255773725s/2983654.jpg|3014061].
4/5 stars!
I have to say - this one was not as good as I remembered it to be! Don’t get me wrong - I still enjoyed it, but it doesn’t scream ‘best book of the year’ to me.
I don’t know if it was the ebook copy on Scribd that was weird or if the novel is actually written that way, but I found the text to be choppy. The story was often jumping from character to character without any evident separation. Definitely a turn off for me while reading.
Otherwise the story is decent, with some suspense and lots of graphic and brutal scenes where we relive Detective Archie Sheridan being tortured when he was caught in the grasps of the Beauty Killer. I liked how the past story was intertwined with the present. It adds a lot of backstory to Archie and helps with character flow.
All in all, I enjoyed it and will be continuing onto the next in the series!
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March 2011
5/5 stars!
Mm... what can I say?
This is a fabulous yet disturbing novel.
Heartsick opens with Archie Sheridan in the clutches of female serial killer, Gretchen Lowell. Archie is special to Gretchen because she is his 200th victim, her last victim. He is the man in charge of the task force that's been hunting her for the last ten years. After putting Archie through ten days of horrific mental and physical torture, Gretchen calls an ambulance for Archie and hands herself over to the police.
The main part of the novel is focused on the events two years following Archie's tragic experience. Archie is driven by this crazy obsession that Gretchen created when she tortured him continuously for ten days. Archie returns to the line of duty in search of a new killer who has been attacking teenage girls in the city of Portland, Oregon. He's being shadowed by a young reporter, Susan Ward, believing she is the only one who can help him delve into the mind of Gretchen.
This novel is filled with gruesome bits during Archie's ten days with Gretchen. You see how she tortures him and pushes him to the brink of death. It is quite disturbing in places, but leaves you wanting more, wondering what's going to happen next.
I don't want to say too much more about this novel, as it's really quite something and I don't want to give away anything. I think what I found most disturbing was the fact that Archie's captor was a female. And seeing how cold, calculating and callous she was really got to me. I am really happy I finally took the time to read this novel and I'm really looking forward to reading the next book in the Gretchen Lowell series, [b:Sweetheart|2983654|Sweetheart (Gretchen Lowell, #2)|Chelsea Cain|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255773725s/2983654.jpg|3014061].
I was totally into it until the mid-end. I’m intrigued enough to listen to the others, though.