You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
This was good, pretty much what I expected. A fast paced crime novel. It was definitely the most twisted thing I can remember reading in recent history, I can barely even grasp what Archie must go through, being so involved with the woman who tortured him for 10 days.
Anyway...it was worth reading, and I'll have to read the next in the series soon.
Anyway...it was worth reading, and I'll have to read the next in the series soon.
Serial killer? Okay, I'll check it out...
The writing feels like a first effort. It's not a bad read, but it's not going to knock King or Koontz off their perches.
What I found weird was that a woman author wrote a male protagonist, and surrounded him with two strong(ly represented, but poorly realized) female characters and a few female cyphers. I guess she's going for the "female is the deadlier of the species" thing with the female serial killer; and since Cain wants to tell the story from the POV of the detective, but also wants some sexual chemistry between the killer and the detective, I guess she felt she HAD to make the detective male...? Definitely Archie Sheridan is the least interesting of the characters in this series; but very few of the characters ever really get explored. There's a lot of cookie-cutter, 2-dimensional characters making their way through this story.
The most interesting character is the serial killer, who is ALMOST developed into a real human as the story moves along through the various books.
The main female sidekick is unreflective and self-destructive, but passes it off as "I'm a real rebellious woman who doesn't have to conform to your rules, Society!" But it mostly comes off as a lack of interest (or ability) by the author to give her a real personality.
Don't get me wrong - I read all of the titles up through the fifth (sixth?) one. They kind of run together, but they're not a terrible read.
TL/DR: If you want to read about a copy chasing a killer, this could be for you. Just don't expect it to be amazing.
The writing feels like a first effort. It's not a bad read, but it's not going to knock King or Koontz off their perches.
What I found weird was that a woman author wrote a male protagonist, and surrounded him with two strong(ly represented, but poorly realized) female characters and a few female cyphers. I guess she's going for the "female is the deadlier of the species" thing with the female serial killer; and since Cain wants to tell the story from the POV of the detective, but also wants some sexual chemistry between the killer and the detective, I guess she felt she HAD to make the detective male...? Definitely Archie Sheridan is the least interesting of the characters in this series; but very few of the characters ever really get explored. There's a lot of cookie-cutter, 2-dimensional characters making their way through this story.
The most interesting character is the serial killer, who is ALMOST developed into a real human as the story moves along through the various books.
The main female sidekick is unreflective and self-destructive, but passes it off as "I'm a real rebellious woman who doesn't have to conform to your rules, Society!" But it mostly comes off as a lack of interest (or ability) by the author to give her a real personality.
Don't get me wrong - I read all of the titles up through the fifth (sixth?) one. They kind of run together, but they're not a terrible read.
TL/DR: If you want to read about a copy chasing a killer, this could be for you. Just don't expect it to be amazing.
A Great Reread!! It feels less gruesome than when I first read it years ago...
This was a really good book! Most of the characters were representative of their life rolls. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good detective story!
Grabbed me from the first page. Looking forward to reading the next in this series.
The book opens with Detective Archie Sheridan being brutally tortured by the serial killer that he had been tracking for ten years. He knows everything about her and what she is going to do to him before she even does it.
There is just one twist though... she turns herself in and lets him go. Now Archie must live his life wondering why she let him go and replaying the images of those near death days over and over again.
Gretchen, the cunningly beautiful and twisted serial killer, is now in prison serving time for the deaths that she has caused and Archie is unsuccessfully trying to rebuild his life. He is addicted to pain medication, distant from his family and friends, and barely resembles the man that he once was.
When another killer begins to snatch teenage girls in the city of Portland, Archie has to pull himself together to lead a new task force to investigate these murders and lead them again through the mind of a serial killer.
This time though, his every move is being documented by Susan Ward, a newspaper reporter, anxious to share the real and true story of his time with Gretchen Lowell.
All of the characters are brought together in a surprising way as they try to capture the killer and bring him to justice.
If you are into suspense, mystery, or are looking for a really good thriller, this series kicks off fantastically with Heartsick and makes me excited to continue this series!
There is just one twist though... she turns herself in and lets him go. Now Archie must live his life wondering why she let him go and replaying the images of those near death days over and over again.
Gretchen, the cunningly beautiful and twisted serial killer, is now in prison serving time for the deaths that she has caused and Archie is unsuccessfully trying to rebuild his life. He is addicted to pain medication, distant from his family and friends, and barely resembles the man that he once was.
When another killer begins to snatch teenage girls in the city of Portland, Archie has to pull himself together to lead a new task force to investigate these murders and lead them again through the mind of a serial killer.
This time though, his every move is being documented by Susan Ward, a newspaper reporter, anxious to share the real and true story of his time with Gretchen Lowell.
All of the characters are brought together in a surprising way as they try to capture the killer and bring him to justice.
If you are into suspense, mystery, or are looking for a really good thriller, this series kicks off fantastically with Heartsick and makes me excited to continue this series!
dark
mysterious
tense
Really fun! Love the villain, protagonist detective is really well written, and the young sidekick is fully fleshed out.
Great mystery splashed with a psychological look at the relationship between an unusual serial killer and her victim. I recommend it.
Love this series! Fast paced and engaging... Great way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon.
This is not a novel for the faint of heart. There are a few graphic scenes that made me cringe. And I also didn't appreciate some of the language (my opinion is that obviously intelligent characters ought to have a more diverse vocabulary). But this was a seriously engrossing novel. I have never read a book that depicts a serial killer and one of her victims in this way. I love the way the book was written with the flashbacks and how the story unfolds is expertly done. The characters are fully drawn and interesting. Central character Archie Sheridan is very intriguing. It is hard not to pity him, but he is also admirable with all of his very disturbing faults. I can't wait to get my hands on the second installment.