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gizandmurph's review against another edition
4.0
Ted Dekker is like a Christian Stephen King. Very interesting.
cutenanya's review against another edition
1.0
When I first read this book, I thought it was a debut because of the poor structure of the story. I had no idea until listening to the interview with the author that this book was written by a highly experienced author who has written more than 20 books! Seriously!? Maybe it's the writing style. I really cannot follow the plot (because there is not much to begin with). The premise of the story is great, you get a bunch of grisly murders where the murderer dressed the victims as bride and drained them to death. That part I liked. The rest just went downhill.
To begin, I never thought a book would fit this tag so perfectly: the police is way too dumb and here, not only are the police utterly useless, the FBI is not much better. Even FBI needs to hire consultant once in a while, and I have no problem the FBI trying to consult mentally ill but highly intelligent patients because after all, they are trying to catch a lunatic. HOWEVER, there is a difference between CONSULTING and RELYING on these patients to catch a serial killer. The FBI should WORK to get results, not just sit there and ASK others for help, especially when you have a forensic psychologist on your team. That's minus infinite stars but let's say at least minus one for now.
Then, there are the main cast. I love most of the patients, particularly Rudy because hey, they are playing the part. It's the folks outside of the facility I have problem with. The police is supposed to protect the forensic psychologist but it seems they are utterly hopeless in doing that. Then, there should be a team of guys working round the clock if they are going to try to catch a serial killer who has already murdered five women in a frenzy but nope, we seem to only have two people on the team, one is at a mental health facility and the other sipping tea with her mother. SERIOUSLY!? What kind of world is this!? I would be extremely scared if the FBI really works at this pace. There again, minus infinite stars but once again, just one right now.
The next problem is the focus on people who seemingly have mental disorders (or they would not be locked up) but I don't find them to be that mentally ill or the FBI wouldn't be consulting them. Also, Alison, the lady who runs the mental health facility is supposed to be watching her patients, not going about acting as a match maker. Erk, all these minus infinite stars really but another one for now.
I have still lots to rant but let's make this the last one: The finale where the FBI agent faces off the killer, is that a joke or something? First, Raines is a FBI agent, not superman, how the heck can he live so long with a bullet wound !? If he lays down, I can sorta believe it but this guy is running around and crashing himself into a pole for HOURS! How the heck can he still survive. Sorry, I have little knowledge about medicine but that seems WAY TOO FAR FETCH FOR ME. Then, Raines is a FBI agent and yet none of his hard training and brain power is useful against the killer. Maybe FBI should try letting him do the lecture instead. I guess maybe the author likes the killer but he is too omnipotent at this point. Finally, Paradise! Were this lady not a mentally ill patient, I would already have added the tag: heroine is way too dumb. Since she is suffering from schizophrenia, I can stay dumbfounded.
Overall, I would give this book negative ratings if only that were possible. At the moment, I'll stick with one. I highly discourage people wasting your precious time on a very illogical book (unless you enjoy watching the hero of the story being crushed by the intelligence of the killer).
P.S. That scene about the killer beating the boy in the toilet is completely unnecessary and only serves to disturb the readers without furthering the plot whatsoever! And even then the police cannot arrest him? What's the use of CCTV! Crazy book.
To begin, I never thought a book would fit this tag so perfectly: the police is way too dumb and here, not only are the police utterly useless, the FBI is not much better. Even FBI needs to hire consultant once in a while, and I have no problem the FBI trying to consult mentally ill but highly intelligent patients because after all, they are trying to catch a lunatic. HOWEVER, there is a difference between CONSULTING and RELYING on these patients to catch a serial killer. The FBI should WORK to get results, not just sit there and ASK others for help, especially when you have a forensic psychologist on your team. That's minus infinite stars but let's say at least minus one for now.
Then, there are the main cast. I love most of the patients, particularly Rudy because hey, they are playing the part. It's the folks outside of the facility I have problem with. The police is supposed to protect the forensic psychologist but it seems they are utterly hopeless in doing that. Then, there should be a team of guys working round the clock if they are going to try to catch a serial killer who has already murdered five women in a frenzy but nope, we seem to only have two people on the team, one is at a mental health facility and the other sipping tea with her mother. SERIOUSLY!? What kind of world is this!? I would be extremely scared if the FBI really works at this pace. There again, minus infinite stars but once again, just one right now.
The next problem is the focus on people who seemingly have mental disorders (or they would not be locked up) but I don't find them to be that mentally ill or the FBI wouldn't be consulting them. Also, Alison, the lady who runs the mental health facility is supposed to be watching her patients, not going about acting as a match maker. Erk, all these minus infinite stars really but another one for now.
I have still lots to rant but let's make this the last one: The finale where the FBI agent faces off the killer, is that a joke or something? First, Raines is a FBI agent, not superman, how the heck can he live so long with a bullet wound !? If he lays down, I can sorta believe it but this guy is running around and crashing himself into a pole for HOURS! How the heck can he still survive. Sorry, I have little knowledge about medicine but that seems WAY TOO FAR FETCH FOR ME. Then, Raines is a FBI agent and yet none of his hard training and brain power is useful against the killer. Maybe FBI should try letting him do the lecture instead. I guess maybe the author likes the killer but he is too omnipotent at this point. Finally, Paradise! Were this lady not a mentally ill patient, I would already have added the tag: heroine is way too dumb. Since she is suffering from schizophrenia, I can stay dumbfounded.
Overall, I would give this book negative ratings if only that were possible. At the moment, I'll stick with one. I highly discourage people wasting your precious time on a very illogical book (unless you enjoy watching the hero of the story being crushed by the intelligence of the killer).
P.S. That scene about the killer beating the boy in the toilet is completely unnecessary and only serves to disturb the readers without furthering the plot whatsoever! And even then the police cannot arrest him? What's the use of CCTV! Crazy book.
bnadams's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
rachelellyn's review against another edition
2.0
Oh my God, soooooo much head-talk. This book was like bumping into your friend's acquaintance at a shop and having to listen to her story about her great aunt's third cousin's purchase of a car, complete with the word by word Consumer Guide write up of said car.... and how the great aunt's third cousin felt about each feature of the new car both pro and con.
And all the while your head is bouncing between a debate of your viable escape routes of climbing out the bathroom window or jumping through the front pane glass shop window, mapping out each escape route, scoping the scene for a milk crate to step on the hoist your arse up to the level of bathroom window or which chair you should use to break the shop window so you don't cut yourself breaking the glass... could you break the glass... is it bulletproof... probably not, it's just a simple shop... does the bathroom have a window... and calculating how fat the social media videos will make you look if you do choose the front window plan.
Make it stop.
My advice is to smile and walk past this book.
And although the premise of this story was good, the amount of words it took to tell the story was not.
And all the while your head is bouncing between a debate of your viable escape routes of climbing out the bathroom window or jumping through the front pane glass shop window, mapping out each escape route, scoping the scene for a milk crate to step on the hoist your arse up to the level of bathroom window or which chair you should use to break the shop window so you don't cut yourself breaking the glass... could you break the glass... is it bulletproof... probably not, it's just a simple shop... does the bathroom have a window... and calculating how fat the social media videos will make you look if you do choose the front window plan.
Make it stop.
My advice is to smile and walk past this book.
And although the premise of this story was good, the amount of words it took to tell the story was not.
debs4jc's review against another edition
3.0
A FBI agent uses residents of a mental health institution to help him solve a crime involving a serial killer. It sounds so implausible, and at times I did find this story so, but it also led me on thrill ride with a lot of twists and turns --- and deaths. The serial killer is called the Bride Collector because he affixes his female victims to a wall, posed in nothing but a bridal veil, and then drains all the blood out of them at their heels--leaving them looking perfectly beautiful and "pure". His nemesis is Brad Raines--the lead FBI agent assigned to the case. As Raines investigates, a link between the killer and a nearby institution for mental health patients who are also highly intelligent is uncovered. As Raines checks out this link, he becomes aware of the special gifts of the residents at the institution, particularly of a woman named Paradise, and he hopes their talents can help him crack the case.
The race against time to stop the bride collector kept me wanting to keep listening to this story, but I did find some aspects of it unbelievable. I could not believe an FBI investigation would be allowed to be handled the way it is in this book. I did appreciate what the author was trying to do, in bringing awareness to an overlooked segment of our society and even making a person with a mental health disorder one of the heroes. However some of the interpersonal dynamics between Raines and the residents of the institution were hard to swallow as well. So I'd say this is a good thriller to enjoy for the shock value and some of the unique characters, just don't expect a high level of believably.
The race against time to stop the bride collector kept me wanting to keep listening to this story, but I did find some aspects of it unbelievable. I could not believe an FBI investigation would be allowed to be handled the way it is in this book. I did appreciate what the author was trying to do, in bringing awareness to an overlooked segment of our society and even making a person with a mental health disorder one of the heroes. However some of the interpersonal dynamics between Raines and the residents of the institution were hard to swallow as well. So I'd say this is a good thriller to enjoy for the shock value and some of the unique characters, just don't expect a high level of believably.
kelsie_siegfried's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars because the story was well written, I couldn’t put the book down. At times my hands were sweaty in anticipations. However the love story with the detective and mentally I’ll patient felt awkward and not believable. The overall message of their love story and growth of their characters made up for the strange relationship a little.
duparker's review against another edition
3.0
the jacket of this book says that you will read it in one sitting. After the first 50 pages, I agree with that sentiment. Then about 3 hours later, I hit page 340. There was a period of maybe 70 pages that kind of dragged on. Finally the ending of the book redeemed itself a bit, but took it from a 4-star to maybe at three and a half star. there are some portions of the plot that don't make sense and seem to be highly Continental, but overall the story has a good flow and the Mystery element rather the Thriller element is intact for a good portion of the book. The elements of the book that don't really work include the Paranormal / I'm reading a teen Thriller / Supernatural book. It just gets in the way of the otherwise really good thriller.
beastreader's review against another edition
4.0
A body of a woman hanging nailed to a wall, drained of blood and wearing a wedding veil has been found. Ok, if this sentence didn’t get your attention, then you might be dead… Just kidding.
FBI special agent Brad Raines is called onto the case. This is one of the most gruesome and puzzling case he has encountered. Brad is going to need all the help. How do you think like a serial killer…well you obtain knowledge from someone who can get into the mind of the serial killer. Brad meets Paradise. Paradise has schizophrenia but she also has a very special gift. The ability to be about to live through the victims of the Bride Collector by experiencing the women’s final moments before their death, when Paradise touches the dead body.
I have read several books by Mr. Dekker and enjoy his thriller work. I read Kiss which was a collaboration with Erin Healy and didn’t care for it as much. This book was dark and twisted…just the way I like my thrillers. Raines equally matched wits with the Bride Collector. This I found nice as there are some times when the killer is stronger or even weaker then the authorities. Paradise was the wild card in this book. She was intriguing. Though, sadly I didn’t really fell the romance between Paradise and Brad. There were plenty of action and a few surprises along the way. If you are a fan of thrillers, then you will want to check out The Bride Collector today.
FBI special agent Brad Raines is called onto the case. This is one of the most gruesome and puzzling case he has encountered. Brad is going to need all the help. How do you think like a serial killer…well you obtain knowledge from someone who can get into the mind of the serial killer. Brad meets Paradise. Paradise has schizophrenia but she also has a very special gift. The ability to be about to live through the victims of the Bride Collector by experiencing the women’s final moments before their death, when Paradise touches the dead body.
I have read several books by Mr. Dekker and enjoy his thriller work. I read Kiss which was a collaboration with Erin Healy and didn’t care for it as much. This book was dark and twisted…just the way I like my thrillers. Raines equally matched wits with the Bride Collector. This I found nice as there are some times when the killer is stronger or even weaker then the authorities. Paradise was the wild card in this book. She was intriguing. Though, sadly I didn’t really fell the romance between Paradise and Brad. There were plenty of action and a few surprises along the way. If you are a fan of thrillers, then you will want to check out The Bride Collector today.