Archie Sheridan, the pill-popping hero cop from Heartsick, is back. He hasn’t seen serial killer Gretchen Lowell for months (after seeing her once a week for 2 years) and is trying to put his life back together with his ex-wife and his children. Then a girl’s body is found in the woods, reminiscent of Gretchen’s first victim, but this time it’s tied up with Susan Ward’s story about the Senator Castle’s past affair with 14 year old Molly Palmer. Gretchen Lowell escapes from prison and Archie is the only one who has the chance to capture her. Can he separate himself from her forever and send her back to jail?
My favorite character in this novel is Gretchen Lowell, the contemporary of Hannibal Lecter. Her prowess at manipulating people is still a big part of the story, but a softer side of her is also shown. She actually cares about Archie and maybe loves him in some twisted way. It was nice to see her a little vulnerable. She is the villain, but she’s also sort of an anti-hero. I want her to get caught, but some small part of me wants her to succeed and get away because she’s a compelling character. I can see a small glimpse of why Archie is so obsessed with her. Their relationship is more fleshed out in this novel, rationalizing her power over him.
The story is fast paced and exciting. When Gretchen calls Archie from his children’s school after she escaped, my heart was pounding. I couldn’t put this book down. The two plot lines were handled very well and resolved in interesting ways. I can’t wait for what the future holds for these characters.
4/5
2 comments:
great review, the book really sounds scary :(
"When Gretchen calls Archie from his children’s school after she escaped, my heart was pounding." I love reading a book that actually makes you react. Awesome.
Great review (as always)
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