Annette's Book Spot: serial killers

Showing posts with label serial killers. Show all posts

Saturday, June 24, 2023

Book Review: Paradox, by Catherine Coulter

Paradox, by Catherine Coulter book cover and review

I almost forgot about this book! A friend gave it to me and I read it on a camping trip and then left it in a Little Free Library.

Paradox is #22 in the FBI Thriller series, but the first one I've read. It was a quick, enjoyable read.

The main characters are Sherlock and Savich, a married couple, who thwart an attempted kidnapping of their young son. In the meantime, Chief Ty Christie witnesses a murder on the lake from the deck of her cottage.

When they drag the lake, they find a lot of old bones, and so the FBI (Savich) is called in. There are some twists and turns. The killer is known as the characters investigate. It has been a while since I read this and I don't remember many details. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but pretty much my experience with thrillers of this type.

I'm not a big detective series reader. Usually one or two books then I move on. I would be willing to experience these characters again, but not 21 more times! Also, just FYI, Savich has "visions" that help solve these crimes. I was OK with it, but some may think that is kind of a cop-out. Just sayin'...

If you are looking for a new set of police/detective characters to follow, Paradox would be worth a try. Nothing spectacular, but certainly kept my interest.

Published by Gallery Books, 2018
Copy obtained from a friend
448 pages

Rating: 3/5

Monday, August 1, 2022

Audiobook Review: Blood Sugar, by Sascha Rothchild

Blood Sugar by Sascha Rothchild book cover and review

I found the premise of Blood Sugar to be interesting and unique.

Ruby has killed three people, beginning when she was just five years old. We begin the story when she is being interrogated by a police detective about the fact that she, in her 30-some years, has been present at the tragic deaths of four different people.

In fact, she was more than present. As the interrogation goes on, we go back in time and hear Ruby's side of the story. All the people she killed deserved it. Ruby isn't a psychopath. She is a therapist with a successful practice. And she is happily married. But when her diabetic husband dies in his sleep, the detective begins to look at Ruby. So now she must defend herself, against the police and public opinion, from the one death for which she wasn't responsible.

Ruby is such an interesting character and I loved the way the story was told. She's really a murderer you can get behind and root for! I really enjoyed the book but felt the ending fizzled a bit. It wasn't very dramatic or surprising; although it was satisfying.

Allyson Ryan is the narrator and if I'm totally honest, she wasn't my favorite. She has this high-pitched lilting voice that I found a bit annoying at times. But not enough to quit, and it probably wouldn't stop me from listening to another book she narrates.

All-in-all, I recommend Blood Sugar if you are interested in a different kind of serial killer. There's no blood or gore, and it is interesting to be found rooting for her to get away with her crimes.

Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons, April 19, 2022, Penguin Audio
Audiobook obtained from libro.fm
336 pages

Rating: 4/5

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Book Review: Cross the Line, by James Patterson

Cross the Line by James Patterson book cover and review

Alex Cross novels never fail to entertain, and Cross the Line is no different. I've read several other books and series that Patterson has written, but I don't enjoy any of them as much as Cross novels.

The plot details probably aren't important. If you like these novels, then you'll like this one. But here's a bit about it anyway:

A few things going on. A road rage vigilante killer, who preys on those that drive expensive, fancy cars. And another killer has killed a police officer. Then there's the terrorist group killing large numbers of people involved in drug manufacturing and trafficking.

So, Alex (and his wife, Bree) are working on all of these cases. Are they connected? I'm not going to say, but you can probably guess.

The investigating is always action packed, and the path to the answers is interesting and exciting. I love how fast moving and easy Cross the Line is to read. Patterson is just really good at weaving a plot together and keeping you on the edge of your seat.

Are these books a bit formulaic? Of course. But it's not like I read them every day. I love the relationship that Alex has with his family. After so many books, you feel like you know these good people. And, yes, they are too good to be true. But I can overlook these deficiencies. If you can too, you will love Cross the Line.

Published by Little, Brown & Co., November 21, 2016
eARC obtained from Edelweiss
400 pages

Rating: 4/5

Monday, March 7, 2016

Book Review: All-In, by Jennifer Lynn Barnes @jenlynnbarnes

All In by Jennifer Lynn Barnes book cover and review

All In is the third book in The Naturals series, and these books just keep getting better.

The Naturals are a group of teens who help the FBI solve serial murders because they have special talents. Okay. I get that you have to suspend some disbelief, but I find that very easy to do with this series.

Cassie is our narrator. She's a profiler. All of these kids are talented, and they all come with a lot of baggage. Throughout the three books they have become somewhat of a family. The case is in Las Vegas this time and the details don't really matter. Suffice it to say this is some complex plotting. This case has to do with the Fibonacci Sequence. I'm a math person, so I know what that is, but if you don't, it doesn't matter.

The perpetrator isn't obvious. There are various suspects. As the kids try to crack this one, they become closer and we experience growing and changing relationships. Each character has a distinct personality and I feel like I've really come to know them personally. There's very little romance, but it's there, making this a good choice for girls or boys. I applaud Barnes for not dumbing down the plot for teens. It's sophisticated and engaging.

I can't say enough about how pleasantly surprised I am about this series. I was very happy to see the first book, The Naturals, on our Abraham Lincoln Award list of nominated titles for 2017. I said the second book, Killer Instinct, was better than the first, and now I like All In even better. If you have mystery lovers in your library, you definitely want to push this series to them. It's a winner.

Published by Disney-Hyperion, 2015
Copy obtained from the library
378 pages

Rating: 5/5

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Audio Book Review: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn book cover and review

Sharp Objects is my third Gillian Flynn novel, and while I enjoyed it, it is my least favorite. Maybe that's because it was her first.

Camille is a reporter for a small newspaper in Chicago. After two children are murdered in her home town, her boss asks her to go cover the story. She returns to this small, dusty town in the boot heel of Missouri, and we begin to understand a lot more about Camille.

She's a cutter, recently released from therapy. She cuts words into her skin--all over her skin. She has lost a younger sister when she was in her teens to a mysterious illness. Her mother never has loved Camille like she loved her sister. And now Camille has a younger sister who is 13 years old and is the terror of her school and town. She's as sweet as pie at home around her mother, though.

Camille finds out her mother knew the two girls that were killed. She visits one of the girl's brother who allows an interview. She befriends the detective that has been sent down from Kansas City to work on the case. She works to figure out who the murderer is. But the entire time the story really focuses on Camille and her fucked up life. (Sorry for the expletive, but it works perfectly here.) To say she has "issues" with her past is an understatement!

I suspected the murderer very early in the story, but was still surprised at the twist at the end. Flynn is famous for those twists. The problem I had was that this novel moved really slowly. There just wasn't enough action, or what action there was seemed tame or insignificant. Camille was just too weird for me. Her family is even weirder.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator, Ann Marie Lee, did a good job. I also listened to Dark Places in audio format and didn't have the same problem, so I don't think it was the format.

If you're a fan of Flynn, I recommend that you check our Sharp Objects. Gone Girl is still my favorite, so you might want to start there.

Published by Broadway Books, Random House Audio, 2007
Copy obtained from the library
254 pages

Rating: 4/5

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Book Review: Blood of My Blood by Barry Lyga

Blood of My Blood by Barry Lyga book cover and review

Blood of My Blood was no surprise. That is to say, it is just as awesome as the other two books in the series, I Hunt Killers and Game.

You definitely want to read this series in order, so go away and come back after you've done that.

Really, Blood of My Blood is just more of the same. Billy Dent has upped the ante though. Things are getting more dangerous because now they're personal He's coming after Jazz -- and some other loved ones. There is a lot of violence again. Everyone gets physically hurt.

Howie and Connie are once again great supporting characters and great friends. The tension ramps up through the book and you are never sure if things are going to work out -- or more specifically, what awful things are going to happen before things work out.

And the twist at the end -- well, I sure didn't see that coming. I loved the ending. Pretty much all the loose ends are tied up, but not too perfectly.

I loved this entire series. My only complaint was that Game didn't end. It just stopped -- brutally in the middle of the action. But you don't have to worry about that because the third book, this one, is available immediately so you can read them right in order, one after the other.

If you can handle a little blood and gore, Blood of My Blood is a great ending to an exciting, suspenseful, and unpredictable series. Go get it.

Published by Little, Brown BFYR, 2014
Copy obtained from the library
468 pages

Rating: 5/5

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Book Review: Killer Instinct: The Naturals Bk 2, by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

I enjoyed Killer Instinct even more than the first book, The Naturals.

The teens are working with a new agent, a woman who doesn't seem to like them at all. And she has a history, which of course they are going to figure out.

Last book, we had the teens involved in an active case, even though they are only supposed to work on cold cases. In Killer Instinct the same thing happens. The case is personal, as it was in The Naturals, and they can't help but try to find this new serial killer.

The plot really moves, and as with the first book, I think this is a great choice for reluctant readers. The conversations between the teens is always entertaining, as they are profiling each other and their suspects, detecting who is telling lies, and trying to be supportive of each other. And there's a love triangle, that adds to the tension. And a dangerous, death defying ending.

I just took this book more seriously. I felt the teens were more mature and realistic. You still have to suspend some disbelief -- we are talking about teens working for the FBI, so....

The resolution was a surprise. I could not have predicted "who done it" and that is always a bonus. If you enjoyed The Naturals I would highly recommend Killer Instinct. And if you enjoy some good teen detective stories, start with The Naturals first, so you get to know these characters.

Published by Disney-Hyperion, November 4, 2014
eARC obtained from NetGalley
384 pages

Rating: 4.5/5

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Book Review: Bones Never Lie by Kathy Reichs

Bones Never Lie is yet another engrossing story about forensic anthropologist Tempe Brennan. Reichs manages to make each story unique and unforgettable, while still endearing us to the characters.

This time the victims are children, and the crimes have been committed over several years. The authorities are just now beginning to think that some of these murders may be connected and that they are dealing with a serial killer who is still on the loose.

It soon becomes apparent that a perpetrator from Tempe's past who almost killed her is involved. I've read most of this series, but I know I've missed a few. I didn't recall this episode from a prior book, but it seemed like it would be there.

Bones Never Lie is a very difficult, confusing, painstakingly slow investigation. Numerous times they think they have things figured out, only to find out their theories are incorrect. It's delicious. (Where does she come up with this stuff???)

It wouldn't be a Tempe Brennan book without Ryan. He reappears after a long absence, but the relationship between Tempe and Ryan is strained and nothing but platonic. *sigh* There still are some interesting conversations between the two, but this relationship is on the back burner in this book.

I complained about the last book, Bones are Forever, because Tempe didn't spend enough time actually doing forensic investigating. In Bones Never Lie, she doesn't spend a great deal of time in the lab, but she does do a lot of investigating and figuring out the clues, so I wasn't disappointed.

The ending of Bones Never Lie ties up the case nicely but leaves the reader begging for the next book. Again. As I've said many times, the books are much better than the TV series (Bones), although I do enjoy it too. Anyone who enjoys a good detective story should be pointed to these books.

Published by Bantam, September 23, 2014
eARC obtained from NetGalley and Edelweiss
336 pages

Rating: 5/5