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Frank Quinn #6
Serial
A New York restaurateur, Millie Graff, is followed home from work by a man who forces her into her apartment and tortures her before killing her. She is found with her hand wrapped around a silver cross on a necklace. She's been gagged, sexually violated and then skinned alive.As Quinn and his associates follow the path of the killer known as 'The Skinner', another woman's desperate search for the truth will bring her into the crosshairs of a killer with a burning desire to settle old scores. Quinn and Pearl must rush to Missouri to confront the monster before yet another life is lost.Praise for John has produced another procedural masterpiece. BooklistA page-turner to the nail-biting end, the fifth Frank Quinn investigation will leave readers breathless... Misleading clues and dramatic suspense will keep readers pondering the intricacies of this twisty, creepy whodunit long after the last page is turned. Publisher's Weekly starred review.
508 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2011
About the author
John Lutz
242 books303 followersLibrarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
John Lutz has captivated suspense enthusiasts for over four decades. He has been one of the premier voices in contemporary hard-boiled fiction. His work includes political suspense, private eye novels, urban suspense, humor, occult, crime caper, police procedural, espionage, historical, futuristic, amateur detective, thriller; virtually every mystery sub-genre. John Lutz published his first short story in 1966 in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine and has been publishing regularly ever since. He is the author of more than fifty novels and 250 short stories and articles.
His novels and short fiction have been translated into virtually every language and adapted for almost every medium. He is a past president of both Mystery Writers of America and Private Eye Writers of America. Among his awards are the MWA Edgar, the PWA Shamus, The Trophee 813 Award for best mystery short story collection translated into the French language, the PWA Life Achievement Award, and the Short Mystery Fiction Society's Golden Derringer Lifetime Achievement Award.
He is the author of two private eye series, the Nudger series, set in his home town of St. Louis, and the Carver series, set in Florida, as well as many non-series suspense novels. His SWF SEEKS SAME was made into the hit movie SINGLE WHITE FEMALE, starring Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh, and his novel THE EX was made into the HBO original movie of the same title, for which he co-authored the screenplay.
Lutz and his wife, Barbara, split their time between St. Louis and Sarasota, Florida.
John Lutz has captivated suspense enthusiasts for over four decades. He has been one of the premier voices in contemporary hard-boiled fiction. His work includes political suspense, private eye novels, urban suspense, humor, occult, crime caper, police procedural, espionage, historical, futuristic, amateur detective, thriller; virtually every mystery sub-genre. John Lutz published his first short story in 1966 in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine and has been publishing regularly ever since. He is the author of more than fifty novels and 250 short stories and articles.
His novels and short fiction have been translated into virtually every language and adapted for almost every medium. He is a past president of both Mystery Writers of America and Private Eye Writers of America. Among his awards are the MWA Edgar, the PWA Shamus, The Trophee 813 Award for best mystery short story collection translated into the French language, the PWA Life Achievement Award, and the Short Mystery Fiction Society's Golden Derringer Lifetime Achievement Award.
He is the author of two private eye series, the Nudger series, set in his home town of St. Louis, and the Carver series, set in Florida, as well as many non-series suspense novels. His SWF SEEKS SAME was made into the hit movie SINGLE WHITE FEMALE, starring Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh, and his novel THE EX was made into the HBO original movie of the same title, for which he co-authored the screenplay.
Lutz and his wife, Barbara, split their time between St. Louis and Sarasota, Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
December 2, 2018
Struggling between 3 and 4 stars. 🇺🇸🐎
February 5, 2019
I have not read this author before but a friend said that it was an engrossing thriller and who am I to pass up a good recommendation. Live and learn.
I will admit that it started out fast and furious as a serial killer is running wild in NYC, committing particularly gruesome murders (which the author describes in detail). Gore doesn't particularly bother me but this is extremely graphic. A former detective unit which works closely with the police are on the case, looking for clues or at least a motive. This became my first problem...the members of this unit irritated me from the start and the on and off romantic relationship between two of them was unpleasant in the extreme. It is hard to enjoy a book when you don't like the characters, even when the writing is well done. And well done is questionable since a woman starts on a trip in a Plymouth which turns into a Honda two pages later......but this could just be an editing error since the rest of the narrative will keep the reader interested.
The twists and turns are clever but the denouement is, in my opinion, ridiculous. It pulls the whole plot crashing down with coincidence, lucky guesses, and a motive that barely makes sense. This book has gotten fairly high reviews so I am in the minority on this one.
I will admit that it started out fast and furious as a serial killer is running wild in NYC, committing particularly gruesome murders (which the author describes in detail). Gore doesn't particularly bother me but this is extremely graphic. A former detective unit which works closely with the police are on the case, looking for clues or at least a motive. This became my first problem...the members of this unit irritated me from the start and the on and off romantic relationship between two of them was unpleasant in the extreme. It is hard to enjoy a book when you don't like the characters, even when the writing is well done. And well done is questionable since a woman starts on a trip in a Plymouth which turns into a Honda two pages later......but this could just be an editing error since the rest of the narrative will keep the reader interested.
The twists and turns are clever but the denouement is, in my opinion, ridiculous. It pulls the whole plot crashing down with coincidence, lucky guesses, and a motive that barely makes sense. This book has gotten fairly high reviews so I am in the minority on this one.
September 13, 2015
Not only a serial killer story, but a complex one. There's lots of jumping around and the second half better than the first. I get the sense the author likes his serial killer, but this listener, not so much. 5 of 10 stars
August 2, 2011
John Lutz uses one approach to writing all his books. Sometimes this method of using current events intertwined with past history really works and sometimes it falls short. Serial is one of John's better outings with excellent character development with some real toe-curling suspense added at just the right times.
The police detective-turned-private dick is hired once again by the NYC police to investigate a serial killer nicknamed The Skinner. While the Skinner claims his victims, we follow Frank and his team through their investigation with about half their time working hard and the other half involved in personal affairs.
As with all John Lutz books, the back story of the killer is told in past-tense but in this book there are some really unique twists to his approach which I really appreciated.
Something else I liked about this particular outing is how John Lutz seriously toned it down with the superlatives when referring to Frank Quinn's capabilities. Often John Lutz uses terms that make you think Frank is a mastermind and lives inside the killer's heads. In reality, Frank rarely catches the killer on his own and it is the great surrounding cast of characters that he teams with to get the job done with real police work and quite a bit of grunt work.
If you are a fan of John Lutz, I think you will find this book entertaining and one of his better stories. If you are unfamiliar with the characters from previous Frank Quinn books, you might find yourself trying to figure out the characters and their meaning.
-Bill
The police detective-turned-private dick is hired once again by the NYC police to investigate a serial killer nicknamed The Skinner. While the Skinner claims his victims, we follow Frank and his team through their investigation with about half their time working hard and the other half involved in personal affairs.
As with all John Lutz books, the back story of the killer is told in past-tense but in this book there are some really unique twists to his approach which I really appreciated.
Something else I liked about this particular outing is how John Lutz seriously toned it down with the superlatives when referring to Frank Quinn's capabilities. Often John Lutz uses terms that make you think Frank is a mastermind and lives inside the killer's heads. In reality, Frank rarely catches the killer on his own and it is the great surrounding cast of characters that he teams with to get the job done with real police work and quite a bit of grunt work.
If you are a fan of John Lutz, I think you will find this book entertaining and one of his better stories. If you are unfamiliar with the characters from previous Frank Quinn books, you might find yourself trying to figure out the characters and their meaning.
-Bill
June 12, 2018
I picked up this book at my local library and absolutely loved it. a great thriller
September 11, 2011
This was a terrific book!! I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I am extremely glad that I have found another author that genuinely enjoy and has series. This book kept you on the edge of your seat always wanting to continuing your reading. The pieces seemed to fit until you reached the end and saw the surprise that you should have seen all along. Will definitely read more by the author!!!
October 21, 2016
This was the first of the Frank Quinn series I'd read and I doubt if I'll read another. I'm not squeamish but the descriptions of violence in this serial killer story seemed way over the top. That, and the back story of the tortuous relationship between the two main investigators made reading this book a chore.
September 23, 2017
I picked this New Author because of a comment made by one of my Favorite Authors, Harlan Coben... John Lutz writing is so GOOD you don't want to put the book down till your done. So glad I have a few more of his books :-) Storyline and character's Exceptional!!!
September 23, 2026
Very interesting. I liked it Cherie
October 9, 2023
Incredibly hard to get into in the beginning but worth the wait. There are so many plot twists throughout the second half of the book that will keep you on your toes the entire time. Almost gave it up within the first 60 pages but ended up being one of the best books I’ve read this year!
August 3, 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed John Lutz writing, I downloaded this purely because it sounded like my cuppa tea and it was one of the books recommended for me by Amazon based on my usual reading and it was also free at the time, I absolutely loved it. It's a little hard to stomach in places, there's some very vivid and horrific descriptions of some truly horrifying murders in here, so it's not for the faint hearted. I for one, love a good horror, I think it's part of the human experience to feel fear and horror and has been a very popular media in books, films, plays etc. for a long time, for good reason.
I found this to be a very good crime/horror story. It really put you in the book, you really feel this book from all angles, its not written from just one view point, John Lutz takes you through the entire book as various characters, you are, the Police man hunting his killer, his wife, the Serial Killer, his victim, the sister of the victim all at once, he gives you every angle and it's even more disconcerting, if you can imagine that. As if reading a book about Serial killings isn't scary enough, John will take you through every experience in it and it isn't an easy read, although, it is a very compelling read. Exciting, fast paced and shocking as any thriller should be, he writes this well, it's made me want to read alot more John Lutz, and I will definitely be reading his Single White Female, which I did not even know had been a book to begin with, only hearing about the film originally. Amazing, well worth a read, if you've got the stomach for it, but don't worry stangly he even manages to get some laughs in there to break the tension too, as any good horror should, but don't read it at night. Enjoy.
I found this to be a very good crime/horror story. It really put you in the book, you really feel this book from all angles, its not written from just one view point, John Lutz takes you through the entire book as various characters, you are, the Police man hunting his killer, his wife, the Serial Killer, his victim, the sister of the victim all at once, he gives you every angle and it's even more disconcerting, if you can imagine that. As if reading a book about Serial killings isn't scary enough, John will take you through every experience in it and it isn't an easy read, although, it is a very compelling read. Exciting, fast paced and shocking as any thriller should be, he writes this well, it's made me want to read alot more John Lutz, and I will definitely be reading his Single White Female, which I did not even know had been a book to begin with, only hearing about the film originally. Amazing, well worth a read, if you've got the stomach for it, but don't worry stangly he even manages to get some laughs in there to break the tension too, as any good horror should, but don't read it at night. Enjoy.
September 15, 2012
This is a great serial killer thriller! As an author of the serial killer mystery Absolution, I'm a huge admirer of John Lutz. I've read many but not all of his books. This is a good thing, because there are a few more of his well-written thrillers that I can look forward to reading.
What I love about his books: Lutz always grabs me by the throat with the first line. "Millie Graf's feet were sore." How can you not love the woman? And that's the point. You meet and spend just enough time with the victims to empathize with them. Why else would you care if they were tortured and murdered by a serial killer sadist? And after the first 5 pages, you know this monster is out there stalking more victims. Will one of them escape?
Lutz's protagonist, Frank Quinn, used to work homicides for the NYPD. Now he's runs his own agency (Q & A, that is, Quinn and Associates). And thanks to Quinn's ability to get into their twisted minds, he usually gets his man (or woman as the case may be). The Associates are a set of quirky characters. All of them are former NYPD detectives, including Quinn's contentious on-again, off-again lover, Pearl, who's just as obsessed as Quinn with catching the killers.
The pace and action scenes will keep you in suspense, but it's not all blood and guts. Like Elmore Leonard, Lutz makes me laugh out loud with his dialogue between Pearl and her relentless meddling mother, Quinn and Pearl, and Quinn and his NY Police Commissioner nemesis Harley Renz.
Prepare yourself for a rollercoaster ride with Serial. You won't regret it for one spine-tingling minute! -- Susan Fleet, author of the Frank Renzi mystery series
What I love about his books: Lutz always grabs me by the throat with the first line. "Millie Graf's feet were sore." How can you not love the woman? And that's the point. You meet and spend just enough time with the victims to empathize with them. Why else would you care if they were tortured and murdered by a serial killer sadist? And after the first 5 pages, you know this monster is out there stalking more victims. Will one of them escape?
Lutz's protagonist, Frank Quinn, used to work homicides for the NYPD. Now he's runs his own agency (Q & A, that is, Quinn and Associates). And thanks to Quinn's ability to get into their twisted minds, he usually gets his man (or woman as the case may be). The Associates are a set of quirky characters. All of them are former NYPD detectives, including Quinn's contentious on-again, off-again lover, Pearl, who's just as obsessed as Quinn with catching the killers.
The pace and action scenes will keep you in suspense, but it's not all blood and guts. Like Elmore Leonard, Lutz makes me laugh out loud with his dialogue between Pearl and her relentless meddling mother, Quinn and Pearl, and Quinn and his NY Police Commissioner nemesis Harley Renz.
Prepare yourself for a rollercoaster ride with Serial. You won't regret it for one spine-tingling minute! -- Susan Fleet, author of the Frank Renzi mystery series
July 28, 2011
I was really hoping that I would love this book. I looked forward to reading it for months. And alas I was quickly disappointed. The book descriptive, good characters, and sufficiently creepy that it had all the makings of a good story. Yet this was my journey...
Page 100: I have a feeling I know exactly what's going to happen with this secondary storyline.
Page 200: Yep, I can tell you that is precisely where this is going, otherwise there's no point for the secondary plot being there in the first place. It has to lead us to the killer, and there has to be a red herring in there somewhere.
Page 300: Okay, really? Did I honestly figure this out by page 200? This is either going to end up very dumb or the most predictable book in history.
By the end of the book it was exactly what I had expected, the red herring was precisely what I predicted, and this story was lukewarm at best. A disappointing plot to be sure, but the characters kept me going through this because the characters stole the show for me. If it wasn't for Quin and Feds and Pearl, I would have set this down at page 150 and not gone back.
Note: I received a copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway program.
Page 100: I have a feeling I know exactly what's going to happen with this secondary storyline.
Page 200: Yep, I can tell you that is precisely where this is going, otherwise there's no point for the secondary plot being there in the first place. It has to lead us to the killer, and there has to be a red herring in there somewhere.
Page 300: Okay, really? Did I honestly figure this out by page 200? This is either going to end up very dumb or the most predictable book in history.
By the end of the book it was exactly what I had expected, the red herring was precisely what I predicted, and this story was lukewarm at best. A disappointing plot to be sure, but the characters kept me going through this because the characters stole the show for me. If it wasn't for Quin and Feds and Pearl, I would have set this down at page 150 and not gone back.
Note: I received a copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway program.
December 30, 2011
Serial is a fantastic read. It keeps you gripped from the start and the gritty detail of the characters and crimes committed do no leave much to the imagination!
One of my favourite aspects of this book is that the chapters, even though everything is described profoundly, are short. This enables the reader to put the book down at regular intervals, which is handy if you are reading while working, and you can keep up with the story and its fast pace action whilst the events are embedded on your mind. It is almost like reading a script but with all the extra details and happenings at the same time. Brilliant writing!
The author, John Lutz, also wrote the novel 'SWF Seeks Same', which was made into the film 'Single White Female'. Maybe that novel was also written in this short-chapter-script style which makes John Lutz unique to me at the moment.
My only criticism of the novel is the outcome, which I wouldn't want to reveal so as not to spoil the ending. I did become eager to find out who the murderer was and began reading the end quite fast but it wasn't the person who did it that bothered me but the motive! I still do not quite understand the 'why' of it all, but on the whole the book was super!
One of my favourite aspects of this book is that the chapters, even though everything is described profoundly, are short. This enables the reader to put the book down at regular intervals, which is handy if you are reading while working, and you can keep up with the story and its fast pace action whilst the events are embedded on your mind. It is almost like reading a script but with all the extra details and happenings at the same time. Brilliant writing!
The author, John Lutz, also wrote the novel 'SWF Seeks Same', which was made into the film 'Single White Female'. Maybe that novel was also written in this short-chapter-script style which makes John Lutz unique to me at the moment.
My only criticism of the novel is the outcome, which I wouldn't want to reveal so as not to spoil the ending. I did become eager to find out who the murderer was and began reading the end quite fast but it wasn't the person who did it that bothered me but the motive! I still do not quite understand the 'why' of it all, but on the whole the book was super!
February 16, 2012
John Lutz scares me again! Another serial killer is loose in New York City and Frank Quinn and Associates are assigned by the Commissioner to catch the brutal killer. The killer is called "The Skinner". (Use your imagination). What makes the Quinn novels really frightening to me is that Lutz introduces each victim. You get to know them. You get a perfect picture of who they are and how they live. You cheer for them and then follow them to their horrifying deaths. There are lots of twists and turns that kept me reading, guessing and sliding to the edge of my seat. When you think it's all figured out, Lutz throws in another twist to keep the story going. Serial is a clever tale to the very satisfying end!
What I love most about these novels is the relationship between Quinn and Pearl. They're still awesome partners in business and in their personal lives. Although Quinn may be hopelessly in love, Pearl always hesitates. She seems less harsh since her tragedy in Mister X. Her mother in the "nursing home" is still a hoot and frumpy Fedderman finds a new purpose.
What I love most about these novels is the relationship between Quinn and Pearl. They're still awesome partners in business and in their personal lives. Although Quinn may be hopelessly in love, Pearl always hesitates. She seems less harsh since her tragedy in Mister X. Her mother in the "nursing home" is still a hoot and frumpy Fedderman finds a new purpose.
April 6, 2020
Fast and furious action
Frank Quinn and Associates are after a serial killer in New York. The Skinner is torturing and killing women who mis identified their rapists, sending innocent men to jail for the best years of their lives! The killer is clever, but Quinn is cleverer!
Frank Quinn and Associates are after a serial killer in New York. The Skinner is torturing and killing women who mis identified their rapists, sending innocent men to jail for the best years of their lives! The killer is clever, but Quinn is cleverer!
January 3, 2019
Four Solid Stars from me!!! I really enjoyed this book...….
He begins with a horrific crime visited upon an innocent, the specifics of which are revealed as the police investigation gradually unfolds. Quinn and his quirky, touchy team are brought in as consultants almost immediately when a monster, who quickly becomes known as the Skinner, begins preying on seemingly random people in Manhattan. The victims are all women, of course, and the nature of the attacks are gruesome and brutal.....for sure! Yet, not bad enough for me to stop reading or skim over them.....I dove ALL the way in!
Lutz also begins alternating the main narrative set in present-day New York with an account of a rape that took place some 20 years before in the rural town of Hobart, Missouri. The two storylines are seemingly unrelated, yet (almost) equally interesting; Lutz slowly brings both narratives together until they dramatically and eerily intersect.
Quinn and Pearl continue to do a romantic dance around each other, while the dauntless Fedderman finds himself, in what is almost sure to be an ill-advised, relationship with the sister of one of the victims. Interestingly enough is the fact that Quinn himself has a history of sorts with one of the first victims...…... As a result, Quinn crosses some investigative lines that he probably should not, capitalizing on the weakness of a former police officer to obtain evidence in an effort to solve the crimes and bring the Skinner to justice. It is an interesting situation that is somewhat unsettling, even with Lutz’s deft handling.
Intrigue and character each have a hand in propelling this particular book, which never lags for even a moment and is as enjoyable for its many faceted puzzle as for its cat-and-mouse aspects. I am brand new to Lutz and to the Quinn novels - this was my first!!! I have found a new author!!! I believe I will enjoy catching up with the previous books in this series!!!!
I only gave it four stars due to the fact that, while I was definitely held captive, there was no point where I just couldn't stop reading......for me anyway, it was missing that umph that I need to give it five stars! Personal preference I guess!!!! Highly recommend!
He begins with a horrific crime visited upon an innocent, the specifics of which are revealed as the police investigation gradually unfolds. Quinn and his quirky, touchy team are brought in as consultants almost immediately when a monster, who quickly becomes known as the Skinner, begins preying on seemingly random people in Manhattan. The victims are all women, of course, and the nature of the attacks are gruesome and brutal.....for sure! Yet, not bad enough for me to stop reading or skim over them.....I dove ALL the way in!
Lutz also begins alternating the main narrative set in present-day New York with an account of a rape that took place some 20 years before in the rural town of Hobart, Missouri. The two storylines are seemingly unrelated, yet (almost) equally interesting; Lutz slowly brings both narratives together until they dramatically and eerily intersect.
Quinn and Pearl continue to do a romantic dance around each other, while the dauntless Fedderman finds himself, in what is almost sure to be an ill-advised, relationship with the sister of one of the victims. Interestingly enough is the fact that Quinn himself has a history of sorts with one of the first victims...…... As a result, Quinn crosses some investigative lines that he probably should not, capitalizing on the weakness of a former police officer to obtain evidence in an effort to solve the crimes and bring the Skinner to justice. It is an interesting situation that is somewhat unsettling, even with Lutz’s deft handling.
Intrigue and character each have a hand in propelling this particular book, which never lags for even a moment and is as enjoyable for its many faceted puzzle as for its cat-and-mouse aspects. I am brand new to Lutz and to the Quinn novels - this was my first!!! I have found a new author!!! I believe I will enjoy catching up with the previous books in this series!!!!
I only gave it four stars due to the fact that, while I was definitely held captive, there was no point where I just couldn't stop reading......for me anyway, it was missing that umph that I need to give it five stars! Personal preference I guess!!!! Highly recommend!
August 23, 2026
ok. here’s the thing. roy as the killer? intriguing. him using link’s travels to new york to frame him? genius. tying the killing to religion…and how roy went from an angry drunk to an incredibly intelligent serial killer who expertly left behind no evidence at crime scenes, mastered the concept of silently tracking his victims, and came up with these twisted ass ways of killing them??? not very plausible to me like the reveal to me felt very much like HUH? like ok i guess…….. but his rural background and his severe alcoholism like idk the fact that his wife got raped and got pregnant somehow lead him even heavier into religion and spiraled into serial murders…. i just don’t buy it. everything that went down was SO METHODICAL i just don’t picture roy doing it. i loved this book so much besides that. and why did he ask his victims if he recognized him???? it was mentioned twice i believe…. because he’s a servant to god or something were they supposed to recognize him as such?? what did i miss there ugh
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2018
I’m not really sure how to rate or describe this book. It took me two months and reading two other books in between, to read it. BUUTTT...when I was reading, I really enjoyed it! From the very first page, I was in it! I wanted to know. And by the last 1/4 of the book, I was walking down halls at work reading because I couldn’t put it down.
Women are being brutally murdered, and I mean, this get graphic. And I felt terrible did these women! It was like I knew what was going to happen and kept hoping for a different end to the situation.
Just when I had it all figured out, Lutz messed with me! He threw in a “twist” I totally wasn’t expecting and if just kind of unfolded before my eyes. Marvelous.
Perhaps I just needed to be in the right frame of mind when I started this one, because it really didn’t disappoint.
Women are being brutally murdered, and I mean, this get graphic. And I felt terrible did these women! It was like I knew what was going to happen and kept hoping for a different end to the situation.
Just when I had it all figured out, Lutz messed with me! He threw in a “twist” I totally wasn’t expecting and if just kind of unfolded before my eyes. Marvelous.
Perhaps I just needed to be in the right frame of mind when I started this one, because it really didn’t disappoint.
February 27, 2019
Loved this book. Gruesome, shocking and well written. It gripped me right from the start. The story worked well, things fit into place... until... until the last few chapters. What happened? So many unnecessary holes, so many questions. Did the same person write the ending? The names being written on the mirrors did nothing but give the reader something to grab on to at the start, where did that lead? What was the point? It was thrown in there just to form a lead, there was no way the killer would have known those names. When did Roy cross paths with Quinn, he seemed to know him, and then why did Quinn not recognize him at the truck yard? I loved the story so much that I'll keep it at 5 stars but if the start was not as enticing I would have dropped it down to 2 or 3 stars because of that ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2019
My first read in this series and I was not impressed.
The male characters in the "Q&A" detective group
are fairly bland including their fearless leader
Frank Quinn. They could not solve a crime if it
hit them in the face. The female member of Q&A
(Pearl) was likeable and seemed sharp. The one
character who had some detecting skills was
a non-member alcoholic!
And the crimes are very gory and needlessly so
if you ask me. The perpetrator was a good surprise
but most of the climactic scenes were a dud.
I don't think I would read another Q&A novel.
The male characters in the "Q&A" detective group
are fairly bland including their fearless leader
Frank Quinn. They could not solve a crime if it
hit them in the face. The female member of Q&A
(Pearl) was likeable and seemed sharp. The one
character who had some detecting skills was
a non-member alcoholic!
And the crimes are very gory and needlessly so
if you ask me. The perpetrator was a good surprise
but most of the climactic scenes were a dud.
I don't think I would read another Q&A novel.
August 18, 2025
It was so good! the beginning was a little confusing and slow but it picked up and the end was a curveball for sure. I did not expect the person who done it that's for sure! Some of the characters weren't really needed but it was still such a good novel with a great twist which is something you don't see being pulled off successfully anymore. This author did a great job on that and I like that the ending wasn't necessarily rushed. If this became a movie or TV show (as the author has written others with the same characters i think) I would watch it.
June 25, 2018
Many of the reviews say it's hard to read, creepy, disturbing, etc. I didn't think so. I wouldn't call it a light read but I was looking for something more. I really struggled to like either of the main characters - especially the "romance" between Quinn and Pearl (probably one of the worst characters I've ever read). It's my first Lutz book and will likely be my last.
December 31, 2021
Great series by John Lutz. Audible review.
I really like this author. I like his writing style, he is a bit graphic, but not constantly. I don’t know how he thinks of these serial killers but wow are they bad.
I love all the characters in this series. They are all being well developed.
As for the narration, I love Scott Brick he is amazing.
I really like this author. I like his writing style, he is a bit graphic, but not constantly. I don’t know how he thinks of these serial killers but wow are they bad.
I love all the characters in this series. They are all being well developed.
As for the narration, I love Scott Brick he is amazing.
April 17, 2026
My first and not my last!
Excellent writing, wonderful characters, surprising story arcs, bad guys galore, balanced by flawed but fundamentally good people. I'll be reading the series next - though not having read any of the five before this one didn't hamper the experience of reading this one. I highly recommend this book, and this author.
Excellent writing, wonderful characters, surprising story arcs, bad guys galore, balanced by flawed but fundamentally good people. I'll be reading the series next - though not having read any of the five before this one didn't hamper the experience of reading this one. I highly recommend this book, and this author.
December 2, 2018
This is really two novels in one, for a whopping 500 pages. One segment describes Frank Quinn and his team searching for a serial killer murdering women whose wrong identification puts innocent men in jail for rape, the other chronicles the life of Beth Brannigan who is raped and gives birth to her rapist's child, then later the man is freed because DNA proves he's innocent. At the end, the two stories come together, with enough of a violent twist to satisfy the reader's demand for justice, BUT...
Just when it appears the crimes have been solved and the villain receives his just desserts,a second set of explosive twists appear. Frank Quinn feels something is off about the apprehension of the killer, and continues to dig. What he finds bring the entire novel full circle and what an ending it is!
I consider myself pretty good at figuring out whodunnit and etc., but this time...Not a bit!
This novel is #6 in the series and I'm going to be seeking out #1, so I can start at the beginning and read more of Quinn's adventures, as well as looking up the ones made into movies.
This novel is owned by the reviewer and no remuneration was involved in the writing of this review.
Just when it appears the crimes have been solved and the villain receives his just desserts,a second set of explosive twists appear. Frank Quinn feels something is off about the apprehension of the killer, and continues to dig. What he finds bring the entire novel full circle and what an ending it is!
I consider myself pretty good at figuring out whodunnit and etc., but this time...Not a bit!
This novel is #6 in the series and I'm going to be seeking out #1, so I can start at the beginning and read more of Quinn's adventures, as well as looking up the ones made into movies.
This novel is owned by the reviewer and no remuneration was involved in the writing of this review.
April 11, 2019
I started this series with book 6 and I loved it! I was drawn into the book and couldn't put it down. I typically read romance, but getting bored with them. I was at the library and saw this book and thought why not. Now I am reading book 1.
February 4, 2020
Lutz is a master of police novels! The relationships amongst the officers/detectives, both personal and professional are key to the author’s storyline and depth.
Twisted right to the end. A gripping and horrific thriller!
Twisted right to the end. A gripping and horrific thriller!
April 29, 2021
Another winner
WOW! What a read! Kept me guessing, which i liked. Mr. Lutz writes about my favorite genre and always takes me on an awesome, stay up late reading, guessing, thrilling page turning ride!
WOW! What a read! Kept me guessing, which i liked. Mr. Lutz writes about my favorite genre and always takes me on an awesome, stay up late reading, guessing, thrilling page turning ride!
June 2, 2017
Absolutely loved it! Jaw dropping twist for an ending, and quite the page turner. Couldn't put it down!!
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