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Rattleman
In the quiet wilderness of the Appalachian mountains, a ruthless serial killer is making his presence felt. He knows every crevice, every creek, every cave and every ravine of his remote hunting ground. Relentless, he is always waiting for the next victim to cross his path. And the killings are merciless. A woman's head surfaces from a frozen lake. Bodies are found slit open, shorn of their hair, fillings removed from their teeth. Panic grips mountain communities as the killer makes his mark in West Virginia, Kentucky, Georgia and Tennessee. Women are losing their lives one-by-one. The police and FBI are setting up roadblocks throughout the Appalachians, looking in parks and checking rest stops along the Interstates, but Sherriff Wayne thinks they are looking in all the wrong places. "Consider the man who came down off the mountains to kill," Wayne told them. "Now that would be one dangerous son of a bitch." It's George D. Schuman's most gripping crime thriller yet.
274 pages, Paperback
First published January 10, 2013
4 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
George D. Shuman
16 books50 followersGeorge D. Shumanis author of Lost Girls, Last Breath, and the Edgar Award–nominated 18 Seconds. A retired twenty-year veteran of the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department, he resides in the mountains of southwest Pennsylvania, where he now writes full-time. To learn more, visit his website at www.georgedshuman.com.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 4, 2015
Creepy good mystery!
According to the author, this book is based very loosely on a true mystery murder that occurred in 1964 in the Appalachian Mountains in Pennsylvania where this book takes place.
Women are disappearing along the Appalachian Trail and never seen again ...until now. Sheriff Marty Wayne begins an investigation and finds that women have gone missing in the same area for more than 10 years.
Judy Wells, DEA Agent, is tracking a plane that went down in the area carrying a lot of cocaine.
And this is where both cases collide.
Meet Rattleman ...so called because he wears a collar of rattlesnake tails around his neck. He hunts and collects them to sell to the locals who use them in their medicine. He's very quiet...speaks very little. He's dirty, long-haired and carries a really big knife.
I repeat ... creepy good mystery! The reader knows who fairly early in the game. It's what he does to all these women that gave me the shudders. His back-story is most interesting. He really is quite a scary character.
The author has done a great job describing the mountainous area. It's quite evident that he grew up in the area. The action and energy stays constant through the entire book .. there are no boring areas, no places that lag. It's the last part of the book that will have the reader breathing just a little harder, anxious to see where this all leads. The ending left me thinking about this book for a long time.
5 Stars
According to the author, this book is based very loosely on a true mystery murder that occurred in 1964 in the Appalachian Mountains in Pennsylvania where this book takes place.
Women are disappearing along the Appalachian Trail and never seen again ...until now. Sheriff Marty Wayne begins an investigation and finds that women have gone missing in the same area for more than 10 years.
Judy Wells, DEA Agent, is tracking a plane that went down in the area carrying a lot of cocaine.
And this is where both cases collide.
Meet Rattleman ...so called because he wears a collar of rattlesnake tails around his neck. He hunts and collects them to sell to the locals who use them in their medicine. He's very quiet...speaks very little. He's dirty, long-haired and carries a really big knife.
I repeat ... creepy good mystery! The reader knows who fairly early in the game. It's what he does to all these women that gave me the shudders. His back-story is most interesting. He really is quite a scary character.
The author has done a great job describing the mountainous area. It's quite evident that he grew up in the area. The action and energy stays constant through the entire book .. there are no boring areas, no places that lag. It's the last part of the book that will have the reader breathing just a little harder, anxious to see where this all leads. The ending left me thinking about this book for a long time.
5 Stars
April 15, 2013
Kirsten, a state police corporal and senior forensic technician, arrived to examine the woman's head. It was all that was found on the edge of the icy river. It looked like it had been cut clean, but it could have been the ice that cut it. It was sent off to the lab to find out more.
Background Pictures, Images and Photos
As Marty sat at the General Store, talking with Hattie, he recalled another woman had disappeared not that far from here. He put in a request for the report. When it arrived, he found, she too, had five ear hole piercings. Were there more similarities?
Jane Cameron knew she wasn't supposed to go off on her own, but it was too late to seek help and make it back by tonight. The girl was missing and a night could make a difference. What she found in the cave, made her realize she could be next. The next sound she hears tells her it is already too late.
One of their own was down and Marty would stop at nothing to find the killer.
Over a 15 year period, on Blood Mountain and the Appalachian Trail, too many women were coming up missing. It now involved Georgia, West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. What was happening to them? Was there a serial killer loose? The newspapers thought so and the Atlanta Constitution named him the Mountain State Butcher.
DEA agent Judy Wells had been given her first real case since coming back to work, after loosing her baby to SIDs and her husband walking out on her. She was meeting an informant in the Latora Crime family. It was one of the biggest cases in the city and she was anxious about her part in the investigation.
Judy had come back from a living hell, but was still having trouble. When she failed her qualification at the piston range, she had real cause for worry. The next time she was scheduled to qualify, she pretended to have the flu, but she could only put it off for so long. If she couldn't shoot, she would lose her job, and her job was all she had left.
Jimmy Latora, Sr had died and his son had taken over, but he had no respect from the ranks. The informant was a Lieutenant in the Latora crime family. Carlisle, Jimmy's son, had pissed him off, so he turned rat.
When the plane that was carrying the contraband crashed, Judy was sent to check it out.
Would it end up being the best thing that ever happened to her, or would it be her final downfall?
4 STARS - Would Highly Recommend To Others
"God thinks I'm a cat. He likes to dangle things in front of me and then snatch them out of my reach." I just had to put that in my review, because it made me bust out laughing when I read it.
The cover is awesome and creates an aura of mystery. The title, Rattleman, is very appropriate, and you will find out why when you read the book.
I love murder mysteries and find serial killers especially fascinating.
It is suspenseful and very well written, but something kept me from rating it higher. It lacked the WOW factor for me. It could have been longer and developed more of the story, gone deeper into details. I still loved the book and am happy to have it in my Kindle collection.
Marty seemed like a great guy, but living in the sticks is not for everyone. His fiance left him for someone else and moved to the big city. He liked his job and did it well.
Judy Wells was a tragic figure. If something in her life could go wrong, it would. Her husband had left her for someone else, shortly after their baby died from SIDS. She just couldn't seem to get over it. When it affected her job, it put her life as a police woman in jeopardy. She would lose her job if she couldn't pass her shooting qualifications.
The Rattleman was a psychotic killer that had no remorse and no intention of stopping. His victims were chosen because of them being in the wrong place, at the wrong time. He could travel freely, because no one missed him when he wasn't there and he knew the woods like the back of his hand. There was only one way to stop him, and that was by catching or killing him.
I enjoyed the book, and would definitely pick up another one written by George D. Shuman.
I received this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
George D. Shuman
Background Pictures, Images and Photos
As Marty sat at the General Store, talking with Hattie, he recalled another woman had disappeared not that far from here. He put in a request for the report. When it arrived, he found, she too, had five ear hole piercings. Were there more similarities?
Jane Cameron knew she wasn't supposed to go off on her own, but it was too late to seek help and make it back by tonight. The girl was missing and a night could make a difference. What she found in the cave, made her realize she could be next. The next sound she hears tells her it is already too late.
One of their own was down and Marty would stop at nothing to find the killer.
Over a 15 year period, on Blood Mountain and the Appalachian Trail, too many women were coming up missing. It now involved Georgia, West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. What was happening to them? Was there a serial killer loose? The newspapers thought so and the Atlanta Constitution named him the Mountain State Butcher.
DEA agent Judy Wells had been given her first real case since coming back to work, after loosing her baby to SIDs and her husband walking out on her. She was meeting an informant in the Latora Crime family. It was one of the biggest cases in the city and she was anxious about her part in the investigation.
Judy had come back from a living hell, but was still having trouble. When she failed her qualification at the piston range, she had real cause for worry. The next time she was scheduled to qualify, she pretended to have the flu, but she could only put it off for so long. If she couldn't shoot, she would lose her job, and her job was all she had left.
Jimmy Latora, Sr had died and his son had taken over, but he had no respect from the ranks. The informant was a Lieutenant in the Latora crime family. Carlisle, Jimmy's son, had pissed him off, so he turned rat.
When the plane that was carrying the contraband crashed, Judy was sent to check it out.
Would it end up being the best thing that ever happened to her, or would it be her final downfall?
4 STARS - Would Highly Recommend To Others
"God thinks I'm a cat. He likes to dangle things in front of me and then snatch them out of my reach." I just had to put that in my review, because it made me bust out laughing when I read it.
The cover is awesome and creates an aura of mystery. The title, Rattleman, is very appropriate, and you will find out why when you read the book.
I love murder mysteries and find serial killers especially fascinating.
It is suspenseful and very well written, but something kept me from rating it higher. It lacked the WOW factor for me. It could have been longer and developed more of the story, gone deeper into details. I still loved the book and am happy to have it in my Kindle collection.
Marty seemed like a great guy, but living in the sticks is not for everyone. His fiance left him for someone else and moved to the big city. He liked his job and did it well.
Judy Wells was a tragic figure. If something in her life could go wrong, it would. Her husband had left her for someone else, shortly after their baby died from SIDS. She just couldn't seem to get over it. When it affected her job, it put her life as a police woman in jeopardy. She would lose her job if she couldn't pass her shooting qualifications.
The Rattleman was a psychotic killer that had no remorse and no intention of stopping. His victims were chosen because of them being in the wrong place, at the wrong time. He could travel freely, because no one missed him when he wasn't there and he knew the woods like the back of his hand. There was only one way to stop him, and that was by catching or killing him.
I enjoyed the book, and would definitely pick up another one written by George D. Shuman.
I received this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
George D. Shuman
April 10, 2013
First, let me say that I really enjoyed this book. Rattleman is a suspense thriller with all the threat and danger that the genre implies. Death is levied with impunity from the first victim to the last, and the villain, Rolfe Ledder, is realistic enough to keep one looking over their shoulder.
My criteria for rating:
Genre - Suspense/Thriller: This hit all the right notes of discomfort and eeriness. Any reader will wait anxiously for this killer’s final capture. You can’t help but check out your window while you’re reading this.
Plot: Complex and twisting!
Editing: Excellent
Characterization: My only issue. See note below
What I liked: Shuman’s writing is evocative. His descriptions and dialog drew me seamlessly into a world that is unfamiliar, yet exists almost in my backyard. That gives a transcendent quality to the crimes that are happening, one that creates the cold sweat along the spine that doesn’t let go on the last page. It’s also obvious that the author applied his significant background with law enforcement and knowledge of historical events in the geographic regions to this story. Those sections flow very well. I also found the final scene between the villain and his final female victim well crafted. There isn’t a nice pat answer, and the unusual altercation that causes Rolfe to falter took me by surprise, but it made wonderful sense. Rolfe’s development, his past, and his actions are nicely layered and understandable, though not sympathetic.
What I didn’t like: The story initially moves from one character to the next without providing a consistent protagonist for the reader to latch onto, empathize with, and root for. Here’s a hint, the character in the blurb isn’t it. The character that starts the book is wonderful but doesn’t reappear for a while. The eventual two main protagonists don’t appear consistently enough for the reader hitch along the emotional road with them. In the same vein, it seemed the villain, whose purpose as an antagonist is to provide the plot's push back, takes more than his fair share of the time telling his story instead of allowing us to experience it through the main characters’ observations or findings. I realize this comes down to personal preference for each reader and this wasn’t a deal breaker, I just would have preferred more development and involvement of the main characters and much sooner.
That all said I enjoyed the story. The writing is excellent. The tale is frightening and riddled with the unexpected. And the quick pace make this a fast, thrilling read.
I recommend Rattleman to suspense/thriller enthusiasts!
What I didn’t like: The story initially moves from one character to the next without providing a consistent protagonist for the reader to latch onto, empathize with, and root for. Here’s a hint, the character in the blurb isn’t it. The character that starts the book, Sheriff Marty Wayne, is wonderful, a genuine likeable character with a moral code, but he doesn’t reappear for a while, which isn't enough for the reader to hitch along his emotional road. And I wanted to. In the same vein, it seemed the villain, whose purpose as an antagonist is to provide the plot's push back, takes more than his fair share of the time telling his story instead of allowing us to experience it through the main characters’ observations or findings. I realize this comes down to my personal preference as a reader and this wasn’t a deal breaker, I just would have preferred more development and involvement of the main characters and much sooner.
My criteria for rating:
Genre - Suspense/Thriller: This hit all the right notes of discomfort and eeriness. Any reader will wait anxiously for this killer’s final capture. You can’t help but check out your window while you’re reading this.
Plot: Complex and twisting!
Editing: Excellent
Characterization: My only issue. See note below
What I liked: Shuman’s writing is evocative. His descriptions and dialog drew me seamlessly into a world that is unfamiliar, yet exists almost in my backyard. That gives a transcendent quality to the crimes that are happening, one that creates the cold sweat along the spine that doesn’t let go on the last page. It’s also obvious that the author applied his significant background with law enforcement and knowledge of historical events in the geographic regions to this story. Those sections flow very well. I also found the final scene between the villain and his final female victim well crafted. There isn’t a nice pat answer, and the unusual altercation that causes Rolfe to falter took me by surprise, but it made wonderful sense. Rolfe’s development, his past, and his actions are nicely layered and understandable, though not sympathetic.
What I didn’t like: The story initially moves from one character to the next without providing a consistent protagonist for the reader to latch onto, empathize with, and root for. Here’s a hint, the character in the blurb isn’t it. The character that starts the book is wonderful but doesn’t reappear for a while. The eventual two main protagonists don’t appear consistently enough for the reader hitch along the emotional road with them. In the same vein, it seemed the villain, whose purpose as an antagonist is to provide the plot's push back, takes more than his fair share of the time telling his story instead of allowing us to experience it through the main characters’ observations or findings. I realize this comes down to personal preference for each reader and this wasn’t a deal breaker, I just would have preferred more development and involvement of the main characters and much sooner.
That all said I enjoyed the story. The writing is excellent. The tale is frightening and riddled with the unexpected. And the quick pace make this a fast, thrilling read.
I recommend Rattleman to suspense/thriller enthusiasts!
What I didn’t like: The story initially moves from one character to the next without providing a consistent protagonist for the reader to latch onto, empathize with, and root for. Here’s a hint, the character in the blurb isn’t it. The character that starts the book, Sheriff Marty Wayne, is wonderful, a genuine likeable character with a moral code, but he doesn’t reappear for a while, which isn't enough for the reader to hitch along his emotional road. And I wanted to. In the same vein, it seemed the villain, whose purpose as an antagonist is to provide the plot's push back, takes more than his fair share of the time telling his story instead of allowing us to experience it through the main characters’ observations or findings. I realize this comes down to my personal preference as a reader and this wasn’t a deal breaker, I just would have preferred more development and involvement of the main characters and much sooner.
March 22, 2013
George Shuman is an ex-cop who came up with the idea of a beautiful blind girl who can read dead people's final short term memory, lasting approximately 18 seconds. He insists this is not some supernatural ability, it is something to do with personal memories being stored in dead people's bodies before they die.
The first in the series was '18 Seconds' which was highly rated by the critics for its concept and for much of its execution, and which is now in production as a major Hollywood movie.
Three other Sherry Moore books followed, and then this, which is not part of the series but which really grabbed me.
I am, of course, potentially biased as I was the final editor on the book, but it is great to see a book with such irresistible flow, telling the story of a serial killer in the Appalachian mountains picking off his victims one-by-one.
You can go with the psychology or not, based on what happened to Rattleman when he was Rattleboy, but the pace is on steady thrust, the characters are engaging, and the whole experience is just, well, satisfying.
The first in the series was '18 Seconds' which was highly rated by the critics for its concept and for much of its execution, and which is now in production as a major Hollywood movie.
Three other Sherry Moore books followed, and then this, which is not part of the series but which really grabbed me.
I am, of course, potentially biased as I was the final editor on the book, but it is great to see a book with such irresistible flow, telling the story of a serial killer in the Appalachian mountains picking off his victims one-by-one.
You can go with the psychology or not, based on what happened to Rattleman when he was Rattleboy, but the pace is on steady thrust, the characters are engaging, and the whole experience is just, well, satisfying.
April 25, 2013
"Rattleman" is easily one of the spookiest, most chilling tales of a serial killer I have read to date. Hiding out in the Appalachian mountains, he stalks women, kills them, disembowels them and hides their bodies deep in the forest. Will he be caught? And if he is caught, will he be killed? And if he is . . . You will have to read this fine, can't-put-it-down thriller to find out in a very surprising ending. . . or is it?
December 20, 2018
Worthy read. Really picks up pace toward the end.
May 25, 2013
This is a superb book. Not only does it have a great plot and a chilling serial killer but the effortless description of the Appalachian Mountains was outstanding. I was there, scrambling up those rocky hillsides, listening to the crack of the spruce and smelling the blood.
It took a little time for me to fall into step with the two main characters, Sheriff Wayne and Judy, but the detailed depiction of the killer kept me enthralled. Once the book got into its stride I was hooked and read the whole thing in twenty four hours. This is one of the best book I have read this year.
It took a little time for me to fall into step with the two main characters, Sheriff Wayne and Judy, but the detailed depiction of the killer kept me enthralled. Once the book got into its stride I was hooked and read the whole thing in twenty four hours. This is one of the best book I have read this year.
September 8, 2013
I really enjoyed this novel. The murders were creepy, with gruesome details that kept you guessing why it was happening, and the characters were all well written and felt alive. The descriptions of the mountains and the life led up there were vibrant, leaving you feeling like you'd been there.
Without giving any spoilers I think the real icing on the cake was learning why the serial killer did what he did. It gave me the shivers. A highly recommended read.
Without giving any spoilers I think the real icing on the cake was learning why the serial killer did what he did. It gave me the shivers. A highly recommended read.
March 6, 2016
Fast paced thriller
George D Shuman has created another creepy killer yet manages to avoid unnecessary descriptions of the horrible way the women are killed. It was hard to put this book down.
George D Shuman has created another creepy killer yet manages to avoid unnecessary descriptions of the horrible way the women are killed. It was hard to put this book down.
February 19, 2013
An excellent thriller. The intricate details of the story blend together seamlessly. If you like thrillers, Rattleman is for you.
See my full review at puretextuality.com
See my full review at puretextuality.com
March 30, 2013
this is a must read!
April 15, 2013
A fantastic read. Highly recommended!
February 16, 2014
This is a stand-alone novel and not part of the Sherry Moore series, which I've read all of. I liked it very much, probably more even than 18 Seconds. It's a page-turner until the end.
August 29, 2016
Great
Very good book lots of details pulls you in I couldn't put it down the ending left me unsettled maybe part 2 ??
Very good book lots of details pulls you in I couldn't put it down the ending left me unsettled maybe part 2 ??
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews