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Newly edited from the original publication.

FBI profiler Ulysses Grove is sure he’s this close to trapping a serial killer … but the killer is planning a gruesome surprise that will come far too close to home…

THE IMAGE OF MURDER

The Mississippi Ripper likes to work in pairs—of victims. For every dead body laid to waste, a second one faces it, a grotesque mirror image of terror and torment. Special Agent Ulysses Grove thinks he knows the method to the killer’s madness. But grasping the twisted logic behind the brutal slayings propels him onto a path of danger—to him and to everything he holds dear.

Pushed to the limit, Grove’s only hope is to dig deep into his own past. But this is one serial killer with powerful resources—and Grove's worst fears are already one step ahead of him…

____________________


“M. Night Shyamalan, meet Harlan Coben.” - David Ellis

Praise for Twisted

“Scarily real and really scary—everything a great thriller should be.” - Lee Child

Praise for Frozen

“A thrilling, beautifully paced skyrocket of a novel.” - Peter Straub

“A relentless chiller that leaves you guessing and gasping again and again.” - David Morrell

“An author of impressive range, depth, and audacity.” - Chicago Tribune

Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2007

3 people are currently reading
138 people want to read

About the author

Jay Bonansinga

110 books387 followers
The national best-selling author of ten acclaimed books – both fiction and non-fiction -- Jay Bonansinga has been called “one of the most imaginative writers of thrillers” by the Chicago Tribune.

Jay is the holder of a master's degree in film from Columbia College Chicago, and currently resides in Evanston, Illinois, with his wife and two sons. He is also a visiting professor at Northwestern University in their Creative Writing for the Media program.

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5 stars
25 (19%)
4 stars
42 (32%)
3 stars
45 (34%)
2 stars
13 (10%)
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4 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
Profile Image for Gene Pensari.
20 reviews
May 7, 2025
wow, now that was intense! Unlike the previous book, shattered pulls you in right off the bat, and the action/pacing never lets up. Very cool plot twist that I didn't see coming really added a lot to this, and the end really has you wanting more, the best book so far of the series!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
5,730 reviews146 followers
Want to read
December 8, 2019
Synopsis: FBI profiler Ulysses Grove is sure he's close to trapping a serial killer. But the killer is planning a gruesome surprise for him.
Profile Image for 🥀 Rose 🥀.
1,329 reviews40 followers
March 1, 2009
I didn't realize this was book 3 in a series. It was very fast-paced, serial killer book. However, some things bothered me with this book. I'm not sure how I feel with FBI profilers and the supernatural blending in these types of books. It works well if written well such as John Connolly's Charlie Parker books. But I don't feel it works here. I found it hard to really connect with any of my characters. They felt like carboard cutouts. Not people I can get attached to. Also, in one scene the author describes the baby in the book as being 6 months old, then later the baby is a year old, but no time has gone by but a few weeks. Also, no clear explanations as to why the killer is what he is. Too many unexplained loose-ends.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
26 reviews
August 16, 2013
This book needs less emphasis on the race of the main character. Every chapter made a reference to his race, sometimes several times on the same page. While I applaud the use of a strong, successful black main character I felt like it was the entire focus of the book. I'm not sure I liked the author referring to the character's baby and mother both as being "nappy headed", but that's just me. The book itself was pretty good. There seemed to be an equal amount of suspense, fear, and surprise. I didn't think there would be anything to really "reveal" since we knew who the killer was from the beginning, but I was wrong. Over all, It was a pretty good read.
Profile Image for Tony.
239 reviews2 followers
November 28, 2012
I liked this book, it whizzed by pretty quickly, but I'm not sure I want read any more books about an investigator who solves cases just by having a psychic experience. It seems a bit of a lazy way to me, just to say "all of a sudden Grove had a vision, and he knew who the killer was". That's over simplifying things a bit, but it was that sort of thing, Also,I prefer a whodunnit, with the killer revealed at the end, not on page 20 or so.


Profile Image for Sidran.
27 reviews3 followers
July 23, 2015
The perfect book for fans of continuity errors; there are too many of them to count. Also, the psychiatrist is blatantly unprofessional and unbelievable. The story idea is good. The execution is poor, though and the editor clearly phoned this one in.
Profile Image for Samuel.
101 reviews
May 7, 2008
Captivating... I stayed up and finished this the day I picked it up, it was so interesting...
Profile Image for Marion.
89 reviews9 followers
October 6, 2008
a bit too much woo-wooo stuff for me. well written but unbelievable.
7 reviews
March 15, 2009
A good read, decent character development and a good plot, nice twist. Also good psychology didn't overdo it but it was there to make the characters seem a little insightful and self aware.
Profile Image for Elizabeth Davidson.
46 reviews2 followers
December 24, 2011
If you are a James Patterson fan, this is a good book for you. It reminded me a lot of James Patterson because of the story plot, and the writing. I am a James Patterson fan, so I loved it :)
Profile Image for Dawn Olson-Cotie.
52 reviews3 followers
July 9, 2012
Slow at the beginning but really picked up about halfway through. Good finish to the book. Will definitely read one (or more) of the other books with the same characters.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews

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