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Dormant
426 pages, Paperback
Published October 10, 2025
1 person want to read
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
February 27, 2026
I went into Dormant expecting a standard serial killer thriller, but what I got was a tense, psychologically layered story that stayed with me long after I finished the final page.
From the opening chapters, Dawn L. Lubertowicz establishes an atmosphere thick with unease. The reemergence of the Butcher after years of silence immediately raises the stakes, and the pacing never truly lets up. Each new victim reveal feels deliberate and chilling, not sensationalized for shock value but carefully crafted to deepen the mystery.
What stood out most to me was Special Agent William O’Lear. He isn’t written as an invincible hero; instead, he feels burdened by the past, by his instincts, and by the weight of possibly being right about the Butcher’s return. His internal conflict adds emotional depth to the investigation. You can feel how personal this case is for him. His determination to stop the killer “once and for all” doesn’t read as bravado; it feels desperate, almost haunted.
Sophia, the ex-profiler assisting him, adds another compelling layer. Her analytical mind contrasts nicely with Will’s intensity. I appreciated how their partnership develops, not through dramatic theatrics, but through quiet moments of strategy, doubt, and mutual reliance. Their dynamic grounds the story amid the darkness.
The psychological aspect of the novel is where it truly shines. The author doesn’t rely solely on gruesome descriptions (which I was relieved about); instead, the horror comes from implication, motive, and the cat-and-mouse tension. The idea of a killer who can vanish for years and then resurface with the same signature is deeply unsettling. It makes you question whether evil ever really disappears or just waits.
If I had one critique, it would be that some secondary characters could have been fleshed out more. A few felt like plot devices rather than fully realized individuals. However, this didn’t significantly detract from the overall experience.
By the end, I was fully invested in whether Will and Sophia would succeed or fall into the same patterns that allowed the Butcher to evade capture before. The suspense builds steadily toward a conclusion that feels earned and impactful.
Overall, Dormant is a gripping psychological thriller that balances tension, character depth, and investigative intrigue. If you enjoy crime fiction that focuses as much on the minds of those hunting the killer as the killer himself, this is definitely worth the read.
From the opening chapters, Dawn L. Lubertowicz establishes an atmosphere thick with unease. The reemergence of the Butcher after years of silence immediately raises the stakes, and the pacing never truly lets up. Each new victim reveal feels deliberate and chilling, not sensationalized for shock value but carefully crafted to deepen the mystery.
What stood out most to me was Special Agent William O’Lear. He isn’t written as an invincible hero; instead, he feels burdened by the past, by his instincts, and by the weight of possibly being right about the Butcher’s return. His internal conflict adds emotional depth to the investigation. You can feel how personal this case is for him. His determination to stop the killer “once and for all” doesn’t read as bravado; it feels desperate, almost haunted.
Sophia, the ex-profiler assisting him, adds another compelling layer. Her analytical mind contrasts nicely with Will’s intensity. I appreciated how their partnership develops, not through dramatic theatrics, but through quiet moments of strategy, doubt, and mutual reliance. Their dynamic grounds the story amid the darkness.
The psychological aspect of the novel is where it truly shines. The author doesn’t rely solely on gruesome descriptions (which I was relieved about); instead, the horror comes from implication, motive, and the cat-and-mouse tension. The idea of a killer who can vanish for years and then resurface with the same signature is deeply unsettling. It makes you question whether evil ever really disappears or just waits.
If I had one critique, it would be that some secondary characters could have been fleshed out more. A few felt like plot devices rather than fully realized individuals. However, this didn’t significantly detract from the overall experience.
By the end, I was fully invested in whether Will and Sophia would succeed or fall into the same patterns that allowed the Butcher to evade capture before. The suspense builds steadily toward a conclusion that feels earned and impactful.
Overall, Dormant is a gripping psychological thriller that balances tension, character depth, and investigative intrigue. If you enjoy crime fiction that focuses as much on the minds of those hunting the killer as the killer himself, this is definitely worth the read.
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