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Archie Sheridan & Gretchen Lowell #4
The Night Season
With the Beauty Killer Gretchen Lowell locked away behind bars once again, Archie Sheridan - a Portland police detective and nearly one of her victims - can finally rest a little easier.
Meanwhile, the rest of the city of Portland is in crisis. Heavy rains have flooded the Willamette River, and several people have drowned in the quickly rising waters. Or at least that's what they thought until the medical examiner discovers that the latest victim didn't drown: She was poisoned before she went into the water. Soon after, three of those drownings are also proven to be murders. Portland has a new serial killer on its hands, and Archie and his task force have a new case.
Reporter Susan Ward is chasing this story of a new serial killer with gusto, but she's also got another lead to follow for an entirely separate mystery: the flooding has unearthed a skeleton, a man who might have died more than sixty years ago, the last time Portland flooded this badly, when the water washed away an entire neighborhood and killed at least fifteen people.
Archie follows the bizarre trail of evidence and evil deeds to catch a killer - and possibly regain his life - wiyth Susan Ward close behind.
Meanwhile, the rest of the city of Portland is in crisis. Heavy rains have flooded the Willamette River, and several people have drowned in the quickly rising waters. Or at least that's what they thought until the medical examiner discovers that the latest victim didn't drown: She was poisoned before she went into the water. Soon after, three of those drownings are also proven to be murders. Portland has a new serial killer on its hands, and Archie and his task force have a new case.
Reporter Susan Ward is chasing this story of a new serial killer with gusto, but she's also got another lead to follow for an entirely separate mystery: the flooding has unearthed a skeleton, a man who might have died more than sixty years ago, the last time Portland flooded this badly, when the water washed away an entire neighborhood and killed at least fifteen people.
Archie follows the bizarre trail of evidence and evil deeds to catch a killer - and possibly regain his life - wiyth Susan Ward close behind.
Audiobook
First published March 1, 2011
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About the author
Chelsea Cain
91 books3,814 followersChelsea Cain is the New York Times bestselling author of the Archie Sheridan/Gretchen Lowell thrillers Heartsick, Sweetheart, Evil at Heart, The Night Season, Kill You Twice, and Let Me Go. Her next book One Kick (August, 2014) will be the first in her Kick Lannigan thriller series. Her book Heartsick was named one of the best 100 thrillers ever written by NPR, and Heartsick and Sweetheart were named among Stephen King's Top Ten Books of the Year. Her books have been featured on HBO's True Blood and on ABC's Castle. Cain lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,079 reviews
March 25, 2017
I really enjoy this series. I have to say though, I was a little disappointed that Gretchen Lowell only had a three minute part in this one. This is book 4 in the series and is very different from the others in the series For starters the title of the book doesn't have the word heart in it. I loved to read about the relationship of Gretchen and Archie but in this one you have the relationship of Susan and Archie. Susan is one crazy chick and I really like her a lot.
A Portland river, the Willemette, is flooding and people are turning up dead. But detective Archie soon discovers that they didn't drown by accident but were murdered in an unconventional way. Portland has a new serial killer and Archie chases him with all his might. Susan in the meantime just finished a story about a skeleton that was found and that she thinks was a victim of the Vanport flooding some 50 years ago. Of course he takes her along for the ride again too. I tell you, a lot of water and flooding in this book! Whatever story it is, there is always good storytelling, good character building etc. The book has some serious action and the terror here comes from a completely different and unexpected serial killer.
The first body contains a rare poison. Three others prove to be murders as well. And with each gruesome discovery the medical examiner uncovers, Archie begins to realize he has not escaped his nightmares, even with his deadliest enemy behind bars. The flood has washed up old skeletons from the past. And a ruthless new serial killer rules the night..
A Portland river, the Willemette, is flooding and people are turning up dead. But detective Archie soon discovers that they didn't drown by accident but were murdered in an unconventional way. Portland has a new serial killer and Archie chases him with all his might. Susan in the meantime just finished a story about a skeleton that was found and that she thinks was a victim of the Vanport flooding some 50 years ago. Of course he takes her along for the ride again too. I tell you, a lot of water and flooding in this book! Whatever story it is, there is always good storytelling, good character building etc. The book has some serious action and the terror here comes from a completely different and unexpected serial killer.
The first body contains a rare poison. Three others prove to be murders as well. And with each gruesome discovery the medical examiner uncovers, Archie begins to realize he has not escaped his nightmares, even with his deadliest enemy behind bars. The flood has washed up old skeletons from the past. And a ruthless new serial killer rules the night..
June 2, 2012
A lot of people on amazon seem to take issue with this book because it only has about four seconds of Gretchen and the rest is spent on an actual plot and actual crime solving during a massive Katrina style flood in Portland. Personally, by this point, I'm pretty damn glad to have a break from the psychosis that is Gretchen Lowell and the abominably annoying relationship she has with Archie Sheridan.
I thought this story was great. It has a lot more Susan being awesome, and Archie has finally figured his shit out long enough to get off vicodin, stop being crazy and an addicted to his self-induced Gretchen suicide binges, and Henry finally gets his stab at well, being stabbed. Except not really. Not a spoiler folks, it happens in about the first twenty pages or so.
This is a great, fast read that allows your brain to take a nice breather from all the pyschosis going on and to be more involved in Susan's reporting world which is always one of my favorite parts of this series. Susan and Archie are great character's and they're finally allowed to interact more in this story without the unintended subtext of Archie being half crazy and manic depressive so he's finally allowed back more control (even though he mostly gained in the last book Evil At Heart which was effing fantastic) and he and Susan become a crack crime solving team. Great read. Super looking forward to the next one.
I thought this story was great. It has a lot more Susan being awesome, and Archie has finally figured his shit out long enough to get off vicodin, stop being crazy and an addicted to his self-induced Gretchen suicide binges, and Henry finally gets his stab at well, being stabbed. Except not really. Not a spoiler folks, it happens in about the first twenty pages or so.
This is a great, fast read that allows your brain to take a nice breather from all the pyschosis going on and to be more involved in Susan's reporting world which is always one of my favorite parts of this series. Susan and Archie are great character's and they're finally allowed to interact more in this story without the unintended subtext of Archie being half crazy and manic depressive so he's finally allowed back more control (even though he mostly gained in the last book Evil At Heart which was effing fantastic) and he and Susan become a crack crime solving team. Great read. Super looking forward to the next one.
June 6, 2018
Chelsea Cain somehow makes a story about a massive flood interesting. The Night Season is the 4th book in the Archie Sheridan series but unlike the first 3 this book does not revolve around Archie's twisted relationship with beautiful serial killer Gretchen Lowell, in fact Gretchen is almost completely absent from this book(hence the lower rating).
The Night Season is still an above average mystery/ thriller but its just not what I'd become accustomed to reading in this series. It wasn't dark and gory enough. There were no scenes that made me squeamish or grossed me out. Also I don't want to give anything away be the murder weapon while innovative was super weird.
Now I'm on to read book 5 with a review for that one to follow probably tomorrow or Thursday.
2018 Popsugar Reading Challenge: A book with a time of day in the title.
Around The Year In 52 Books: Book linked by the 4 elements; Element #3 Water
The Night Season is still an above average mystery/ thriller but its just not what I'd become accustomed to reading in this series. It wasn't dark and gory enough. There were no scenes that made me squeamish or grossed me out. Also I don't want to give anything away be the murder weapon while innovative was super weird.
Now I'm on to read book 5 with a review for that one to follow probably tomorrow or Thursday.
2018 Popsugar Reading Challenge: A book with a time of day in the title.
Around The Year In 52 Books: Book linked by the 4 elements; Element #3 Water
May 27, 2020
4.5 rounded up! I wasn’t sure how this 1 was going to be (without much Gretchen) but it was just as good as the others. This is by far 1 of my favorite series.. like top 3 EVER!
(The audiobooks are really good.. But to enjoy all you can, please read them in order!) They’re worth it!😊
(The audiobooks are really good.. But to enjoy all you can, please read them in order!) They’re worth it!😊
April 28, 2011
Uuuuuugh. Say every book was a jigsaw puzzle. Each piece would be a different part of the book--each character, the plot, the setting, the pacing, description, you get the point. At the end of the book, you should be able to sit back and enjoy the completed masterpiece and how the pieces all fit together perfectly. Oh man, this book is like that person that comes up to you when you are doing a puzzle and then just dumps all the pieces out. (THE EDGE PIECES FIRST, MORON! IT'S A SYSTEM!) I hate those people. The saddest part about this book is how it was a complete letdown in comparison to the other books in the series.
What's the name of the series? Oh, that's right, it's GRETCHEN LOWELL! It would be great if the most interesting and intriguing character was actually in each book. This one should be called The Night Season (Dying for some Gretchen Lowell, #4) or The Night Season (Where is Gretchen Lowell?, #4). Talk about a circus missing its ringmaster.
Let's talk for one second about the plot of this one. Actually, I can't do it without a spoiler. Added to that, Susan, the intrepid and mildly interesting reporter from earlier installments, makes a RIDICULOUSLY STUPID DECISION that I just wanted to stop reading afterward...and I would've if I wasn't less than 100 pages from the end. Portland is flooding in this one and it was just too much. Also, in a book about a flood, I find it hilarious that levee was spelled incorrectly TWICE. (Thanks for the smile, editor)
I will keep reading this series because, as my friend Bridget and I like to say, they are usually solid 3-starrers for us. I love me some crime fiction and I also love Gretchen Lowell. If she doesn't play a major part in the next one, you've lost a reader, Ms. Cain. This one was a major disappointment.
What's the name of the series? Oh, that's right, it's GRETCHEN LOWELL! It would be great if the most interesting and intriguing character was actually in each book. This one should be called The Night Season (Dying for some Gretchen Lowell, #4) or The Night Season (Where is Gretchen Lowell?, #4). Talk about a circus missing its ringmaster.
Let's talk for one second about the plot of this one. Actually, I can't do it without a spoiler. Added to that, Susan, the intrepid and mildly interesting reporter from earlier installments, makes a RIDICULOUSLY STUPID DECISION that I just wanted to stop reading afterward...and I would've if I wasn't less than 100 pages from the end. Portland is flooding in this one and it was just too much. Also, in a book about a flood, I find it hilarious that levee was spelled incorrectly TWICE. (Thanks for the smile, editor)
I will keep reading this series because, as my friend Bridget and I like to say, they are usually solid 3-starrers for us. I love me some crime fiction and I also love Gretchen Lowell. If she doesn't play a major part in the next one, you've lost a reader, Ms. Cain. This one was a major disappointment.
February 16, 2017
Not really a Gretchen story as she only puts in an appearance right at the end. Missed her, but nevertheless enjoyed this one because I like Archie and Susan. Quite different plotwise but it all came together in the end. Clever.
July 11, 2019
EXCERPT: This is how you kill someone, he thought.
You let them experience it slowly. By natural means. You let them move through terror to understanding. He liked to step back and watch their eyes as they felt the poison's first effects. They all panicked. Stumbled. It was the human condition to fight. To rage against the dying of the light. Just as it was in our nature to let go. The body knew when to give up the ghost. The brain released endorphins. Pain vanished.
He watched their chests rise and fall, slower, slower.
Peaceful at the end.
Their eyes smiling.
And through it all, they were silent as mice.
It was a lot like drowning.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: He captured the Beauty Killer, one of the most deranged serial killers in the country. Now, Portland police detective Archie Sheridan faces a different kind of killer - a brutal rain season that has flooded the Willamette River, claiming several lives. As water levels rise, so does the fear. Because some of the victims didn't drown;they were murdered.
The first body contains a rare poison. Three others prove to be murders as well. And with each gruesome discovery the medical examiner uncovers, Archie begins to realize he has not escaped his nightmares, even with his deadliest enemy behind bars. The flood has washed up old skeletons from the past. And a ruthless new serial killer rules the night...
MY THOUGHTS: Definitely not the best in the series. In her acknowledgements, author Chelsea Cain, apologises to Talia Sherer, Macmillan's Library Marketing Manager, saying that she knows the book isn't gory enough for her. Luckily, she also promises to make up for it in the next book.
But it wasn't simply that it wasn't gory enough, this installment in the series lacks the sheer tension that was evident in the earlier books. It's not a bad read, it's just not what I have come to expect from this author and this series.
😊😊😊🤔
THE AUTHOR: Chelsea Cain is the New York Times bestselling author of the Archie Sheridan/Gretchen Lowell thrillers Heartsick, Sweetheart, Evil at Heart, The Night Season, Kill You Twice, and Let Me Go. Her next book One Kick (August, 2014) will be the first in her Kick Lannigan thriller series. Her book Heartsick was named one of the best 100 thrillers ever written by NPR, and Heartsick and Sweetheart were named among Stephen King's Top Ten Books of the Year. Her books have been featured on HBO's True Blood and on ABC's Castle. Cain lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and daughter.
DISCLOSURE: I own my copy of The Night Season by Chelsea Cain, published by Pan Books. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.
This review and others are also published on my webpage sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
You let them experience it slowly. By natural means. You let them move through terror to understanding. He liked to step back and watch their eyes as they felt the poison's first effects. They all panicked. Stumbled. It was the human condition to fight. To rage against the dying of the light. Just as it was in our nature to let go. The body knew when to give up the ghost. The brain released endorphins. Pain vanished.
He watched their chests rise and fall, slower, slower.
Peaceful at the end.
Their eyes smiling.
And through it all, they were silent as mice.
It was a lot like drowning.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: He captured the Beauty Killer, one of the most deranged serial killers in the country. Now, Portland police detective Archie Sheridan faces a different kind of killer - a brutal rain season that has flooded the Willamette River, claiming several lives. As water levels rise, so does the fear. Because some of the victims didn't drown;they were murdered.
The first body contains a rare poison. Three others prove to be murders as well. And with each gruesome discovery the medical examiner uncovers, Archie begins to realize he has not escaped his nightmares, even with his deadliest enemy behind bars. The flood has washed up old skeletons from the past. And a ruthless new serial killer rules the night...
MY THOUGHTS: Definitely not the best in the series. In her acknowledgements, author Chelsea Cain, apologises to Talia Sherer, Macmillan's Library Marketing Manager, saying that she knows the book isn't gory enough for her. Luckily, she also promises to make up for it in the next book.
But it wasn't simply that it wasn't gory enough, this installment in the series lacks the sheer tension that was evident in the earlier books. It's not a bad read, it's just not what I have come to expect from this author and this series.
😊😊😊🤔
THE AUTHOR: Chelsea Cain is the New York Times bestselling author of the Archie Sheridan/Gretchen Lowell thrillers Heartsick, Sweetheart, Evil at Heart, The Night Season, Kill You Twice, and Let Me Go. Her next book One Kick (August, 2014) will be the first in her Kick Lannigan thriller series. Her book Heartsick was named one of the best 100 thrillers ever written by NPR, and Heartsick and Sweetheart were named among Stephen King's Top Ten Books of the Year. Her books have been featured on HBO's True Blood and on ABC's Castle. Cain lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and daughter.
DISCLOSURE: I own my copy of The Night Season by Chelsea Cain, published by Pan Books. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.
This review and others are also published on my webpage sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
September 12, 2018
The fourth installment of the Gretchen Lowell series was a pretty good read even though Gretchen only had a small blurp in the book.
Archie, Henry, and Susan have some other fish to fry as they are bogged down with bodies that at first seem to be drowning accidents, but they soon find out that there is a killer on the loose.
The closer they seem to be finding out who it is, the further away the killer seems to be. As they race toward tracking the killer down, they each experience life threatening situations in the process.
I love how there is so much closeness between all the characters of the book as the series continues. The friendship between Archie and Susan has grown immeasurably along with the other characters of the Beauty Killer team. Looking forward to reading the 5th book in the series. Giving this one four stars.
Archie, Henry, and Susan have some other fish to fry as they are bogged down with bodies that at first seem to be drowning accidents, but they soon find out that there is a killer on the loose.
The closer they seem to be finding out who it is, the further away the killer seems to be. As they race toward tracking the killer down, they each experience life threatening situations in the process.
I love how there is so much closeness between all the characters of the book as the series continues. The friendship between Archie and Susan has grown immeasurably along with the other characters of the Beauty Killer team. Looking forward to reading the 5th book in the series. Giving this one four stars.
October 10, 2025
Gretchen was pretty much left out of this one and I have to wonder if she will be turning up in a bigger way in one of the next two books in the series. Regardless, there was a lot to entertain in this installment and plenty to keep me on pins and needles. I mean a serial killer using an octopus as his weapon? Fantastic!! That was too fun. And all of the ways the different story lines ended up coming together was delicious. Can’t wait to get into the next book in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 27, 2010
March 2011 publication.
I hate to tease you but Chelsea Cain has outdone herself on this fourth entry in the Gretchen Lowell (aka Beauty Queen) series although Gretchen appears mainly in spirit.
Portland is in the midst of one of Oregon's rainiest seasons with the Willamette River threatening to go over the seawall and flood downtown. In the meantime bodies are turning up with bizarre wounds of which have never been seen before (the method of killing is definitely inventive). Portland homicide detective Archie Sheridan (still recovering from the after effects of Gretchen's torture) and reporter Susan Ward work to find the diabolical killer before he/she strikes again. In the meantime, a skeleton has been found near the Columbia River and may be related to the Vanport flood (the fascinating history of this event is interwoven into the story, and if you don't know, the Vanport flood happened in the Jantzen Beach area).
What I liked about this book is that the creepiness is created by the claustrophobic constant rain, and the violence has been reduced from her previous books (no floating eyeballs in the toilet tank!). I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book even if the previous three books hadn't been read.
I hate to tease you but Chelsea Cain has outdone herself on this fourth entry in the Gretchen Lowell (aka Beauty Queen) series although Gretchen appears mainly in spirit.
Portland is in the midst of one of Oregon's rainiest seasons with the Willamette River threatening to go over the seawall and flood downtown. In the meantime bodies are turning up with bizarre wounds of which have never been seen before (the method of killing is definitely inventive). Portland homicide detective Archie Sheridan (still recovering from the after effects of Gretchen's torture) and reporter Susan Ward work to find the diabolical killer before he/she strikes again. In the meantime, a skeleton has been found near the Columbia River and may be related to the Vanport flood (the fascinating history of this event is interwoven into the story, and if you don't know, the Vanport flood happened in the Jantzen Beach area).
What I liked about this book is that the creepiness is created by the claustrophobic constant rain, and the violence has been reduced from her previous books (no floating eyeballs in the toilet tank!). I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book even if the previous three books hadn't been read.
May 15, 2022
2022: 4 stars
2019: Well this one doesn't feature Gretchen Lowell and Chelsea Cain has done a fantastic job.
It is set in a town that floods, so throughout the whole story the town is flooding and keeps getting worse.
You still have Archie, Henry, Susan and Clare knocking about.
I mean the storyline for me wasn't the best, the octopus's were a bit far fetched for me, but Cain's writing is so good it keeps me reading on.
2019: Well this one doesn't feature Gretchen Lowell and Chelsea Cain has done a fantastic job.
It is set in a town that floods, so throughout the whole story the town is flooding and keeps getting worse.
You still have Archie, Henry, Susan and Clare knocking about.
I mean the storyline for me wasn't the best, the octopus's were a bit far fetched for me, but Cain's writing is so good it keeps me reading on.
March 2, 2016
I can't believe how brilliant this author is, another fantastic book to this series.
April 7, 2017
Love this series.
February 21, 2023
Ugh, I HATED this one, and it didn't have one tiny smidge of Gretchen Lowell in it, either. Doesn't the author understand why we read these?!
During an unseasonably warm Portland spring, the Willamette (rhymes with dammit) floods bigtime. Sixty years before, the same thing happened and the entire town of Vanport got washed away. Once again, innocent Portlandians are threatened by a disgustingly polluted river! ...and also by a madman and his octopuses.
Breathe in. Let's all take that in for a second. Exhale.
Yes, this ridiculous man goes around during the worst flooding event in decades and hands people a venomous octopus. Or throws one at people's faces if they won't take it. And his reason for doing it is absolutely beyond stupid.
The Blue-Ringed Octopus is only 10cm long, but it's formidable, with one of the deadliest neurotoxic stings in world. They're also really pretty. I advise you to give this book a hard pass.
During an unseasonably warm Portland spring, the Willamette (rhymes with dammit) floods bigtime. Sixty years before, the same thing happened and the entire town of Vanport got washed away. Once again, innocent Portlandians are threatened by a disgustingly polluted river! ...and also by a madman and his octopuses.
Breathe in. Let's all take that in for a second. Exhale.
Yes, this ridiculous man goes around during the worst flooding event in decades and hands people a venomous octopus. Or throws one at people's faces if they won't take it. And his reason for doing it is absolutely beyond stupid.
The Blue-Ringed Octopus is only 10cm long, but it's formidable, with one of the deadliest neurotoxic stings in world. They're also really pretty. I advise you to give this book a hard pass.
September 5, 2017
Not on a par with previous two books. All that water!!! Review to come.
June 23, 2012
PERFECT SICKBED READING JUST ARRIVED THANK YOU MARY.
***
Not to sound super-bitchy, but if I'd known this book would feature Gretchen Lowell only once for a moment near the very end, I wouldn't've pre-ordered it at full price. It's not bad -- there's also less Archie, really, but a lot of Susan, and some good subsidiary characters too. But let's face it, the real charge in these books is the sick connection between the Beauty Killer and her captive/captor, and without that, I was stuck thinking "Why exactly am I reading this again, when there are so many other okay thrillers in the world?" Susan is a big part of the why -- she's a wonderful character, flawed and gutsy, even if she does seem like a bit of a Mary Sue down to the constantly changing Manic Panic'd up hair. It feels like the focus of the series is slowly shifting off Gretchen/Archie and on to Susan, although if that's the case, she needs to be at the center of the story more, and not just because she's a reporter who just happens to wind up investigating the very heart of it. Again. She's once again the Plucky Amateur Girl in Jep in this book, as she was in all the other ones, and you know the trick's getting tired when even the characters in the book refer to it jokingly. Without the Beauty Killer to mesmerize us, Cain's plotting, never her strong suit, really fails -- the climax and its big windup depend on not one but several miraculous coincidences and rescues, and the killer, his means, his motive and opportunities are a hot mess. When your serial killer's method of killing is also a running gag in the book, that may not be a good sign for the story.
However, as always, Cain's Portland is like a character itself in her series and probably why I'll keep reading her as long as it is -- the PNW isn't depicted this accurately in a lot of modern literature, especially Oregon. Susan is great, Cain's prose style is several levels above 'workmanlike' (quite funny at several points) and the book was entertaining and very diverting for a couple of hours when I was quite ill with a bad cold. I just wish I'd gotten it on sale, in paperback, or from the library. I also hope Gretchen makes a comeback in Book # 5 but that's not looking very likely.
(No stars, because I hate that star rating crap.) Ehh, I went for it anyway.
***
Not to sound super-bitchy, but if I'd known this book would feature Gretchen Lowell only once for a moment near the very end, I wouldn't've pre-ordered it at full price. It's not bad -- there's also less Archie, really, but a lot of Susan, and some good subsidiary characters too. But let's face it, the real charge in these books is the sick connection between the Beauty Killer and her captive/captor, and without that, I was stuck thinking "Why exactly am I reading this again, when there are so many other okay thrillers in the world?" Susan is a big part of the why -- she's a wonderful character, flawed and gutsy, even if she does seem like a bit of a Mary Sue down to the constantly changing Manic Panic'd up hair. It feels like the focus of the series is slowly shifting off Gretchen/Archie and on to Susan, although if that's the case, she needs to be at the center of the story more, and not just because she's a reporter who just happens to wind up investigating the very heart of it. Again. She's once again the Plucky Amateur Girl in Jep in this book, as she was in all the other ones, and you know the trick's getting tired when even the characters in the book refer to it jokingly. Without the Beauty Killer to mesmerize us, Cain's plotting, never her strong suit, really fails -- the climax and its big windup depend on not one but several miraculous coincidences and rescues, and the killer, his means, his motive and opportunities are a hot mess. When your serial killer's method of killing is also a running gag in the book, that may not be a good sign for the story.
However, as always, Cain's Portland is like a character itself in her series and probably why I'll keep reading her as long as it is -- the PNW isn't depicted this accurately in a lot of modern literature, especially Oregon. Susan is great, Cain's prose style is several levels above 'workmanlike' (quite funny at several points) and the book was entertaining and very diverting for a couple of hours when I was quite ill with a bad cold. I just wish I'd gotten it on sale, in paperback, or from the library. I also hope Gretchen makes a comeback in Book # 5 but that's not looking very likely.
January 21, 2016
This is a tough one to rate. If you're still reading this series, you may be like me in that you were hooked in book one and two by the Archie/Gretchen dynamic. Book three featured Gretchen but somehow failed to live up to its predecessors. Book four, in which Gretchen is out of sight though not completely out of mind, also fell short of the initial two books.
Interestingly, while many people who didn't like this book found Gretchen's absence to be the problem, I don't agree. I honestly felt we needed a break from Gretchen, that Cain needed to build some solid subplots as a way of keeping the books fresh and interesting. I felt as if Archie needed to move beyond Gretchen if only as a means of setting him up for his next fall. In my opinion, that is where Cain fails. This book...actually, all the books push the limits of believability, but what made the first two books so strong was that the characters and their dynamic was compelling so you didn't care. Not only is the story in this book just a little too much in the "you've got to be kidding me" department, it offers none of the character-inspired tensions that the first two books showcased. Nothing interesting happens to any of the characters...nothing, and "nothing" is not good when your previous books have succeeded on the merits of your characters alone. Not that there wasn't potential. Cain could have easily developed the secondary characters. You see this all the time in TV series that are successful. Without interesting subplots and the ability to develop all the characters, you simply end up with the same story over, and over, and over...or a boring book.
That said, I'm going to read the fifth, if only to see if Cain manages to salvage a series that completely blew me away when I first started it but that now is bordering way too close to "not worth my time."
Interestingly, while many people who didn't like this book found Gretchen's absence to be the problem, I don't agree. I honestly felt we needed a break from Gretchen, that Cain needed to build some solid subplots as a way of keeping the books fresh and interesting. I felt as if Archie needed to move beyond Gretchen if only as a means of setting him up for his next fall. In my opinion, that is where Cain fails. This book...actually, all the books push the limits of believability, but what made the first two books so strong was that the characters and their dynamic was compelling so you didn't care. Not only is the story in this book just a little too much in the "you've got to be kidding me" department, it offers none of the character-inspired tensions that the first two books showcased. Nothing interesting happens to any of the characters...nothing, and "nothing" is not good when your previous books have succeeded on the merits of your characters alone. Not that there wasn't potential. Cain could have easily developed the secondary characters. You see this all the time in TV series that are successful. Without interesting subplots and the ability to develop all the characters, you simply end up with the same story over, and over, and over...or a boring book.
That said, I'm going to read the fifth, if only to see if Cain manages to salvage a series that completely blew me away when I first started it but that now is bordering way too close to "not worth my time."
May 11, 2020
Spend the first nice day of the year reading The Night Season outside in just a couple of sittings.
The 4th novel of the series is more about Archie (and Susan) and Gretchen plays a very minor role (only mentioned a few times). I found that the last few books had a heavy Gretchen presence, so I was happy to have a break from her. I enjoyed that there was 2 mysteries - one from 50 years ago when the town flooded and one from present day having to do with poison.
The 4th novel of the series is more about Archie (and Susan) and Gretchen plays a very minor role (only mentioned a few times). I found that the last few books had a heavy Gretchen presence, so I was happy to have a break from her. I enjoyed that there was 2 mysteries - one from 50 years ago when the town flooded and one from present day having to do with poison.
August 25, 2012
Chelsea Cain’s first flop. I’m all for Cain branching out into books that don’t involve Gretchen Lowell as a main character but she’s going to have to do better than this if she ever hopes to move beyond her brilliant first trilogy. The general story and many of the characters’ actions are simply not believable, the killer’s means and motive are simultaneously muddled and overwrought and the story’s resolution depends too much on coincidence and luck. There’s such a lack of originality and attention to detail here that the novel feels more like a rushed together set of discarded outtakes and rejected material than a cohesive whole.
Characters that should know better are forever bumbling through crime scenes, disturbing evidence and handling clues before the investigators have had a chance to examine, photograph and fingerprint anything. Actions and plot points that weren’t believable or interesting the first time are repeated throughout the book. At different points in the story, two towns are flooded, two characters are saved from drowning in the same river by the same person, two characters are brought back from the dead through CPR and defibrillation, etc. It all feels just so lazy and suggests something that’s been sitting in someone’s drawer for 10 years.
Even the title stinks. “The Night Season” doesn’t mean anything, is never connected to the story and is so meaninglessly generic, I’ve already once again forgotten it.
Except for the absence of Gretchen, all of Cain’s characters from her first trilogy are here and they are likable and endearing as ever but except for chasing this new serial killer, nothing terribly interesting or important happens to any of them. By the end of the book, they haven’t grown or changed in the slightest, much like a mediocre TV show that resets its entire universe at the end of every episode. Actually, it feels as if Cain’s popular characters were just plugged in to this uninspired slog just to buy the author additional time while she writes a *proper* successor to her successful first three books. And don’t even get me started on the octopuses…
Characters that should know better are forever bumbling through crime scenes, disturbing evidence and handling clues before the investigators have had a chance to examine, photograph and fingerprint anything. Actions and plot points that weren’t believable or interesting the first time are repeated throughout the book. At different points in the story, two towns are flooded, two characters are saved from drowning in the same river by the same person, two characters are brought back from the dead through CPR and defibrillation, etc. It all feels just so lazy and suggests something that’s been sitting in someone’s drawer for 10 years.
Even the title stinks. “The Night Season” doesn’t mean anything, is never connected to the story and is so meaninglessly generic, I’ve already once again forgotten it.
Except for the absence of Gretchen, all of Cain’s characters from her first trilogy are here and they are likable and endearing as ever but except for chasing this new serial killer, nothing terribly interesting or important happens to any of them. By the end of the book, they haven’t grown or changed in the slightest, much like a mediocre TV show that resets its entire universe at the end of every episode. Actually, it feels as if Cain’s popular characters were just plugged in to this uninspired slog just to buy the author additional time while she writes a *proper* successor to her successful first three books. And don’t even get me started on the octopuses…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 25, 2011
With notorious Beauty Killer Gretchen Lowell on the peripheral, Chelsea Cain's 'The Night Season' is a shade or two lighter than the previous series installments. Focused predominately on the quirky journalist, Susan as she attempts to uncover a string of murders seemingly linked to a present day flooding of the Willamette river in Portland and a disastrous flood that wiped out a community in 1948, 'The Night Season' is more a by-the-book police procedural than manic serial killer thriller.
Perennial victim , Archie returns assuming the lead role on the task force assigned to the murders and is a little less reliant on the pills which have damaged his mind as much as his body - the second is evident in this outing. As the water rises so do the bodies - initially written off as drownings, Susan and co. soon stumbled upon something more sinister - a misguided killer using blue ringed octopuses to dry down his victims. The key attraction to 'The Night Season' is the expanding of the core character base - notably Archie's team and the those within Susan's circle. There is a definitive bridge feel to this, a precursor to something more elaborate and true to form of previous installments.
The dark and damp setting of a city inundated by torrential downpour failed to replicate the mood and disturbing behaviour previously emanated by Gretchen on the broader populace. That said, taken for what it is - 'The Night Season' is a solid entry point for those new the series or those who haven't read all the preceding books. In addition, it was nice to see Cain showcase some of the pre-Gretchen Archie in terms of his natural leadership ability and lengths he'll go to save a life and solve a case. 3.5 stars - I miss Gretchen.
Side note: recommended reading during the winter season for added ambiance.
Perennial victim , Archie returns assuming the lead role on the task force assigned to the murders and is a little less reliant on the pills which have damaged his mind as much as his body - the second is evident in this outing. As the water rises so do the bodies - initially written off as drownings, Susan and co. soon stumbled upon something more sinister - a misguided killer using blue ringed octopuses to dry down his victims. The key attraction to 'The Night Season' is the expanding of the core character base - notably Archie's team and the those within Susan's circle. There is a definitive bridge feel to this, a precursor to something more elaborate and true to form of previous installments.
The dark and damp setting of a city inundated by torrential downpour failed to replicate the mood and disturbing behaviour previously emanated by Gretchen on the broader populace. That said, taken for what it is - 'The Night Season' is a solid entry point for those new the series or those who haven't read all the preceding books. In addition, it was nice to see Cain showcase some of the pre-Gretchen Archie in terms of his natural leadership ability and lengths he'll go to save a life and solve a case. 3.5 stars - I miss Gretchen.
Side note: recommended reading during the winter season for added ambiance.
February 27, 2018
I enjoy watching the friendship between Archie and Susan grow. Nothing romantic, just the way they've grown to respect and worry about each other.
A creepy villian and some strange dark humor make this well worth reading even if Gretchen isn't in the horror mix.
A creepy villian and some strange dark humor make this well worth reading even if Gretchen isn't in the horror mix.
September 21, 2018
This book was a little slow to get me interested. But I enjoyed the story line of someone killing people with a sting from an octopus. Archie was great in the book as well as Susan. Gretchen didn't show up until the end. I guess we will see how it goes in the next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2026
This one was definitely the most boring but also somehow the most stressful at the same time. PEOPLE I LIKED DIED which pissed me off but the ending was super cute actually.
March 25, 2011
I'm not going to lie. I adore Chelsea Cain and it's almost impossible for me to put her Archie & Gretchen series down, but I was disappointed with #4. Not enough action, not enough blood-and-guts, not enough Gretchen, not enough evil. If that makes me a bloodthirsty psychopath, so be it. I have seriously high expectations of Cain and they were not met with this book, though I confess I was able to smash through it in a matter of hours, more or less.
What I will praise is the development of Susan as a character. She's fantastic and I love her. She's gutsy, takes no shit from anyone and is so kick-ass I find myself chuckling at her antics and her sense of humour all the time. I felt that Archie was a bit empty this time around but I liked the Henry disaster. I also liked Cain's accurate description of Portland flooding, especially given that my city experienced devastating floods only two months ago. Good timing. The use of octopuses was awesome too, if a little far-fetched, though being Australian I can completely understand the terror of those godforsaken little floating bastards.
I'm glad I read it and will definitely continue with this gripping series, but I'm hoping for a bit more of a punch in the face from #5. I have faith in Chelsea.
What I will praise is the development of Susan as a character. She's fantastic and I love her. She's gutsy, takes no shit from anyone and is so kick-ass I find myself chuckling at her antics and her sense of humour all the time. I felt that Archie was a bit empty this time around but I liked the Henry disaster. I also liked Cain's accurate description of Portland flooding, especially given that my city experienced devastating floods only two months ago. Good timing. The use of octopuses was awesome too, if a little far-fetched, though being Australian I can completely understand the terror of those godforsaken little floating bastards.
I'm glad I read it and will definitely continue with this gripping series, but I'm hoping for a bit more of a punch in the face from #5. I have faith in Chelsea.
April 6, 2013
This was a great read, it is book #4 and probably is now my favorite so far in the Heartsick series. I did not think that was even possible. Our beauty killer is absent for the most part and it brought the book back into a more believable reality.
I must say that I think Susan is probably my favorite character in the series at this point. She has grown so much from being the spoiled brat we first met. Archie is finally acting like a true hero, and our splendid cast of characters have grown by leaps and bounds. The series has really become very good, and I am pretty much hooked. I am glad I stuck to it.
The Night Season is very fast paced, and I loved it. Our characters are battling a raging flood, and a deadly poison, while trying to catch a serial killer and rescue a young boy. It certainly kept me turning the pages. I look forward to the next 2 books of the series in the near future.
I must say that I think Susan is probably my favorite character in the series at this point. She has grown so much from being the spoiled brat we first met. Archie is finally acting like a true hero, and our splendid cast of characters have grown by leaps and bounds. The series has really become very good, and I am pretty much hooked. I am glad I stuck to it.
The Night Season is very fast paced, and I loved it. Our characters are battling a raging flood, and a deadly poison, while trying to catch a serial killer and rescue a young boy. It certainly kept me turning the pages. I look forward to the next 2 books of the series in the near future.
December 19, 2014
When it comes to series, you take a little break from the main villain sometimes. It can be a good thing or it can not. The case with the 4th book in the series, it was a nice change of pace.
I did take a little break from it, not in the mood to read it. Then came back to it and liked it enough. I mean there's a little bit more Susan, with her reporter driven personality and ever changing hair dye with each book. I was okay with that. About time she got character development, well, more so in this one. Along with the other characters of course.
Near the end it got intense though. Like the last 3 books in the series so far, it does have its share of creepy moments so there's that. The pace is still fast paced as ever. I don't know what else to say really. Good series so far.
I did take a little break from it, not in the mood to read it. Then came back to it and liked it enough. I mean there's a little bit more Susan, with her reporter driven personality and ever changing hair dye with each book. I was okay with that. About time she got character development, well, more so in this one. Along with the other characters of course.
Near the end it got intense though. Like the last 3 books in the series so far, it does have its share of creepy moments so there's that. The pace is still fast paced as ever. I don't know what else to say really. Good series so far.
June 1, 2017
I think I gave up on this book when I read it some years ago, just didn't keep my attention going, but I may give it another go and see if I have a different opinion now. I've enjoyed her other books so could have just been me at the time.
July 1, 2019
I had a hard time getting through this book. I’m glad I did because the rest of the series is amazing. This book is missing Gretchen and it made a huge difference. The main serial killer in this book is just too far out there and unrealistic for me.
January 24, 2018
I have loved all of Chelsea Cain's books in this series, and this one is no different.
I know that Gretchen was a main character in the other books, but I really liked that she wasn't in this one (at least not as much as the others). I actually enjoyed just reading about Archie and Susan and the issues at hand.. and I would have to say that the issues were definitely different and made the story even more enjoyable!
I look forward to the next two books, I just wish that they would keep going after 6!
I know that Gretchen was a main character in the other books, but I really liked that she wasn't in this one (at least not as much as the others). I actually enjoyed just reading about Archie and Susan and the issues at hand.. and I would have to say that the issues were definitely different and made the story even more enjoyable!
I look forward to the next two books, I just wish that they would keep going after 6!
March 4, 2018
How timely for me/ I live in Louisville KY and for the past couple of weeks we have had rain, rain, and more rain so the Ohio River has flooded. Many riverfront properties are underwater. And lo and behold this book is about FLOODs in Portland, OR. One in 1948 and one in 2017. Gretchen is in jail awaiting her trial so she for once is not the star bad guy. Octopuses and kidnapped child, skeleton from the 40's and so many other factors are included.
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