Strawberries

by Casey Bartsch

Fifteen years ago, the innocence of the small town of Pleasure, Wisconsin was stolen by a young boy. Now, he is back, leaving a trail of bloody carnage in his wake. The media has dubbed him Strawberries, and the country is mesmerized. Detective Harry Bland is a broken man, and can’t find a single clue to catch him. It doesn’t help that his mind won’t focus; his heart just isn’t in it anymore. Halfway across the country, Sylvia is in a different state of mind. When she isn’t selling sex to the rich, she is doing her best to disappear. Sylvia lives a life of assumed names, one night stands and a constant stream of narcotics. A reporter, two cross-country truckers, an eccentric friend and a rubber-clad CSI all have their part to play, as their paths come together in a small town you've never heard of. Strawberries has killed again. ★★★★★ - "One of the best books I have read in a long time." ★★★★★ - "Great character development, good pacing, interesting story. This book is right up there with the best." ★★★★★ - "Funny and terrifying. I love this book, and highly recommend it."

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Ebooks, Horror, Suspense, Crime, Fiction

400 pages, Paperback

First published April 30, 2016

About the author

I spend my time cooped up in a little shed that I have converted into a makeshift office/studio. I listen to records and attempt to be as creative as possible, as often as possible.

I generally am unsatisfied with the results, but every once in a while...good things happen.

My first novel, Strawberries, is out now. I spent a few years working on it, and people seem to like it. some days I believe them, and some I don't.

I am working diligently on my next book, which will be nothing like my first book.

Reviews

[Nisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was well written book and Casey Bartsch has an interesting way to tell story of characters. But It wasn’t what I expect some serial killer’s story. This book has interesting and well developed characters. I feel it was like more than serial killer stories it was other characters' story. I will began with the characters.

Harry was a detective who hired after another detective was unsuccessful so he was thought as a elite one. But he give up from the beginning even though he claim to be good. But to know him was funny time to time.

Sylvia was a call girl but I didn’t get her why she was doing that until the end of the story I accept she live her life the way she want. So I couldn’t sympathize with her either.

Simon and Larry Brothers was kind of cute and they ask some interesting questions. I like them but they didn’t have big part in story to affect me more about what happened.

Shelly was a reporter on tv and she was selfish as far as not caring innocent people even child dying as long as she gets what she wants and the one she loves wasn’t hurt.

Blue Bloods was interesting characters but we couldn’t get to know them better. Their time was short in story.

Even though I couldn’t love the characters, to know them was interesting and I wasn’t bored with story. What I had a problem that when some characters was dying with a really bad way I couldn’t feel anything (sad, worried and so on) and this was disturbing for me. I thought I was being heartless and this is not the way I want to feel. This story wasn’t thrilling but this book was touching on very important and interesting facts.

Thanks, Casey Bartsch, giving me a free copy of this e-book in exchange for a review

[Barbara Senteney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like many serial killers, Strawberries started his career with small animals. He became one family's dark hidden secret locked away, he must be insane. Strawberries is a ruthless, calculated, cold blooded, psychopath, his story is raw, bloody, and mysterious.Does he remember who he is? Or the things he did as a child?
Detective Harry and his co worker who's a forensic specialist need to solve Strawberries case, who is he? Where is he? What do the Strawberries mean? I loved this story although there were 2 characters I never did know what they had to do with the story. But they were interesting characters. This story is truly raw and graphic in every detail of gore.
This book was so vividly written I swear in my mind's eye the DJ's voice on the radio was clear and bold. Death has come to small town USA and it is accompanied by Strawberries. I'd like to say this was the best horror I have read by someone who doesn't have the last name King.
I love the courage it must have taken this author to write such gore filled scenes, in today's critical day and ge of so many haters of success. Too many times things that are omitted from a book depends on the sensitive critic of youth. You cannot write horror without suspense, gore, and blood and please the fans. You cannot write a book proving the wrong of slavery without showing those who were racist as well as those enslaved. So I believe this author went above and beyond in an accurate portrayal of how bad, bad can really be.This book demonstrated the depths of a sick twisted mind, someone who both inflicted and endured pain from others and from himself.I cannot give this book enough praise to do it justice, I wish I actually owned a copy it deserves a place of honor on my shelves, it's rare I say OMG in a horror book but I had a lot of those moments in Strawberries. It could end up as my fav book of 2018.
I was given an ebook copy of this and asked for a fair honest review. Thank you so much the books like this one is how I get through the so so, or really bad ones.

[Sherry Fundin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strawberry is a serial killer that loves coming up with new and creative ways to murder someone. He is a psycho, even doing himself harm, while murdering at random. His signature mark…a strawberry.

He dodges capture, leaving a trail of bodies in a zig zag path he travels, striking when the moment hits him.

The characters are…unusual. At times I felt sorry for them, other times I couldn’t help but smile.

Forces draw them together in a frenzied ending, bodies dropping, blood flowing and some people I like…well, you’ll need to read about it for yourself. I like authors who do the unexpected, regardless of how I might feel about it.

I had made a comment on a blog about how much I wanted to read this, and, voila, Casey Bartsch sent me a copy. Thanks so much, Casey.

To see more visit fundinmental

[Jay Saph · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting blend of grisly horror, detective work and budding romance. Bartsch weaves an intricate story through multiple points of view with clean crispy, unpretentious writing. Pill popping Sylvia and witty Bill are great characters, enhanced by their play script repartee. Harry, the downtrodden "my wife left me" and "they want me off the case" was a bit, seen it before. But I did like the scene where he needed help deciding what to wear. The road trip scenes unfortunately slowed the pace/interest for me but after some investment from the reader it all comes together. Bottom line: Hannibal meets Dexter and worth a go.

[Davyne DeSye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Just wow.

I have always enjoyed horror and psychological thrillers… my problem has always been a weak stomach if it is going to get into excessive gore. I have a very vivid imagination, and just can’t keep myself from gagging.

This story sounded interesting but I admit to being a little worried (as I always am when picking up a horror/psychological thriller) that I would get to a certain point and think, quite literally, “I just can’t stomach this one.”

This book was a wow. I’ve had a lot going on in my life over the last month, so I didn’t read it as quickly as I normally read a book, but believe me: I hated putting this one down every time I had to, and over the last couple of days (with life thankfully quieting down), I’ve read even when I should have been doing something else.

Essentially, this book is about a serial killer and the people who are trying to track him down. But it’s actually much, much more. I got a glimpse into quite a few different lives – through different plot lines – that made this more than just a “let’s chase the serial killer” book. It included several character studies with a gritty view of the multitude of different lives around us every day. Actually, it was these different characters and plot lines that really drew me in and kept me wanting to read more. How and where were they all going to intersect?

In a poorly (or even so-so) written book, I might expect to get to the end and wonder why that particular plot line had been introduced… since it went nowhere. Or that character… No so here! In addition to being an interesting overall plot, there is a masterful blending of various plot lines that drive inexorably toward an ending that could not have come about without all of it. And the weaving together of these plot lines is brilliantly pulled off! Nothing wasted. Nothing extra. All wonderfully thought through.

To add to all of this, there are some fabulous turns of phrase that just stick with you. Here’s an example… one of the characters walks into a dark barn in the middle of the night, and…

“The dark was heavy. While in the light, it’s easy to ignore the weight of the air, but when sight is removed and other senses are heightened, it can be felt. She could feel it now, pushing down on her, as if she were carrying the barn’s ebony breath in her arms.”

I don’t want to mislead you, though, this story is told in clean, crisp language and in a straightforward way that was a pleasure to read as it just rolled into my mind without me having to focus on the act of reading. Well… until phrases like the above that made me stop and re-read, just for the sheer enjoyment of it. :)

Best of all, yes, this book was about a serial killer. Yes, several of his crimes (or the aftermaths thereof) are described. But, no. Not once was my gag reflex triggered. I could recognize the horror of the crimes without feeling that we had just entered the bounds of inappropriate disgustingness that (in my personal case, at least) would ruin the book for me.

This is one of the best books I’ve read all year and quite frankly, I can picture myself reading it again. An unqualified five stars!

[Laurie (barksbooks)]

Free for the Kindle @ Amazon today.

[Bandit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now, this was a proper find. At a time where I’m more and more cautious about trying out random Kindle freebies, here comes a book that’s…well...well done. Suspense thriller that genuinely serves up both key elements, well written, clever even, with nearly no editing snafus or jejune craptraps first time authors can trip up on. Unlike its delicious title, Strawberries is a positively unsavory tale of a serial killer. It’s graphic, disturbing and visceral at times. It’s also genuinely well written, with properly developed characters, realistic interactions and smartly (when it comes to the truck brothers, ingeniously) interwoven narratives that all tie up nicely in the end. The book positively sped by, which at nearly 400 pages, testifies highly to the author’s pacing skills among other talents. Very auspicious debut and a wildly entertaining read. Genre fans should enjoy this one. Recommended.

[Wiseask · Rating 2 out of 5]

At first I thought this book might have some promise. It tells the story of a serial killer and four disparate people with others in tow whose lives he touches. But it became apparent before halfway through the book that the author has absolutely no understanding whatsoever about the psychology or motivation of his serial killer and none of his other characters are plausibly written. The two biggest offenders are Harry and Sylvia. Neither of their jobs fit their personas, their actions did not fit their characters, and their romantic partners and relationships were simply incredible: Meaning they defied credibility; not that they were special.

The author’s use of two brothers to illustrate what he would have us believe is purpose in life was laughable, and not because it was funny or amusing. It was laughable because it was nonsense disguised to appear profound.

The serial killer catching the public’s imagination as a kind of folk hero was, I suppose, the author’s attempt at social commentary, but I am betting that no one has ever called him the next Jonathan Swift.

To his credit the author did use some literate similes (“The corpse looked much like a psychotic rendition of the Vitruvian Man”) which just barely redeemed him from a one-star rating.

[Wilde Sky · Rating 4 out of 5]

A burnt out FBI agent is tasked with finding a gruesome serial killer.

This book was gripping from about twenty pages in - it had great dialogue / characters / scene descriptions. The pace was cracking and there were a lot of (really) unexpected twists and turns in the plot.

My overall rating of 4 stars is down to a couple of chapters, towards the end of the book, where the character interaction, is particular of law enforcement personnel, just didn't ring true to me.

Overall a really good read and one to pick up if you like ‘bloody’ thrillers.

[Heather ~*dread mushrooms*~]

DNF at 31%

I'm bored. I like the cover and I like stories about serial killers, but this just isn't pulling me in.

[P.S. Gear · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 – This book was provided by the author in exchange for an unbiased review.

America is captivated by the success and depravity of a new string of serial murders. Already at 17 and with no signs of stopping, FBI Agent Harry Bland also has no signs, no clues, and virtually no hope of stopping the killer dubbed Strawberries. Near the end of a successful career, Bland feels increasingly hung out to dry by his superiors. So he turns to fantasies and a bygone America where his heart wasn’t broken.

Sylvia has had a terrible day. Foot sore and exhausted from dealing with (or rather hiding from) her wealthy but infantile clients, she has completely forgotten about her blind date. Never one to let a man down, Sylvia puts on her game face and braves the onslaught of chauvinism. Yet, beyond the bravado, there’s something about the man that tugs at her. It might just be his persistence.

Strawberries is a horror-thriller written with great skill and pathos. From Sylvia to Bland to the mysterious killer, the author Casey Bartsch clearly understands his characters and grants us the kind of access to their inner workings that promise a satisfying read as long as the plot holds up. Thankfully it does – in spades. As Casey charts the three main characters along meandering routes that will undoubtedly collide, he also introduces the brother truck drivers whose philosophical conversations lift the story beyond a simple thrilling read, and the intrepid reporter who you just know is going to get herself into trouble. The author blends all of these narratives incredibly well, never staying away from any perspective too long or clearly favoring one character over the other.

I want to make a note of an interesting narrative flourish Casey uses when Sylvia takes center stage with her blind date. It’s a big risk to make such an obvious break from already established storytelling mechanics. However, I thought it was a delightful change of place which underscored Sylvia’s importance to the soul of Strawberries. The stripped dialogue reveals a character sweet, worldly, and incredibly deserving of love. It also speaks to the author’s writing ability.

Unfortunately, Strawberries near perfection of character and plot can’t quite stick the landing of a perfect score. The end of the book comes in a rush with some questionable decisions and choices that bend the grace of credibility, especially when considering the thoughtful, intricate world building employed at the beginning. What bends does not break, however, and through a bit of haze, we still get a satisfying end to a thoroughly enjoyable horror-thriller. Most of the loose ends are tied together, satisfying this reader’s curiosity and need for catharsis.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!*

I really enjoyed this novel! It revolves around a serial killer nicknamed Strawberries, who commits brutal and unimaginable murders. The chapters flip between his point of view, as well as that of Harry (the FBI detective assigned to the case), Shelly (a reporter covering the story), Larry and Simon (brothers on a long-haul trucking trip) and Sylvia (who I don't know how to describe, but is interesting to say the least). The author did a wonderful job of developing the individual characters. For the majority of the story, the connection between the characters is unknown, yet their perspectives work to drive the story forward. When the connections were revealed, I was definitely surprised.

In complete honesty, I was not expecting this book to be as intricate as it is. I could tell that a lot of thought and planning went into this novel, and looking back I can see the build-up of information that began early in the story, and was woven throughout. There were no ties left undone in the end, and I must add that I loved the epilogue.

The reason I am not rating this the full 5 stars is due to the number of spelling mistakes and inconsistencies throughout the novel. I found several small spelling/typing errors, such a missing words or incorrect words for the sentence. Inconsistencies included Harry referring to his car as Susie for the majority of the novel, then referring to it as Sophie later on, or calling the Blue Bloods the Blues the majority of the time, then calling them the Bloods at one point. In addition, a few chapters of the story were written as a script, and while I enjoyed them because of the break they provided from the rest story, I was a little confused as to why they were written like that. However, that did not impact my rating - and if the small spelling mistakes and inconsistencies were fixed, I believe I would rate this the full 5 stars.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel, and I definitely recommend it for anyone who wants to read a fast-paced thriller/horror (with a dash of mystery). For a first novel, I am truly impressed.

[James Sillwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strawberries is the name of a serial killer, who, when this story begins, has already murdered twenty victims.
This book is told from the point of view of several very well developed and defined characters. Harry Bland is the F.B.I Agent who's sent to investigate and comes under increasing pressure to solve the case. Tired of staying at soulless motels, he becomes increasingly frustrated while tracking the killer. Sylvia is a prostitute with wealthy clients. Although I didn't like her, I found her intriguing. Shelly is a news reporter who will stop at nothing to further her career. I liked the brothers Larry and Simon, who spend much of their long haul trucking trip discussing the meaning and purpose of life. The chapters written from Strawberrie's point of view were interesting and revealing, taking the reader back into his teenage years and giving an insight into the mind of this serial killer.
There is plenty of gore in the detailed descriptions of the murders but I felt this was an integral and necessary part of the story and never overdone.
All the loose ends are tied up at the conclusion of the book, and I liked the epilogue, which was unexpected. The way in which the characters are connected kept me guessing the outcome until the very end: an intricate and unpredictable plot. Very cleverly done.
An engrossing, well written read with interesting characters.

[Ashley Pullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a dark twisted thriller whose story is told by several characters and their perspective. I don't want to give the plot away so I will just say that the characters are in depth and very thought through. I wasn't expecting the ending, but in foresight I can see why it ended the way it did. there were some grammar issues, but that could be easily over looked by the pace of the plot and how the story steadily revealed itself. The characters Strawberries, Harry, Shelly, Larry, Simon and Sylvia are connected in a way you would be pleasantly surprised for a horror/ thriller story.

[Johnny Moscato · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strawberries is a horror novel with a bit more to it. There are a few romance storylines mixed in with the tracking down of a serial killer who doesn’t follow any particular pattern. Harry, an incompetent, washed-up FBI agent is assigned to the case. Harry is a bit more concerned with finding a female companion and life in general than finding the killer. I loved the way this book started. The whole book was well-written but some of the author’s choices were a bit strange. The first few chapters were great and really sucked me into the story. Then, in chapter 8, the format changes to a screenplay style which totally took me back out of the story. The screenplay format only lasted for one chapter but showed up a few more times throughout the book for a full chapter at a time.
There are a few storylines in Strawberries. There’s the serial killer, named Strawberries, traveling around on foot, randomly killing people. Another storyline follows a prostitute who specializes in “entertaining” on private jets. And then there’s a story of two brothers driving a tractor trailer across the country on a delivery. As you’d expect, the storylines converge in the end but not in a predictable way. The multiple storylines provide a good reprieve from the killing and gruesomeness of the serial killer plot. The end has a lot of action packed into the last several chapters.

[Terri Weitze · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. Stories of various characters that evolve into one main story. Some good twists and turns, some predictability. I found the characters to be interesting and engaging. The beginning of the book was a bit slow, simply because I couldn't see that the various stories were going to eventually meld - maybe knowing that from the start, would have helped; but it was good enough to keep me going and the climax of the book kept me up late reading til the end.

[Molly Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping!!!

I liked the whole book! Villian was really bad, heroes were human but good. I had to stop reading right near the end, and couldn't wait to get back to find out how the bad guy got what he deserved! What a twist! Great read!

[Craig S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book!

Don't let the subject scare you off. No spoilers. A really great read. Read in two days. Lots of twists. Very good ending. Enjoy.

[Jaime]

Boring.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in just about a day. I loved everyone’s story lines and how it all came together in the end. Great style of story-telling. I would highly recommend.

[Vicki · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don’t waste your time

Too many characters. Lousy plot. Don’t waste your time. Sorry I did. Disjointed, confusing; not worth it. Glad it was free but that’s it.

[K.N. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bartsch brings a twist to the crime noir novel with a sly sense of humor and plenty of gruesome. There’s a serial killer roaming the country with no pattern to his brutal violence. His signature? At every scene, a strawberry painted with the victim’s blood. So the media dubs him The Strawberries Killer. Each chapter left me unnerved, a little afraid to turn the next page. And don’t skip the prologue - be prepared to be utterly disturbed by the time you hit page 12.

In Strawberries, Bartsch plays with many crime noir clichés and flips them on their head. Instead of the hardboiled private eye, we get Harry Bland, an FBI agent in a black suit who is literally in love with Love. Instead of the hooker with the heart of gold, we get Sylvia and her friend Melissa, two gals who provide sexual favors to those with lots of cash and private jets. And they seem to enjoy their “job”. Shelly the journalist takes insane risks for her chance at fame. Sometimes, I worried they’d be the next victims; other times, I wanted to kill them myself! And I swear the author did this on purpose. When the trucker brothers start their asphalt philosophizing, it makes you wonder. If some characters are just the farm pigs of a horror story – destined to be bacon – then doesn’t this make the author a serial killer, too?

This book left me doing that nervous giggle – the one when you’re not sure if that guy is checking you out or sizing up your skin suit. I particularly liked the creepiness of the story within the story about the killer’s childhood. As well, the author jokes with the reader in meta-moments when characters witness merchandise splashed with the killer’s symbol: the bloody strawberry. They even hear it’s going to be a book. Some chapters are written in screenplay form – with Terry Gilliam-like dialogue - which distances the reader from the characters. While not my favorite technique, this distance made me feel that any character was expendable.

Made me laugh one minute, then chilled me to the bone the next. I’d recommend this debut novel to anyone who enjoys crime noir, dark humor, and slash horror – all served with a bloody strawberry on the side.

[Brian Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intricate and intriguing

A weird and slightly unsettling serial killer tale. Intricate and intriguing. Thoroughly enjoyed it and it's definitely worth 5 stars.

[Nia Ireland · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Thank you to the author for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

This book was a thriller, a mystery and a horror. It didn't hold back on the violence and gore; the killer's victims dying in a whole myriad of icky and messy ways.

The chapters alternate between the killer, the FBI agent sent to track him down, a dysfunctional woman with a pill problem, a journalist who may have the answer to what connects them all, and a pair of brothers on a road trip. This gives you a broad view of what's going on from different perspectives and was executed artfully, giving you just enough to follow on and draw your own conclusions without spelling every last thing out for you (pet peeve of mine).

The characters were really well developed, especially considering how many there were to follow. My favourite would have to be Sylvia, aforementioned woman with a pill problem. She's ballsy and in control despite her obvious issues, her voice in this book was the one that kept me utterly hooked.

Being a thriller, it would be rude of me to give away any of the plot but I can tell you that it isn't too predictable. It pretty much cuts a direct line between horror and mystery, with the strange nature of the killer and the brutal ways he dispatches his victims, but the sheer depth of all the characters rounds the story off nicely.

[OSKR · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a psycho-killer novel with a healthy dose of gruesome murders and sexy women. There's a lot of horror and pop-culture elements, but at its core this feels very much part of the "hard-boiled" genre. There's desperate detectives, glamourous prostitutes, reckless journalists, smooth forensics and of course an enigmatic psycho with a lot of bodies behind him.

Reading this was very much like sitting down to an absorbing film noir. It was easy to disappear into the atmosphere of laneways, bloody crime scenes, cranky detectives, seedy motels, barns in small towns...

However I felt that the gender stereotypes at least needed rebooting for modern times. The three female leads are all olympic-grade sex bombs, and the male leads are rather unkempt and unworthy. There were also a few clunky concepts that didn't quite fit. For example, normal everyday high-class prostitutes would have been fine - private air-hostess sex-workers with multiple fake passports was just too hard to swallow. I also didn't think the truck-driving characters contributed anything to the story, and after a while I skipped those sections entirely.

If you're looking for a raw and gory genre novel this could be your thing. I think it could be more than that with a bit of heavy editing and narrative liposuction. Check it out. Three stars.

[L.N. Denison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would call Strawberries a 'deliciously twisted' serial killer novel. I love stories of this ilk, and this one certainly ticked all the right boxes for me. The characters were well developed and the story was free flowing. To say I was hook from reading the first page, would be an understatement. Like I said, the book is almost as dark and twisted as I am. I love the gory details that went into describing each kill. One part I wasn't too enthused about was that he had no qualms about who he killed, I mean children! Apart from that one thing, the book was a fantastic, edgy read...and I recommend it highly.

A gave it a rating of 4.7 stars

[J.A. Kalis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strawberries is a dark, fast moving, action-packed thriller about a mentally disturbed serial killer. It captivated me from the very first paragraph and held my interest all the way through till the end. It had lots of twists and turns I didn't expect.
There are no dull moments in the story. It kept me on the edge of my seat. It is exceptionally well written. The writing flows smoothly and is engaging. It’s clear that Casey Bartsch is a talented writer. The reason I give the story only four stars is that there were too many gory details and swear words for my liking.

[Lillian White · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a serial killer/police drama with a few surprising twists along the way. I don't wish to leave any spoilers here so I will just say that I enjoyed it, read it in less than a week and am glad I picked it up. The title is original and in itself surprising given the subject matter. Of all the plot's intricacies, I especially enjoyed the purpose (inside joke if you will) of the two brother truck drivers, the way that particular story-line was developed throughout and the denouement at the end.

[David Kummer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book! This was super unique, very surprising, and I loved every bit of it. This was one of the more interesting books I've read this year, so I guarantee you're going to love it.

[Jill Doherty snodgrass · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am really surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I picked it up on a whim and it hooked me from the start. Great story, fantastic ending.