What do you think?
Rate this book
Magpie Rhyme #1
One for Sorrow
The press nickname him “The Countdown Killer”, branding his victims with a number, but Chad knows him as Romeo. Captured by the killer he’s hunting, Chad’s situation seems dire, but Romeo doesn’t want to kill him because Chad doesn’t fit his pattern.
Instead, he’s keeping Chad for two months, hiding him away where no one will find him, making sure Chad can’t reveal who he is. Romeo is not going to hurt Chad; he’s going to let him go—but only once he’s claimed number one.
But in two months with only the killer for company, a bond begins to grow. They’re not detective and killer, but Chad and Romeo. It’s wrong, but in their messed-up situation, it feels right.
Still, Chad is a detective, and his duty is to the public, to keep them safe. And if that means betraying the man he’s learned to rely on, then so be it…
71,970
Instead, he’s keeping Chad for two months, hiding him away where no one will find him, making sure Chad can’t reveal who he is. Romeo is not going to hurt Chad; he’s going to let him go—but only once he’s claimed number one.
But in two months with only the killer for company, a bond begins to grow. They’re not detective and killer, but Chad and Romeo. It’s wrong, but in their messed-up situation, it feels right.
Still, Chad is a detective, and his duty is to the public, to keep them safe. And if that means betraying the man he’s learned to rely on, then so be it…
71,970
307 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 6, 2019
58 people are currently reading
1963 people want to read
About the author
Louise Collins
45 books636 followersWriter of mm romance and erotica.
I write the stories I'd love to read, I hope you enjoy them too.
Lover of Romance but not without angst along the way.
Seduced by the dancing of a neanderthal and now a mother of two monsters.
Drinks tea with a passion, adores dogs, and their sea dwelling cousins.
Failed two chocolate eating challenges but will return for round three.
https://mailchi.mp/ad6955eed18f/louis...
♥
Facebook
I write the stories I'd love to read, I hope you enjoy them too.
Lover of Romance but not without angst along the way.
Seduced by the dancing of a neanderthal and now a mother of two monsters.
Drinks tea with a passion, adores dogs, and their sea dwelling cousins.
Failed two chocolate eating challenges but will return for round three.
https://mailchi.mp/ad6955eed18f/louis...
♥
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
September 30, 2023
Reread 2023 September: I think this is my 3rd reread actually. And I still love it.
-------------------------------------
I loved this!!!
I'm used to flirty and sexy books by this author, but this was different. I wouldn't even say it was THAT dark.
There is a serial killer on the loose and Chad and his team try their damnedest to catch him. The build-up was slow, really slow. The first 10 or so chapters (about 25% of the book) focuses on the murder investigation. Other than that, what I gathered in that first part of the story is that our main character is no one special. He's not a hero type who busts down doors, jumps off buildings and whatnot. In my eyes he's a totally average guy with a nice, albeit dangerous job and he has a fiancé with a nice house. Sure he wants to be the big boss at his job eventually and he does his best to reach that goal, but he seems content. But this case ruins everything for him.
Time is running out and he makes a reckless decision, which lends him in trouble. "Homicide detective caught by the serial killer" would be the title of the Canster Times' article on the front page.
What I really liked is that this story felt more real than any other I read about Stockholm syndrome. I actually believed this could happen in reality. It's not like a fairytale, it's not OTT, but it's not too dark and twisted or gruesome either. Chad was chained up in a barn for a time and than relocated to a farmhouse. And at that time there wasn't anything sexual in their relationship. (And later there won't be much sex either, at least not what one would expect from a book like this). They were the killer and the detective, simple as that.
Chad wasn't pampered that much, just the necessary amount after an accident. He wasn't tortured. Romeo didn't try and bend him to his will. And then they got to talking and it turned out they like each other. Which was a problem.... but I feel this would have been a natural progression of a relationship in normal circumstances.
I really liked what the author created here. I never know what to expect from a story like this. So I'm always open to any kind of ending.
There is a little surprise at the end. Do you like crossword puzzles? I do! :D
-------------------------------------
I loved this!!!
I'm used to flirty and sexy books by this author, but this was different. I wouldn't even say it was THAT dark.
There is a serial killer on the loose and Chad and his team try their damnedest to catch him. The build-up was slow, really slow. The first 10 or so chapters (about 25% of the book) focuses on the murder investigation. Other than that, what I gathered in that first part of the story is that our main character is no one special. He's not a hero type who busts down doors, jumps off buildings and whatnot. In my eyes he's a totally average guy with a nice, albeit dangerous job and he has a fiancé with a nice house. Sure he wants to be the big boss at his job eventually and he does his best to reach that goal, but he seems content. But this case ruins everything for him.
Time is running out and he makes a reckless decision, which lends him in trouble. "Homicide detective caught by the serial killer" would be the title of the Canster Times' article on the front page.
What I really liked is that this story felt more real than any other I read about Stockholm syndrome. I actually believed this could happen in reality. It's not like a fairytale, it's not OTT, but it's not too dark and twisted or gruesome either. Chad was chained up in a barn for a time and than relocated to a farmhouse. And at that time there wasn't anything sexual in their relationship. (And later there won't be much sex either, at least not what one would expect from a book like this). They were the killer and the detective, simple as that.
Chad wasn't pampered that much, just the necessary amount after an accident. He wasn't tortured. Romeo didn't try and bend him to his will. And then they got to talking and it turned out they like each other. Which was a problem.... but I feel this would have been a natural progression of a relationship in normal circumstances.
“I kept the magpie alive. I killed snails to feed it, as well as giving it scraps of bread, ham. It even ate cheese. At first the magpie pecked me every time I tried to feed it. It squawked, flapping its damaged wing, making it worse…” Chad thought back to the hazy days after he’d hurt his leg. He’d thrashed, cried out, moved to avoid Romeo’s hand every time he reached for him. He’d refused water, food, begged Romeo to end his suffering, to take the pillow and press it to his face. “Then …something happened, and it stopped fighting me. It let me feed it, let me close. Let me ease its suffering."
I really liked what the author created here. I never know what to expect from a story like this. So I'm always open to any kind of ending.
There is a little surprise at the end. Do you like crossword puzzles? I do! :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2022
3.75 Stars
Told in single POV, 3rd person, it’s the first installment in the "Magpie Rhyme" series and ends on a cliffhanger. I liked this story, its plot, writing, and characters. But there is something wrong with it. I mean with what Romeo did (only for his pleasure) how does the author expect us to like him! Don’t get me wrong, I like Rome but the thing is Chad got Stockholm syndrome and it complicated everything for me. I conflict with myself. I hope the author gives me something in book 2, something strong for Romeo’s behavior, or give me his remorse for what he did! Unlike the subject matter, it’s an easy read and it’s a slow burn. All in all, I enjoyed it and hope you like it as well!
Told in single POV, 3rd person, it’s the first installment in the "Magpie Rhyme" series and ends on a cliffhanger. I liked this story, its plot, writing, and characters. But there is something wrong with it. I mean with what Romeo did (only for his pleasure) how does the author expect us to like him! Don’t get me wrong, I like Rome but the thing is Chad got Stockholm syndrome and it complicated everything for me. I conflict with myself. I hope the author gives me something in book 2, something strong for Romeo’s behavior, or give me his remorse for what he did! Unlike the subject matter, it’s an easy read and it’s a slow burn. All in all, I enjoyed it and hope you like it as well!
February 3, 2022
HOW CAN I EVEN BREATHE AFTER READING THIS?
Louise has the ability to make us question ourselves and our ideals. I ended up enjoying Romeo and even if I did not understand him completely, he was a real person and not a monster.
Louise has the ability to make us question ourselves and our ideals. I ended up enjoying Romeo and even if I did not understand him completely, he was a real person and not a monster.
Read
May 3, 2021DNF
I’m giving this the DNF treatment because for the life in me I just couldn’t get into it. I know that critically this book is good for its genius plot but it doesn’t give me the excitement/enjoyment that I wanted. More of a me problem and not a book problem. I didn’t live. I didn’t gag. Time to move on.
I’m giving this the DNF treatment because for the life in me I just couldn’t get into it. I know that critically this book is good for its genius plot but it doesn’t give me the excitement/enjoyment that I wanted. More of a me problem and not a book problem. I didn’t live. I didn’t gag. Time to move on.
November 12, 2019
A story with an ingenious plot.
Chad is a detective, engaged with a rich man who pampers him with wealth and comfort.
There are dead bodies found with marks on their chests, numbers as if it’s about a countdown.
One wrong step and now Chad is captured by Romeo, the serial killer!
Romeo won’t kill him, he has other plans, first, he has to kill his number one.
What follows is a very intriguing, captivating, hurtful story. A psychologic game.
A killer and a detective. There is no attachment allowed under these circumstances, this seems almost impossible when two men live in one space.
My goodness bit by bit there are heavy facts revealed, all stunningly done!
The emotions reaching the sky.
“He’d been freed from a lie but was trapped in the truth.”
A lot of tension and heavy emotions, confusing sexual tension. Not allowed!
There is hidden depth, layer by layer got peeled away until there is just a raw naked soul with only true feelings. Raw, painful feelings, confusing feelings, forbidden feelings.
Such a well thought out story! I couldn’t put it down, every free moment I had to read further.
The story is quite grand, that’s pretty excellent, knowing most of the story is interacting between two men. The atmosphere was one of a kind.
It was an intelligent and very intriguing story. Excellent developed. The characters were stunningly put down strong and vulnerable. The story was unpredictable, I loved that very! It could go any way. There were many options, I loved the choice of the author!
Chad is a detective, engaged with a rich man who pampers him with wealth and comfort.
There are dead bodies found with marks on their chests, numbers as if it’s about a countdown.
One wrong step and now Chad is captured by Romeo, the serial killer!
Romeo won’t kill him, he has other plans, first, he has to kill his number one.
What follows is a very intriguing, captivating, hurtful story. A psychologic game.
A killer and a detective. There is no attachment allowed under these circumstances, this seems almost impossible when two men live in one space.
My goodness bit by bit there are heavy facts revealed, all stunningly done!
The emotions reaching the sky.
“He’d been freed from a lie but was trapped in the truth.”
A lot of tension and heavy emotions, confusing sexual tension. Not allowed!
There is hidden depth, layer by layer got peeled away until there is just a raw naked soul with only true feelings. Raw, painful feelings, confusing feelings, forbidden feelings.
Such a well thought out story! I couldn’t put it down, every free moment I had to read further.
The story is quite grand, that’s pretty excellent, knowing most of the story is interacting between two men. The atmosphere was one of a kind.
It was an intelligent and very intriguing story. Excellent developed. The characters were stunningly put down strong and vulnerable. The story was unpredictable, I loved that very! It could go any way. There were many options, I loved the choice of the author!
June 30, 2020
MISS COLLINS YOU OWE ME A SEQUEL (please)
May 4, 2025
I fear I’m having a *the girls that get it get it* dark romance moment.
THE PREMISE: a detective is caught by the serial killer he’s hunting, and some worryingly lovely Stockholm syndrome shit goes down.
TROPES & VIBES:
- I’m keeping you hostage, but I’m being cute about it
- ALL. THE. HURT. COMFORT. The tender hands through the hair should have been illegal
- Nightmare comfort
- Dark MM romance
- AN ACTUAL SLOWBURN ENEMIES TO LOVERS
- The dog bit made me cry. Rude. And then another bit did, too
- When your ex-fiancé is a dick, but you can’t get the engagement ring off, but it’s fine because your new serial killer roommate just sucked your finger into his mouth, ripped it off, then left a ring of bite marks where it used to sit. And now I’m dead actually
4.75⭐️ 2🌶️
THE PREMISE: a detective is caught by the serial killer he’s hunting, and some worryingly lovely Stockholm syndrome shit goes down.
TROPES & VIBES:
- I’m keeping you hostage, but I’m being cute about it
- ALL. THE. HURT. COMFORT. The tender hands through the hair should have been illegal
- Nightmare comfort
- Dark MM romance
- AN ACTUAL SLOWBURN ENEMIES TO LOVERS
- The dog bit made me cry. Rude. And then another bit did, too
- When your ex-fiancé is a dick, but you can’t get the engagement ring off, but it’s fine because your new serial killer roommate just sucked your finger into his mouth, ripped it off, then left a ring of bite marks where it used to sit. And now I’m dead actually
4.75⭐️ 2🌶️
June 10, 2025
Like this author but I must admit I had a bit of a struggle with this one. And that makes it hard to rate... I'm settling for 🐦⬛🐦⬛ and hope I like the next one better.
March 11, 2020
This was an enjoyable and somewhat unexpected Stockholm syndrome story. Others that I've read rely on violence, threats and rape and are firmly on the dark end of the reading spectrum. This one offered a bit of a different take. Yes, Romeo is the serial killer Chad has been looking for and yes, Romeo abducts Chad. Whether Chad believes him or not, Romeo guarantees Chad that once he kills his next victim in two months, Chad will be free to go. He intends no harm to come to him.
Before the two meet, we learn a lot about Chad's day-to-day life as the cops try to solve the murders and by the time Chad gets a break in the case, his life is basically crumbling. It's no wonder that he eventually seems to mind his captivity less and less. The interplay between Chad and Romeo really carries the whole story as bits and pieces of their stories come out and as the sexual tension ratchets up.
The story was interesting and emotional and I was pretty floored by how it all ended. While a potential sequel is mentioned, I was satisfied with where the ending left the story.
*****
Thank you for the gift Figgy Puddin'elf!
Before the two meet, we learn a lot about Chad's day-to-day life as the cops try to solve the murders and by the time Chad gets a break in the case, his life is basically crumbling. It's no wonder that he eventually seems to mind his captivity less and less. The interplay between Chad and Romeo really carries the whole story as bits and pieces of their stories come out and as the sexual tension ratchets up.
The story was interesting and emotional and I was pretty floored by how it all ended. While a potential sequel is mentioned, I was satisfied with where the ending left the story.
*****
Thank you for the gift Figgy Puddin'elf!
January 12, 2024
ok first of all, i was really rooting for chad to cheat on his fiancé as soon as i found out he had one lmfaoooo i was like let’s gooooo💀💀💀 that was literally my first thought, don’t ask me why😭 did not happen btw….unforch, chad broke up with him before getting slutted out by the sexy serial killer. bucket list goals, amiright….i jest, i jest…..so much murder investigation buildup…takes a chunk of the beginning to really get into it, but things get a lot more interesting when chad’s dumbass gets caught and kidnapped by romeo….i definitely thought there’d be more mind games going on between mr sexy and chad, but it all seemed pretty straightforward. like yea chad was manipulated, but i was expecting some reveal or twist at the end…..maybe it will come in the next book or maybe they will continue to be way cuter than a serial killer and detective have any right to be bc wow they were in their domestic bliss era….like doing crosswords from the newspaper together??? on their old married couple shit 2 months in…..ugh i must prepare myself for the possibility of all this being a game or tried and true love bombing…..if it is, i’m fucked bc it worked on me like idk about y’all but i’m rooting for our boy to kill again, let him out!! let him out!!
also CHAD???? really???? that man is not a chad….no detective is a CHAD plsss….
3.75 stars⭐️
also CHAD???? really???? that man is not a chad….no detective is a CHAD plsss….
3.75 stars⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2021
4.5 “a twisted and sultry snack” stars
I’m a sucker for slow burn romance stories with a hint of darkness. This book fell right into that niche. It was amazing❤❤❤
The story follows a detective and the serial killer he’s trying to catch. But instead of capturing him, the roles get reversed and the detective finds himself held captive. In the weeks that follow, they begin to understand each other better and grow closer, giving way to an almost obsessive and dark relationship.
In the beginning I didn’t really know where the story would go, it began quite slow but then a switch flipped around the 20% mark and for the life of me, I couldn’t stop reading! Some scenes were really powerful and had me swallowing back tears. It was so intriguing to watch the story unfold! Be warned though: the story is continued in the second and last book.
Thank you so much Candy M. for recommending this book!
I’m a sucker for slow burn romance stories with a hint of darkness. This book fell right into that niche. It was amazing❤❤❤
The story follows a detective and the serial killer he’s trying to catch. But instead of capturing him, the roles get reversed and the detective finds himself held captive. In the weeks that follow, they begin to understand each other better and grow closer, giving way to an almost obsessive and dark relationship.
In the beginning I didn’t really know where the story would go, it began quite slow but then a switch flipped around the 20% mark and for the life of me, I couldn’t stop reading! Some scenes were really powerful and had me swallowing back tears. It was so intriguing to watch the story unfold! Be warned though: the story is continued in the second and last book.
Thank you so much Candy M. for recommending this book!
January 15, 2024
4.5⭐️ This book is witchcraft. Somehow the author flipped a switch at 70% and got me to root for the deranged, psychotic serial killer. I hated Romeo from page one and had zero faith that I would be turned, but I was wrong… this was so smart and well-written, she totally pulled it off. And I loved every minute of it.
This is not really a romance. It’s a psychological thriller with a totally F’d up love story that reeks of Stockholm syndrome. But, damn is it captivating, suspenseful, oddly sweet, and very entertaining.
I wouldn’t call this dark, as there isn’t any non-con or dub-con. Romeo is a total gentleman, as much as he is a psychotic killer… and the s3x is actually quite sweet.
But it’s also not a lighthearted story like the Necessary Evils series. Definitely somewhere in the middle. I recommend reading if you enjoy thrillers and morally black characters and have a lot of patience to get to the good part.
Has a somewhat HFN ending.
This is not really a romance. It’s a psychological thriller with a totally F’d up love story that reeks of Stockholm syndrome. But, damn is it captivating, suspenseful, oddly sweet, and very entertaining.
I wouldn’t call this dark, as there isn’t any non-con or dub-con. Romeo is a total gentleman, as much as he is a psychotic killer… and the s3x is actually quite sweet.
But it’s also not a lighthearted story like the Necessary Evils series. Definitely somewhere in the middle. I recommend reading if you enjoy thrillers and morally black characters and have a lot of patience to get to the good part.
Has a somewhat HFN ending.
February 4, 2022
God, this was fucked up.
June 14, 2022
Overall book rating: 4.5
Audio Book: N/A
Book Cover: 4
I. LOVED. IT!
Was it perfect? Well, no.
Was Chad the best detective ever? Also, sadly, no.
Did that fact bother me?
Big Fat Resounding NO!
Because I didn't give a damn about his detective skills I
cared about the whole messed up version of what transpired
between these two MC's.
I started this late yesterday morning and finished it in between
tasks because I didn't want to wait a moment longer to see what
happens.
It's not DARK. Yes, Romeo is a serial killer but Louise Collins
gave a different spin to the story. She didn't put all the focus
on the deeds, and I enjoyed it for what is was.
I'm not a murder/ mystery reader, but I love a tad or three of
the dark stuff every now and then and I find the minds of these
"people" fascinating at times.
Hey, they are fictional so I'm allowed okay?
It's not black and white. I got to a point where I didn't want
Romeo to be caught..
And then I was thinking, But he's a murderer!
He killed innocent people!
What is wrong with you woman!
Either way, I think maybe I have my own little case of
Stockholm here. Don't be judgy! I'm watching you!
I can't wait for the next one! Kid in a candy shop excited!
Audio Book: N/A
Book Cover: 4
I. LOVED. IT!
Was it perfect? Well, no.
Was Chad the best detective ever? Also, sadly, no.
Did that fact bother me?
Big Fat Resounding NO!
Because I didn't give a damn about his detective skills I
cared about the whole messed up version of what transpired
between these two MC's.
I started this late yesterday morning and finished it in between
tasks because I didn't want to wait a moment longer to see what
happens.
It's not DARK. Yes, Romeo is a serial killer but Louise Collins
gave a different spin to the story. She didn't put all the focus
on the deeds, and I enjoyed it for what is was.
I'm not a murder/ mystery reader, but I love a tad or three of
the dark stuff every now and then and I find the minds of these
"people" fascinating at times.
Hey, they are fictional so I'm allowed okay?
It's not black and white. I got to a point where I didn't want
Romeo to be caught..
And then I was thinking, But he's a murderer!
He killed innocent people!
What is wrong with you woman!
Either way, I think maybe I have my own little case of
Stockholm here. Don't be judgy! I'm watching you!
I can't wait for the next one! Kid in a candy shop excited!
June 18, 2023
2ème relecture juin 2023 ❤️❤️
J'adore tellement cette série (aussi tordue soit-elle !)
Je suis fascinée par ces deux personnages, et j'aime la façon qu'a l'auteur de nous conter leur histoire, en ne perdant jamais de vue leur réelle nature.
*******
Relecture juillet 2021 ❤️❤️
Trop bon de redécouvrir leur rencontre ^^
Et comme à ma première lecture, je dois sauter sur la suite !!
****************
4,25/5
Suite à ma lecture de "The Freshman" que j'avais adoré, plusieurs romans de l'auteur ont atterri dans ma PAL. J'ai démarré ce premier tome sans même avoir lu le résumé et pfiouuu que j'ai bien fait !
Un serial killer, surnommé The Countdown Killer, a déjà fait plusieurs victimes. Son surnom vient du fait qu'il procède à un décompte en marquant le chiffre sur les victimes. Chad est détective de police et mène l'enquête afin d'arrêter le tueur avant qu'il n'atteigne la prochaine et dernière victime. Sauf que le détective se fait prendre et que le tueur va le tenir en captivité...jusqu'à sa victime numéro un.
Ce que j'ai apprécié ici dans un premier temps, c'est la lenteur de l'histoire. Je ne savais absolument pas vers où l'auteur allait emmener ses personnages et on le comprend tardivement je dois dire. Elle prend le temps de présenter les personnages, en particulier Chad et son quotidien, l'intrigue policière.
Le point fort du ce roman, de cette série, est le personnage de Romeo, le tueur. Nous sommes plutôt concentrés sur Chad dans ce premier tome, ses peurs, ses sentiments, par rapport au tueur, par rapport à Romeo, deux personnages presque à part entière. L'essentiel du roman à partir de cette captivité va être concentré sur l'évolution de cette relation si complexe, si étrange et ambiguë que va être celle de Roméo et de Chad. La confiance va s'installer petit à petit, on ne passe pas du tout au rien. J'ai adoré tout simplement, j'ai adoré cette tension continue tout le long du récit.
Tension qui était telle qu'on ne pouvait pas savoir comment allait finir ce premier tome... Et une fois ce roman terminé, je n'ai pas eu d'autre choix que d’enchaîner sur le suivant !
Je pense que ce sont des romans qui ne plairont pas à tous, mais moi j'ai aimé, c'est le type de lecture dont j'ai envie en ce moment ^^
J'adore tellement cette série (aussi tordue soit-elle !)
Je suis fascinée par ces deux personnages, et j'aime la façon qu'a l'auteur de nous conter leur histoire, en ne perdant jamais de vue leur réelle nature.
*******
Relecture juillet 2021 ❤️❤️
Trop bon de redécouvrir leur rencontre ^^
Et comme à ma première lecture, je dois sauter sur la suite !!
****************
4,25/5
Suite à ma lecture de "The Freshman" que j'avais adoré, plusieurs romans de l'auteur ont atterri dans ma PAL. J'ai démarré ce premier tome sans même avoir lu le résumé et pfiouuu que j'ai bien fait !
Un serial killer, surnommé The Countdown Killer, a déjà fait plusieurs victimes. Son surnom vient du fait qu'il procède à un décompte en marquant le chiffre sur les victimes. Chad est détective de police et mène l'enquête afin d'arrêter le tueur avant qu'il n'atteigne la prochaine et dernière victime. Sauf que le détective se fait prendre et que le tueur va le tenir en captivité...jusqu'à sa victime numéro un.
Ce que j'ai apprécié ici dans un premier temps, c'est la lenteur de l'histoire. Je ne savais absolument pas vers où l'auteur allait emmener ses personnages et on le comprend tardivement je dois dire. Elle prend le temps de présenter les personnages, en particulier Chad et son quotidien, l'intrigue policière.
Le point fort du ce roman, de cette série, est le personnage de Romeo, le tueur. Nous sommes plutôt concentrés sur Chad dans ce premier tome, ses peurs, ses sentiments, par rapport au tueur, par rapport à Romeo, deux personnages presque à part entière. L'essentiel du roman à partir de cette captivité va être concentré sur l'évolution de cette relation si complexe, si étrange et ambiguë que va être celle de Roméo et de Chad. La confiance va s'installer petit à petit, on ne passe pas du tout au rien. J'ai adoré tout simplement, j'ai adoré cette tension continue tout le long du récit.
Tension qui était telle qu'on ne pouvait pas savoir comment allait finir ce premier tome... Et une fois ce roman terminé, je n'ai pas eu d'autre choix que d’enchaîner sur le suivant !
Je pense que ce sont des romans qui ne plairont pas à tous, mais moi j'ai aimé, c'est le type de lecture dont j'ai envie en ce moment ^^
October 29, 2020
This was so good! I had my doubts about a relationship between a serial killer and the detective hunting him, mostly because it seemed too great a feat to pull off, but Collins absolutely did! Their interactions were complex, conflicted, and shown with great depth of character. I completely bought the way in which their "romance" developed. The metaphor of the magpie was beautifully wrought, and Chad's relationship to his childhood dog Toby was both painful and profound. With the Countdown Killer's self-imposed timeline and his need to fulfill his mission, this was one of the best uses of a ticking time bomb in fiction that I've ever encountered. I also thought it was one of the most nuanced representations of Stockholm Syndrome and the lasting bonds that develop under stress and trauma.
Collins' has a real gift of crafting characters whose pain is uniquely healed by their counterpart, which makes unconventional pairings seem almost fated. As a reader, I also enjoy her bravery into delving into the complex psychology of human behavior and showing that even a despicable monster has the capacity for goodness. And it was one of the rare instances where I felt like the serial killer's character remained consistent throughout, though also with the capacity for growth.
And, I just discovered there is a #2, so I'm off to the races!
Collins' has a real gift of crafting characters whose pain is uniquely healed by their counterpart, which makes unconventional pairings seem almost fated. As a reader, I also enjoy her bravery into delving into the complex psychology of human behavior and showing that even a despicable monster has the capacity for goodness. And it was one of the rare instances where I felt like the serial killer's character remained consistent throughout, though also with the capacity for growth.
And, I just discovered there is a #2, so I'm off to the races!
July 4, 2022
This book is a Rollercoaster of very complex emotions that I have no idea how Collins wrote them.
But I enjoyed the shit out of it. And yes, I fell in love with the assasin and his games. I didn't want to see him in prison (yes, I know how that sounds) and I really enjoyed the mindfuckery of all of it.
What I do want to say is that Chad is not a very good detective 🤣🤣 but how the plot was developed made me forget about it and just focus on the sick shit that was happening.
Chad never stood a chance, neither did we. 👁👄👁
But I enjoyed the shit out of it. And yes, I fell in love with the assasin and his games. I didn't want to see him in prison (yes, I know how that sounds) and I really enjoyed the mindfuckery of all of it.
What I do want to say is that Chad is not a very good detective 🤣🤣 but how the plot was developed made me forget about it and just focus on the sick shit that was happening.
Chad never stood a chance, neither did we. 👁👄👁
September 21, 2021
Well…here’s another psycho who apparently fell in love. It was kinda slow and honestly Chad was pretty stupid which made the plot stupid, but once Romeo got into the picture, things started picking back up.
This is a bonified serial killer, folks. Not someone who only kills the bad guys, the ppl who deserve it. He kills random, ppl, and he’s already killed 4. Now he’s in prison, but “in love”.
We shall see…
This is a bonified serial killer, folks. Not someone who only kills the bad guys, the ppl who deserve it. He kills random, ppl, and he’s already killed 4. Now he’s in prison, but “in love”.
We shall see…
March 7, 2020
Damn enjoyable!
January 6, 2024
(4.5) THEIR STORY CAN'T JUST END LIKE THIS
omfg, their story BETTER has a happy ending
omfg, their story BETTER has a happy ending
February 13, 2020
4.5 Stars
This is by far my favorite Collins book to date. Besides incest I would say this is the ultimate forbidden romance... Serial killer and detective..
“Kiss me.” He slipped his hand down from Romeo’s cheek, to his firm chest.
“I can’t cross that line.”
“There’s only a line if you’ve drawn one. I certainly haven’t.”
“There is a line: you’re a killer, I’m a detective.”
“Not here, we’re not. We’re Chad and Romeo. We’re two men that want to know each other completely.”
I have often found Collins book so have somewhat of an awkward buildup to the romance, but this one ran so smoothly into self I loved it. I found myself skimming in the beginning, too anxious and excited to see what was going to happen and then slowing my roll in the end not wanting to see how this was going to end.
There isn’t really much else to say about this book, that isn’t already in the blurb and that won’t spoil anything.
Anyways I will be impatiently waiting for the implied sequel.
This is by far my favorite Collins book to date. Besides incest I would say this is the ultimate forbidden romance... Serial killer and detective..
“Kiss me.” He slipped his hand down from Romeo’s cheek, to his firm chest.
“I can’t cross that line.”
“There’s only a line if you’ve drawn one. I certainly haven’t.”
“There is a line: you’re a killer, I’m a detective.”
“Not here, we’re not. We’re Chad and Romeo. We’re two men that want to know each other completely.”
I have often found Collins book so have somewhat of an awkward buildup to the romance, but this one ran so smoothly into self I loved it. I found myself skimming in the beginning, too anxious and excited to see what was going to happen and then slowing my roll in the end not wanting to see how this was going to end.
There isn’t really much else to say about this book, that isn’t already in the blurb and that won’t spoil anything.
Anyways I will be impatiently waiting for the implied sequel.
March 15, 2022
3 Stars
Interesting premise but under-developed execution.
Romeo didn't read as a serial killer AT ALL and the explanation for why he felt compelled to kill was frankly underwhelming and lackluster. This book is wayyyy less dark than you'd expect it to be. Sure, Romeo kills people but other than that, nothing really happens. Chad develops some Stockholm syndrome as they spend two months locked in a farmhouse together. It was boring and repetitive.
As for the characters themselves, I didn't really find myself caring about them or what happened to them. I may read the rest of the series to see how the author , but I don't think it's going to change my opinion about the series.
Series:
Book 1: One for Sorrow → 3 Stars
Book 2: Two for Joy → maybe
Book 3: Three for a Girl → maybe
Interesting premise but under-developed execution.
Romeo didn't read as a serial killer AT ALL and the explanation for why he felt compelled to kill was frankly underwhelming and lackluster. This book is wayyyy less dark than you'd expect it to be. Sure, Romeo kills people but other than that, nothing really happens. Chad develops some Stockholm syndrome as they spend two months locked in a farmhouse together. It was boring and repetitive.
As for the characters themselves, I didn't really find myself caring about them or what happened to them. I may read the rest of the series to see how the author , but I don't think it's going to change my opinion about the series.
Series:
Book 1: One for Sorrow → 3 Stars
Book 2: Two for Joy → maybe
Book 3: Three for a Girl → maybe
December 3, 2024
So you’re telling me this book had both a mindbreak and a serial killer that has jokes? Perfection. But in all seriousness there was something intoxicating about the serial killer Romeo and I have to say I was no better than our detective Chad because I was falling for all the same tricks and absolutely adored Romeo by the end of this. The author makes sure to constantly remind us that yes, Romeo is absolutely a serial killer with a monster lurking inside that preys on innocent victims and watching Chad slowly fall deeper and deeper into this toxic but oh so right version of love and devotion that these two have was as fascinated as it was disturbing. By the end it’s not only how much has Romeo sunk his claws into Chad but also how much Chad has infected Romeo right back. Can a serial killer put love over the monster demanding he kill? Beautiful and haunting in all the right ways with complex discussion of morality and love this was one of my best reads of the year.
May 15, 2023
WELCOME TO MY LATEST OBSESSION!!!!
Prepare to get Stockholm syndrome right along with Chad as you read this book!! These two have me in a CHOKEHOLD!!!!! JOIN ME IN THE MADNESS!
Wow. Wow. Wow.
This book was absolutely incredible and so perfectly written. My problem with a lot of dark romance books tends to be when the author tries too hard to make the character as evil as possible. That was not a problem in book. It just WAS, it wasn’t forced. Do NOT sleep on this book you guys!!! All dark romance lovers need to read this immediately
✅ Stockholm Syndrome
✅ Captive Romance
✅ Detective/Serial Killer
✅ Forced Proximity
Prepare to get Stockholm syndrome right along with Chad as you read this book!! These two have me in a CHOKEHOLD!!!!! JOIN ME IN THE MADNESS!
Wow. Wow. Wow.
This book was absolutely incredible and so perfectly written. My problem with a lot of dark romance books tends to be when the author tries too hard to make the character as evil as possible. That was not a problem in book. It just WAS, it wasn’t forced. Do NOT sleep on this book you guys!!! All dark romance lovers need to read this immediately
✅ Stockholm Syndrome
✅ Captive Romance
✅ Detective/Serial Killer
✅ Forced Proximity
September 18, 2023
What an interesting read this was. How in the hell did I come to root for a detective and a serial killer to find a HEA? I still want them to ride off into the sunset... LOL🤦.
I'm off to read the next book in the series...we will see how it goes!
I'm off to read the next book in the series...we will see how it goes!
March 1, 2024
I liked it. The characterisation was well done and the themes well handled.
January 25, 2020
It was so good, an amazing story. but please I want a sequel !
March 28, 2023
DNF @ 72%
This one wasn't working for me right from the start and then there was a certain situation that made me DNF despite how close to the end I was. Nothing about this story fit with my expectations or desires, which meant I struggled from the start. The very dark premise didn't work well with the author's usual version of rom-com-like writing style, neither MC were likeable and I didn't care about their romance. What ultimately made me DNF was the animal situations, but more on that at the end.
The main problem is that the premise is very dark (a kidnapping victim falls in love with his psychopathic serial killer captor due to Stockholm Syndrome) but the author used her usual style for the story, which created a weird disconnect. There's a very dark premise lurking in the background but there's that OTT rom-com vibe that Collins is known for layered on top of the whole thing, which didn't work. You have scenes where the detectives are investigating a gory crime scene that features a decomposing corpse and starving, half-dead dogs but the detectives are bantering about job promotions, driving like lunatics when they're mad and doing OTT things like slipping on spilled coffee. The author's usual serious-version-of-rom-com style worked really well in the previous books I read because while the premises contained dark elements, the situations deliberately contained elements of light heartedness which allowed the premise to balance on the thin line between rom-com and serious. In this book, the premise and everything relating to it was so dark that adding in these lighter things just felt out of place and made the story feel disjointed.
In addition, I'm sorry but I felt the author's writing abilities aren't good enough to do a premise like this justice. She kept portraying Romeo as a completely normal, likeable romance hero and the only way readers are reminded that he's a psychopath incapable of feeling emotions and he's a remorseless serial killer is by having Romeo and Chad constantly reference that he's a monster. Nothing else, just constant 'he's a monster' said over and over again. This felt childish and it didn't work because these little reminders didn't actually portray Romeo as the scary, remorseless villain he was meant to be. I actually liked Romeo and I liked his unapologetic approach to the murders and the reason why he didn't want to kill Chad. He has zero feelings towards Chad, he couldn't care less about what Chad thinks about him or the people he'd killed - he's only interested in making sure Chad will fit into his plans the way he wants him to. I loved this portrayal, but it didn't work for this story. The reason why is that Chad has no idea how to deal with somebody like Romeo and for that reason, the only way the author could make their romance even mildly believable was to tone down Romeo's dark tendencies and have him act like a normal romance hero for most of the story, which defeated the entire purpose of having a dark character like Romeo as one of the MCs.
In addition, Chad was the other reason (and the much bigger reason) that this story fell flat for me. The guy was a whiny, annoying and useless character. His only purpose in the story was to constantly whine about his bad childhood and throw himself a never ending pity party. Asides from that, he's completely useless. He's one of those terrible people who uses their past trauma as an excuse to treat other people horribly and I can't stand such people. Honestly, I kept expecting for Romeo to snap and kill the guy out of irritation. This didn't work for me at all for two reasons. One - while I love MCs who have a traumatic past, I want them to have some kind of strength in the rest of their lives which portrays them as a fighter and survivor rather than somebody who spends all their time being a victim and demanding others take care of them while not giving anything in return. Chad didn't have anything that impressed me. He wasn't a good detective, he never thinks about anybody except himself (and his dog - more on that later) and he's been treating his poor fiancé like shit for years . Two - I didn't believe for a second that somebody like Romeo would want to be with somebody like Chad. Chad brought nothing to the relationship. Absolutely nothing. In fact, Romeo had to spend all of his time catering to Chad's emotional break downs and putting up with Chad's whining and fussing. That's not what I want in a book that features a romance between a detective and a psychopathic serial killer!
There were other minor things that also annoyed me. As usual, the author can't be bothered to pay a competent editor and it really irritated me here because asides from some jarring typos, there are multiple scenes that don't make any sense. For example, Chad closes his eyes at one point but in the next sentence, he's staring at Romeo. Or my favorite - the author writes a sentence in which Chad literally slips on the floor and spills hot coffee on himself, except in the next sentence Chad is standing up and the coffee is nowhere in sight.
This sloppiness also resulted in the detective work in the first 30% of the story not being nearly as clever as the author thought it was. First of all - . Second - the author has the detectives and cops make mistakes purely due to her inability to proofread her own story properly. My favorite example was when the detectives talk about not telling anybody certain details about the case, which is immediately followed by a scene where a random cop told those exact details to one of the victims' brothers and the detectives only moan about how this means the press knows about the details while nobody seems to care that this random cop is blabbing about sensitive case details when he'd been ordered not to. Louise Collins is one of my favorite authors but her current approach to her writing means she doesn't have the skills to write something complex like a murder mystery and it ends up being a mess that I don't enjoy.
All of the issues I listed above are why I wasn't enthusiastic about the story as I was reading it but the reason I DNF'd so close to the ending was actually something completely different: the amount of animal cruelty and sad scenes related to animals got to be too much for me.
In total, there are four animals in the story and they relate to three different situations and all of them involve animal cruelty and/or animal death. Two situations involve Romeo either directly or indirectly causing the death of innocent animals and there's enough time spent discussing the animals and the situations that their deaths do leave an emotional impact on readers, which made those scenes difficult to deal with. The last situation involves Chad's beloved dog Toby who had to be put down when he was old and got cancer. Like the other animals, the author spends enough time talking about Toby and his bond with Chad that his death left a big emotional pact on me. That was the point where I couldn't continue. While I did like all of these developments, I didn't like how they felt gratuitious. None of these situations furthered the story or the relationship between the MCs because they all emphasized things we already knew. Since I wasn't enjoying the story anyway, I didn't feel the story deserved my strong emotional reaction to Toby's situation so that's when I decided to stop reading.
Overall, I still adore this author's stories but in my opinion, this premise wasn't the right choice for the style she likes using. From now on, I'm going to be more selective when choosing which of her books to try but she's an author who I vibe with really well the majority of the time so I'm going to continue reading her work.
This one wasn't working for me right from the start and then there was a certain situation that made me DNF despite how close to the end I was. Nothing about this story fit with my expectations or desires, which meant I struggled from the start. The very dark premise didn't work well with the author's usual version of rom-com-like writing style, neither MC were likeable and I didn't care about their romance. What ultimately made me DNF was the animal situations, but more on that at the end.
The main problem is that the premise is very dark (a kidnapping victim falls in love with his psychopathic serial killer captor due to Stockholm Syndrome) but the author used her usual style for the story, which created a weird disconnect. There's a very dark premise lurking in the background but there's that OTT rom-com vibe that Collins is known for layered on top of the whole thing, which didn't work. You have scenes where the detectives are investigating a gory crime scene that features a decomposing corpse and starving, half-dead dogs but the detectives are bantering about job promotions, driving like lunatics when they're mad and doing OTT things like slipping on spilled coffee. The author's usual serious-version-of-rom-com style worked really well in the previous books I read because while the premises contained dark elements, the situations deliberately contained elements of light heartedness which allowed the premise to balance on the thin line between rom-com and serious. In this book, the premise and everything relating to it was so dark that adding in these lighter things just felt out of place and made the story feel disjointed.
In addition, I'm sorry but I felt the author's writing abilities aren't good enough to do a premise like this justice. She kept portraying Romeo as a completely normal, likeable romance hero and the only way readers are reminded that he's a psychopath incapable of feeling emotions and he's a remorseless serial killer is by having Romeo and Chad constantly reference that he's a monster. Nothing else, just constant 'he's a monster' said over and over again. This felt childish and it didn't work because these little reminders didn't actually portray Romeo as the scary, remorseless villain he was meant to be. I actually liked Romeo and I liked his unapologetic approach to the murders and the reason why he didn't want to kill Chad. He has zero feelings towards Chad, he couldn't care less about what Chad thinks about him or the people he'd killed - he's only interested in making sure Chad will fit into his plans the way he wants him to. I loved this portrayal, but it didn't work for this story. The reason why is that Chad has no idea how to deal with somebody like Romeo and for that reason, the only way the author could make their romance even mildly believable was to tone down Romeo's dark tendencies and have him act like a normal romance hero for most of the story, which defeated the entire purpose of having a dark character like Romeo as one of the MCs.
In addition, Chad was the other reason (and the much bigger reason) that this story fell flat for me. The guy was a whiny, annoying and useless character. His only purpose in the story was to constantly whine about his bad childhood and throw himself a never ending pity party. Asides from that, he's completely useless. He's one of those terrible people who uses their past trauma as an excuse to treat other people horribly and I can't stand such people. Honestly, I kept expecting for Romeo to snap and kill the guy out of irritation. This didn't work for me at all for two reasons. One - while I love MCs who have a traumatic past, I want them to have some kind of strength in the rest of their lives which portrays them as a fighter and survivor rather than somebody who spends all their time being a victim and demanding others take care of them while not giving anything in return. Chad didn't have anything that impressed me. He wasn't a good detective, he never thinks about anybody except himself (and his dog - more on that later) and he's been treating his poor fiancé like shit for years . Two - I didn't believe for a second that somebody like Romeo would want to be with somebody like Chad. Chad brought nothing to the relationship. Absolutely nothing. In fact, Romeo had to spend all of his time catering to Chad's emotional break downs and putting up with Chad's whining and fussing. That's not what I want in a book that features a romance between a detective and a psychopathic serial killer!
There were other minor things that also annoyed me. As usual, the author can't be bothered to pay a competent editor and it really irritated me here because asides from some jarring typos, there are multiple scenes that don't make any sense. For example, Chad closes his eyes at one point but in the next sentence, he's staring at Romeo. Or my favorite - the author writes a sentence in which Chad literally slips on the floor and spills hot coffee on himself, except in the next sentence Chad is standing up and the coffee is nowhere in sight.
This sloppiness also resulted in the detective work in the first 30% of the story not being nearly as clever as the author thought it was. First of all - . Second - the author has the detectives and cops make mistakes purely due to her inability to proofread her own story properly. My favorite example was when the detectives talk about not telling anybody certain details about the case, which is immediately followed by a scene where a random cop told those exact details to one of the victims' brothers and the detectives only moan about how this means the press knows about the details while nobody seems to care that this random cop is blabbing about sensitive case details when he'd been ordered not to. Louise Collins is one of my favorite authors but her current approach to her writing means she doesn't have the skills to write something complex like a murder mystery and it ends up being a mess that I don't enjoy.
All of the issues I listed above are why I wasn't enthusiastic about the story as I was reading it but the reason I DNF'd so close to the ending was actually something completely different: the amount of animal cruelty and sad scenes related to animals got to be too much for me.
In total, there are four animals in the story and they relate to three different situations and all of them involve animal cruelty and/or animal death. Two situations involve Romeo either directly or indirectly causing the death of innocent animals and there's enough time spent discussing the animals and the situations that their deaths do leave an emotional impact on readers, which made those scenes difficult to deal with. The last situation involves Chad's beloved dog Toby who had to be put down when he was old and got cancer. Like the other animals, the author spends enough time talking about Toby and his bond with Chad that his death left a big emotional pact on me. That was the point where I couldn't continue. While I did like all of these developments, I didn't like how they felt gratuitious. None of these situations furthered the story or the relationship between the MCs because they all emphasized things we already knew. Since I wasn't enjoying the story anyway, I didn't feel the story deserved my strong emotional reaction to Toby's situation so that's when I decided to stop reading.
Overall, I still adore this author's stories but in my opinion, this premise wasn't the right choice for the style she likes using. From now on, I'm going to be more selective when choosing which of her books to try but she's an author who I vibe with really well the majority of the time so I'm going to continue reading her work.
September 13, 2025
I’m hooked! 4.5 stars though because of the typos that took me out of the story now and then.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews