Serial Killers Uncut

Jack Daniels Thriller #9

by Blake Crouch, J.A. Konrath

A gigantic double horror/thriller novel featuring 21 different serial killers...

For everyone who thinks the bad guys are so much more fun to read than the good guys, this is a book just for you. The definitive volume containing every major villain from the Crouch/Konrath Universe is here.

If you haven't read anything by Crouch or Konrath, Serial Killers Uncut is the perfect introduction to the dark side of their universe. And if you enjoy a despicable bad guy (or bad girl), you're going to love this.

There are close to two dozen serial killers featured in this book: Orson and Luther from Desert Places, Locked Doors, and Stirred, Mr. K from Shaken, Alex and Charles Kork from Whiskey Sour and Rusty Nail, Isaiah from Abandon, Taylor from Afraid, Javier from Snowbound, Donaldson and Lucy, plus many, many more.

There are some good guys too, including Andrew Z. Thomas (Desert Places, Locked Doors), Jack Daniels (Whiskey Sour, Shaken), Violet King (Locked Doors, Break You), Tequila (Shot of Tequila), and Clayton Theel (Draculas).

Serial Killers Uncut is an original 120,000 word double novel that stands alone without having read any of Konrath's or Crouch's work. If you are a more sensitive (or adventurous) reader, this handy scale rates specific categories from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest) to give you some idea if this is your kind of book.

SERIAL KILLERS UNCUT by Crouch and Konrath
Bad Language - 6
Scary - 8
Violent - 8
Funny - 4
Sexy - 7
Crossovers - Features characters from dozens of books in the Konrath and Crouch universe

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Serial Killer

576 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 14, 2011

About the author

Blake Crouch is a bestselling novelist and screenwriter. He is the author of the forthcoming novel, Dark Matter, for which he is writing the screenplay for Sony Pictures. His international-bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy was adapted into a television series for FOX, executive produced by M. Night Shyamalan, that was Summer 2015’s #1 show. With Chad Hodge, Crouch also created Good Behavior, the TNT television show starring Michelle Dockery based on his Letty Dobesh novellas. He has written more than a dozen novels that have been translated into over thirty languages and his short fiction has appeared in numerous publications including Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine. Crouch lives in Colorado with his family.

Reviews

[Mort · Rating 5 out of 5]

** Edited review **

Wow, this was not a good review -- much like the mullet, walking your goldfish and drinking diet water, it was an experiment that went horribly, horribly wrong. What I had in my head and what I put down did not match each other even remotely, so I am removing the entire review and leaving this one:

If you are a fan of the Jack Daniels series from Konrath and the Luther Kite serious from Crouch - this was the perfect culmination on the stories and a brilliant climax for both.
You can read it as a stand-alone, but you'll appreciate it more if you know your characters.
And Luther Kite - he's a one in a million villain!

Recommended to those who likes it rougher than PG.

[Giovanni Gelati · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic, that word gets thrown around a lot, probably at times, too much. But in this case, it is most accurate. Crouch and Konrath are right now the tip of the spear in this eworld we live in. This download has more gadgets on it then on anything I have seen. Plus the disclaimer at the beginning, I love it. Fortunately with aid of heavy medication and an understanding wife I can sleep at night, the recurring plotline just keeps running through my mind, over and over and over: the carnage, the hate, the bad guys, they just keep coming and coming and coming. Speaking of that, you should go back to my interview with Blake Crouch last Friday as I think he may be adding a new addendum to the disclaimer thanks to yours truly, I think it fits. Here is the link:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gelatiss...
Okay so what exactly are you in for on this monster download, this gruesome gathering of bad guys, the dream team of blood, guts, and gore:
“A gigantic double novel featuring 21 different serial killers...
For everyone who thinks the bad guys are so much more fun to read than the good guys, this is a book just for you. The definitive volume containing every major villain from the Crouch/Kilborn/Konrath Universe is here.
First, there was Serial, the collaborative smash-hit that has been downloaded 500,000 times and optioned for film.
Then came Serial Uncut, which expanded on that story.
Then Killers, the sequel to Serial.
Then Birds of Prey which introduced every major villain the writers had ever created into one cohesive novel. (Birds of Prey + Killers = Killers Uncut.)
And now, all that and more has been brought together for this definitive, omnibus monster, which at roughly 600 printed pages, is the length of two full novels...
Serial Killers Uncut
This epic work, over two years in the making, contains Serial Uncut, Killers, Birds of Prey, Crouch's Break You, an interview with the authors, and more.
Serial Uncut + Break You + Killers + Birds of Prey = Serial Killers Uncut
If you haven't read anything by Crouch, Kilborn, or Konrath, Serial Killers Uncut is the perfect introduction to the dark side of their universe. And if you enjoy a despicable bad guy (or bad girl), you're going to love this.
There are twenty-one serial killers featured in this book: Lucy and Donaldson from Serial, Orson and Luther from Desert Places, Locked Doors, and Break You, Mr. K from Shaken, Alex and Charles Kork from Whiskey Sour and Rusty Nail, Isaiah from Abandon, Taylor from Afraid, Javier from Snowbound, and many, many more.
There are some good guys too, including Andrew Z. Thomas (Desert Places, Locked Doors), Jack Daniels (Whiskey Sour, Shaken), Violet King (Locked Doors, Break You), Tequila (Shot of Tequila), and Clayton Theel (Draculas).
At $4.99, this ebook is a steal, as its contents retail separately for almost $10.00...
Serial Killers Uncut is an original 120,000 word double novel that stands alone without having read any of Konrath's, Kilborn's, or Crouch's work. As a bonus extra, it also includes an additional 30,000 words of the following novel excerpts:
AFRAID by Jack Kilborn, ENDURANCE by Jack Kilborn, TRAPPED by Jack Kilborn
SHAKEN by JA Konrath
DRACULAS by Blake Crouch, JA Konrath, Jeff Strand, and F. Paul Wilson
DESERT PLACES by Blake Crouch, LOCKED DOORS by Blake Crouch, FAMOUS by Blake Crouch, SNOWBOUND by Blake Crouch, ABANDON by Blake Crouch, RUN by Blake Crouch
About the Authors:
BLAKE CROUCH is the author of five novels and numerous short stories, including Run, Desert Places, and the Serial series. His website is www.blakecrouch.com .
JACK KILBORN is the pen name of J.A. Konrath. Under the name Jack Kilborn, he wrote the horror novels Afraid, Trapped, Endurance, and Draculas.
J.A. KONRATH is the author of seven novels in the Lt. Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels thriller series. The latest is Shaken, published by AmazonEncore. Visit Jack and J.A. at www.jakonrath.com . “
I really think that I have the bases covered with the Amazon description there. What the description does not tell you though, is the true mastery of these guys. The time and effort that went into this is apparent very quickly. Just by clicking on different things you can find out what novels that particular character appeared in, and a host of other info. Blake went into great detail during our interview on how it was put together and the time element. Incredible stuff! My new goal is be totally, totally killed by one or both of these incredible authors. I am prepared and willing to die a gruesome death at their hands. I mean what author would not want to off a blogger/blogtalk host/author anyway. It would be like a fast ball down the middle of the plate for Ryan Howard.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com

[Zafir Ignatov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished this EPIC ride !!! Great , great hell of a story , never gets boring , never stops being entertaining . It is quite lengthy also , it is forth every penny !

[MadameD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story 4/5
Narration 5/5

[Crista Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time.
Crouch and Konrath are fabulous together.
Each of their serial killers is unique and they are the bad guys you love yet love to hate.
I recommend this book and the others in this particular series.

[Collette Mclaughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely blew me away!
I am a fan of Jack Kilborn (J.A. Konrath) but it was my first pleasant introduction to Blake Crouch.
For those who know me, I am a massive horror fan. The grittier, sicker and gorier; the better!
I like books that can shock me and make me screw my face up in disgust or horror and this book did exactly that.
I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't read this but it was an epic read. One of the best I've read in a long time.

This is DEFINITELY NOT for the easily offended and faint hearted.

Enjoy }%>

[Natasa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick fun read. I love both authors.

[Ken Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm glad I bought this book. It is exactly what I was hoping for, exciting, gory, dark, funny at times... Plus, this format seems like something very special to me, something we will probably see more of. Not only is this book a ride that is well worth the $3.99, it is also a great way to learn about two different authors (three if you count Konrath's pen name, Kilborn) and the rich worlds and characters they've created. Great read.

[Jeramie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not really sure how to rate this book. I feel I am unqualified due to not finishing a quarter of it, but I also feel obligated to let others know what I would have liked to have heard prior to purchasing.

I am not a prude, I do not mind gore or depravity(in the right context), and I'm usually up for anything. So perhaps this review has more to say about myself than the book. With so many books out there that I need to make time to read, as a general rule, if I find me forcing myself to continue on or push through I give it a few chapters and then close it for good and erase it from my mind. This is one of those reads(except the whole erasing thing).

Well written, the characters interesting, and the plot building in intrigue... But I just felt icky while it was in my life. The warning at the beginning was fun and what I thought was an interesting little dare but as a whole(you will probably not suffer from heart-issues), is actually a good gauge for the reader.

I am not judging. Clearly I have only myself to blame and there are obviously fans of this book. I however felt like I did when I was trying to force myself to sit through those "Faces of Death" flicks in high school. The concept was just so provocative that I had to give it a go. I'm a big pansy I guess. It just made me feel bad. Now onto another regular Blake Crouch book.

[Sea Caummisar · Rating 5 out of 5]

My buddy John recommended this book to me a while back. I'm kicking myself for not reading it sooner, and I will always respect anything he recommends to me. This book is brutal. Not exactly in an extreme horror way, but there are splashes of extreme, yet at the same time the author is pulling on your heartstrings. Nothing but serial killers. This universe of bad guys was mostly new to me. I think I've read one or two of the Jack Daniels series. That was fine since it's not necessary to have read any other books prior to this one. I loved how there was an index referring to the other books you could read to find out about a particular killer/ character.
I read another book once where many serial killers crossed paths,and I kinda thought it was just a tad unbelievable. I didn't feel that way with this book, I guess because it's so well written.
This book is awesome. There's no other way to say it. In the preface the author let's us know that it's the length of two full novels. The way I was quickly devouring pages, it felt much shorter.
If you've read this review, do yourself a favor. Go and read this book now

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I have read most of the authors works, so this was so great for me because it filled in a lot of blanks and I got to know their super villain characters better. That said, this is gruesome and not for the faint of heart. Which I found amazing. It's probably a fine standalone but if you read the other books first, it will really mean so much more.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining mystery listening 🎶🔰

This kindle e-book novel is from my Kindle Unlimited account book nine

A number of short stories about serial killers and Jack Daniels. Each story is different with interesting characters lots of action, misdirection, and some violence leading to each conclusion or a follow-up story.

I would recommend this series and authors to readers of romantic family and friends relationships adventure mystery novels 👍🔰. 2025 👒😉

[Mihir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review over at Fantasy Book Critic

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: Serial Killers Uncut is a collaboration between authors Blake Crouch & Jack Kilborn, which originally started as an experiment labeled Serial. The novella was given out for free HERE and turned out to be something of a success story as it was downloaded more than half a million times. Blake Crouch & Jack Kilborn then decided to flesh out the characters in Serial, which resulted in Serial Uncut, a book that was embraced by fans and laid the foundation for the authors’ grand plan to combine their characters and written worlds into one milieu. A plan that was brought to life in Serial Killers Uncut...

SKU begins with an Introduction, followed by twenty chapters that focus on Luther Kite, Orson Thomas, Donaldson, Charles, Alex Kork and various other characters. Luther is arguably the book’s main character since readers are given insight into his life from a child all the way to adulthood, including the first meeting between Luther and Orson. The cool thing about this book is that each character is hyperlinked to a ‘Characters’ page, where a description of their first appearance and nature is provided, which is handy to have when you are beginning each story and learning about a new character. The sequence of the stories is chronologically listed with the actual books serving as time gaps.

Besides Luther Kite, the first twelve chapters also provide small snippets into the lives of the other characters mentioned above including Orson and Andrew as twins who play and love each other, Donaldson learning his craft from one of the most depraved killers out there in Mr. K, and the Kork family. Further down the road, readers are shown Lucy’s initiation to the craft by her peers in “Bad Girl”, and the prostitute Toni meeting the Gingerbread Man only to realize how much she wants to live.

Then comes the incredible chapter thirteen, “An Unkindness of Ravens”. Featuring around twenty-one characters—both heroes and villains—from the worlds of Blake Crouch & Jack Kilborn, this chapter is easily the highlight of the book with the authors playing to their strengths with witty dialogue and visceral thrills colliding in the ultimate ‘bad guy’ convention. Plot twists are a bit predictable, but “An Unkindness of Ravens” was a blast to read with almost every character bumping into each another, with entertaining results. Plus, there’s even a nod to thriller legend David Morrell.

From here, we have “Serial”, followed by “Killers” where Lucy and Donaldson meet each other, giving readers two of the most thrilling chapters in the book. Lastly, there’s the inclusion of the novella “Break You”, which is the conclusion to the Andrew Z. Thomas storyline.

The only complaint I had about Serial Killers Uncut was an episode occurring in a chapter that contradicts what has happened in Shaken. Reportedly, clarification for this contradiction will be provided in Stirred, the final book, so I’m willing to go along with it for now. The plot was also a bit disjointed, but because of Blake Crouch & Jack Kilborn’s terrific writing, I was completely hooked by the story nonetheless.

CONCLUSION: Serial Killers Uncut may have started out as an experiment, but it has evolved into something special . . . a hugely entertaining and dark thrill ride that features villains instead of heroes, and will appeal to fans of Blake Crouch, Jack Kilborn and serial killer fiction. In short, Serial Killers Uncut is a must read and heralds what could potentially be one of the best thriller sagas ever written...

[Armand · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is so full of graphically violent and infernally imaginative scenes of physical and psychological torture that I felt rather woozy at the end. It's seriously one of the most extreme books I've ever read. Some of the shorter stories feel a bit unformed, but the frenzied delights that the novellas offer more than make up for them. This is a legit page-turner with stories that don't take long to heat up, so I was careening through whole sections in one sitting.

It's been a fun and wicked thrill ride, a katabasis of sorts into the realm of monsters in human guise. I'm giving this 7/10 or 3 ecstatically agonizing stars out of 5.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought this book was going to give me nightmares. So creepy good and twisted. You are for sure unlikely to pick up hitchhikers after reading this one.

[Rog the Jammy Dodge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crouch's books are always of the compulsively readable variety. In this collaboration with Konrath, many of their serial killers from previous books are brought together in a collection of stories. To meet one serial killer is bad luck but to meet more than one at a time almost guarantees an unfortunate end. The emphasis in most of these tales is on the gruesome and protracted ways that the killers find to torture their prey, rather than just the killing itself. Most educational....hopefully there are not too many people out their of that ilk looking for tips!

[Isabella Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm pissed off. Why? Because I love Blake Crouch's work so much that I keep sinking money into more and more books. And now that I've read Serial Killers Uncut and have gotten a taste of the other authors involved, I now have to read their works. It's getting expensive, but I guess I can't complain too much for the entertainment. ;)

[Don Soapes · Rating 5 out of 5]

STOP!!! Go back and re-read all the warnings at the start of this book.!!!

If you decide to go forth into this world,you might think twice,and then just put it down,because once you start there is no going back.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

21 serial killers comprise this disturbingly violent and somewhat disjointed novel – each brandishing their own unique form of craft. Centralised around Luther, the story erupts in truly terrifying fashion where a younger form of the budding serial killer is bare witness to the destruction of his family at the hands of a couple of sadistic killers. From that point forward, the perspective alternates from good and bad guys alike with their respective paths intertwining in comic book like crossover fashion. While the premise is sound, some of the chapters felt a little out of place with too much time lapse between events. Other than that, it was good to read about characters who have populated the works of both Crouch and Kilborn and learn a greater insight into some of their origins and back-story. Favourites of mine include Lucy and Donaldson, the deranged and sexy scary Alice, and of course – the main bad guy in Luther. Fans of both of these authors works wont be disappointed – 3.5 stars.

[Powser · Rating 2 out of 5]

There must be 2 Blake Crouch's. Half his books I adore (utterly love!) and half I despise. This was ugly - not sure who would enjoy this especially with a lack of ending. And yes, ad after ad from other books - some i had read - others i have not. I could not wait for it to end as i hate giving up on books. Too sick for me.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome...needs to be made into a short film too :o)

[Kate Alvarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

So so twisted and wonderful. Definitely not for the faint of heart. My God I love these authors so much

[Jenni DaVinCat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know it says this book can be read as a stand-alone, and to be fair, I definitely haven't read all of the books with characters featured from this novel, but if you're not a Crouch/Kilborn/Konrath fan already, then I probably wouldn't attempt this book. I think it's probably a good idea to know what you're getting into before fully getting into it. I've read a good handful of the novels that make up their SKU universe, but not all. It definitely is not necessary to have read them all.

This is a book about their collective villains. How they came to be the way that they are, how they honed their skills over time, and what happens when one or more of these villains comes into contact. You may think I'm using the word villain to just mean a 'bad guy'. These characters are 'bad' guys, but they're also depraved and sadistic. They're serial killers, and you better believe that you'll get some pretty intimate details about how they like to kill. If you're easily offended, this is NOT the book for you. If blood and guts bothers you, this is NOT the book for you. If sexual promiscuity over said depraved acts makes you want to vomit, this is NOT the book for you. You have been warned.

And yet...I still find myself drawn to these characters, no matter how much I disagree with what they do or how they do it. I had to stop and ask myself what was wrong with me a few times, but maybe it's just that they're written to be horrible monsters with endearing mannerisms.

It was nice having a chronological order to these characters and their lives and all of the novels/short stories/novellas that go into the universe as well.

[Elar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty detailed insight to serial killers' day at work. Fast paced and full of action.

[Craig Childs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Serial Killers Uncut is a mosaic novel (or fix-up novel) comprised of several interrelated novellas and short stories. They are dark, gory, and often funny. They bring together 21 villains from every book written by Blake Crouch, J. A. Konrath, and Jack Kilborn through 2011. (Note: Jack Kilborn is an open pseudonym used by J. A. Konrath.) This project unifies their fictional universes.

All stories are presented in chronological order. If in its original form a story spanned a long duration of time (the story "Birds of Prey", for instance, covers events from 1969 to 2011), then the individual scenes are rearranged to be sequenced around the other stories.

Portions of this novel were previously published as standalone books under the titles "Serial Uncut", "Killers Uncut", and "Break You". (Some bibliographies still include these entries.)

What I Liked:

- Luther Kite and his psychopathic family are given a powerful origin story in "A Day at the Beach" and "A Night at the Dinner Table" that humanizes them and explains what events initiated their descent into darkness.

- Donaldson is already a killer when we first meet him in "A Pitying of Turtle Doves" but it is his education at the hands of Mr. K where he really embraces his appetites.

- Charles Kork finds a unique way to dispose of a body in "A Murder of Crows".

- Jack Daniels outwits a pair of killers after being abducted at the "Truck Stop". One is a cannibal who eats his victims' feet. The other forces his victims to eat parts of their own body as he slices them up.

- Lucy's meeting Andrew Z. Thomas as a young fan in "Bad Girl" provides a nice arc to her character, given what happens the two times they meet again.

- "Serial" and "Killers" pit Lucy and Donaldson against each other, then against Luther Kite. These were my favorite stories.

What I Disliked:

- Whenever one of the main Crouch/Konrath/Kilborn novels falls chronologically between stories, the authors insert a one-page advertisement for the book. "Read AFRAID to find out what happens to Taylor…" Every time this happened, it took me completely out of the story. It felt like I was reading a brochure rather than a novel.

- There are several random meetings of serial killers that add little to the narrative except to further merge the universes. In particular, Orson Thomas seems to be always bumping into other serial killers on deserted highways and in hotel rooms.

- "An Unkindness of ravens" is a slow, bloated story in which roughly 15 characters from the novels all happen to attend the same gun show.

- The incestuous relationship between Charles and Alex Kork is an interesting starting point for a trilogy of stories "The One Who Stayed", "The One Who Got Away", and "The One Who Didn't". Unfortunately, the narrative abruptly switches its attention halfway to one particular victim Moni who is neither very interesting nor important.

A note on reading order:

On his website, Blake Crouch refers to this as a companion piece to his Andrew Z. Thomas/Luther Kite series. He recommends reading it after Stirred, the fourth book. I actually wish I had read it after the second book, Locked Doors. There are two reasons for this. 1) Serial Killers Uncut contains the third book Break You in its entirety, and reading it here places it in appropriate chronological context. 2) Many of the events in Serial Killers Uncut are referenced in Stirred. Since all the stories in Serial Killers Uncut take place prior to Stirred, there are no spoilers, although "A Schizophrenia of Hawks" does drop a massive hint at a major revelation.

On the flip side, the argument for reading Stirred first is that it allows readers to hang on to the thread of the Andrew Z. Thomas story line without suddenly dropping all these ancillary characters from the extended universe into the mix.

While this book wraps up Crouch's series, readers should note several series characters (including Luther Kite) also appear in two J. A. Konrath novels, Shaken and Last Call.

[Monica · Rating 1 out of 5]

I normally don't review books, but I thought others should know what they're getting into. My complaint is not about the gore or gruesome antics of the characters in the book, although they did seem to push the limits in some story lines. I purchased this book thinking it was an UNCUT version of a series of books from a few authors of the same genre; compiled to make a mega-read with the addition of content to create character crossover. Although I felt character development was good enough to finish the book, I was not pleased with a number of sections just referencing books that should be inserted in that place to bring the content together. They did give an EXTREMELY brief overview of the referenced books to sort of explain what the story is about that should be inserted in that place of reference. But these descriptions were used more as a ploy to get the reader to purchase the referenced book much like a jacket cover would. I don't have an issue with this type of book and think it's a great idea to bump up a fan base if this is how the book was described. Perhaps I need to go back and re-read the description and reviews on Amazon, but I found the title of the book to include the word "Uncut" to be very misleading.

[Jennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books just fly by.

Completely over the top, insane murder and mayhem. Over the top cannot happen and I don't care.

You know how The Following is completely implausible? (Don't watch if you haven't. It is. And often painfully so. Sometimes, it's even stupid. Sometimes. Ahem.) I feel like no attempt should have ever been made to make that show be any kind of coherent. I feel that all these guys should have been the writers and The Following could have became batshit art. (As it happens, it just has Kevin Bacon and James Purefoy and crazy cult nonsense happens and it's fine, but if these guys wrote it, it would be ridiculous. And I would love it.)

So, I didn't care much for The Pines (which will be a TV show with Matt Dillon) and have not finished that trilogy, but I cannot deny how quickly you get sucked in to Blake Crouch's books.

And this series of tales...I am hooked and I am hunting down all the other threads and books with these characters. I am not searching for the insight Thomas Harris once provided, I just enjoy cringing and laughing at the batshit insanity. It makes me happy.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is described as a "double novel" and includes two previously published books (Serial Uncut and Killers Uncut), along with a bunch of novellas and short stories by the same authors as a compilation. This book basically includes every Konrath and Crouch character written so far and strings their stories together chronologically.

There are over twenty characters throughout the book who keep running into each other in various stories. Sometimes that got a little confusing, but it helps if you've read any of the author's other books. I've read several, but sometimes the characters got a little fuzzy anyways.

Overall, it's a great book if you're a fan of the genre. It's definitely gory, but not as bad as some of the reviews make it out to be. I've definitely read worse. I'd recommend trying a few other Crouch/Konrath novels first though, or else the story might get a little muddled with all the characters.

[B.D. Crowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book really pushed the envelope for violence and depravity as far as what I've read to date. It rather caught me by surprise. Once I got over that initial shock, though, I really got into the stories. I'm working my way through the intertwined Konrath/Kilborn/Crouch universe, and this was a quick intro to several of their major characters. Most of these were a lot of fun, and I liked getting to read about the background of some of these individuals to see the paths that led them to their sick selves.

This book is not for the easily offended or those with weak stomachs. For those of you who, like me, grew up thinking the villains in the Disney cartoon movies were infinitely more interesting than the heroes, this should be right up your alley.

[Jess · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have enjoyed Blake Crouch's other books, so for some unknown reason, I though MAYBE I would like these books too...I was wrong. I couldn't finish the book easily. I'm not one to give up on a book, but I seriously almost walked away from this one a couple of times. It pushed the limits too many times. It's been MONTHS since I've read this book, but I still can't get some of the images out of my head. Every time I see a peach pit, I feel like I'm going to throw up....if you've read this you know what I'm talking about. Horror usually doesn't bother me AT ALL - but this one was just not for me.