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Kate Barnes #1
Dark Associations
YOUNG WOMEN ARE BEING TORTURED AND KILLED
Following the discovery of her protege's mutilated corpse, SFPD Detective Kate Barnes vows to capture the infamous serial killer known as The Tower Torturer. Famous for revisiting history's darkest forms of cruelty on his victims, the sick psychopath has emerged from the shadows after years of silence. As young women close to Kate disappear, the killer taunts the detective, torturing his victims in various and unspeakable ways before displaying their corpses in macabre public tableaus.
…IN A DEADLY GAME OF DARK ASSOCIATIONS
Despite her best efforts, the predator always seems to be two moves ahead of the rookie investigator. As the body count rises, Kate struggles to apprehend the brutal mastermind before he resurrects history's most insidious form of torture upon her.
Following the discovery of her protege's mutilated corpse, SFPD Detective Kate Barnes vows to capture the infamous serial killer known as The Tower Torturer. Famous for revisiting history's darkest forms of cruelty on his victims, the sick psychopath has emerged from the shadows after years of silence. As young women close to Kate disappear, the killer taunts the detective, torturing his victims in various and unspeakable ways before displaying their corpses in macabre public tableaus.
…IN A DEADLY GAME OF DARK ASSOCIATIONS
Despite her best efforts, the predator always seems to be two moves ahead of the rookie investigator. As the body count rises, Kate struggles to apprehend the brutal mastermind before he resurrects history's most insidious form of torture upon her.
378 pages, Paperback
First published January 10, 2017
34 people are currently reading
688 people want to read
About the author
Marie Sutro
6 books66 followersMarie Sutro is an award-winning and bestselling mystery author. In 2018, she won the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award for the Best New Voice in Fiction for her debut novel, Dark Associations.
Her stories are inspired by her family history (i.e. her father, grandfather and great-grandfather all served in the San Francisco Police Department). Marie is a member of Sisters in Crime and a volunteer with California Library Literacy Services, helping adults improve their reading and writing skills. She resides in Northern California and is currently at work on her next book.
Her stories are inspired by her family history (i.e. her father, grandfather and great-grandfather all served in the San Francisco Police Department). Marie is a member of Sisters in Crime and a volunteer with California Library Literacy Services, helping adults improve their reading and writing skills. She resides in Northern California and is currently at work on her next book.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
December 12, 2016
Kate Barnes, a detective in the SFPD with a haunted past paved in guilt, tries to keep people at a distance, but in every day life even the simplest of exchanges can develop into something more. Kate was selected to be mentor, to watch over and guide the impressionable mind of a brilliant student whose idolisation of her role-model led to tragedy. When Kate looks upon the brutal scene of her prodigy's murder she swears to bring her killer to justice, but soon discovers there is more to this case than an isolated event. A serial killer, known as the Tower Torturer, has reared his head, his focus on Kate and the women she holds dear. This brutal killer has already once slipped through the hands of the FBI. Can she bring him to justice before he once again fades into the background, or worse, kills everyone close to her while forcing her add to the burden of guilt she already bears?
There is nothing I love more on a dark night than sitting with a book and trying to work out 'who-done-it' before the truth is revealed. I love watching and reading murder mysteries, be it the more widely enjoyed CSI or the old classics first penned by Agatha Christie or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. When I read a book of this genre it has a lot of expectations to meet in order to receive a five star and Dark Associations ticked all the boxes for me. It is dark, gripping, tense, and filled with deep and interesting characters. From the onset I knew this book had promise, but I did not expect to be so blown away by the author's skill at creating tension and a complex plot to keep the reader guessing right until the end. If time had allowed there would have been no prying this book from my hand, and I always wanted to read just a little longer. I will certainly be on the look out for more books from Marie Sutro, and would not find myself surprised, in the future, to find myself watching it on TV. A great book, deserving of five stars and my highest praise.
There is nothing I love more on a dark night than sitting with a book and trying to work out 'who-done-it' before the truth is revealed. I love watching and reading murder mysteries, be it the more widely enjoyed CSI or the old classics first penned by Agatha Christie or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. When I read a book of this genre it has a lot of expectations to meet in order to receive a five star and Dark Associations ticked all the boxes for me. It is dark, gripping, tense, and filled with deep and interesting characters. From the onset I knew this book had promise, but I did not expect to be so blown away by the author's skill at creating tension and a complex plot to keep the reader guessing right until the end. If time had allowed there would have been no prying this book from my hand, and I always wanted to read just a little longer. I will certainly be on the look out for more books from Marie Sutro, and would not find myself surprised, in the future, to find myself watching it on TV. A great book, deserving of five stars and my highest praise.
Read
January 29, 2018Dear Reader,
It's fair to say that this book and I failed to gel. It started off well but for some strange reason I soon found myself scanning whole paragraphs as I grew bored with the various descriptions of the different scenes and the gruesome mutilations meted out by the sadistic serial killer.
Strange as it would appear,I guessed the identity of the killer,having grave misgivings about him.
Potential readers,please take time to read the numerous 4* and 5* reviews of this book and judge for yourself whether it's for you.
It's fair to say that this book and I failed to gel. It started off well but for some strange reason I soon found myself scanning whole paragraphs as I grew bored with the various descriptions of the different scenes and the gruesome mutilations meted out by the sadistic serial killer.
Strange as it would appear,I guessed the identity of the killer,having grave misgivings about him.
Potential readers,please take time to read the numerous 4* and 5* reviews of this book and judge for yourself whether it's for you.
May 6, 2025
First and foremost, I'd like to say that I met this author quite a few years ago. She signed my book and was lovely!
That being said, it was a little difficult to get through this book not only because of the grammar errors, but because all of the characters were inherently unlikeable. I was constantly distracted by the fact that Kate seemed to be more interested in her detective counterparts rather than the case for the first half of the book. It was a little bit jarring to read about her investigating gruesome murders and then sleeping with the detectives soon after. Unfortunately, for a great deal of this book, I felt as if Kate was 10x more invested in the weird alpha-male war between her two coworkers than anything else. It felt a little more like a weird love-triangle-dark-romance than a dark crime as the men were incredibly insufferable. I wouldn't have picked up the book had I known this beforehand.
I do have to also point out the unlikeliness of using social media as a platform in conducting meticulous murders. Using Youtube was certainly...a choice. You'd have better luck on 4chan, but this is nitpicky. It would have to be by pure chance that any of these detectives even found the videos that the killer was putting out. Realistically, it would have been more likely that the videos were left up for days before anybody actually noticed or did anything. But by then, the killer's plan of sending a message to Kate would have been completely foiled. It did feel like the agents were incredibly incompetent with this fact and it really took away from the actual "cleverness" of the killer.
I also REALLY did not like the weird bashing of nerds in this book. I found it a bit strange to equate liking fanfiction and going to Wondercon as a Columbine-shooter archtype. Painting this particular character as a freak for liking...extremely normal and sound hobbies by trained professionals...yeah. It took away a lot of credibility, considering the detectives would have likely seen a million different suspects with similar hobbies. But acting like being a LOTR fanfiction enjoyer was niche and weird...entirely off.
(Side note - the use of "latino" woman instead of "latina" was genuinely driving me nuts. But I digress)
I rate this book 1.5 stars because the twist at the end genuinely got me. I would say, however, that it is a little bit slow leading up to that point. If you are going to read this, please be aware that it's quite graphic and violent at some parts. But overall, still an entertaining read!
That being said, it was a little difficult to get through this book not only because of the grammar errors, but because all of the characters were inherently unlikeable. I was constantly distracted by the fact that Kate seemed to be more interested in her detective counterparts rather than the case for the first half of the book. It was a little bit jarring to read about her investigating gruesome murders and then sleeping with the detectives soon after. Unfortunately, for a great deal of this book, I felt as if Kate was 10x more invested in the weird alpha-male war between her two coworkers than anything else. It felt a little more like a weird love-triangle-dark-romance than a dark crime as the men were incredibly insufferable. I wouldn't have picked up the book had I known this beforehand.
I do have to also point out the unlikeliness of using social media as a platform in conducting meticulous murders. Using Youtube was certainly...a choice. You'd have better luck on 4chan, but this is nitpicky. It would have to be by pure chance that any of these detectives even found the videos that the killer was putting out. Realistically, it would have been more likely that the videos were left up for days before anybody actually noticed or did anything. But by then, the killer's plan of sending a message to Kate would have been completely foiled. It did feel like the agents were incredibly incompetent with this fact and it really took away from the actual "cleverness" of the killer.
I also REALLY did not like the weird bashing of nerds in this book. I found it a bit strange to equate liking fanfiction and going to Wondercon as a Columbine-shooter archtype. Painting this particular character as a freak for liking...extremely normal and sound hobbies by trained professionals...yeah. It took away a lot of credibility, considering the detectives would have likely seen a million different suspects with similar hobbies. But acting like being a LOTR fanfiction enjoyer was niche and weird...entirely off.
(Side note - the use of "latino" woman instead of "latina" was genuinely driving me nuts. But I digress)
I rate this book 1.5 stars because the twist at the end genuinely got me. I would say, however, that it is a little bit slow leading up to that point. If you are going to read this, please be aware that it's quite graphic and violent at some parts. But overall, still an entertaining read!
Read
October 15, 2017How about a debut novel where you know you will be reading all sequels? Well, that's what we get with Marie Sutro's Dark Associations (and we even get Marie for the RBC in January!). This is a very good book about a very rough villain - a serial killer. Steve Alten, author of Meg (which I read) and Domain (which I didn't) says: "Marie Sutro's debut novel, Dark Associations, may just be this generation's Silence of the Lambs. Erotic and frightening, it keeps the reader guessing until the last pages." Amen to that. Here's the synopsis:
Following the discovery of her protege's mutilated corpse, SFPD Detective Kate Barnes vows to capture the infamous serial killer known as The Tower Torturer. Famous for revisiting history's darkest forms of cruelty on his victims, the sick psychopath has emerged from the shadows after years of silence. As young women close to Kate disappear, the killer taunts the detective, torturing his victims in various and unspeakable ways before displaying their corpses in macabre public tableaus.
In case you haven't figured it out yet, you have to know that there are some very tough scenes to read in this book. The good news is that it's not every other page. I don't like to give away much in the books I review. But in this case I want to tell you that there could have been more instances of graphic descriptions of torture than were actually in the book. It's there, but it's not everywhere.
Now let's turn to the good stuff. Here are the features of the book that I particularly liked:
1. There were a ton of surprises. That's always a good thing when you're reading a mystery, wouldn't you agree?
2. The surprises led to a lot of head-shaking. I guess that's another form of surprise, right?
3. I found myself trying to guess who the serial killer was, and then disagreeing with the one the author first exposed.
4. The suspense was a killer (sorry about that); especially when a chapter started with a young girl that we didn't know about yet.
5. The book takes place in the Bay Area, where I have lived all my (very long) life. But I still learned some things I didn't know. I learned the history of Hunters Point. I also learned that there are no cemeteries in San Francisco. I think that's kind of a trippy.
6. This is very well-written.
There were also a couple of funny things that happened while I was reading Dark Associations:
1. As I was reading a torture scene, I happened to see a guy walking down the street wearing a T-shirt that said "Super Villains."
2. I was sitting in a public place, reading the book, and a vacuum cleaner went on. I jumped somewhere between 3 feet and 1/4 mile.
3. And I just have to point out that at one point, the author talks about "the 101." I don't think I need to remind you that native Northern Californians do NOT say "the" before its freeways. No harm done, though.
I liked Dark Associations a lot. If you can get past a few of the serial killer-in-action scenes, the rest flows in a very smooth, interesting, and suspenseful way. Have you read Alex Kava's Maggie O'Dell series? If you have, and if you liked it, then by all means pick up DA. I'm not only anxious to meet Marie in January. But I'm also definitely looking forward to Book 2.
Following the discovery of her protege's mutilated corpse, SFPD Detective Kate Barnes vows to capture the infamous serial killer known as The Tower Torturer. Famous for revisiting history's darkest forms of cruelty on his victims, the sick psychopath has emerged from the shadows after years of silence. As young women close to Kate disappear, the killer taunts the detective, torturing his victims in various and unspeakable ways before displaying their corpses in macabre public tableaus.
In case you haven't figured it out yet, you have to know that there are some very tough scenes to read in this book. The good news is that it's not every other page. I don't like to give away much in the books I review. But in this case I want to tell you that there could have been more instances of graphic descriptions of torture than were actually in the book. It's there, but it's not everywhere.
Now let's turn to the good stuff. Here are the features of the book that I particularly liked:
1. There were a ton of surprises. That's always a good thing when you're reading a mystery, wouldn't you agree?
2. The surprises led to a lot of head-shaking. I guess that's another form of surprise, right?
3. I found myself trying to guess who the serial killer was, and then disagreeing with the one the author first exposed.
4. The suspense was a killer (sorry about that); especially when a chapter started with a young girl that we didn't know about yet.
5. The book takes place in the Bay Area, where I have lived all my (very long) life. But I still learned some things I didn't know. I learned the history of Hunters Point. I also learned that there are no cemeteries in San Francisco. I think that's kind of a trippy.
6. This is very well-written.
There were also a couple of funny things that happened while I was reading Dark Associations:
1. As I was reading a torture scene, I happened to see a guy walking down the street wearing a T-shirt that said "Super Villains."
2. I was sitting in a public place, reading the book, and a vacuum cleaner went on. I jumped somewhere between 3 feet and 1/4 mile.
3. And I just have to point out that at one point, the author talks about "the 101." I don't think I need to remind you that native Northern Californians do NOT say "the" before its freeways. No harm done, though.
I liked Dark Associations a lot. If you can get past a few of the serial killer-in-action scenes, the rest flows in a very smooth, interesting, and suspenseful way. Have you read Alex Kava's Maggie O'Dell series? If you have, and if you liked it, then by all means pick up DA. I'm not only anxious to meet Marie in January. But I'm also definitely looking forward to Book 2.
February 2, 2017
Fasten your seat belt, you are in for a ride as you read this dark and sinister novel. It is full of twist and turns, pulling your emotional chain at every curve. If you are looking for a serial killer detective novel, you have found your book. The dead ends, dry holes, ups and downs, keep you wondering just what is going to happen next. Although much darker and sinister than my usual fare, it was an entertaining ride.
The language was sometimes colorful, but was never gratuitous. It lent credibility to the scenes. It also seemed to be true to form for the characters the author developed. Although macabre and gory, the scenes were so vividly descriptive the reader could visualize each event as it unfolded.
The story line held together right to the end. It kept you captivated and was never obvious, although at times you thought it might have been. Each time you tried to “figure it out”, there was another twist.
This book is not for the faint of heart. The vividness with which the author describes the victims and the psychopathic process used to bring about their demise is horrifying. It, unfortunately, clearly illustrates the cruelty which one human can exact on another.
The language was sometimes colorful, but was never gratuitous. It lent credibility to the scenes. It also seemed to be true to form for the characters the author developed. Although macabre and gory, the scenes were so vividly descriptive the reader could visualize each event as it unfolded.
The story line held together right to the end. It kept you captivated and was never obvious, although at times you thought it might have been. Each time you tried to “figure it out”, there was another twist.
This book is not for the faint of heart. The vividness with which the author describes the victims and the psychopathic process used to bring about their demise is horrifying. It, unfortunately, clearly illustrates the cruelty which one human can exact on another.
January 17, 2018
I met Marie Sutro last year when she set up a table in our local B&N to sell her new novel. I blazed past her on a mission to find whatever book I was looking for at the time. After procuring the desired tome, I guiltily returned to talk with her. I figure I owe it to someone who has guts enough to put themselves along with their novel out there on a weekend afternoon to at least see what it is that they are peddling. I introduced myself and a charming conversation ensued. I bought the book and then recommended it to my book club director. Based on our conversation alone, I guessed that Marie would be a very engaging guest to our monthly meeting. Alas, I will be unable to attend that meeting as I have family business to take care of. However, I did very much enjoy reading the novel and look forward to hearing how the rest of the club liked it (or didn't). I know the book will not be to everyone's taste. It is rather explicit in its depiction of violence. But it is very well written. The characters ring true, including all of their prejudices and blind spots. There are enough twists and turns to keep the reader engaged. And I especially loved the ending. Justice comes in many forms and I particularly liked the inventive justice meted out at the end of "Dark Associations". I'm looking forward to Marie's future novels and where she takes things from here.
October 8, 2022
Police detective Kate Barnes is becoming a criminal profiler with the help and insight of her mentors. When Kate’s young protégé is brutally murdered in a ghastly public display, Kate discovers she is central to the murderer’s plan, and vows to capture the perpetrator. Soon, it’s clear the murderer is the infamous Tower Torturer, a serial killer known for his medieval-style cruelty, who has emerged after years of inactivity. But why now? And why is he interested in Kate? She struggles to get ahead of the monster, but he is two steps out of reach, taunting her throughout the complex, twisted plot. Kate is horrified and darkly attracted to this case, which stretches her abilities to their limits and causes her to step up to a new level of police detecting. Dark Associations has been compared to the Silence of the Lambs for its psychological suspense and sheer creepiness. I couldn’t put the book down. The story is grisly, the plot relentless and the characterization of Kate is deep. Marie Sutro’s 2017 series debut, Dark Associations, is an excellent entree to the Kate Barnes series. Although late to the party, I’m anticipating reading more of these frightening, compelling thrillers. #2, Dark Obsessions is already on my TBR pile.
August 3, 2025
I met the author at Bouchercon Nashville and immediately bought her books thinking since she is a local author one or both of my mystery reading groups would love to meet her. She warned me that her books are dark.
I am sure they both would enjoy meeting Marie Sutro as much as I did, but I don't think either group would enjoy this dark and graphic murder mystery which focuses on a violent psychopath.
This is in the style of J T Ellison Taylor Jackson series, where the victims (at least in this first of the series) are women brutally murdered by a serial killer.
Kate Barnes is a strong and independent San Francisco Detective in the Special Victims Unit. She is teamed with her local partner Tyler Harding and an imported FBI Special Agent Ben Fraye. Harding and Fraye had known each other in Boston where similar atrocities had taken the lives of seven women.
I enjoyed the investigation and the twist, and the writing was professional. The San Francisco Bay Area details are right on, and I have book two to read next.
I will be watching for book three which is mentioned as being in progress.
I am sure they both would enjoy meeting Marie Sutro as much as I did, but I don't think either group would enjoy this dark and graphic murder mystery which focuses on a violent psychopath.
This is in the style of J T Ellison Taylor Jackson series, where the victims (at least in this first of the series) are women brutally murdered by a serial killer.
Kate Barnes is a strong and independent San Francisco Detective in the Special Victims Unit. She is teamed with her local partner Tyler Harding and an imported FBI Special Agent Ben Fraye. Harding and Fraye had known each other in Boston where similar atrocities had taken the lives of seven women.
I enjoyed the investigation and the twist, and the writing was professional. The San Francisco Bay Area details are right on, and I have book two to read next.
I will be watching for book three which is mentioned as being in progress.
March 11, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. It’s about a serial killer and his crimes were described in great detail, which brought me as a reader deeper into the story . The characters are well-developed and believable. Some likable and some not so likable.
The main character, Kate Barnes, Is a very believable detective who is tough yet has many flaws. The storyline moves along quickly and lots of information is covered in a short period of time. I like that. Lots of police procedural stuff and a good amount of coroner information in here too. I can tell that the author, Marie Sutro, did her research.
This is the first in a series but definitely a standalone book if you’re not into reading a series. I like the character of Kate Barnes so I will continue to read this one as new books come out.
I recommend it to readers who like mysteries, police procedurals, and thrillers.
The main character, Kate Barnes, Is a very believable detective who is tough yet has many flaws. The storyline moves along quickly and lots of information is covered in a short period of time. I like that. Lots of police procedural stuff and a good amount of coroner information in here too. I can tell that the author, Marie Sutro, did her research.
This is the first in a series but definitely a standalone book if you’re not into reading a series. I like the character of Kate Barnes so I will continue to read this one as new books come out.
I recommend it to readers who like mysteries, police procedurals, and thrillers.
December 20, 2017
This book was phenomenal! The prose was excellent. The author described San Francisco so vividly that it was just as much a main character in this story as Detective Kate Barnes! Speaking of vivid, the murder scenes...oh, goodness the murder scenes! They were beautifully gore-y and set the tone of the book SO well. I could see this book going on to become a film! Overall, excellent, excellent read. Marie is very good at subtly misleading us into thinking the Tower Torturer was one person when all along, it was another. Looking forward to the next Kate Barnes thriller!
May 10, 2023
I met this author at the LA Times Book Festival a few weeks ago, and just from our conversation I knew I would enjoy this book.
Enjoy it? Wow! I loved it! Needless to say, I am glad I decided to purchase the second book at the same time as the first. Can’t wait to see if the suspense continues.
If you like dark, descriptive, psychotic serial killers, this one is for you. I was guessing until the end!
Enjoy it? Wow! I loved it! Needless to say, I am glad I decided to purchase the second book at the same time as the first. Can’t wait to see if the suspense continues.
If you like dark, descriptive, psychotic serial killers, this one is for you. I was guessing until the end!
June 21, 2017
Terrifying tale grammatically flawed
This was one of the most suspenseful reads I have encountered. If not superior to, at least equal to The Silence of the Lambs.
Unfortunately, the run on sentences and lack of punctuation ALMOST spoiled an otherwise superior suspense novel. Oh for the days of proofreading!
This was one of the most suspenseful reads I have encountered. If not superior to, at least equal to The Silence of the Lambs.
Unfortunately, the run on sentences and lack of punctuation ALMOST spoiled an otherwise superior suspense novel. Oh for the days of proofreading!
July 21, 2017
A very good read. I'm looking forward to Dark Obsessions. A 5 star rating. The plot and characters are well developed and the suspense riveting. .
A very good read. I'm looking forward to Dark Obsessions. A 5 star rating. The plot and characters are well developed and the suspense riveting.
A very good read. I'm looking forward to Dark Obsessions. A 5 star rating. The plot and characters are well developed and the suspense riveting.
June 20, 2017
I good read
an ok mystery that could have been better. I wish the main character has been more professional, sleeping with everyone she worked with? Really? Please make the female detective a better role model.
an ok mystery that could have been better. I wish the main character has been more professional, sleeping with everyone she worked with? Really? Please make the female detective a better role model.
June 24, 2024
I bought this book from the author directly, and I was not disappointed! I was hooked from the very beginning! The dark and twisty parts were well done, and the characters were super believable. All in all, this was a great book to jump back into thrillers!
January 4, 2018
Terrible punctuation throughout. Concept is very promising, but the book fails to deliver.
May 3, 2018
A well told story with complex characters and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. Recommended.
October 9, 2019
Debut work needed, can be better
May 17, 2022
I liked that it took place in SF and recognized a lot of the locations and stuff but not sure I’m sold on the main character, probably more of a 3.5. It was a good mystery.
July 31, 2023
The ending is nice, but there are still a lot of loose ends that don't make sense.
January 29, 2024
I really seem to gravitate to writers from the Bay Area…Sutro is from SF with several generations of family in San Francisco Law Enforcement. Great flow in this thriller! Book 1 of 2.
May 12, 2025
Very fast paced and entertaining.
March 18, 2017
really loved this book, it just kept me wanting to read. there was good character development and looking forward to where it takes them in the next book. just when i thought i had it figured the next plot twist is thrown at you and there was a bunch of them
February 21, 2017
This book and author have been compared to "Silence Of The Lambs". I think that is unfair and does a disservice to the book, the author, and the characters. This book stands on it's own!! The author is strong in her writing skills and very knowledgeable on her subjects. This is one of the scariest police procedural, serial killer books I have ever read. Pick this book up on it's own merits, you will not be sorry.
This book is about a rookie female police detective learning how to become a criminal profiler with the help and insight of the people around her. Her journey is fascinating, because she is the center of the killings. The killer has picked her to connect with. She learns different things about herself that I don't think she was expecting. She has a strength within herself to keep going, when others may have given up. Her truths are not everybody's truths. Her empathy and sympathy with the victims, their families and the people she works with expands the world around her and how she sees that world. She grows stronger and smarter with every body found, every crime scene investigated and all of her new hands-on and instinctual training. As she puts her old and new found knowledge, investigation skills and her new inner strength together she is a power to be reckoned with.
The bad guy in this book is one of the baddest guys I have ever read about. He is truly a nightmare. The unthinkable crimes, torture and degradation he inflicts on his victims are atrocious, it throws you back to the European witch trials and the inquisition. Every aspect of this killer's character is terrifying. He cares for no one except himself.
The writing is very visceral throughout the rest of the book. You are standing right alongside the police officers and detectives when these bodies are found. You feel what they are feeling deep in your gut as they are explaining the crime scenes. You feel the cold and the fog on your skin. You see the blood and gore. You are in the coroners office going over the autopsy reports. The author's writing is incredible. You think you have the story figured out, but you don't. There are many twists and turns.
This book is about a rookie female police detective learning how to become a criminal profiler with the help and insight of the people around her. Her journey is fascinating, because she is the center of the killings. The killer has picked her to connect with. She learns different things about herself that I don't think she was expecting. She has a strength within herself to keep going, when others may have given up. Her truths are not everybody's truths. Her empathy and sympathy with the victims, their families and the people she works with expands the world around her and how she sees that world. She grows stronger and smarter with every body found, every crime scene investigated and all of her new hands-on and instinctual training. As she puts her old and new found knowledge, investigation skills and her new inner strength together she is a power to be reckoned with.
The bad guy in this book is one of the baddest guys I have ever read about. He is truly a nightmare. The unthinkable crimes, torture and degradation he inflicts on his victims are atrocious, it throws you back to the European witch trials and the inquisition. Every aspect of this killer's character is terrifying. He cares for no one except himself.
The writing is very visceral throughout the rest of the book. You are standing right alongside the police officers and detectives when these bodies are found. You feel what they are feeling deep in your gut as they are explaining the crime scenes. You feel the cold and the fog on your skin. You see the blood and gore. You are in the coroners office going over the autopsy reports. The author's writing is incredible. You think you have the story figured out, but you don't. There are many twists and turns.
February 17, 2017
A grizzly little read with a real twist at the end. This is certainly not a warm and fuzzy read.
March 25, 2017
Captivating
I found out about this novel thru Steve Alten and am so glad I bought it! I love a good mystery as well as a good thriller and this novel did not disappoint. It was an excellent read from start to finish. I kept trying to figure out who the killer was, I am glad I had the suspect on my list, but that wasn't confirmed till I got to it in the book. I can't wait till the next novel is available for purchase.
I found out about this novel thru Steve Alten and am so glad I bought it! I love a good mystery as well as a good thriller and this novel did not disappoint. It was an excellent read from start to finish. I kept trying to figure out who the killer was, I am glad I had the suspect on my list, but that wasn't confirmed till I got to it in the book. I can't wait till the next novel is available for purchase.
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