Serial Murder Books

I found the book riveting. A gripping page-turner.

I stumbled upon this book in the library and delved into, resisting the urge to read any reviews until I was finished. I'm glad I waited. If I had read some of the reviews prior to reading the book, I probably never would've read it. I would've, as a result, missed a captivating read.

For those who gave it a one or two stars, I have a question. If this book isn't worth five or even four stars, what does? I'm an avid reader and it seems that for every good book there are nine duds. This was definitely the former.

....but nothing special. The plot read like a textbook on serial sexual sadists, and I figured out pretty quickly who the killer was, and that always takes my enjoyment down a notch or two. Also, the editing was horrible! Spelling AND content mistakes...on one page, Kate is taking off her sweater and on the next page, John is ripping the same sweater off her!

This was a pretty good book. I liked the plot, characters & the ending
was a page turner. Although, it reminded me of Patricia Cornwell's Kay
Scarpetta series (however, much better than Cornwell's recent novels).

To me there was a lt. to much "fluff" - the relationship between Kate & John just made the story drag. I got tired of reading over & over about their failed relationship. I got it the 1st time & you knew they were going to get back together so I didn't see the pt. for the repetition/self pity.

My main complaint was that there was no mention of Thor (Kate's Norwegian Forest cat) fate. Okay so I am a big cat lover, but he basically saved her life & was always mentioned whenever Kate was at her house. But in the end, after everything that happens to her house, no word of Thor. I would have liked one sentence about him - Thor ran out of the woods to complain loudly at the late dinner hour. Just one sentence/something about his fate. Oh well, I'll just assume Thor lived happily ever after - after all he's a forest cat & has 9 lives.

I'd give this bk. 4 stars, but the whole cat thing....

Three stars is about all I could muster up for this story. This is my first experience with the author Tami Hoag and unless something fantastic is written and publicized about another one of her works, I am finished reading her books. The basic idea for a murder mystery is there and it is a good one. Women being tortured and burned at the stake, FBI involvement, romance w/a former FBI agent now a victim advocate and a gorgeous, handsome FBI, former love of the ex-FBI agent, turned victim advocate, arriving on the scene (George Clooney and Renee Russo look-alikes at that). The problem with this book is the author. Her heroine, Kate Conlan, is whiny and repetitive, i.e., "I should have stayed with her." That phrase was used continuously and became extremely annoying. I wanted to choke Kate myself every time she said it. Also, I felt the writing, in some areas, was very confusing. There is a part toward the end of the story when there is a shoot out and it is definitely not clear as to who succumbs given the context of the writing. I had to flip back a few times and reread the sentence to figure out who Hoag was talking about because the person I thought died was actually talking in the next chapter - right then I knew I read something very wrong! I figured out the killer a few chapters before he/she was revealed and since I rarely figure these things out, I felt that was a weakness in the author's attempt at good mystery-making as well. If 200 pages were cut and the writing massaged, I would say Ashes to Ashes would definitely deserve my four-star vote!

Enough already with the metaphors, similes and idioms. I get it.

In this laborious story, Kate Conlon, a former FBI agent and currently a child advocate is brought in to help a young witness identify a man, the Cremator, whom she saw in a park late at night setting a body on fire. As this very long story goes, it gets quite twisted as to who are the good guys, who are the bad guys and which characters are brought in to confuse the story even more.

When the third victim of the Cremator is identified as the damaged daughter of a billionaire the big guns are called in, in the form of Special Agent John Quinn, who just happened to be the ex-lover of Kate. One more twist. And of course, now Kate's life is in danger.

The only thing that kept me reading was that I couldn't figure out who the Cremator was; too many major and minor characters were thrown at you in hopes that something would stick and lead you down the wrong path and yet again you would be bouncing back and forth with possibilities.

I don't think I will be reading this author again since about one-third of this book could have been removed and the story would have flowed much better and as an experienced author, for me, she just couldn't keep up the momentum.

Are plots the center of murder mysteries? Or are the characters the center? I think that highly intelligent authors sometimes get carried away and try to do too much. That's the weakness of Blood Work. But if you don't mind a plot from Mars, you may find that the paths of Mars and Venus eventually intersect on Earth.

Blood Work is a novel filled with more imagination than I can ever hope to muster. As a result, the story becomes dizzying in its complications towards the end. What will hold your attention throughout is the riveting portrayal of retired FBI-profiler, Terry McCaleb, as he tries to track down the murderer of the woman whose heart saved McCaleb's life while recovering from the transplant surgery.

To me, the most interesting parts of the book relate to what it would be like to receive a heart transplant and to have a chance to do something for the donor's family by sorting out a murderer. That's about as interesting a premise as you can have. I'm sure you'll think about it often after you read the book.

On the other hand, I was less than thrilled by the shifts in pace within the book. It starts slow and gently . . . but is moving at breakneck pace near the end. The beginning is too slow, and the end is too fast. It's more contrast than most readers can easily absorb.

Michael Connelly also relies a bit too much on his ability to tie an infinite number of facts together into a plot. It's overkill. But I had to be impressed by the imagination that can do that.

If you haven't read other stories by Michael Connelly about Terry McCaleb, be sure you start with this one. It will enrich your appreciation of the later stories.

If you want to have some extra fun with the book, keep track of the different ways that the book's title fits into the story. You'll be amazed at how many different references are appropriate. I don't recall too many novels that use more than three such references. Connelly moves well beyond such a modest target.

Pay attention to the details. They matter!

MC can write awfully better than this. I bought this book because I wanted to relax and read a good thriller and I got uneasy and bored. The main story is OK if and only if you can find it along its pages. The story has overly loopholes that it could be a strainer.

The hero in Michael Connelly's Blood Work is ex-FBI agent Terrell (Terry) McCaleb, who's recuperating from a heart transplant when Graciella Rivers steps onto his houseboat asking him to come out of retirement and find her sister's killer. Why should he? The answer is simple, Gloria River's was the heart donor who gave Terry his new heart. This leaves Terry no choice and he goes after the killer. It seems like a store robbery gone bad, but then Terry's FBI profiling instincts get ruffled and believes it was only supposed to look like a random act. He suspects there's a serial killer at work here, a predator.

Connelly departs from his straightfoward mystery/suspense novels with this story that centers on a retired FBI agent searching for the killer of the donor of his new heart. Terry McCaleb is 8 weeks out from a heart transplant when he learns of the donor's murder. Her persuasive and attractive sister spurs McCaleb to jump start the cold case of the hunt for the killer. It takes some unforeseen turns as the former FBI investigator faces his own past and the dilemma of gaining a new chance on life from someone else's loss.

Connelly, as usual, pens a suspenseful page turner. The heart transplant issue causes some missteps I think because such a patient probably would not be able to do some of the things McCaleb does or suffers without more severe physical problems. That question is present throughout the action of the book and is a part of the conflict he faces. It also limits the usual tough-guy (Bosch type) of character in Connelly's books. Other than that issue, the book is first rate.

Blood Work is based on a captivating premise: a retired FBI ace is persuaded by a stranger to investigate the murder of her sister. The recipient of a heart transplant, Terry McCaleb accepts and soon discovers that the victim was the donor of his new heart and therefore his savior. A most promising framework on which to build a police procedural.

The McCaleb novels are a departure for author Connelly, who is well known for his sharp, edgy Harry Bosch novels. Unfortunately, this new hero cannot hold a candle to Harry with respect to charisma and simple humanity. For some reason, Connelly resorted to a series of facile discoveries and coincidences to bring this mystery to its conclusion. Some of these contrivances are just too much to swallow. It didn't take long, for example, for Terry to find the exact beach location where the perpetrator hides out, and this along the southern California coast, no less.

I'll probably read the next McCaleb novel, but with lower expectations that I hold for dear Harry.

Everything arrived nicly packaged, in mint condition, and in a timely manner. I would definetely utilize this resource again.

I ordered the book from Amazon. It came in a very short time and in excellent condition. The price was amazingly low! I enjoyed the book immensely. I am a big Patterson fan. Recommend it highly.

This was a wonderful mind bending story full of emotional highs & lows. Patterson has created another fascinating and thrilling book and I would recommend it to everyone. I wish they would make more of the Alex Cross series into movies. S.L. Chessor author of Poodlums, Boogeymen and Booglers and My Tongue Fell Out. Poodlums, Boogeymen and Booglers: A Poetry CollectionMy Tongue Fell Out

James Patterson's "Mary, Mary" is a return to the interesting Alex Cross books that Patterson wrote early on in the series. This novel, the 11th in the series, hits the ground running practically from page one. Cross, while on vacation in California with his family, is thrust into a serial murder mystery that consumes him professionally while threatening to uproot the harmony in his family.

In "Mary, Mary", Patterson spins a complex plot that dares the reader to try and figure out the ending. One or two killers? Male or female killer(s)? These are just a couple of the questions that the reader must try to answer while speed reading through this novel. The usual short chapters and rapid-fire delivery of thrills and chills will keep the reader glued to this book.

If you are a fan of the early Cross novels, then you won't be disappointed with "Mary, Mary". Here's hoping that the 12th entry simply entitled, "Cross" will be just as strong.

Top females on Hollywood's A-list are being murdered in a particularly vicious manner. The details of each killing make it clear that the motives are entirely personal. After each killing (and in one case almost during the killing itself), the murderer sends an e-mail to a Hollywood entertainment writer gloating about the murder and virtually daring the police to come and get her. Yes, you read that correctly ... "HER"! The e-mails are all signed "Mary Smith"! Top FBI Agent Alex Cross, much to his chagrin and to the disappointment of his children and his long-suffering grandmother, is pulled away from a well-deserved Disneyland holiday with his family and ordered to act as a consultant to the LAPD on the case.

Admittedly, there's nothing about "Mary, Mary" that will elevate it beyond the ranks of enjoyable brain candy thriller to the status of literature. But it is worth noting that unlike the outrageously weak fare that we suffered through in "London Bridges", "Mary, Mary" seems to be a long awaited return to the quality of thriller that justifiably vaulted James Patterson onto best seller lists around the world. We're treated to an enjoyable plot that moves along with compelling page-turning speed. Alex Cross, in the manner of Inspector Rebus, Harry Bosch and all of the other loner cops in mystery and thriller literature successfully marches to the rhythm of his own drummer. We are also witness to some realistic character development as we watch the relationship with his current squeeze, Jamilla, go down in flames and we hurt with him as he is hauled into a nasty court custody battle for his beloved son, Alex. And our heart aches as Patterson gives us a wrenching example of the trials of a complete mental breakdown!

Literature? No. Brain Candy? Yes. Memorable? Not particularly. Enjoyable? Absolutely! Highly recommended.

Paul Weiss

Way back when, I read Relic and Reliquary but really couldn't remember them well. Recently, one of the members of our book club recommended I read Chamber of Curiosities, Brimstone, and Dance of Death -- sort of a trilogy. Each story has totally captured my imagination and I'm disappointed when they end.

"Dance of Death" was exceptionally well written and, unlike some books of the genre, not dumbed-down. Of course this book, and the others, is not for everyone and I have had to call on my dictionary at times but now I know what a porte co-chere is and I plan on using "nugatory" in a conversation - hopefully soon.

If the actor Michael Rennie was still living, he'd be my choice to play Agent Pendergast. But, like so many others, making a movie out of such an outstanding book might be a horrible mistake although "(The) Relic" is listed as "outstanding" in my TCM Movie Guide.

Congratulations to the Preston/Child collaboration for another fascinating story.

Good as a stand alone thriller/suspense/crime fiction read. Even better if you have read the previous Agent Pendergast novels.

The last book (Brimstone) left you dangling, and this one picks up the thread. Surprisingly, Special Agent Pendergast does a complete 180 in this story. No longer the annoying, egotistical know-it-all, he turns into someone almost human. There is a lot of action, even a slight touch of humor, but the overriding story is dark and fast paced. A great plot with a *sigh* dangling end... Now I'll just have to wait for the next book, as these have turned into a true series! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys action and suspense.

Also, unlike the previous Pendergast novels, you should read this trilogy (Brimstone, Dance of Death, and Book of the Dead) in strict order.

My husband and I first read "The Book of the Dead" by Preston and Child. We became completely captivated by their character Special Agent Pendergast, FBI. This character shines in the book "Dance of Death." "Dance of Death" is finely written to hold your interest till the very last page. Thank you Preston and Child. Let's have more books with the Pendergast character. Sarah Jonker-Burke

Preston and Child team up for another book featuring their rather oddball antagonist Pendergast, or at least in this case, Pendergast's extended family and friends. Pendergast has gone missing from the previous escapade, and is presumed to be dead. His erstwhile sidekick, D'Agosta, is trying to continue with his life and his lovelife with Captain Laura Hayward when a surprising murder takes place that perplexes the NYPD. This murder of a good man with no enemies is tied quickly to a murder in New Orleans. The only tie between the two men is Pendergast. When an FBI agent who mentored Pendergast in the FBI is murdered, then all hell breaks lose.

D'Agosta has to choose between protecting those who knew Pendergast and his relationship with Hayward. Others with ties to Pendergast including a reporter for a major NY newspaper, and people who work in the American Museum of Natural History, must also participate in recent murderous events whether willingly or unwillingly.

Preston and Child have created an unusual and unforgettable character in Agent Pendergast. The places and people involved with him are from different parts of society, but they all have something in common besides Pendergast...they are often very smart and very literate. This makes for an enjoyable read for those who like mysteries, but like their mysteries to be smart (like the Sherlock Holme mysteries by Conan Doyle).

These books are addictive, and like the title says...almost impossible to put down once started!

Karen Sadler

Mind Hunter, (Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit) is an insightful journey into the life of a FBI profiler John Douglas. This book does not contain extensive case file information. However, it does contain a good taste of many criminal profiles enough to satisfy the curious and interested reader. In "Mind Hunter" Douglas shares in brief his expert finely tuned perception of person's such as Ed Kemper the coed Killer, Son of Sam David Berkowitz, Mass Murderer Richard Speck, Son of Sam David Berkowitz, Charlie Manson, Green River Killer, et all. Douglas introspection of abnormal behavior is illuminating and his drive to understand the human condition is compelling. The book also affords the reader a chance to gain a few insights into the history and manner in which the FBI's Behavioral Science unit has evolved over the last generation. For those of you following this career path you will gain from this book the impact the profession can have on ones personal life, family, friends and the public at large. Within its pages you will preview the pressures, pitfalls, and rewards that come with this career and much insight can be gleaned by the careful and perceptive reader. "Mind Hunter" is undeniably one of the most compelling books I have ever read.

this is well written, and worth your time to read.
gives you insight about the reasons why men do
such wicked things.
It's good to know the FBI has figured these guys out, and
are able to track them down more easily.

Mark Olshaker has written a very readable, entertaining, and educational book on the life and career of Special Agent John Douglas of the FBI. Douglas was one of the leading experts on criminal personality profiling and a pioneer of modern criminal investigative analysis. The 'Prologue' tells of the physical breakdown Douglas endured from overwork. This is a shocking and misleading introduction! The nature of violent crime has changed since 1960. The murder rate has gone up and the solution rate had gone down (p.30). Crimes between strangers lack an obvious motive. This need created the behavioral approach to criminal profiling. The Investigative Support Unit assists local police in focusing their investigations. Few towns or counties ever have a serial killer or the experience to learn the techniques for solving rare crimes (p.31). [G. K. Chesterton's "Father Brown" used to solve crimes by getting inside the head of the murderer, a feat that seems illogical compared to "Sherlock Holmes" and other detectives.]

[As I remember it, the "Mad Bomber" was caught when police work matched the handwriting in the letters (p.33) to the employee records. Metesky contracted TB and was then fired for being out sick.] The early chapters tell of Douglas' life, education, military service, and how he joined the FBI. These are colorful stories. Douglas was most successful in clearing bank robberies when he developed a "signature" to link several crimes together (p.86). His background in psychology led him to behavioral science (Chapter 5). After Douglas joined the Behavioral Science group he learned that the academic expert's opinions had limited applicability to law enforcement. [Academics don't get the details known to the police, law officers see a limited area. Only national police can see the whole picture.]

Douglas knew the importance of actual experience (pp.104-105). Chapter 6 tells about a strange murderer who was released against the advice of state psychiatrists (p.107). Chapter 7 tells about other serial murderers. Good psychics can pick up on small, nonverbal clues; keep them away from detectives who know the details (p.151). The following chapters describe the cases that he worked on. Is there a classic profile to a serial killer (p.178)? Can an interrogator educe a confession from a suspect (p.186)? Chapter 11 tells about the Atlanta child murders and the conviction. Chapter 15 tells about the solution to the murder of a two-year old boy. Wrapping the body in a blanket was a clue (p.283).

Serial killers are not legally insane, but not normal either (p.338). Their mental disorders derive from their sexual interests and their character. Insanity means not knowing the difference between right and wrong (p.339). Can a brain tumor cause a murderous rage (p.341)? Violent, sexually based serial killers can not be rehabilitated [except by a death sentence]. If they are released on parole they will return to past behavior (p.343). Don't confuse a psychopath with a psychotic (p.345). Killers are created by a bad background (p.357). [Like Ted Bundy?] That seems like an incurable problem given our society. Crime can be lowered by families at the grassroots level (p.374). [Does it takes a village?] The changes in family life since 1960 has effects. [No mention of the National Highway System since the 1950s and the ease of travel for everyone, including serial killers.]

What can I say other than John Douglas never fails to deliver? This book is a great read, and I loved it!

this book is very similiar to many of his books. This book discusses much of his life. His second book is much better if you are interested in true profiling.

This book is vivid and incredibly descriptive. For an author that constantly refers herself to be a gay man, she certainly had no problem jumping on the stereotypical homosexual band wagon for this novel. Not only that, but every character is miserable, psychotic, and appears to be almost craving their own demise. The thing I love most about Brite's books is that by the time you get to the end of one, you feel like the characters are old friends. This one fits nowhere near that category. It seemed not only forced, but tastelessly graphic for the sake of pure shock value in most places.

there are people saying this book is a "waste" but you can only say that if you don't have a fascination for serial killers. Or if you don't mind reading about homosexuality, necrophilia, or cannibalism in every chapter. this book is not for the weak and that is almost an understatement. i love anything to do with gore, suspense, horror or drama. this book took everything i have ever read to another level. i found myself having to put the book down a moment and take a little breather, and my stomach was churning the entire time. even with that said...this book is amaaazing! the writing was superb, her style is different than any other and she cuts deep, deep down. when i read exquisite corpse i felt i was with the characters and i was experiencing everything they were. i highly recommend this book, but like i said before, i warn those you cannot handle explicit graphic details of the life of a serial killer. this book does not shy from telling us every moment, every taste, touch, smell and more. if you can handle horrible situations and perverse acts upon humans, then this is your book and you will be changed by reading it. Enjoy!

I picked up this book in a library because I had heard a bit about this Brite woman and wanted to see what she was like. That is why I began to read it, but I really don't know why I kept going. Was I hoping it would get better?

Plato wrote that literature should only deal with good and uplifting characters. Obviously, he was wrong: we cannot fashion a realistic or even interesting depiction of mankind by concentrating only on the good. Writers need to portray evil so that good may be understood more clearly by contrast.

But likewise, we cannot produce a literature worthy of the name by concentrating solely on evil. This is what Ms Brite has done. Here is a world utterly devoid of goodness, beauty, or any positive value. She seems to have gone out of her way to pile on detail after sickening detail to make the characters and events as loathsome as possible.

Some reviewers have referred to this book as "erotic" - a word that derives from the Greek god of love. But no love is possible in this world of self-obsessed characters, not even a meaningful self-love.

Despite a few well-written passages, this is a work which portrays the worst of mankind, and then tries to make it even worse. This book has no redeeming features. What a tragic waste of talent.

This was the first Poppy Z. Brite novel to get my hands and I am glad I did. If you don't mind the graphic-ness of this kind of story, it will literally pull you and in make you fall in love. Twisted but beautiful, it really had me asking for more. Liking Poppy's style so much, I couldn't get enough of this book. You have to have a taste for this stuff, but if you do, it'll satisfy. I think I'll read it again!

Pity young Tran Vinh. After finding the love of his life, he quickly loses him to madness and jealousy. Then, his father discovers that he is gay, and throws him out of the house. Confused and homeless, Tran can hardly believe that things could get worse. They can, and do, as he crosses paths with Andrew Compton and Jay Byrne, demented lovers who specialize in killing, dismembering, and cannibalizing young gay men. They have Tran in their crosshairs, believing he may represent the zenith of their murderous careers.

Exquisite Corpse is an extraordinary, complex book. Brite carefully develops three storylines which eventually converge on Tran. In the book's opening pages, we are treated to the first person narrative of necrophile Andrew Compton, who describes his murderous activities in gruesome detail. We follow him to America, where he meets Jay Byrne, who dominates the second storyline. Jay has been killing young boys for years, luring them to his apartment under the pretext of photographing them. Jay has fantasized about killing Tran, but hesitates because Tran is a local boy. After meeting Andrew, Jay starts to lose his inhibitions and starts thinking about making his fantasies come true. The last storyline focuses on Luke Ransom, Tran's ex-lover. Luke, the star attraction of WHIV (a pirate radio station), broadcasts diatribes against the straight world under the nom de plume "Lush Rimbaud". Consumed by the loss of his lover, Luke vows he will be with him again.

Comparisons between Exquisite Corpse and Bret Easton Ellis' American Psycho are inevitable, but inappropriate. Where Ellis' book descended into self parody, Brite's comes across as an unsettling, true to life examination of human depravity. Although Exquisite Corpse is not for everyone--the violence (ultraviolence?) is incredibly graphic, and the homosexual elements will undoubtedly turn some readers off--you might want to read it just to vicariously experience the energy and talent Brite brings to the table. She's in control of this grisly narrative every step of the way, providing readers with a disturbing glimpse into the minds of two serial killers. With admirable economy, she exposes an ugly aspect of the human condition, while providing some pretty radical social commentary.

Ok, I'm a huge Michael Connelly fan. Unfortuantely, I've read his books out of sequence; starting with the newer ones before making my way through the older ones. I thoroughly enjoy these novels and the characters Connelly weaves into each book. I haven't read Blood Work and therefore have no real background on Terry MaCaleb's character. However, it appears that he was a highly sought after and respected FBI profiler. Given this, it was very hard to understand how he named Harry as a suspect. He even had the advantage of having previous knowledge of Bosche from a previous case. It just wasn't plausible and didn't work for me.

I thoroughly enjoy every Michael Connelly book I read. His plots are always complex and satisfying, his characters always engaging. A DARKNESS MORE THAN NIGHT is no exception. It's like a Connelly reunion book. Terry McCaleb, Harry Bosch, Jack McEvoy (each the star of at least one previous Connelly title) along with lesser lights such as Jaye Winston, are all brought together here in a fascinating case.

Things get rolling when Winston asks McCaleb to help her profile the killer in a case she's working on. Though reluctant at first, McCaleb finds himself hooked once he gets involved. Bosch, meanwhile, is the main prosecution witness against a Hollywood sleaze-ball accused of murdering a young actress during a sexual encounter. The two parallel plots begin to mesh when McCaleb uncovers evidence that makes Bosch a suspect. If McCaleb's suspicions become public, Bosch's effectiveness as a witness will be decisively compromised.

A DARKNESS MORE THAN NIGHT is another great read from Michael Connelly. I enjoyed it from start to finish and I think most other readers will, too. If you are a fan of Connelly, or just like reading a good police procedural, this should be right up your alley.

This book arrived on time but was almost unable to be opened because of water damage.

I just discovered Michael Connelly and while I have really enjoyed his other books this is my least favorite so far. Parts of it are incredibly entertaining and it is interesting to view Bosch through the eyes of another character (McCaleb) and the idea of weaving together two murder cases is good, but, for me, the story gets a bogged down by both the solving of the two cases and the courtroom scenes. Reading so-called "courtroom drama" for me is incredibly boring. Apart from some clever word-play and maybe a "gotcha" moment, it's mostly just hot air...no action, no enjoyable writing, very little character development. Still, this doesn't deter me from wanting to read all of Connelly's books b/c those moments with the dark-hearted Bosch are worth it.

Modern noir doesn't get any better than A Darkness More Than Night, as Michael Connelly delicately creates a full literary development of personality of his avenging detective character, Harry Bosch, while accurately portraying ordinary peace officers as the frail humans that they really are. Those who realize that FBI profiling of serial killers is more pseudo-science than science will be amused by Terry McCaleb's misreading of the clues he's given to inspect.

Those who like a novel's progress to be very opaque won't like this book. You'll see where it's headed pretty early on. The pleasure in this plot is to see if the good guys can outmaneuver some very obnoxious bad guys.

I was impressed the way the plot's design cross-cut between police investigations and a trial. I did find that Mr. Connelly's portrayal of what prosecutors do to be more than a little stilted. Janis Langwiser, co-prosecutor, is more incompetent than any first year law student I can imagine.

Those who are familiar with Mr. Connelly's earlier works will be impressed by how smoothly he combines characters and references from several books. Robert Parker could take a lesson from Mr. Connelly in this area. If you don't know the earlier books, you'll still have a fine time with the story . . . the references are well explained before the book's end.

If you like this book, you'll want to be sure to read The Narrows (Harry Bosch).

This is my first Deaver novel though I have read some of his short stories which were much better. This book is very slow moving for the first 1/2 to 3/4 of the book until it picks up near the end. The sections describing forgeries and types of paper to help with forensics evidence were informational but only served to bring this book to a crawl at times. If there were more detail and scenes involving the Digger earlier in the book it would have helped move the story along. Overall a decent novel but I hope Deaver has better works out there. For a better option try out one of J.A. Konrath's 'Jack Daniels' series novels.

This was a phenomenal book! After having taken a break from Deaver for a while to peruse other authors I picked this up from the Library and was more than pleasantly surprised. What made this book work was all the sub-plots working in the background: Lukas & Jefferson's sexual tension, Lukas' never ending pain of losing her husband and son, and naturally, the "Digger" and the chaos he was creating. Once the ransom drop off for the "Digger" to stop was botched by the "pick up" man you almost knew their had to be a third party controlling the "Digger's" strings, so to speak. The good part is that they never led you on to believe anyone else suspicious. It was, at face value, them against the Digger. I'd never had looked at "Len Hardy", or so he called himself, to be the ultimate puppetmaster. He was cold..especially how he knew to work on Lukas' sympathy over his "comatose" wife. I won't give away the whole ending,naturally, but the ending was even better than I'd hoped for..competely out of the blue and definitely worth the read. I think I'd be back browsing the shelves for more Deaver upon return to my local library. Give this one a shot if you've never read Deaver...I've read him for years and he rarely disappoints. Happy Reading!

A criminal mastermind is plotting an extortion scheme against the city of Washington, threatening massacres at four hour intervals if 20 million dollars is not paid by noon that day.

The day is New Year's Eve, 1999, and someone is terrorizing Washington D.C., which leads the FBI to turn to Parker Kincaid, who had retired after an ugly incident a couple of years earlier which had endangered his children's lives.

With his expertise as a certified document examiner, they unravel the spellbinding mystery.

Parker is very likeable as a single father, which makes this story all the more enjoyable.

The devil is in the details, they say - and that's always been one of Jeffrey Deaver's strengths: the ability to take well-worn story-lines yet make them refreshingly exciting by going into meticulous detail with regard to characterisation and modus operandi. I have about a dozen Deaver novels, only three-quarters have been read so far but The Devils's Teardrop is as good as any if not the best. The semi-automaton in this novel, known as The Digger, is quite a scary individual and absolutely devoid of remorse. Someone has 'programmed' him however, and that's where the main challenge lies. While the central character here is good-guy Parker Kincaid, the author is confident enough to introduce none other than Lincoln Rhyme in a cameo appearance! It's bordering upon arrogance but he gets away with it.

If you have yet to buy a Deaver novel, here is as good a place as any to start and you will surely want to join the club. And if you're a Deaver reader already, then buy The Devil's Teardrop with absolute confidence, it will maintain or even raise the standards you have become familiar with. Jeffrey Deaver is one of a very select group of contemporary writers I can think of who make it a safe bet to buy everything they publish - he just doesn't write duds.

Gilbert Havel, a blackmailer, is the only person who can communicate with Digger, an invisible character with brain damage, which left him a 'half-human killing machine.' Already he'd carried out the massacre in the Dupont Circle Metro tunnel at midnight and had three other explosions to set off if Mayor Gerald Kennedy did not pay the ransom demanded.

Digger is an emotionless, robot-like madman who doesn't know not to follow through on the death job his 'handler' arranged. Havel is killed in a freak accident, but Digger is like a skinny ape man on Halloween, only this is New Year's Eve. He is unseen by those he's been programed into 'making ghosts.'

It is a tense, suspenseful thriller as they try to discover where he will strike next. Jeffery Deaver has written his major success, THE BONE COLLECTOR, NOCTURE, and THE LESSON OF HER DEATH.

I just read this book for the first time. This was a series that I just never got around to reading, so I figured I'd start with the first book.

This certainly has an early 90s feel to it, which is not a bad thing. The descriptions of the computer database system in the Medical Examiner's office is pretty fun to read, if you remember the time when DOS was the main operating system.

I'm aware that many of these characters will develop throughout the series, and that's fine with me--they're interesting characters, especially Sergent Marino.

This is a suspense novel, not a mystery. I don't want to give too much away here, but if you think you'll be able to "solve" this one half way through it, you won't, at least not from any clues in the novel.

I paid full price for this book which was the most expensive copy listed on Amazon.
No where did it mention that it was coming without a dust jacket. Most of the others specifically mentioned that they did not have a dust jacket.
I feel very strongly that I was misled into paying more money for something than what I had too considering it was not what I wanted.

I love most of the Kaye Scarpetta series. This is definately one of the better novels!!

I enjoyed this book, even though it does show its age a bit with its simplistic descriptions of DNA testing and computer hacking. Another thing, I figured out who the killer was early in the book, something that is very unusual for me. Still, the book has some nice characterizations and the plot moves quickly. Scarpetta is a little whiney, especially for a woman in such an important position, so that didn't track as well. Overall, well worth reading.

Reading "post Mortem" is like getting to know the Chief ME of the Commonwealth of Va., up close and personal. To know what ticks her off, what are her strengths, and her weaknesses, how she is at a glass ceiling where she must fight with male colleagues, out to prove her inadequate in more than one ways - all of that and much more.

This being the first in the Scarpetta series, the book shows a lot of promise, by showing a gritty ME, who will not buckle under any pressure, may it be from the unidentifiable serial-killer lurking in the dark streets of Richmond, or the Police Squad officers, and more importantly, the bureaucracy that is out to prove her incapable of her job. Kay shows she's made of steel, and so is her determination to nab this killer, who proves as elusive as the proverbial needle-in-the-haystack.

Pete Marino, the Police Office who later goes on to become a regular feature in her investigations as a partner, makes a good appearance (if slightly cliched, at times!). A lot of the characters are introduced, including FBI profiler Benton Wesley, Scarpetta's sister Dorothy, her niece Lucy, and the headstrong Abby Turnbull. The introductions are enough for you to want to watch out for them in subsequent books in the series.

This being a story written many years ago, one has to give a wide margin for technology and CSI techniques that have over years become matured and some have even become outdated. But once you give that latitude, the story is in fact, written convincingly, and must've been a clincher of its times.

The only drawback I found in the book was that Cornwell's writing style was not yet perhaps mature enough to write less dramatic content. At times, the drama gets to you, but the suspense is retained well, and the mystery is revealed in an entirely convincing series of steps.

A good read for all Cornwell / Scarpetta fans.

I was skeptical about this book at first but I'm glad I read it. Sometimes it was hard to put down that is why I gave it a 4. Overall it was a good read some parts were predictable but overall GOOD. Archie is MESSED up and of course he would be after what he endured, but why on earth is he comforted, attracted and close to this Psycho that completely destroyed his life? The best parts of the book were about Archie's ordeal with Gretchen. It's gruesomly detailed and those are the parts that make you shiver, the "Afterschool Killer" part of the book wasn't as gripping and very predictable. I feel that she was a little flat with that and rushed at the end. I can't wait to read the second one "Sweetheart" but the reviews are lacking luster.

I loved this book! It grabbed my interest right away and I could hardly put it down. The book is well written and I cannot wait to read "Sweetheart". Very refreshing storyline compared to what I've been reading.

Well, actually, they don't. At least, not very often. If you watch Law and Order or CSI, you might be under the impression that beautiful women murder people all the time. But statistically speaking, according to the Department of Justice's Statistics department, only about 8% of convicted violent offenders are female. And female serial killers make up a miniscule portion of that already small group.

So it's interesting to consider, why might a female serial killer murder men? Would it be somehow similar to the ways the creepiest and most violent sexual predators usually kill women? Or would it be somehow different?

Chelsea Cain has come up with a fascinating psychological portrait of a female serial killer that is unlike anything you have ever read. It's scary, it's totally original, it's entertaining, it's bizarre, and yet it never stretches credibility.

Gretchen is not the only interesting character in the book, or even the most interesting one in my opinion. You also get to meet Archie -- the cop who was also Gretchen's victim, and a very entertaining, intrepid Portland news reporter who is following a new serial killer and who has her own demons to exorcise. The characters in this book are wonderfully drawn and intelligent and it is a pleasure to read about what motivates them.

Cain's writing is spectacular. The book poses some very thought-provoking questions about the nature of violence. It's gruesome, but that in itself is a statement --- we've become so used to reading stories of men grossly torturing women that it's almost not shocking anymore. But something about a woman doing the torturing is completely terrifying.

So - why do women kill men? A better question might be, why do so many more men kill women? And why are we all so used to this? Heartsick will leave you with all kinds of things like this to ponder, but it will also entertain you and scare you half to death. Cain is the best new author I've found since Jason Starr. I can't wait to read her next book.

CSI and Thomas Harris lovers, Heartsick is for you. It's about a detective, thewoman who kidnapped and tortured him, and life after her surrender and arrest. It's a complicated and twisted thriller that should pull in the Kathy Reichs and Patricia Cornwell crowd nicely.

I like serial killer books, both fictional and nonfictional. It's a dark flaw in my character, I'm sure, but there you go. So when I read the blurb on this book--female serial killer tortures lead detective on her case for ten days then calls 9-1-1 and releases him--I was intrigued.

I was a little put off by the "literary thriller" description because I thought that might open the door to loads o' pretentiousness, but for the most part, my fears weren't justified. The writing is straightforward and not overly impressed with itself. The story pulls you in and pulls you forward.

The great strengths of the book are the characters. They are fascinating and (mostly) sympathetic, whether they appear for only a few pages or throughout. They're the kind of characters who stay with you.

I did think the mystery of the new serial killer was a little too transparent, and the ending a little too tidy for my taste, but this was an overall good read. When I heard that Ms. Cain had written another book with these characters, I definitely wanted to read it. And I guess that's the bottom line for any book, isn't it? Did it leave you with a sense of closure, and yet wanting more?