Serial Murder Books

Robert Cormier is one of the most renowned authors of young adult literature, yet this one falls short of his signature plot twists. The characters, convicted killer Eric Poole and the runaway teen who fantasizes about him, Lori Cranston, are realistic enough - especially in a society that has watched thousands of women lustfully throw themselves at murderer Scott Peterson. While this is a page-turner that will strike an emotional, obsessive chord with young adults, I believe they will be as disappointed as I was with the conclusion of this work. Cormier knew his audience better than this particular novel suggests and it cannot possibly compare with his others (I Am The Cheese; After The First Death).

If this is the first of Cormier's books that you've tried, please don't allow it to cloud your judgment of his writing. Give the aforementioned titles a try - they are definitely worth your time and guaranteed a re-read.

This is an entertainingly dark novel. Ends in a fairly predictable, anticlimactic way, but is still great to read. I agree with another reviewer that Cormier takes a seemignly "nice" word and turns it into something quite nasty. For lack of a better term, the use of the words "the tenderness" throughout the novel... Eric is looking for "the tenderness" is really quite "skeevy." These characters are either empty or pathetic. I had to keep reminding myself that there are really people like this out there. This novel will make you shudder and feel like you need a shower afterwards, but all in a good way.

I like most of Cormier's work, but this one was awful. The characters are dull, the plot is predictable... it lacks the twists and turns of Cormier's other books. I wouldn't even leave this one behind in the coffee shop because I didn't want anyone else to have to read it!

I am reading Tenderness for a class on young adult literature that has been challenged as being "too edgy" for young readers. I have not read any of Cormier's other titles, but. By the end of the very first page I was bored, anxious, and dissapointed. Tenderness should be challenged as a read for young adults, not because of it's "disturbing and adult" content, but because it was written by an 83 yr old man with no idea what was going on in the minds of Gen Y teenagers, using some of the most obvious and overused cliches of all time - Oedipal teenage killer with no remorse, young troubled daughter in need of attention (drunk "beautiful" mother, abusive father roles) who "doesn't mind it" when older men look at her and touch her, getting-too-old for this cop who works on cold cases, haunted by the spector of a killer he once let go, blah blah blah. It was so out-of touch with the youth culture and mindset, so droolingly juvenile in writing style that I could barely put it down. It was like a study in What Not To Do When Writing For Teens. It should be taught to aspiring writers as an example, but never offered to teens looking to find something to relate to in this cold, unforgiving world. So, so dissapointed.

Eric Poole is eighteen years old and is being released from a juvenile prison. He's been in the prison for three years for the murder of his mother and stepfather. Most people believe his story--that he killed them because he was horribly abused. Police Lieutenant Jake Proctor does not believe this story. In fact, he suspects that Eric is a psychopath who is actually involved in the murders of two teenaged girls in addition to the murders of his mother and stepfather. Proctor is not happy Eric is being released.

Lori Cranston is a teenager with an alcoholic mother and an unstable home life. She tends to get fixated on guys, to see one and not be able to get him out of her mind until she kisses him. She is looking for someone to be kind to her.

When Lori sees on the TV news that Eric has been released from prison, she remembers a time years ago when she met him briefly and he was kind to her, and she becomes fixated on him. She needs to track him down, to kiss him and see if he will be the one to be kind to her.

When Lori does track down Eric, their lives become connected. Things may not work out the way Lori had hoped, though.

I enjoyed reading about these characters, although neither of them had an appealing personality. I absolutely loved the ending of the story; it was perfectly satisfying.

This is an excellent book by a brand new author. It's very exciting but it is violent and somewhat gory; I don't mind that at all. Whenever this guy writes a new one, I'll be buying it right away.

SHADOW MAN by Cody McFadyen is one of the most gut-wrenching suspense novels I've read in years. It's as undeniable and as raw as a bare knuckles haymaker in the face. A lot of readers are going to be shocked and dismayed by this one, and even the most hardcore serial killer thriller readers are probably going to be left disturbed.

The first book is really odd in one respect: from the opening page it feels like a sequel, like we just missed the first movie by minutes. I had to go back and check to make sure there wasn't a previous book because I don't like coming into the middle of something as serious as this one is. But this is the first book.

Smoky Barrett is an FBI agent, one of the best monster hunters ever turned out by the behavioral sciences programs. She's also a crack shot. And in this opening novel of what is at least a three-book run, she's a grieving widow and mother. While in the care of a psychologist, she's attempting to make sense of the brutal serial killer that targeted her and her family. Her husband and daughter were killed, and Smoky was left horribly scarred. Now she has to figure out if there's enough left of her to come back to the job. And if there isn't, why she can't die.

The opening chapters were so hard and so grim that I almost put the book down and walked away. I knew Smoky would overcome her tragedy because that's the way these books are written. But McFadyen insisted on wading through the grieving experience inch by excrutiating inch, and I wasn't prepared to handle that much visceral emotion. I stuck with the book, though, because it was so promising.

The book is also written in present tense, something that usually drives me crazy to read. Greg Iles is a favorite author that writes the same way and it's taken me years to get used to him. I refuse to make that adjustment unless the writer is really good. Iles is because his plots and characters are so good. McFadyen is captivating in a different way. Reading SHADOW MAN is like watching a train wreck in slow motion. You know it's going to happen and there's not a thing you can do about it.

I enjoyed Smoky's crew of agents and their problems relating to each other as well as their various secrets that spilled out. But some of them brought me as much to the edge of despair as Smoky's own losses.

The book wastes no time in establishing another loss that Smoky goes through. Her best friend from high school gets murdered, and the man that killed her soon makes that death more personal than ever for Smoky.

According to the serial killer's own testimony, he's a descendant of Jack the Ripper. As such, he has to seek out a law enforcement person who will force him to sharpen his deadly skills even further. He has selected Smoky and her crew, and the timing couldn't be worse as she tries to find her balance after losing her family.

The novel turns into a cat-and-mouse chase. The killer builds a lot of tension into Smoky's investigation by doing things to each of the team members that makes them more vulnerable than ever. Some of those extremes bothered me, especially the bits about the dead sister and the dog.

I finished the book, though I didn't know if I was going to be able to. Things got a lot worse for Smoky before they got better.

McFayden has written two more Smoky Barrett novels and I think I'll pick them up. Her character is strong and compelling, and the killers she chases are top-notch. But I'm going to make sure I read them when I'm emotionally at my best and can distance myself from the violence.

This book was almost too gross for me but it was worth it -- a great read!!

This wasn't the worst book I've read...I actually have mixed feelings...the killer was scary, twisted, etc. and some of the cops were very well developed as characters...but there was too much "touchy/feely" stuff in it for a serial killer book. That might sound lame but it's the only way I know how to put it...again, not the worst book...but the reviewers on the cover that said things to the effect of "Thomas Harris move over...there's a new game in town.." Whatever! There's no comparison between McFadyen and Harris...Harris is the master and McFadyen is...well...not the master!

After reading Shadow Man, I was breathless and wanting more. Thank God The Face of Death came about because I was having Smoky Barrett withdrawals.

Shadow Man is the best fiction thriller I've read to date, with McFadyen's second book following a close second.

The author takes you places you never thought of or could have prepared for. So detailed, so believable.

If you're a true crime addict like myself, you'd swear this book was telling a real story.

McFadyen has a sharp mind.

You'll love Shadow Man!

When I started this book I thought it was going to be a long summer. However as I got through the book it became extremely interesting. Although it was hard, and the vocabulary was difficult it was a great book.
It start's out with a well renowned detective called Hercule Poirot. He and his friend, Hastings, enjoy solving mysteries together. One day a letter comes in the mail forewarning the murder of a person in Andover. It was mysteriously signed by A.B.C. Sure enough some one dies in Andover. Alice Asher is the first victim to fall to A.B.C's cunning and brutal tactics. A person is apprehended and assumed the killer or the A.B.C. Alexander Bonaparte Cust is his name, everyone believes he is the killer but Poirot is not as quick to assume that.
This book is not for people with a small vocabulary. At some points the characters use French or Latin, I am not sure but still as confusing. The story line was great at first you don't have a clue to what is going on, but as the book progresses you start to understand the characters and who may be the murderers.
All in all this is a great book, but as I said before is a hard to book to comprehend. I recommend this book to anyone who likes Agatha christen or mystery novels.

I did read most of the reviews, but no one mention the Chapter 23 , "September 11th" and the very first sentence. " I shall, I think, remember that 11th September all my life".
I am sure we all will remember this day, but Agatha Christie picket this day and comment in 1936. She was an amazing lady, mistery of the finest.

I'm new to Agatha Christie stories, and I like this one a lot.
Well written, keeps my interest throughout.
I recommend this book, as a good read for a weekend.

Bump 'em off in order, see if I don't then.


The murderer in this case sends one Hercule Poirot advance notice in the form of letters of what he intends to do, and it seems he is perhaps loopy enough to have come from Arkham.

His string of killings follows the alphabet by place and by name of the deceased.

Poirot will strain his grey matter to work this one out.


3 out of 5

Poirot is setting off on one of his most baffling and frightening cases ever. A madman has challenged him to a duel - a duel of murderer versus detective. Periodically, the killer will send a letter to Poirot telling him when and where he will murder his next villain, and then it is up to the great detective to stop him. He's going to work his way through the alphabet, beginning with Alice Ascher of Andover, and only Poirot can stop him...if, indeed, anyone can!

I must say, this is my all-time favorite Poirot mystery, and one of my all-time favorite mysteries period! I loved the way Ms. Christie hid the true motive for the murders, and how she kept me wondering just how Poirot would pull it off. There's red-herrings and complications, lies and misunderstandings, all of which keep you well off-guard. And, just when you think it's over, it isn't. I think that this is a great mystery, one that is sure to please any mystery fan!

I must say, I'm confused at the reviews labeling this as "The Surgeon 2". It's nothing like the first book. The Surgeon was clever, suspenseful and gory. This is dull, bland and aggravating.

In a nutshell: Nothing happens. The first few chapters start out great. I was at first thinking that this book was reading better than The Surgeon. Then it falls off and it falls off hard. Absolutely nothing happens. I can't state that enough. Nothing happens.

What's worse, is that this book literally repeats itself. Scenes are redundant and pointless. And there are parts that contradict. The woman who evaluates Hoyt while in prison describes him to us. Yet we read in his letters to her the complete opposite of what she told us he said. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. And why in the world is information so needlessly repeated? It's like are reading two different variations on a chapter back to back. As if two versions had been written and rather than choose the best one they just stuck 'em both in!

I couldn't say enough about how much I liked The Surgeon, though. And I do like Jane Rizzoli so I'm probably going to read part 3 in the series. But, if it sucks, I'm done with the Rizzoli & Isles books for sure.

I love this author and have never been disappointed. When I first discovered her last year, I had to buy and read all of her books. Each one is at least as good as the last and leaves me anticipating the next.

I LOVE this book. It's a page turner for sure. I LOVED The Sinner and I wish there would be a sequel to that book to find out what Jane Rizolli's and Dean's baby is! Thanks, Tess!

she is a fabulous author whom i decided to try. A little too medically graphic for me --- got to have a strong stomach for her readings. However, she surely gets her points across and not ony does she use her medical knowledge [she is a doctor] her writing skills and ideas are a close 2nd to Patterson, however, no one can fill his shoes. I definiutely recommend her books.

Tess Gerritesen is such a compelling author! She makes you want to keep reading, hard to put it down! This one follows the characters in "The Surgeon". Nice thing is you don't have to have read that one to be able to follow this one. She is so talented that you can read it and still know what's going on, it stands on it's own.

Again, Lisa Gardner keeps you on the edge of your seat with this thriller.
This is one of many of her books that keeps you guessing right up till the end.
.This is a great read,one you just can't put down .You won't be disappointed !


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This book was terribly average. A serial killer who picks up two girl's at time leaves one dead as a map for investigators to find the other. Unfortunately, the other girl is always left in an isolated, treacherous location where she is forced to struggle to survive with only a bottle of water in the stifling heat while investigators attempt to locate her.

Kimberly, a young tortured woman currently attending the FBI academy, stumbles across the first body and throws away her dreams of becoming an FBI agent in order to pursue the case because the corpse resembles her deceased sister. She joins sexy special agent man Mac who has been following this killer for years. What follows is a by-the-numbers serial killer chase. Young women (who we never gete to know) die, the duo fall in lust (all off screen, bleh) and a victim struggles to survive. The only captivating thing about this book was Tina's struggle to survive. The other characters (and there were too many for me to remember) just didn't grab me as they were all people I'd read about numerous times in books like these. It was an okay read just not something I'll remember come next week.

A good read. Quickly, but not too quickly paced. Humor mixed with suspense and drama. Add a touch of sex and relationship building. If you enjoy Iris Johansen I think you will enjoy Lisa Gardner.

I wont get into the details of the book or the plot. Others have done that for you very well. When I look in the reviews I'd like to know what the reader didn't like and why, what the reader did like and why. So here's my take.

I enjoyed the book, it was a quick read.

However some of the details were a bit much and it was a bit wordy in some spots, easy enough to skim through. I liked the story line. It was different than I have read before - Eco killer upset about society and ecology. An odd way to get back at the world but a nut job is a nut job.

I could picture the scenery well and I appreciated the authors research to make it as authentic as she could.

I didn't care for the romance side of it. I would have had it been done well but I didn't care for Mac calling her sugar and honey when he hardly knew her. He flirted with her from the second they met and we are suppose to fall in love with them as a couple? - nah, just didn't do it for me. All it needed was some sexual tension and some build up of a relationship, author just jumped into it a little too fast.

I rooted for the victims and rooted for the detectives on their hunts, so I did find myself liking the characters.

I would recommend it to others. It had a decent ending, held my interest start to finish. Like-able characters, good story line, plot and overall carry out of the story.

Enjoy,
Heidi avid reader of anything from Dickens to Deaver
iwannabaduck@yahoo.com

Recommended authors of this type: Thomas Laird, Jeffery Deaver, James Patterson, Dan Brown, Iris Johansen, Jonathan Kellerman, Karen Rose, & Maggie Shayne.

I loved this book. I had not read a book in years. Not until my wife kept talking about this book, and eventually going out and buying all of the Lisa Gardner books. My wife insisted that I read the book. Well, as you can see, I picked up the book and simply could not put it down. Next thing I know, I'm taking my wife's other Lisa Gardner books and reading those as well.

This is a great read. If you really like a suspenseful thriller, you certainly will enjoy this book.

This book was totally awesome from start to finish. I keep meaning to read the rest of the books in the series and I am excited that they exist.

This seriously is the best psychological thriller I have ever read! Don't plan on getting to bed early if you get into this one in the evening, though! Can't say enough about it. GREAT plotting and character development, a roller coaster page turner (!), very unique twist to the crimes, and Carson Ryder/Harry Nautilus are probably the best duo in a thriller I've come across so far. I hadn't heard of Jack Kerley before someone recommended this book to me, and now I have "The Death Collectors", and "Garden of Vipers", too. Can't wait to see what he has in store with those! Very, very highly recommended. If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would!

When I review books, I usually try to point out some of the negatives that keep me from giving the story five stars. I say this because I found so much here to have been done in-expertly, I could go on for a while listing aspects that bothered me while reading the story. Yet I understand that this is Jack Kerleys first attempt at writing and that he is rightly proud of his efforts and I want to just say that first of all I managed to finish the book, so its not as bad as a lot of what you can find on the best-seller lists. Secondly, the mood and sense of place were fairly well done. I had a distinct idea of the environs and local. Perhaps I stumbled across the Hundredth Man at an inopportune time due to the fact that I just finished a few of the best mystery/thrillers I have ever come across, including "no country for old men", and a couple of the Lew Archer classics, and this one just does not compare.

Ok, what really got to me the most, was that this did not feel authentic to me. I felt like Kerley is as much of a fan of this genre as myself, but that he has yet to fully find his own voice. Some of what he tries to pull in here, the alcoholism in particular, felt like it was stripped from one of my favorite series', the Matt Scudder books of Lawrence Block. However, Block just takes a character through several books of agony and here we are almost treated to a sunday walk in the park in comparison.

Secondly, and by far the most annoying, is that the brother of the protagonist is obviously %100 Hannibal Lecter. Kerley did not need this character here and sadly I see this series, if he continues this line of books, as being heavily reliant upon the brother. Harris, the author of Silence of the Lambs has written a few of the all time worst books since his block buster and this is due to his being over-whelmed by what started out as a marginal character. I can see Kerley being pulled into this brother/Lecter with the same desire, but I hope that he sees that beyond my advice that he start a fresh new series, that the brother is absolutely not his character and that he should write him out of future endeavors. Its just plain lazy and offensive to the reader to pan this off on us.

Thirdly, I really felt like Kerley could have delved deeper into studies of both his day to day lives of his characters and their development. I felt like Kerley was rushing through the good stuff, the minutia of the crime beat and trying to pawn off B movie genre gunk in great swaths. I would have traded all the over the top action for a slower, deeper, and simpler look at the characters he wanted to get onto the page.

I could go on and on like I said before, but I will stop here. I would suggest that you pass this book by. I think that in future years, Kerley could grow into something akin to a master of his craft. You can see the potential there. Only this is not a book that will make you think that thought.

Let me start by saying that Jack Kerley is a terrific writer. From the chilling first chapter to the nail biting end, The Hundredth Man pulls you in and doesn't let you out. I was trapped in this book for 2 days. I could not put it down. The characters are fascinating, and sympathetically human. Nautilus and Ryder are very well developed and provide an entertaining sense of camaraderie, while Ryder's brother Jeremy is terrifyingly fun to read. Ryder's old wounds and personal conflicts are exploited through out the book and provide the insight that makes him a very likable hero. Kerley unfolds the plot masterfully as nothing goes unexplained or wasted. Every chapter and sub-plot has a purpose. The author gets you hooked on just enough information to draw you in until the answers explode on the pages in dramatic fashion. There is enough humor to make you laugh aloud, just enough horror to keep you on edge and plenty of surprises to keep you guessing. My only complaint is that the writing, while fresh, vivid and stylish, is burdened by numerous typos. It's the only reason I did not give this book 5 stars. There are simply way too many. Looking past the poor editing this is a phenomenal book that sets into motion what should be a terrific series. I can't wait to read the next two installments already out.

Jack Kerley made a very dissapointing 'debut' with this novel. 'Hundredth Man, The' is just another serial killer suspense, without any point of originality and - even worse - with a plot so ludicrous, so unbelievable, that you'll feel a jerk to lose your time with a so bottomless book.
To say the truth, Mr. Kerley made a direct rip-off of Thomas Harris celebrated characther, Hannibal Lecter, in the figure of the insane brother of the detective who is investigating the case. But all the similarity stops just here. Lecter has something to do and to say in Harris's books but the weird and crazy created by Kerley is just a crazy crying all the time!.
Don't lose your time and your money.

Contrary to what others have said about the book... I thought it was great. I really like Margolin and many other murder authors. Some of his stories are a little out there, but that is what keeps things interesting. I would much rather read a book where several murders and twists take place then one that has one boring murder and 400 pages of boring investigation. Margolin does a great job of keeping readers attention with his many twists and turns. He is obviously well educated legally and has a great imagination. His writing is very smooth and easy to read. I would recommend Sleeping Beauty to anyone!!

Terrible writing. Flat characters . Boring plot. Like reading a high schoolers' attempt at a novel. Couldn't finish it. Life is too precious and there are too many good books out there waiting for me to read them !!

SLEEPING BEAUTY is a remarkably weak thriller. It's main flaw is author Margolin's complete failure to develop characters that are even remotely interesting or three-dimensional. There are a large number of characters in this novel, and absolutely none of them come to life. It's difficult to find a story engaging if you don't care about the fate of any of the protagonists.

The plot of this novel isn't much better. It's a serial killer story with a lot of twists and turns, but none of them are even remotely plausible. Even worse, the story offers very little drama or true suspense. Very few of the scenes in SLEEPING BEAUTY are genuinely gripping or exciting. The book instead just plods along, until the identity of the killer is finally revealed. It doesn't help that the killer's identity is heavily foreshadowed and therefore easy to predict.

Overall, I found SLEEPING BEAUTY a waste of my time and money. My advice is to skip this book and instead try suspense novels by authors like Harlan Coben, Joseph Finder, Andrew Klavan, Greg Iles, Tess Gerritsen or John Hart. I read a lot of thrillers, and I believe you would enjoy these authors far better.

I picked this book up at an airport bookstore hoping to find something interesting to read as I waited for my flight. I almost missed my plane! This book is so engrossing from cover to cover that I could not put it down. Margolin artfully crafts his characters and verbally stuns your senses with horrific crimes. This book will assault you the entire way through. A must read for fans and newcomers alike.

With the help of her dying father, Ashley Spencer manages to escape from the man who invaded her home and killed Norman Spencer and her best friend, Tanya Jones. The police believe that it is the work of a serial killer, whose modus operandi is to enter the homes of families with teenaged daughters, where they are tortured and slaughtered before he ventures on into the kitchen for a midnight snack. But when the killer shows up at Ashley's new school, a private academy miles away from her hometown, Ashley knows that what happened in her home was not random. The murderer is determined to destroy Ashley and the worst part of it is that she doesn't know who she has to run from and why she needs to hide. The story jumps to five years later, when Ashley is forced to come out of hiding to return to Oregon with a truth that will shock those involved - and place her in a vulnerable position where the killer is likely to strike. Philip Margolin conjures a tour de force of character and plot guaranteed to make you squirm in your seat ( or in your bed) as you race through the pages. Readers may have their suspicions as they are introduced to a myriad of characters; the rich and powerful Van Meters, the has-been writer Joshua Maxfield who is in need of a new best seller, the unruly Randy Coleman who feeds on his wife, Casey Van Meter's wealth, and the attentive as well as attractive lawyer, Jerry Phillips, who captures the heroine's heart. But Margolin cleverly depicts these fictitious players, making them out to be believable and misleading, and readers will have to bite their nails to refrain themselves from yanking on the last page. This offering is guaranteed to bring you to an ending that is unexpected, leaving you with the fear that evil can lurk behind a compassionate and kindly demeanour.

I consider Harold Schechter to the male equivalent of Ann Rule, a famous and popular true crime writer. Unlike Rule, he is more objective regarding the criminal backgrounds but he doesn't make excuses for his crimes. He supplies a brief synopsis for each killer and aspects of the crimes themselves. He has done his homework and he doesn't hide necessary facts in understanding the criminals themselves. I still prefer Schechter in many regards since he has already wrote books on H.Holmes of Chicago, Ed Gein of Psycho fame, and others as well. He brings his wealth of knowledge and experience of research and studies to this encyclopedia. His sections on serial killers such as Gacy, Bundy, Dahmer, and others are brief because it's more designed in an encyclopedia style like the other books out there. Although Schechter's more superior because he explains a little further and little more regarding the serial killer's behavior, childhood, and possible explanations as to the evolvement of a serial killer.

This book is not really an encyclopedia of information on serial killers, but more of an overview of the more notorious. The format was somewhat lacking; not in a manner that one would take very serious (there's not even an index). It is a quick read and does provide entertainment; as long as you have a twisted couriousity (which I do).

James A. Forrest - Eye of the Storm

This is a light-hearted introduction to the dark world of serial killers - a great book to start an obsession with. Although it doesn't go into great depth on any one subject, it covers most of the bases in the serial killer world and thus provides great jumping off points for further exploration.

This is a very interesting book about anything you want to know about Serial Killers. Every killer you know is in there along with many you don't. If you are a crime reader or love crime in general you will love it.

The A to Z Encyclopedia of Serial Killers, is not an A-Z guide to the killers as the title implies.
There are no indexes or chapter guides to look up specific killers. Instead it has sections A through Z that list places and things. One would think that the individual killers would be listed under the respective letters such as Ted Bundy in the T section or in the B's under Bundy,Ted. This book rather lists (for example) in section "A" Alligators and then gives a couple paragraphs about which killer and how they were utilized in the crimes.. and in section "B" there are sections on Bathtubs and Body Parts; and yet again with a couple paragraphs each about which killer and how these items were utilized.

While there are a 6-7 killers that have their own sections dedicated under the respective letters, it doesn't really matter because they are already discussed under dozens of different A-Z listings in this book. This book does have good information and fun facts, but the format doesn't allow for reasearch of individual killers.

For the average reader, this is good to read a couple chapters at a time over several weeks, and you can skip around to different chapters and go back to others later. I will give this three stars as it has some good info and light hearted dark humor.

As with all John Douglas books this was a completely fascinating read with so much insight. Marred only by a certain arrogance but then doing the work he does, who wouldn't be arrogant?

Very informative, though some of the cases are repeated in the series of books that have been released by the authors.

This book explains his career as a criminal profiler for the FBI. John Douglas solved unusual kinds of crimes done by those who kill or rape or torture because they enjoy it. Profiling requires "creative-type thinkers", not accounting or engineering types. They must work well both alone and in groups. They need good judgment based on instinct, which can't be defined in an objective nature. Douglas says serial killers are mostly made, not born. Most come from broken or dysfunctional homes, and are victims of some type of abuse. Real-life killers were used as models for "The Silence of the Lambs", "Red Dragon", and "Psycho". The modus operandi is what the offender does, the signature is why he does it (that doesn't change). Virtually all multiple killers are male. Chapter 2 gives an example of solving murders where there was only a vague eyewitness description.

Chapter 3 shows many examples where profiling was used to describe the habits of killers. Chapter 4 tells of more cases, some of which will never be dramatized for TV as they are too horrible. Chapter 5 deals with pedophiles. One warning sign would be a man whose house has games and amusements that appeal to children. Chapter 6 tells of the possible dangers to young children. One example is the murder of Megan Kanka. It doesn't tell you that her murderer was released from prison against all advice because a new governor wanted to cut costs. Fast footwork by propagandists made it appear to be the fault of the parents since "they didn't know". I wonder if this law affected the crime rate? Chapter 7 tells of the Collins family; its too long. Chapter 8 tells of the murder of Suzanne Collins, a sad tragedy. Chapter 9 tells of the after-effects on Suzanne's parents, and their support group. Chapter 10 is about the savage murder of a wife and her two girls. It established the use of criminal profiling at trials. Chapter 11 tells about the crimes of a rapist-murderer near Arlington Va. [Was this the inspiration for Patricia Cornwell's "Post Mortem"?] When they noted a 3-year gap in the crimes, they looked for someone who had been in prison for burglary; they found a likely suspect. This suspect was convicted, the first person in the world to be executed on the basis of DNA evidence.

Chapter 12 is about the unsolved murders of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson. John Douglas was not called in by the police and the prosecutors, but has formed a strong opinion of the case. [Ever notice how many people's opinions are set by the first news and can never consider the facts in the case?] Note that his discussion of the attack omits the fact that two different knives were used (autopsy report). Douglas talked of the "widespread conspiracy" argument, but didn't read Steven Singular's "Legacy of Deception" which tells how a journalist in Denver got news about the LAPD! The timeline says O. J. Simpson is innocent. The limo driver arrived at 10:22 and saw no one enter or leave until the 11pm trip to the airport. Any evidence like a glove or blood drops had to be planted the next day. Ron Goldman was 5'9" and 175 lbs. His unexpected visit to Nicole's place put him in the wrong place at the wrong time. Nicole had been involved with another man who was 5'9", 175 lbs, but a few years older. In the dark the killers attacked the wrong man, then the witness who came out of the house. If her boyfriend then went into hiding, then that would confirm this theory.

Chapter 13 gives the authors views on crime and punishment. Rehabilitation which makes a good guy out of a bad guy is best. But some offenders can never be rehabilitated and must be isolated from society. Capital punishment prevents the worst from recommitting their crimes. But the problem is to be sure those convicted are truly guilty. Criminals are manufactured from a poor home life. [But isn't this the result of poverty in many cases?] The problem is apparently without a practical solution.

This book was a great reading experience. Douglas is an experienced storyteller, and being that these are not just stories, but actual accounts of reality make is a bonus! This book was a satisfing buy for my evil sweettooth. I loved it. It was worth adding to my collection of true crime interests.

I won't go much further. John E. Douglas is an excellent expert on true crime particularly the gruesome serial killings. I got the book before the Green River Killer was identified as Gary Leon Ridgway. Anyway, he analyzes cases and gives his opinions but he is pro-law enforcement most of the time. He doesn't like to give the benefit of the doubt towards the law enforcement community. Sadly, his dedication in the beginning of the book mentions only a portion of the victims in the book which some are well-known like Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson and the victims of Bernardo-Homolka crimes in Canada, as well as a few others. There were others who were murdered, brutalized, and their names are bearly mentioned in the book. Unless he changed their names to protect their true identity which I doubt because most of the murdered victims are identified. Since he is pro-law enforcement, he may not have a total open view of the criminals themselves. Granted, he knows how to identify the criminal whether a child molester or serial killer from his actions. He aids in their capture, prosecution, and their sentence whether death penalty or life in prison. He doesn't suggest ways to prevent such disasters such as a pedophile or serial killer from becoming such a creature because they aren't really human.

Compelling story, but a very slow start with an obvious political slant that added nothing to the tale. This is the 1st Slaughter mystery I have read - I will try another, but the intrigue has to take the lead and not the personal agenda of the author (especially when the asides do nothing to assist in character development or plot).

When Slaughter's first book (Blindsighted) was released, I was actually pretty impressed. Although it was pretty heavy on the violence, it was also pretty heavy on the characters. The plotting was tight and affecting. There was good local color. In short, even though it had many elements that might not have thrilled me, it also had a lot of things that I really liked. I had the feeling that Slaughter had the potential to bring her genre out of the supermarket and airport into somewhere pretty interesting.

Unfortunately, ever since then, I've kind of been waiting for the interesting to happen. Instead of using the ultra-violence as a seasoning, I have the feeling that she has started to depend on it.

(Note: I have the feeling that sometimes I talk about violence like a precious old lady peering over her reading glasses. I really do not object to violence when it is part of the plot, and makes sense in the atmosphere and genre. I do dislike what in last years feels to me an attempt to create the most vicious vile and degrading serial killer around. It is too much, and feels like a violence arms race. It clouds how violent even small acts of violence can be.)

Anyhow, in this sense, Triptych is an improvement over the Grant County books. Violent, yes, but within a rational scale. Unfortunately, in this novel it is the plot tricks which push the book over the top for me. I won't go into the twists and turns, since it could spoil the reading experience. But suffice it to say that the book falls largely flat if you figure out the main gimmick early on, which I did. A high risk strategy, I fear. At least for me, it didn't pay off.

In short, not a bad entry from Slaughter. But it still fails to live up to my initially high expectations of her work.

(I do like Will Trent as a character, by the way. I wouldn't mind seeing more of him in the future.)

Triptych has all that great writing qualities that make Karen Slaughter's previous crime/drama/thrillers great novels. The main character is an Atlanta, GA detective named Michael Ormewood, who is confronted with numerous women in the area turning up raped, murdered and mutilated. He is called to the scene of the body of hooker Aleesha Monroe. He is then teamed up with agent Will Trent from the Georgia Bureau of Investigations Special Criminal Apprehension Team and he is not thrilled about it. He shows him files of similar cases, some involving that of teens, that might be related to Aleesha's case.

Then enters a third cop Angie Polaski who is on Vice and has done undercover work as a hooker and it turns out she has had past relations with Ormewood and also knew Trent since childhood. Polaski and Trent had a special bond due to rough childhoods that involved abuse. Convicted killer John Shelley is released from prison after serving a long twenty years and one of the cases matches John Shelley's mode of operation? They think they have the killer and it's a shut case but do they? So all these new twists and turns along with more questions arise making this an enjoyable book and one that is very, very hard to put down.

Could have been better
Karin Slaughter's Triptych is a very intricate and complex serial murder mystery that requires the reader to pay attention. Numerous characters and several flashbacks can create some confusion. The story centers on a psychotic serial killer who likes to bite young girls tongues off. Although deranged he somehow manages to live a normal life and it is not until halfway through this complex book that the reader starts to get a handle on just who this person really is. I won't spoil it for you, but nevertheless once you figure it out the story quickly goes downhill. All in all there are simply too many characters and not enough beef (no pun intended). Also, Ms. Slaughter leaves too many loose ends that she never ties up. Again, I won't spoil the story for you but the cardinal rule of a mystery is to not ask a question if you don't have an answer. Triptych is a murder mystery that never quite closes the deal.
Character development was shallow. The plot was rich with potential but Ms. Slaughter never did more than a cursory development of her characters.
Much graphic violence and language so beware. No gratuitous sex.
Mediocre recommend. This is my first Karin Slaughter book and I was not impressed. Again too many loose ends left dangling. I will give her one more shot when I read her new book Fractured. Best to save your money and get the paperback/library edition.

Tryptych is the strangly named title of Karin Slaughter's riveting thriller. This is the first book I've read by the author and won't be the last. There are several authors who I've read and won't read again. I'm glad I've found another author than can deliver a great crime thriller. As the plot summary notes, the story revolves around three characters. I don't know if these characters appear in other Slaughter novels, but Triptych can be read without reading her other books.

Det. Michael Ormewood has a struggling marriage and a mentally challenged son. He is frustrated when Will Trent, a Georgia Bureau of Investigation Officer, is brought in to help with an investigation. A old prostitute has been murdered, and details of the murder match other similar crimes committed in Atlanta. Angie Polaski is a vice cop and has a lifelong relationship with Will Trent and a love/hate relationship with Ormewood. The third person in the character triangle is John Shelley. John was raised in a perfect home but he turned to drugs and soon found himself being charged with murder. He was convicted and released on parole. While out of jail and trying to buy a TV on credit, the salesman says he has great credit. It seems that while in jail, someone has been using John's name to live a second life.

There is no point in going into more detail except to say that there are three storylines, Ormewood and the murders, Angie Polaksi and Will Trent, and John Shelley. Author Slaughter gives clues but writes deftly enough to hide the complex relationships between the charcters until all three story lines mesh into one incredible set of events.

These events set in motion an invetible climax that takes way too long in coming. Halfway through the novel, I suddenly grasped what Slaughter set out to do and was amazed at her writing skills. Unfortunately, the book was only half over, and the last half of the book, the reader knows so much more than the other characters that it becomes frustrating to watch the characters not be able to figure out. Still, I enjoyed the novel.

This is a gritty, at times vulgar book, that is shockingly fun. Slaughter's characters all have demons and issues. Prostitution, drug use and murder are all there. Slaughter has hooked me in. She writes a different book that someone like Gerritson or Cornwell or Reichs, yet fans of those authors should love books by Karin Slaughter.