Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Evil At Heart (The Beauty Killer Series, Book 3) by Chelsea Cain
Mystery/Suspense novel released by St. Martin’s Minotaur 1 Sep 09

As much as I love the romance genre, mystery/suspense will always be my first love. It’s also interesting to note that while there are many fine romance authors who write stories that I adore, it’s the mystery/suspense writers that seem to turn me into a squealing, slobbering fangirl. The kind of fangirl that wrings her hands while counting down the days until the next book in the series is released. Such was the case with Evil At Heart, the third book in the continuing saga of pill-popping, burnt out detective Archie Sheridan, and the beautiful, manipulative serial killer, Gretchen Lowell.

Cain seems to be working on a fast timeline for this series, with Evil At Heart taking place only four months after the first book in the series, Heartsick. It basically picks up immediately following Sweetheart. Detective Archie Sheridan has survived another attack at the hands of serial killer, Gretchen Lowell, and is currently residing in a mental hospital. He checked himself in voluntarily, has kicked the Vicodin habit, and is seeing a shrink. He could probably be working towards getting released, but he has no interest. No, he’s quite happy where he is. He’s on an indefinite leave of absence from the force, and even though Gretchen is on the loose, things are pretty quiet. Until the dead bodies start piling up.

Gretchen and Archie had called a truce, of sorts. He’d stop trying to kill himself and she wouldn’t kill anyone else. So when bodies start turning up featuring some of Gretchen’s calling cards, Archie finds himself back in action. The question being though, is it really Gretchen? Ever since her escape there have been sightings all over the world. Also, in her wake, the public has developed a sick fascination with her. There are Beauty Killer bus tours, T-shirts, manicures, and fan clubs. While these new murders certainly look like Gretchen’s work, something feels off to Archie. Do they have a copycat killer on their hands?

There’s usually a point in a mystery/suspense series where the books stop standing on the own. Evil At Heart would be the book. While I do think the previous two books can be read out of order (although I don’t recommend it), I think this story won’t work nearly as well for the uninitiated. For one thing, there’s not a whole lot of character development here. The author is pretty much relying on the fact that you “know” these people already. You can certainly read it, and understand it, but I don’t think you’d “get” nearly as much out of it.

Cain is very clever in the way she writes her Gretchen Lowell character. She teases the reader. She doesn’t info-dump a lot of psychology and back-story, and instead offers glimpses into the relationship between Gretchen and Archie. Also, while Gretchen is largely off stage in this novel, her presence is constantly felt. She’s like a fog that drifts in, only to hover over a city for days on end. What is her plan, and what is she doing, because Gretchen isn’t just a brutal killer. She’s a master manipulator as well, and she manipulates everyone and everything within her universe.

My gut reaction to this story was that it wasn’t as good as the first two novels. In some instances, it kind of felt like a place-holder. The story advances, somewhat, but not near as much as in the last book, which was loaded with shocking revelations. That said, it’s still pretty darn good and compulsively readable. For fans of the first two books, Evil At Heart should work quite nicely. Gretchen is still evil, Archie is still massively screwed up, and reporter Susan Ward is still prone to Too Stupid To Live moments. All that being said though, I did find this new book to be more graphic than the previous two. Certainly when you have a book about a serial killer, there are going to be dead bodies and violence , but the author really cranks it up to the next level here. There was a moment in the book that I actually had to set it down and walk away from it. Serious heebie-jeebies . I know this sort of thing is incredibly subjective, but this is coming from the girl who was reading books about medical examiners and autopsies as a teenager. Just saying.

While I wasn’t as madly enthralled with this installment as the previous two books in the series, it’s still a page-turning suspense story featuring some of the most seriously damaged characters ever to populate the genre fiction universe. For readers already plugged into this series, nothing I say here is really going to sway or deter your desire to pick up this entry. For the rest of you, start with book one.

Grade: B+

Summary:
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Gretchen Lowell is still on the loose. These days, she’s more of a cause célèbre than a feared killer, thanks to sensationalist news coverage that has made her a star. Her face graces magazine covers weekly and there have been sightings of her around the world. Most shocking of all, Portland Herald reporter Susan Ward has uncovered a bizarre kind of fan club, which celebrates the number of days she’s been free.
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Archie Sheridan hunted her for a decade, and after his last ploy to catch her went spectacularly wrong, remains hospitalized months later. When they last spoke, they entered a détente of sorts—Archie agreed not to kill himself if she agreed not to kill anyone else. But when a new body is found accompanied by Gretchen’s trademark heart, all bets are off and Archie is forced back into action. Has the Beauty Killer returned to her gruesome ways, or has the cult surrounding her created a whole new evil?
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Read excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Connie’s Quick Quack review of Sweetheart (The Beauty Killer, Book 2) by Chelsea Cain
Mystery thriller hardcover released by St. Martin’s Minotaur 2 Sep 08

Archie is back, and addicted to pain pills, when another girl is found in the park where Gretchen’s first victim was discovered. He’s managed to get back with Debbie and is not visiting Gretchen when this victim is found. Then, Archie is forced to see Gretchen again when she is attacked in the prison where she was incarcerated at the end of Book 1.

Henry goes behind Archie’s back and arranges to get Gretchen moved far away from Archie. All Henry has actually done is play into Gretchen’s hands and she escapes while being moved – she has found new lovers to do her bidding.

Susan is back, with another hair color, and we see a lot more of her mother than we need to when, because of Gretchen’s escape, they and Archie’s family are forced to go into hiding. Problem is Archie is in liver failure and wants to end the threat to his family – so he has a plan…

Archie’s story is a sad one. He is actually someone who cares. Gretchen targets him and a family is ruined because of her sick desires.

Cut Archie a little slack and enjoy the book. I love a good serial killer and Gretchen certainly fits the need, and then some. I enjoyed this book more than the first so be sure to check out Archie’s plan!

Grade: A

Summary:

With Heartsick, Chelsea Cain took the crime world by storm, introducing two of the most compelling characters in decades: serial killer Gretchen Lowell and her obsessed pursuer Portland Detective Archie Sheridan. The book spent four weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and garnered rave reviews around the world. But the riveting story of Archie and Gretchen was left unfinished, and now Chelsea Cain picks up the tale again.

When the body of a young woman is discovered in Portland’s Forest Park, Archie is reminded of the last time they found a body there, more than a decade ago: it turned out to be the Beauty Killer’s first victim, and Archie’s first case. This body can’t be one of Gretchen’s—she’s in prison—but after help from reporter Susan Ward uncovers the dead woman’s identity, it turns into another big case. Trouble is, Archie can’t focus on the new investigation because the Beauty Killer case has exploded: Gretchen Lowell has escaped from prison.

Archie hadn’t seen her in two months; he’d moved back in with his family and sworn off visiting her. Though it should feel like progress, he actually feels worse. The news of her escape spreads like wildfire, but secretly, he’s relieved. He knows he’s the only one who can catch her, and in fact, he has a plan to get out from under her thumb once and for all.

Chelsea Cain has topped her own bestselling debut thriller with this unpredictable, edge-of-your-seat story.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

Mass market paperback released 29 Jul 08

This just in…

St. Martin’s Press and MacMillan Audio have got a great giveaway going on! Win a combination of galleys of Chelsea Cain’s recent books featuring her intriguing hero and heroine, Archie and Gretchen.

~ Both print and audio versions of Heartsick and Sweetheart are up for grabs.

~ There will be10 winners!

~  Enter here for print galleys of both books.

~ Here is where you enter for the audio of Sweetheart.

~ Hurry!  Contest ends September 2.

Consider yourself flashed.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain
Suspense/thriller fiction hardcover released by St. Martins Minotaur 2 Sep 08

As much as I love a good romance novel, I started out my reading life as a mystery reader. While both are genre fiction, I expect different things from each of them. In romance, I want the author to make me care about the characters. I want to become emotionally invested in their lives and struggles, which makes the happily-ever-after all that much sweeter. In mystery/suspense novels, I also want the author to make me care about the characters, but I also want what I call The White-Knuckle Factor. The kind of book that is so suspenseful, so full of thrills, that I literally cannot pry the book out of my hands. Chelsea Cain has made this her stock in trade, and this second book in her Gretchen Lowell series is a runaway freight train.

Sweetheart picks up where the first book in the series, Heartsick, left off. Archie Sheridan, a man once nearly tortured to death by diabolical female serial killer, Gretchen Lowell, is back on the job as a Portland, Oregon police detective and has moved back home with his family. This is a big step for Archie, living with his ex-wife and two children, because his time with Gretchen left him physically scarred, emotionally damaged, and with a pain killer addiction that would likely kill an elephant. Despite all this, Archie is still under Gretchen’s spell, haunted by her beauty and compelled by her sensuality.

There are three converging storylines in Sweetheart. Reporter, Susan Ward, who shadowed Archie throughout Heartsick, is still working on her blockbuster expose’ about a senator’s illicit affair with an underage girl. Decomposing bodies are showing up in a secluded wooded area, and Gretchen is still pulling strings, manipulating the story’s players, while locked up in prison. It all converges and boils over by the halfway point of the story, when Cain writes some fantastically tense scenes, and the characters find themselves in a race against time.

As much as I have come to love this series, it certainly isn’t for everybody. In fact, I see a lot of readers having major issues with this particular story. Cain writes deeply flawed characters. I cannot tell you how many times, over the course of reading this story, that I found myself thinking about Archie, “He did not just say/do/think that?!” These are highly damaged people, who make disastrous choices, and hurt people they love and care about. Also, it appears I’m going to have to resign myself to the fact that Susan is prone to Too-Stupid-To-Live Syndrome. She makes a boneheaded move in Heartsick, and has another episode in Sweetheart. She makes her choices, and a certain part of me understands them, while another part of me wants to shake her silly.

Should everybody read this book? No. It’s very dark, suspenseful, and the characters have more baggage than an international airport. However, what makes this book so compelling is Gretchen Lowell and her effect on the other characters in the story. She’s a woman, and also a killer, which means she is a master manipulator. Certainly she’s one sick, twisted individual, but watching her pull everybody’s strings, and calculate which buttons to push, makes for a truly remarkable character study. While Cain continues to tease readers about her past, Archie’s continued downward spiral, and the suspense thread about the lecherous senator, makes this a surefire bet for suspense fans.

If you haven’t read Chelsea Cain yet, you’re missing the most exciting new voice in suspense.

Grade: A

Summary:

When the body of a young woman is discovered in Portland’s Forest Park, Archie is reminded of the last time they found a body there, more than a decade ago: it turned out to be the Beauty Killer’s first victim, and Archie’s first case. This body can’t be one of Gretchen’s—she’s in prison—but after help from reporter Susan Ward uncovers the dead woman’s identity, it turns into another big case. Trouble is, Archie can’t focus on the new investigation because the Beauty Killer case has exploded: Gretchen Lowell has escaped from prison.

Archie hadn’t seen her in two months; he’d moved back in with his family and sworn off visiting her. Though it should feel like progress, he actually feels worse. The news of her escape spreads like wildfire, but secretly, he’s relieved. He knows he’s the only one who can catch her, and in fact, he has a plan to get out from under her thumb once and for all.

No excerpt found.

Other Books In The Series:

The ever delightful avid reader, Keishon, has had some tres interesting posts up lately. I am sure you already do but if you don’t… go check her out! I started to respond to her post on the Amazon Vine Program and in my normal fashion wrote a rambly book.

So I decided to bring it on home…

This will make lil to no sense – less than I normally do – if you haven’t read her post:

Amazon Vine Program and Customer Reviews

So go read it. Go on…. I will wait. or not

my ramble:
So you are only wanting to read the reviews after you decide to buy or not? Or after you read? I didn’t know you avoided blogs and review sites.

I don’t know much about the vine program but have to say I don’t like it cuz it is an amazon thing and they have shown what they want out of reviews and honestly or reader concern isn’t it.

But I don’t think it has anything to do with this book. Having not seen the reviews I am guessing they are all happy, happy, joy, joy from your tone… but I ‘think’ (will do more follow up tomorrow) the push is from the publisher. I know personally I have gotten 2 copies. I know another blogger who just emailed cuz she lusted after it and gushed got a copy. I know a few others who have gotten copies that aren’t on the ‘SM ARC LIST’.

My bitch would be with the people reviewing if they are lying to get more books, become ‘popular amazon reviewers’ or just looking for validation. Publishers have a job to get their titles out there. Hell even Amazon is a company and has a right to promote. Having the programs doesn’t seem wrong – taking advantage of them for their gain… isn’t wrong in my eyes. Knowing dishonest things are going on (like amazon’s deleting of ‘bad’ reviews) and allowing it, closing your eyes or going nah nah nah I can’t hear you – makes you a bad bad company.

So what is the answer?

• Don’t review there? Well it seems that allows the fangrrls and cheats to win.
• Don’t buy from them? Amazon sells a hellalot of books, they loss money and or go out of biz (something I don’t see happening) who gets fucked – the reader.
• Don’t buy from the publisher? I just can’t see them doing something that is ‘wrong’ by trying to promote the book.

None of those sound like good answers. So what do we do? Personally I have always paid no attention to Amazon reviews. I have told myself repeatedly we, as in TGTBTU, would start to post our reviews on Amazon as well because I like the idea of mixing in some honest opinions. NOT to say every review, not even every five star review is a lie. I do believe people honestly believe a LARGE majority of what they write in their reviews there.

And then there are the Harriet’s…. and uh… haven’t wrapped my arms around THAT one yet.
So any thoughts from you guys? Anyone give a flip? You got a fix? rant? or whatevs…

Note as of right now Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain has 57 reviews.

14 are 5 stars

24 are 4 stars

12 are 3 stars

4 are 2 stars

3 have 1 star

It releases on Sept 2, 2008 from St. Martin’s Minotaur in Hardcover.

Product Description (as shown on amazon)

With Heartsick, Chelsea Cain took the crime world by storm, introducing two of the most compelling characters in decades: serial killer Gretchen Lowell and her obsessed pursuer Portland Detective Archie Sheridan. The book spent four weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and garnered rave reviews around the world. But the riveting story of Archie and Gretchen was left unfinished, and now Chelsea Cain picks up the tale again.

When the body of a young woman is discovered in Portland’s Forest Park, Archie is reminded of the last time they found a body there, more than a decade ago: it turned out to be the Beauty Killer’s first victim, and Archie’s first case. This body can’t be one of Gretchen’s—she’s in prison—but after help from reporter Susan Ward uncovers the dead woman’s identity, it turns into another big case. Trouble is, Archie can’t focus on the new investigation because the Beauty Killer case has exploded: Gretchen Lowell has escaped from prison.

Archie hadn’t seen her in two months; he’d moved back in with his family and sworn off visiting her. Though it should feel like progress, he actually feels worse. The news of her escape spreads like wildfire, but secretly, he’s relieved. He knows he’s the only one who can catch her, and in fact, he has a plan to get out from under her thumb once and for all.

Chelsea Cain has topped her own bestselling debut thriller with this unputdownable, unpredictable, edge-of-your-seat read.