Book Review: Heartsick

As preparation to reviewing "Sweetheart" by Chelsea Cain, I read "Heartsick". This series is not Christian-friendly...graphic torture, drug abuse, serial killers, adultery, bad language. If it were a movie it would be rated at least R, maybe even NC-17. Here's the review I posted on Amazon.

Gretchen Lowell is a brilliant manipulator. After choosing to go to jail, she is still controlling the torture of Detective Archie Sheridan in addition to wounding others like journalist Susan West. It's true that it would be very unlikely that pink-haired Susan would be given an assignment to write about the After School Strangler, except that Gretchen has subtly and deliberately brought her into the investigation by letting Archie know that Gretchen likes Susan's writing. And why does Gretchen drop this hint? Because the After School Strangler is a serial killer created by Gretchen and aimed at Susan. After Gretchen creates the After School Strangler, she betrays him by giving Archie enough hints to refocus his investigation. All this to keep Archie close so she can keep torturing him psychologically. I found the story hard to put down. Each chapter left me wanting more. But instead of being disappointing, it pulled me further into the book. It's kind of like the idea that modest dress is more seductive than showing everything to everyone.