ABOUT THE BOOK
Gretchen Lowell, the world’s most beautiful serial killer, has escaped from prison in Chelsea Cain’s unpredictable, edge-of-your-seat thriller, Sweetheart.
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.
MY REVIEW
In reading the second installment of the Gretchen Lowell series, I was interested to find out what happened with the unusual relationship of Archie Sheridan (Portland police detective) and Gretchen Lowell (serial killer). Ms. Cain did not disappoint me.
Archie Sheridan is trying to mend his relationship with his wife and children. He has kept away from Gretchen Lowell, but his thoughts are always with her and the pills he takes for the pain caused by being Gretchen’s last torture victim, are taking their toll. Archie wants to die and Gretchen’s escape from prison has given him a plan to make his wish come true.
Susan Ward wants to expose Senator Castle’s past “affair” with a 14-year old, but there is a cover up that involves murder. Who killed her mentor, what have the bodies in the park have to do with the Castle story and who is trying to kill her?
Again, a great suspense thriller with two nail-biting mysteries to keep you reading until the ultimate climax. On to book 3.
Archie and Gretchen Series
1. Heartsick (2007) – My review
2. Sweetheart (2008)
3. Evil at Heart (2009)
4. The Night Season (2011)
5. Kill You Twice (2012)
6. Let Me Go (2013)
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chelsea Cain is the author of The New York Times bestselling thrillers HEARTSICK, SWEETHEART, EVIL AT HEART, THE NIGHT SEASON, and KILL YOU TWICE. Her Portland-based thrillers, described by The New York Times as “steamy and perverse,” have been published in over 25 languages, recommended on “The Today Show,” appeared in episodes of HBO’s “True Blood” and ABC’s “Castle,” named among Stephen King’s top ten favorite books of the year, and included in NPR’s list of the top 100 thrillers ever written. According to Booklist, “Popular entertainment just doesn’t get much better than this.”
Follow Chelsea on her website, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
