This book was an absolute delight to read! For a debut novel, I most say I’m highly impressed. From the story line, the characters, the build-up and the ending, V.R. Stone revealed himself to be a great thriller writer.
The story follows three main characters with a troubled past that haunts their present. Sarah, a strong woman with money and estates that struggles with her urges to hurt and kill men; Dr. Karl Gross a renowned psychologist, with a secret that could put an end to his career; and Detective Martin White that keeps a terrible truth from his childhood shared only by his therapist, Dr Gross. Now, these three very different individuals linked by their traumatic experiences are about to cross paths.
This is the type of novel that you pull an all-nighter for and gives a book-hangover. It’s a disturbing, entertaining, sitting-on-the-edge-of-your-seat thriller that will make you feel empathy towards the serial killer. There are enough twists and turns to grab your attention at the right moment. There are some gruesome, violent scenes that might be harder for some readers to digest them but they complete the story.
The style of writing is simple and easy to follow. The pace of the novel goes between steady and fast pace throughout the story and the connection between these three characters is perfect. I was afraid of losing myself in between characters but I read through very smoothly. I really got into the plot and the twists in the story came naturally and in the perfect moments.
The connection between these three characters is very well made and developed. I was concerned I would lose myself between them, but Stone makes great transactions between them. Even though the reader knows who the killer is right from the beginning, the story only gains more power as you go in depth into the character of Sarah and her own unique struggles. It’s a bit scary even, because she really does try to keep her homicidal instincts under control but in the end, they control her. You keep rooting for her, and you keep hoping that in the end she becomes “good”. Martin, the haunted detective, is also a great character, one that I would have liked to know more about.
A great read, one that I highly recommend and I will be waiting for future works from V.R Stone.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Silverwhite Press and the author for allowing me to review this novel.
Book Traveller 