When I started this book, it was with the knowledge that it would end with a cliffhanger. 

And now that I'm done with the book I can honestly say, that it didn't bother me as much as it could have.

I don't think the characters have been entirely fleshed out, so I'm not sure I care. 

I had a bit of a hunch about writing style last book that got confirmed in this one. I don't like it very much. It feels like a condescending lecture and pretty much showy and I'm left feeling very annoyed.

I am however terrible curious and still hoping the writing will improve, so next book I'll certainly read, as for the next thereafter, who knows - Might change my mind.

I did like Dixon. I would like to see more of her- As for Robby? Hmm I don't know him, no feel for him.

 

Updated 28 May 2014

 

I totally peeked in the reviews for the 3rd book and therefor I know what happens and now I've settled my curiosity so whether I'll return for the next book, I don't know.

I'm not entirely sure how to start this review, I liked the book, some parts were like this massive info dump and I think the book could have been shorter, It really dragged in places and I was itching to skip ahead, so I could see who the killer was. 

I was pleasantly surprised when I finally found out who it was. And I think that was in part why I'm rating this book a 4 and not 3½.

I already knew it was a sibling who was behind it, holding a grudge, I didn't quite see the twin part nor the female part. But it makes sense now. I don't agree with some of the reviews that ridicule how far the mind goes to protect itself.

(spoiler show)

I liked Karen, I was a bit apprehensive when I learnt she had a kid, because I'm not really interested in reading about those. But it worked out very nicely here. 

I'm very glad Dead Eyes killed off Deacon. That leaves room for Robby to move in.

(spoiler show)

I liked Robby, Bledsoe and maybe a smidgen of Gifford, but absolutely hated Hancock, Mandisa and Del.

I think Mandisa was the worst of them. There were multiple times I wished Dead Eyes would come and finish her off, just so I didn't have to listen to her jabbing and acting tough and who had the biggest dick.

I'm gonna read the next though, because I've read that he gets better.

Original ReviewI enjoyed this book for the most part. While I enjoy mystery thrillers and have read several similar books in the past, this book just didn’t pull me quickly through it. I’m not sure why. It was a fairly slow and heavy read.I enjoyed the main character Karen Vail. However, throughout this book she has more obstacles than one could ever think. At one point, I was against liking this book. I kept going on, just barely turning page by page. I’m glad I did because it really did set up where the story was going. Wayne Rudnick is not a main character, but provided my LOL moment of the book.

I really enjoyed this book. I was unsure if I was going to read it, as I have found that mystery thrillers, these days, are not as interesting as they used to be, and rely too much, on how much they can shock you, than the actual storyline. This book does focus on the story and it has just enough to shock you as well.

Special Agent Karen Vail, is the only female profiler within the FBI’s profiling unit, which means she has to work twice as hard to prove that she belongs. Vail has been assigned to a task force, for a serial killer dubbed, by the press, as the Dead Eyes Killer. Sadistic, brutal, and ritualistic describe Dead Eyes method of killing, it is the likes of which Vail and the task force has not seen before. His victims are all brown haired and brown-eyed women, that have no connection to each other, and who seem randomly selected. With each murder there is a message that haunts the task force, “Its in the...” scrawled across the walls of the victims’ homes and ever increasing violence, begins to cause the public to panic and for the higher ups to get uneasy and wanting to have someone they can trust on the case. But Vail’s life is not going to get any easier. She is almost divorced from her abusive husband, but somehow she winds up with Him filing assault against Her, which forces the FBI to put her on leave (but her boss seemed all too willing to have her spot filled), and she has to look after her son, who she believes her husband could harm as well. All forces are determined to keep Vail from the Dead Eyes case, but Vail is determined to be part of the team, to stop the Dead Eyes murders. Vail knows that the 7th victim is the key to this serial killer’s puzzle, an individual that Vail had an unknown connection too, but there are secrets and lies surrounding everything in this case. In order to break the case, Vail has to unlock all the secrets and lies, some that may be too painful for her bear, put her life in danger and others that could destroy her.

I enjoyed this book. I appreciated the research that Jacobson put into his book (he has a few pages of acknowledgments for everyone who was able to help to make sure he used the right information, some from right in the FBI and profiling). He was able to create something that could be a detective’s real life. The case is always there but there are things happening outside of Vail’s life as well, that take her away from the case, but she can never really leave it. I believe that this really personalizes Vail, shows her character and just makes her more real. She is strong, passionate, and all about the law but put her ex-husband in the room with her and she just wants to fight. This makes her very real in my eyes; she has a range of emotions that are not just based around the Dead Eyes case. I liked how Jacobson had chapters that were from the point-of-view of Dead Eyes and that he showed the evolution of how Dead Eyes learned with each victim.

I love trying to figure out the who, how and why in mystery books, with just the information the author has given me. Trust me, more often than not, I figure things out before the end of the book; that said, with this book I was able to figure out most of the questions, which makes it a good book, because the author was able to think outside the box somewhat, which is always enjoyable.

Enjoy!!!

This is def. a series I will continue on with. I thought the "mystery" part of the book was excellent. Where I tended to "mark the book down" was I thought there was too much drama central focused on the main character's personal life...it totally threw me for a loop as I wasn't expecting it.