Review: Heartsick by Chelsea Cain

[krisliz88]

Female serial killer, damaged detective, and serial killer manhunt. If any of these topics sound interesting to you then 'Heartsick' by Chelsea Cain is a book that should be on your 'must read list'.

'Heartsick' follows Detective Archie Sheridan, a cop that was the lead investigator of the Beauty Killer murders which takes place a few years prior to the current story line of the book. Archie was kidnapped and tortured by the charming female serial killer, Gretchen Lowell. He is the only one of her victims that she has let live. Since that time, Archie has been on medical disability and his life revolves around keeping pain and memories at bay with a large mix of pain killers. However, a cop friend talks him back into the bullpen to try and catch another serial killer deemed the 'After School Strangler'. It is not necessarily that easy for Archie to forget his past, however, especially when his every thought revolves around Gretchen, whom he still visits on a weekly basis.

Susan Ward, a journalist who has been assigned to do several stories on Archie, soon joins the picture and quickly learns how much of a puzzle he can be. She follows Archie around while he is investigating the "After School Stranger" murders. Susan has her fair share of internal issues as well and feels as though she somehow connects with Archie. Archie, however, has seemed to have picked up a few things from Gretchen and is able to become his own master manipulating. However, he shows true concern for Susan when it is revealed that she may have more to do with the killings then anyone initially thought.

This book truly was a good read and I was excited to learn that the author has parlayed it into a series! It is a short, quick moving book, and it took me about 3 days off and on to read. The character of Gretchen draws you in as typically I think that most serial killers end up being a man; or if they are a woman, they tend to be ugly and not appealing. Chelsea Cain has certainly done a wonderful job in creating a character that keeps you reading to learn more about her, even though the main story line is not truly about her. Chelsea Cain has definitely manipulated this reader into wanting to read more about this beautiful murderess!

[jasteckling]

Heartsick is my favorite of the Archie Sheridan novels. I've read three of them, and I loved them all, but something about the first book makes it the best. I think it is how complex the novel is, considering it all comes down to Susan Ward. I wanted to play Susan off as an overall unimportant character when I first started reading about her in the first few chapters. Her relationship with Archie is very interesting, but I never thought that she would be the object of the killer's fantasy. It seems like Susan's experiences in this book enhance her character in the subsequent books, which is always a nice surprise. I also like that the incident affected her emotionally, as you find out in the second book. I feel like some authors leave out a lot of the PTSD aspect in repeat characters that have gone through an ordeal. Archie's feelings about Gretchen are seen as more complex in this book than the next book, but it is interesting to see how everything plays out in all the novels Chelsea Cain has written in this series. I find I like all of her books, not just the Archie Sheridan books, which is a pretty big compliment, considering I think most authors that write a series fall short on books not in the series, or vice versa. I agree, it is a must-read book if you like mysteries, thrillers, and good characters.

[Jesska6029]

Heartsick started my undying love of everything Chelsea Cain. I read this book years ago, and I can honestly say that it is one that has stuck with me. Archie and Susan get there start as a strange sort of team in this book. They are both working through so many deep, deep issues of the past, and it is fascinating watching their pasts collide with the present events. Gretchen is a guilty pleasure for me. I know she is truly the epitome of evil, but she is a scene stealer. My eyes are always glued to the page when she makes an appearance. If you liked this novel, give the rest in the series a go. Also, Cain just came out with One KicK, and it was great!

[Vscholz]

Cain wrote two volumes of Marvel Comics Mockingbird (I guess there was drama with the "Feminist Agenda" shirt on one of the covers) as well as the intro for Joelle Jones' Lady Killer Vol 1.

The Sweetheart series is one of my favorites! It was so interesting to read about a female serial killer and her obsession/relationship with the lead detective.