Serial Killers discussion

What are you currently reading?

I've just started a debut book by Oliver Stark - "American Devil".

So far I'm loving it, but it's still early days and early chapters. It has a great starting Prologue though from the eyes of the killer in his early days.

Blurb -
The Progression of Love: His ultimate artistic creation. Now all he needs is seven beautiful women.

A violent killer is stalking New York's streets, and the trophies he will take from his victims are essential if he is to complete his masterpiece.

Detective Tom Harper is the NYPD's best chance of catching the American Devil. But he's on suspension for assaulting his superior. With panic gripping the city, Harper wants the challenge but in order to be allowed to work the case he must agree to undergo therapy from the police psychologist to control his temper.

A deranged murderer and a volatile cop. Time is running out and there can only be one winner.

Sweet Ginger Poison by Robert Burton Robinson ... sort of a cozy, murdery thing. It ain't serial killer fare, but it's good.

I'm reading Karin Slaughter... started sortof backwards with the Will Trent series first, liked them so read the Georgia series... and now am starting her Grant County series which was the first written Blindsighted.
I usually read strictly in order but I'm enjoying her too much to not read them :)

I've just bought the latest Karin Slaughter book. I didn't really enjoy the earlier books as much as those after Will Trent came onto the scene.

Sandybeach wrote: "I've just bought the latest Karin Slaughter book. I didn't really enjoy the earlier books as much as those after Will Trent came onto the scene."

I know exactly what you mean! I have considered that if I had started her series from her first written I may never have read to the later ones, and then I would have missed some very enjoyable reads (tho I wouldn't have know it, so does it count??)

No doubt, series books are hard to judge, I've also read some with great 1st books then the following ones get weaker, it's like that with Monkeewrench for me.

I thought the early Karin Slaughter books were weak and I disliked most of the characters. It seemed like they were all extreme cliches. Angry bitter female cop with baggage, old incompetent alchoholic cop, superhuman supersleuth doctor, etc, etc.

There is less of that in the Will Trent series, but there are moments that the obvious stupidity is still there in the plot line. Reminds me sometimes of a horror movie where you are screaming at the characters "DON'T GO OUTSIDE", but they do anyway. LOL.

I agree totally, but at least they have us shouting at them ;) I thought Fallen was very crowded with female characters though and I wasn't convinced by the plot, yet I enjoyed it, go figure :)

So far the Will Trent series are books that keep me wanting to read them, they have a more-ish factor for me, which I like.

I just finished listening The Killer Inside Me by Jim Thompson The Killer Inside Me last night and was kept interested to the (not) very (long) end... not bad for a book published in '55, it must have been a real shocker back then! The narrator was very good, Will Patton.

True, there are some crime authors out there that I read for a bit of light relief between the blood and gore authors and sometimes Karin Slaughter is the light relief. It's meaty enough to keep the interest up and any romantic tones included are not too pathetic (most of the time). I felt the same about Fallen.

One thing I do hate is the romantic crime authors that turn the whole murder experience into a mills and boon book. The victim that got away from the killer always seems to fall in lust with the smouldering, over-protective, investigating detective or similar character. The story lines are the same every time, they just change the names of the characters. Karen Rose comes to mind.

300% with you there... it is just too too too predictible, too lame for words! But it is a formula, no doubt, and I guess while it works it will be pumped out. Grrr!!

I actually mentioned the word 'cosy' in regard the earlier Karin Slaughter series books, it didn't go down too well *blush* - but it's how I felt LOL

I think it's why I fall back on the true crime (tho I'm trying to avoid that still), and I veer off into the 'horror' area now and again. Not vampire or zombie horror (yawn), just trying to avoid the same old detective routines being rehashed yet again :)

Even James Patterson has become mild and predictable. Some people actually think that the books that he co-writes with other authors are actually just the other author and that they are churned out through the James Patterson publishing company. The last Woman's Murder Club book was a disappointment compared to the early books. They have became the romantic crime that I really hate.

That's why I keep looking for new crime authors who have new fresh ideas and who are not watering down the graphic descriptions, etc. I want to read a murder book that scare the pants of me, not one that I could read to a 5 year old as a bed time story.

I read true crime for a while as well, and although I enjoyed it, I found that each chapter would just go over and over the same things, but from a different view point. I know that it's what a real crime investigation is about, but it sometimes gets a bit boring to read.

I'm in my 40's but have now started to read a lot of books by YA (Young Adult) authors. I started originally buying them for my nieces and nephews and reading them before I gave the books to them and found that I really loved them. YA Authors have come such a long way and I think JK Rowling can take a lot of credit for offering books to teens with a stronger story line. There are so many different styles to choose from, but at the moment dystopia is my favourite. I'm not into vampire or zombie stuff either and have never read Twilight (I sometimes wonder if I'm the only one in the world who hasn't).

You aren't alone, I haven't read Twilight either lol

But we sound very similar in tastes and opinion. I didn't even finish the last Woman's Murder Club. I do enjoy other 'genre' books like The Help and Room and such, but when I want good murder type thrillers it's really hard to find them.

I did that with my niece with the Harry Potters, we really enjoyed the whole thing... eventually we queued together to get a copy each, neither of us willing to wait LOL Good Times

GR is certainly great for getting new book and author ideas though, esp as you get used to others and what they like

Ha,ha, I'm a bit of a Harry Potter fan and so is my Mum and oldest Niece. I have a full collection of hard cover books. My Niece and her friends always went to the midnight showings of the movie. I always went with Mum each year for my birthday. Then the three of us would discuss the movie and always decide that they never did justice to the books (except maybe the first one). Oh well, end of an era.

I think the reason why I'm loving the YA books at the moment is that I wished that there was such a great range when I was in my teens. I must say, though, I'd already started reading Crime by then (after growing up with all of Enid Blyton mysteries in Primary School), so my High School book reports for school were always a little different to everyone else. :^)

What great birthdays!! ... I did a Harry Potter DVD marathon, myself and my dog took over the living room with duvets and munchies and 'we' did the first 4 back to back! Whew... I was really in their world, loved it! ... and they weren't bad either, I usually don't enjoy movies after books but these were just fine :)

Gotta say it's better than being a kid, acting like one ;)

The Alienist by Caleb Carr. Hard for me to put down, really enjoy this book so far.
Also contains some pretty interesting psychological questions/debates between the main characters while trying to put together a profile of the killer.
Period Piece 1919

I just finished The Queen: A Patrick Bowers Thrillerby Steven James and enjoyed it. That entire Bowers files series (5 books now) has been wonderful reading.

Born in death by J.D. Robb

I never read that book

I just read born a serial killer not a good book

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