Sweetheart
by Chelsea Cain
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Book Reviews of Sweetheart
Book Review: Sequel but not equal
Summary: 2 Stars
No writer would have found it easy to follow a book like _Heartsick_. It was, however, Cain's project, and it was hers to fumble. Sadly, that's exactly what she did. The underlying story is a nuts-and-bolts thriller/murder mystery with relatively little to lift it above thousands of others of its genre. The theoretical draw - which, in this sequel, becomes a literal bait-and-switch and is the sole reason the book leapt onto the NY Times bestseller list -- was the chilling and complex relationship between Cain's serial killer and the detective who tracks her down in _Heartsick_. In that novel, in fact, Cain did a remarkable job with her characters--all the more impressive in a genre in which characterization is generally weak (when it isn't entirely neglected)--and with her masterfully deployed plot. The problem is that _Sweetheart_ isn't really a sequel; it's simply a continuation of _Heartsick_, and not a particularly intriguing one at that. If you haven't read _Heartsick_, the intense psychological back story that Cain so painstakingly developed in that novel is all but missing from _Sweetheart_, as is most of what motivates the characters; indeed, Cain attempts to fill in missing information and bring the uninitiated reader up to speed, but the effort is flat, annoying, and graceless. Sure, she had to do it if she wanted to publish _Sweetheart_ as a separate novel, but _Sweetheart_ is such a hack job in comparison to _Heartsick_ that the reader faithful enough to buy a second book might be forgiven for wishing Cain had been a little more considerate.Book Review: exhilarating police procedural
Summary: 4 Stars
Emotionally scarred detective Archie Sheridan returns to his hometown of Portland, Oregon hoping to find some peace, but doubts he will succeed. He feels deranged as he still dreams of serial killer Gretchen Lowell as his SWEETHEART although he no longer visits her as he did weekly when she was first incarcerated. He hopes work will help him forget his deranged HEARTSICK mind starting with the murder at Forest Park; the place where Lowell left her first victim.
While Archie battles with his mental state, Herald reporter Susan Ward writes an article accusing U.S. senator Castle of seducing the then fourteen year old babysitter of his children ten years ago. Two more corpses are found in Forest Park and Gretchen escapes from prison. When Castle dies, Susan finds a connection between his sex scandal and the park deaths. When Gretchen escapes from prison, Archie knows he must confront the Beauty Killer who he is obsessed over before she begins a second serial killing spree.
This is an exhilarating police procedural sequel due to the emotional relationship between Gretchen and Archie who understand one another. The story line is fast-paced and filled with action as the subplots tie together, but it is the odd coupling as it was in HEARTSICK that makes SWEETHEART a must read.
Harriet Klausner
Book Review: Well done!
Summary: 5 Stars
Sequels have to be the hardest kind of stories to write. There's so much to overcome. There's the "been there, done that" aspect of the interplay between the characters. There's having to repeat much of the backstory, so that the book can stand alone.......good luck making THAT interesting. There's knowing that readers of the first novel will be split between those who want story continuity and those who crave novelty. And there's twice the pressure to finish it quickly.
I believe one has to take these very elemental issues into account when reviewing a sequel.
"Sweetheart" was a solid read, well imagined and executed, given the above constraints. Sure, I skimmed occasionally,during the requisite back-story infodumps and revisited character development, but then, I ALWAYS do.
I won't bore you with story details, as there is already too much of that in the previous reviews. Suffice to say that I read this book with relish and was never disappointed. Cain has a quirky sense of humor that shows itself at all the right times, a natural story teller's feel for timing, and a knack for putting the reader in the scene.
Final note, (and a review all of its own), my wife hugged this book every time she picked it up. :-)
Book Review: Book #2 of a Possible Trilogy????
Summary: 4 Stars
Chelsea Cain's earlier book Heartsick, introduced us to the pill popping, Portland cop Archie Sheridan, and serial killer Gretchen Lowell, who murdered over 200 people. Her latest book, Sweetheart, continues the characters created in the first book. This review is based on the audio version which has a great reader.
This story, #2 of what I suspect will be a trilogy, takes place two months after the last story ended. Archie Sheridan, is still a physical and mental mess. He finds his marriage and family life on the rocks, and he is back investigating what could be a new serial killer, with 3 bodies found in a local park.
In this book we learn how Gretchen and Archie's relationship began. There are a few sub-plots within the serial killer story, however, the author does a good job of blending the stories.
Sweetheart is fast paced and has the same characters as the previous book and a few new ones. The author does a good job of bringing the reader up to speed in case they have not read the first book. This book can be read alone, but I would recommend reading Heartsick first. A word of should beware of the fact that there is a lot of graphic violence and profanity in both of these books.
Book Review: Huge Archie Sheridan Fan!
Summary: 4 Stars
In Cain's follow up to HEARTSICK, we find Portland Detective Archie Sheridan still getting over from his "encounter" with serial killer Gretchen Lowell of two months prior. This is virtually impossible, however, as Archie an Gretchen have a twisted sadistic bond that runs deep.A woman's body is found in Forest Park, the same location of the first of Gretchen's Beauty Killings ten years ago. Archie can't help but believe the murders are related, but since Gretchen is in prison it seems to be impossible. Archie begins to work with Susan Ward, a reporter, and when they uncover the identity of the body it becomes a high-profile case. But when Gretchen escapes from prison, Archie is unable to focus on the case. He knows he is the only one that can bring in Gretchen, once and for all. But just how much is he willing to sacrifice? He almost lost his life once, is her apprehension worth risking it again? Just like HEARTSICK, SWEETHEART pulls you in from the first few lines. The storyline is faced paced and powerful. The various sub plots slowly weave together, and the ending appears with the reader begging for more. I sincerely hope Cain has another Archie Sheridan book up her sleeves. The demand definitely exists!