Copyright: 2007
Pages: 512 (hardback edition)
Setting/Type: Contemporary/Romantic Suspense
Grade: A
COME TO ME
The first victim is found in a snow-covered Philadelphia field. Detective Vito Ciccotelli enlists the aid of archaeologist Sophie Johannsen to determine exactly what lies beneath the frozen ground. Despite years of unearthing things long buried, nothing can prepare Sophie for the matrix of graves dug with chilling precision. The victims buried there haunt her. But the empty graves terrify her-the killer isn’t done yet.
SCREAM FOR ME
He is cold and calculating, the master of a twisted game. Even with Vito and Sophie hot on his trail, he will not stop. One more empty grave must be filled, and one last scream must be heard-the scream of an archaeologist who is too close for comfort and too near to resist…
DIE FOR ME
I am always astonished about what Karen Rose comes up with next. This time she has outdone herself again. The killer is a sadistic SOB that “specializes” in medieval inquisition practices. In order to make figures and scenes of computer games more realistic and alive, he films his victims during their torture and then captures their dying moments in paint.
This time I have definitely reached the limits of my personal comfort zone. Betimes the scenes and ordeals of the victims were described so vividly that I was hugely tempted to skip those pages. I also wondered how far I am willing to go to read a Karen Rose. It’s no secret I adore her, but if her descriptions get any more graphic and horrible, I am tempted to not read her anymore.
Furthermore I always wonder about the imagination of a person and how somebody can COME UP with ideas like that. That’s definitely beyond me and one more reason why I never touch any horror movies and books.
On the other hand, the love-story between Vito and Sophie is so wonderful, romantic and deep-going that it made up for a lot in the “ick”-department. I am always amazed how sexy and deeply erotic Ms Rose’s love scenes are, even though they never cross the border to become real R-rated moments. Sophie is a marvelous heroine with a complicated and tragic past. Because of one mistake she had to fight twice as hardly to get where she is today. Vito has a more out-going personality but he, too, had suffered a great loss in the past and struggles to overcome it. Together they were simply perfect and involved me deeply and wholly in the story.
To sum it up, this book is fantastic and I am glad I read it, despite medieval torture practices and a freaked-villain that nearly made me check my cupboard for spooky ghosts.
I think I gave it an A too, Kat. I loved this book and Sophie was soooo wonderful (well, she was an archaeologist! :P ). Everything was perfect: the h/h relationship, the dialogues, the family, the vilain,… I actually wanted more and this does not happen that often (except lately for Sugar Daddy).
The medieval torture details were a plus for me since I was interested about the Inquisition some years ago but I can understand you were not confortable with them. At some point I had to make a pause, my imagination was becoming too vivid and I was home alone.
Now, I only have a problem… This woman should write faster! :)
How can you be interested in medieval torture techniques?????? History buff or not. It’s simply revolting. Otherwise the book was perfect. LOVED LOVED LOVED the h/h.
You would be surprised to know how many people (history buffs or not) are interested in torture devices and techniques. ;-) I remember there was a huge exhibition about it when I was a student and it was crowded all the time!
I tried to search some infos about her upcoming books and there’s nothing in her site or her blog…*sigh*
Well, it sounds scary but great!
Alex this is just gross. Makes you wonder how many truly sick persons are out there. What is really frightening about this book, is, that it could very well be true. And you are right, Rosario, you need to be in the mood for it, but you won’t be disappointed.
LOL Not gross at all and in the majority of the cases it’s just curiosity.:) The bizarre always attracts lots of attention.
I don’t consider myself a “sick person”, thank you.
LOL, I don’t consider you to be a sick person either. But I am sure there are people out there like the villain who truly enjoy reading about those tortures because of sadistic reasons. Even if I was a historian I couldn’t truly research this matter, I would have nightmares for ages.