The notorious "Beauty Killer," Gretchen Lowell, has escaped from prison and seems to have wasted no time in savagely claiming more victims in the Portland, Oregon, area. Archie Sheridan, the detective who is Gretchen's only surviving victim, is in a psychiatric hospital, scarred mentally and physically from their last encounter, shortly after her escape. Gretchen has developed a "relationship" with him in her own twisted way, and when it becomes obvious that Archie is no longer safe in the hospital, he checks himself out to join the task force. As the only person who has spent any length of time with Gretchen and survived, he's a valuable asset in the case, even as he risks his own life and sanity.

But something about the recent murders is different -- out of character for the meticulous, creative Gretchen. She seems to be revisiting her crime scenes, and Archie begins to suspect that one of her "fans," inspired by the media frenzy surrounding the charismatic killer, may be following in Gretchen's bloody footsteps. Now he and the task force are not only looking for Gretchen, but for a similarly unbalanced and violent copycat.

The third book in this chilling series is just as graphic and disturbing as fans have come to expect. Not for the squeamish, the story is kept from complete grimness by dark "cop humor" and Susan Ward's welcome return as an overly curious reporter. It's probably best to read the first two books -- HEARTSICK and SWEETHEART -- before this one to fully appreciate the characters, and particularly the relationship between Archie and Gretchen, which is horribly fascinating -- like a bad car accident that you can't help but stare at. I have to admit, as good as this series is, I'm starting to feel that Archie deserves to move on and get some closure and that sometimes "less is more" in regard to torture details. But as long as Gretchen is on the run and Archie is after her, I'll be following...at a safe distance.

Book Summary

Gretchen Lowell is still on the loose. These days, she’s more of a cause célèbre than a feared killer, thanks to sensationalist news coverage that has made her a star. Her face graces magazine covers weekly and there have been sightings of her around the world. Most shocking of all, Portland Herald reporter Susan Ward has uncovered a bizarre kind of fan club, which celebrates the number of days she’s been free.

Archie Sheridan hunted her for a decade, and after his last ploy to catch her went spectacularly wrong, remains hospitalized months later. When they last spoke, they entered a détente of sorts--- Archie agreed not to kill himself if she agreed not to kill anyone else. But when a new body is found accompanied by Gretchen’s trademark heart, all bets are off and Archie is forced back into action. Has the Beauty Killer returned to her gruesome ways, or has the cult surrounding her created a whole new evil?

Chelsea Cain continues to deliver heart-stopping thrills and chills in the latest entry in this dynamic bestselling series.