Killing Fear

Killing Fear by Allison Brennan

4.5 Stars



Synopsis:

Seven years ago, Theodore Lawrence Glenn was convicted of murdering four exotic dancers and swore revenge against those responsible for his imprisonment. Now he has escaped and Robin McKenna, the main prosecution witness, and Will Hooper, the detective who put Glenn away, are reunited and must get past their personal issues if they are to survive the machinations of this sadistic killer.



Review:

Wow! This book is incredibly gritty and realistic. The plot has several intertwined threads that come together to form a strong and cohesive whole. Some of the past events are told in flashback, which reinforces characterization and does not distract the reader from the progression of the present day storyline.



The author does not shy away from portraying both the personal and professional weaknesses of her characters. Robin and Will’s relationship, past and present, is intensely emotional and engrossing. She is strong and independent heroine whose success is even more significant given the adversity she has faced while he is prototypical ladies’ man who has finally met his match. The sociopathic Glenn is also a phenomenal character and one of the most diabolical villains I have ever encountered. Nevertheless, some of the secondary characters could have been better developed, as the lack of sufficient detail regarding their backgrounds makes it difficult to fully grasp the import of certain developments within the investigative subplot.



In sum, a fast-paced and exciting read with riveting twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. Be warned, once you pick it up it will be very difficult to put it down again.



( )

Theodore Glen always gets what he wants. He wanted Robin McKenna, when she was a stripper, but she does not trust him and tries to warn the girls that works with her to be careful. Her feeling were right when the girls that dated Theodore are found murdered.

Theodore went to prison for multiple murders. He escapes when an earthquake crumbles the prison. He wants Robin McKenna in the worst way. He will torture her for not wanting him.

Seven years ago, Detective Will Hooper started having feelings for Robin, but after questioning her about her relationship with Theodore their own relationship drastically grew apart. Will Hooper is back on the case.

Theodore is smart and enjoys playing the game. Will and Robin become the next targets for Theodore.

The story is fast paced and interesting. I kept on wanting to know what was going to happen next. There are parts of the book that are gruesome but not that gruesome that I was turned off the book. All in all, it was a good book. ( )

A very good story with some very nail-biting suspense. ( )

Book #1 in the Prison Break series by this author. I received an advance copy of book #3 as part of the Early Reviewers Group, and couldn't read that until I read books #1 and 2.

As the start of a new series, there isn't much that is new here, but the author does tell her story well. The characters don't make much sense yet, they have a long history and are thrown back together when an earthquake allows a convicted murderer to escape from prison. Attempts to recapture him and the subsequent crimes he commits give the action part of the book lots of energy, but I haven't figured out the back story yet, nor do I see how this will evolve into a series. The book is well written and the pace is good, the writer keeps you turning the pages as each new development emerges. On to Book #2, Tempting Evil........ ( )

This is not a genre that I frequently read. I find books of this nature to be morbid and disturbing. If I want to learn about psychos butchering other people; I will watch the evening news. But, anyway…….

I won the third book in the series from the Early Reviewer program. I purchased book one and two to read before I read my free copy. (I am physically incapable of reading a series out of order). J

This was a pretty good read. Interesting. It felt a little….long-winded. There was A LOT of other characters to keep up with. It was not confusing, but the narration jumped between quite a few different people and it grew tiresome keeping track of them. This was the first novel that I have read by this author, and I developed a sneaking suspicion that the reason for the excess in characters was due to the fact that they were main characters from her other books. I did some research….and, yep…..they were.

One of the good things about this series (and I believe her other series as well) is it appears they do not have to be read in order. While some characters from other books will make an appearance, the main characters differ in the subsequent novels. Since this is not my normal choice of reading material, I MAY skip over the second novel for now. (Even though that is difficult for me).

The most interesting character in the book is actually a very minor side character named Nico. I would certainly like to see a novel devoted to him alone. ( )