I am the Night by Ethan Cross
Originally Published 2011 as The Shepherd
Shepherd Thriller #1 or Ackerman Thriller #1

Graphic, gritty and gruesome some of the opening scenes had me cringing and thinking about not continuing the story BUT I chose to keep going even though I wondered how Ackerman could do the things he did. I did eventually find out a bit about Francis Ackerman Jr. but am sure there is more to be learned in future books. Then there was Marcus Williams – a man that seemed the complete opposite of Ackerman. Why are they in the same book and what purpose, if anything, will their meeting up have. Once I got into the story I couldn’t put it down and have to say I am eager to tackle book two if/when I find a copy to read.

What I liked:
* The writing: felt like I was there within the story
* The twists and turns – there were many
* That I was surprised at the end of the story – I tend to read the end before I reach the last page and was still surprised
* Marcus: a good man that carried a heavy weight
* Ackerman: in spite of how wicked he was he grew on me and I really want to see what will happen to him as the series progresses.
* That though this is a serial killer story it is not like most of its genre
* That I will be thinking about this story for quite a while.

What I did not like:
* Ackerman’s father – a heinous creature even more evil than his son
* That so many suffered and lost their lives…painfully

Did I enjoy this book? In the end I really did…in spite of the cringing and wanting to look through my fingers at times
Would I read more by this author/in this series? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus-Aria for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars ( )

Read this book in one day.
On the one hand that's a good sign, for it was interesting enough to keep me readingwanting to know how the story ended.
On the other hand, reading it till the end I was left with a sense of disappointment. The end was not what I had hoped for, felt like the author was stuck and fabricated an ending just to get out of the story. ( )

The Shepherd. Ethan Cross. 2011. There was not enough plot or character development this novel to keep me interested. I had high hopes for a really good serial murder book like Silence of the Lambs, I get bored with the lack of anything but gruesome violence. I didn’t find it “intense” or “superbly crafted.” I think I tried to read a prequel to this that didn’t work either ( )

In Cross’ mystery novel, ex-cop Marcus Williams is familiar with the pain of a broken career and the feeling of overwhelming guilt. But with notorious serial killer Francis Ackerman makes Marcus’s Colorado town his own personal playground, Marcus puts his feelings aside and teams with the local sheriff to put an end to the crime spree. But soon Marcus finds himself on the other side of the sheriff and the lines between good and bad become blurred. Tapping into his darkest instincts, Marcus moves forward determined to end the nightmare even if it costs him everything.

A fast-paced hard to put down read. ( )

The Shepherd is an action-packed thriller that will keep you interested until the very end.

Marcus Williams is an ex-cop who has seen his fair share of human brutality. He has inherited a house from his aunt and begins to settle into the quaint and charming town when he finds himself on a path he has no control over.

After getting into a fight with some locals while walking the Sheriff's daughter, Maggie, home, we learn of Marcus's skill in combat and his quick thinking actions in high adrenaline situations. Maggie and Marcus begin to look forward to their future together, each seeing in the other a magnetic spark. After Maggie takes Marcus to meet his next door neighbour, they learn that the sweet kind grandmother has been brutally murdered. From here things begin to escalate and the powers in control are dancing the unbeknownst players like puppets.

Francis Ackerman Jr. is a intelligent and good looking, however, he is also sadistic, brutal and a serial killer, a very good serial killer. He likes to play games with his victims, play with their minds, and make them do horrific things in order to survive. If the victims play by the rules, he allows them to live to win his game, however, Francis Ackerman never loses. When Francis comes to realize that he is a pawn in a game he did not create, he realizes that the stakes have become greater and while he is willing to play, he first, needs to change a few rules.

As good and evil come together to figure out the reason fate has joined them on this mission, we are caught up in the turmoil and the aftermath, and taking on a ride through hell and back. Who do you trust?? How does the government play into all this?? Who holds the strings that makes everyone dance?? Francis and Marcus are lead to the answers, with one believing he could be good if his need to be evil wasn't precipitated and the other who believes he could be evil, if he was to release the control he keeps upon his soul. Together the two must wrestle their own demons to find the truth about why they have become who they are.

I liked The Shepherd very much and found it to be an easy read, however, the crime scenes are descriptive in their brutal nature, if you are squeamish, be forewarned. I found the character of Ackerman to be well-written, and very believable as the serial killer. I felt torn between liking him and being repulsed by him. I liked how even though he was a serial killer, he had a side to him that was almost humane, there were a few testimonies of this throughout the story. I liked the fast paced plot and the flow of the story was good, without much back-tracking to keep everyone in mind. I enjoyed how the characters were well distinguished from the other.

I didn't like how Maggie was introduced in the story near the beginning and then you hear nothing about her for most of the story. The explanation before the mad hatter chaos ensued wasn't enough for me to have her ignored for most of the story after building her up to be a larger part, even though she is eventually re-introduced, you almost forget about her until she does. I'm also not sure if I liked the government conspiracy and the serial killer aspect, I think one or the other would have made a more enriching story instead of entwining the two together, but that is just me, and others may not find a problem with the two crossing together. All in all, the book is not a disappoint and you will find enjoyment in reading its pages if you like intelligent thrillers with some gore. ( )