Murder

Meg Gardiner knows how to tell a story! She does an excellent job at setting the scene and introducing the characters. Just as you settle in the for story, she hits the gas and makes you hold on for dear life until the end of the book. The main idea of the crimes has been used before numerous times, but Gardiner gives it her own twist. Even if you've read books with similar themes, this one will feel fresh and new. My only complaint is that I didn't want to put it down, so I read it in two sittings! With Gardiner, though, I have come to learn that there is no lingering over the book. Fasten your seatbelt and hold on! It's gonna be an awesome ride! ( )

Really good, compelling and exciting. ( )

I am going to use the word good - good read, good story, good characters - good. Give it a try! ( )

I purchased Unsub at the peak of its hype, when trusted book bloggers were calling it one of the year’s best reads. I’m sad to report that I’m disappointed in this procedural, which has pacing issues until about the last third, and maybe after that. The writing is on par with what I expect from a seasoned author in terms of description and flow, but the plot feels derivative. In particular, the scene with the blinked Morse code clue, which is straight out of the movie Untraceable.

Characters, with the exception of Deralynn—who reminded me of what I think Michelle McNamara must have been like with the Golden State Killer case—are somewhat thin, predictably introduced in brief before becoming “The Prophet’s” next victim.

The dynamic between Caitlyn and her ex-cop father seemed like a convenient device for her to be catapulted from the role of homicide rookie to basically running the serial killer case, her first ever murder investigation. I felt she was given too much latitude and responsibility for a newly anointed homicide detective, but she’s the hero, right? It’s a minor crit. Her and Sean’s romantic relationship didn’t do much for me, either, which made the climax, well, anti-climactic. While Unsub has a large cast, I didn’t identify with anyone.

There are, however, some great scenes. The birds in the car! And I’m a sucker for anything Dante, so the tie-ins to the circles of Hell and the prophet’s MO seemed purposeful and well thought out. I read a ton of true crime, suspense, and thrillers, so I’m going to be overly harsh on what passes for original. This one misses quite a few marks for me, and if it hadn’t been so highly praised, I might have opted to read something I enjoyed more. If you’re looking for a serial killer procedural, you could probably do worse than Unsub, but you could probably also do better. ( )