Evil at Heart- Chelsea Cain

Evil at Heart- Chelsea Cain



From Goodreads- Chelsea Cain’s novels featuring Portland detective Archie Sheridan and serial killer Gretchen Lowell have captivated fans through two nail-biting entries, Heartsick and Sweetheart, both of them multiweek bestsellers in The New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly.

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?


This is the third book in the Gretchen Lowell series, and it's just as good as its predecessors. I have to give credit to author Chelsea Cain, she has not lost steam in the the story of Gretchen, and Archie. In this book, Gretchen is still on the loose after escaping from prison, and Archie is in a mental hospital trying to get over his obsession with Gretchen, and addiction to vicodin. Since her escape Gretchen has become a celebrity, with fan clubs dedicated to her, and bus tours with huge picture of her plastered on the side of the bus. When the murders start up again, everybody believes it's Gretchen, the Beauty Killer, but something isn't quite right. Could it be the work of a copy-cat killer?

I really thought it was a great book. It was thrilling, suspenseful, and at times scary. The story moved along effortlessly, and the short chapters made for a quick read. After reading book 1 and book 2, I really feel like I know the characters. Archie, Susan, Gretchen, and Henry, are written whole, you get there personalities, you know who they are. Chelsea Cain has always stayed true to that, which makes you appreciate the story more.

Evil at Heart is another great book, added to a great series. If you are looking for a great thriller I recommend the Gretchen Lowell series.

Rating: 4/5