Marred by Sue Coletta #RBRT

 

My rating:  5  of  5  stars

Plot
(by Goodreads)

When a serial killer breaks into the home of bestselling author, Sage Quintano, she barely escapes with her life. Her husband, Niko, a homicide detective, insists they move to rural New Hampshire, where he accepts a position as Grafton County Sheriff.

Sage buries secrets from that night—secrets she swears to take to her deathbed.

Three years of anguish and painful memories pass, and a grisly murder case lands on Niko’s desk. A strange caller torments Sage—she can’t outrun the past.

When Sage’s twin sister suddenly goes missing, Sage searches Niko’s case files and discovers similarities to the Boston killer. A sadistic psychopath is preying on innocent women, marring their bodies in unspeakable ways. And now, he has her sister.

Cryptic clues. Hidden messages. Is the killer hinting at his identity? Or is he trying to lure Sage into a deadly trap to end his reign of terror with a matching set of corpses?

 

Genre(s):  Thriller, Suspense, Serial Killers

Series:  n.a.

Length:  257 pages

Release Date:  2015-11-11

 

Teaser

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I fell back against the stairs, twined my arms around the railing, and stared at the white lines on my forearms. I straightened, and a thick scar on my jugular tugged at the skin. After three never-ending years, hours and hours of counseling, one small reminder – scars from the knife – and I relived that night in Boston.

The phone startled me when it rang.

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My Opinion

This book introduces you to best-selling author Sage Quintano and her husband Niko, Grafton County Sheriff.

With Marred, Sue Coletta has created an extraordinary and fast-paced thriller about a woman who barely survived an encounter with a serial killer in her own home. Three years later, she is still suffering and – the phone calls begin. The story comprises a variety of interesting characters with sufficient depth and cleverly elaborated and fast-paced interactions. Be prepared to accompany Niko and his team to some grisly crime scenes; even if the descriptions are not too stretched, you clearly see that Sue Coletta is serious about her research. I had a thrilling time reading Marred – it is a very compelling read; it takes you close to Sage, Niko and his partner Frankie. I was drawn into the story right away, very close to the protagonists. Sage, Niko and Frankie are complex characters, realistic in their ways of thinking and their actions.

This is for you if you like thrillers on serial killers, psychology, likeable and interesting characters, authors who did their homework (well-researched topics), do not shy away from gory scenes.

A very compelling read.

Highly recommended!

In brief:

Writing	Great
Plot	Full of surprises
Mood	Suspenseful
Pace	Fast-paced, steady
Characters	Developed, complex
Violence	Graphic violence
Sexual content	Some sexual content
POV	First person

 

About the author

Proud member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers, Sue Coletta is always looking for new ways to commit murder…on the page. Her forensic articles have been published in InSinC magazine and a four-thousand-word excerpt of Marred scored first placement in Murder, USA, an upcoming anthology.

She runs a popular crime website and blog, where she shares crime tips, police jargon, and anything and everything in between. If you search her achieves, you’ll find posts from guests that work in law enforcement, forensics, coroner, undercover operatives, firearm experts…crime, crime, and more crime. If you’re a writer with murder in your plot, pick up a free copy of 60 Ways To Murder Your Fictional Characters.

For readers, she has the Crime Lover’s Lounge, where subscribers will be the first to know about free giveaways, contests, and have inside access to deleted scenes. As an added bonus, members will get to play in the lounge. Your secret code will unlock the virtual door. Inside, like-minded folks can discuss their favorite crime novels, solve mindbender puzzles, and/or relax and chat. Most importantly, have fun.

 

Connect with the Author:

Website:  http://www.suecoletta.com/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/SueColetta1

Amazon:  Sue Coletta

Amazon (US):  buy link

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Please take a look at my statement on reading in My train of thoughts on …reading.  Now I am asking you.  🙂

My questions for you bibliophiles:
What about you? What did you think about Marred? Or – if you did not yet read Marred – are you now interested in reading it yourself?

My question for you cinephiles:
If Marred was filmed – who should direct it, who could you imagine as actors?

I am looking forward to reading your comments.  🙂