Cover: Scathed
(Grafton County series, #3)
by Sue Coletta
The author sent me an ARC of this book (mobi format) in exchange for an honest review (member of Rosie’s Book Review Team).
My rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (five stars)
Plot
(by Goodreads)
On a picturesque fall morning in Grafton County, New Hampshire, a brutal murder rocks the small town of Alexandria. In the backyard of a weekend getaway cabin, a dead woman is posed in red-satin, with two full-bloomed roses in place of eyes.
In her hand, a mysterious envelope addressed to Sheriff Niko Quintano. Inside, Paradox vows to kill again if his riddle isn’t solved within 24 hours.
With so little time and not enough manpower, Niko asks his wife for help. But Crime Writer Sage Quintano is dealing with her own private nightmare. Not only did she find massive amounts of blood on the mountain where she and her family reside, but a phone call from the past threatens her future—the creepy mechanical voice of John Doe, the serial killer who murdered her twin sister.
Together, can Niko and Sage solve the riddle in time to save the next victim? Or will the killer win this deadly game of survival?
| Genre(s): | Books > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Thrillers & Suspense > Crime > Kidnapping > Thrillers & Suspense > Crime > Serial Killers > Thrillers & Suspense > Crime > Murder |
| Series: | Grafton County, #3 |
| Length: | 260 pages |
| Release date: | 2018-07-25 |
Teaser
Stopping her midstream, he flashed a flat hand. “Thank you, Deputy Campanelli. A simple yes or no will suffice.”
“For your information, I was gonna say corvette. Geez. And you say my mind never leaves the gutter.”
My Opinion
This third book in the Grafton County series re-introduces you to best-selling author Sage Quintano, her husband Niko, Grafton County Sheriff, their son Noah, and to their canine kids Colt and Ruger.
With Scathed, Sue Coletta has created another extraordinary and fast-paced thriller about a woman who once again is confronted with a serial killer – close to her own home. Who has moved up to the mountain? Who kills and leaves envelopes for Sheriff Niko Quintano? 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 Scathed – it is a very compelling read; it takes you close to Sage, Niko and his partner Frankie, and to ‘the kids’. I was drawn into the story right away, very close to the protagonists. Sage and Frankie are complex and intense characters, their ways of thinking and their actions – as unusual as they may be – fit these women perfectly. The story has a great flow with some surprising (nicely integrated) turns.
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:
| Cover | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (five stars) |
| Writing | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (five stars) |
| Plot | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (five stars) |
| Characters | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (five stars) |
| Mood | Suspenseful |
| Pace | Steady |
| POV | First person – past tense |
| Language |  – 😳 (scattered mild swearwords) |
| Violence | 😡 (violent) |
| Sexual content | 😳 (some mentions and scenes) |
About the author:
.
Connect with the author:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueColetta1
Amazon: Sue Coletta
Buy links: books2read.com/u/4jDEx5
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 Scathed? Or – if you did not yet read Scathed – are you now interested in reading it yourself?
I am looking forward to reading your comments. 🙂
My train of thoughts on... 