Rusty Nail by JA Konrath

From the Publisher

"Lt. Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels of the Chicago Police Department is back, and once again she's up to her Armani in murder. Someone is sending Jack snuff videos. The victims are people she knows, and they share a common trait - each was involved in one of Jack's previous cases. With her stalwart partner, Herb, hospitalized and unable to help, Jack follows a trail of death throughout the Midwest, on a collision course with the smartest and deadliest adversary she has ever known." During the chase, Jack jeopardizes her career, her love life, and the lives of her closest friends. She also comes to a startling realization - serial killers have families, and blood runs thick.

My Comments: I really didn't want to put this book down. And from page 160 on, I practically didn't. As soon as the kids got to bed, I read and enjoyed this roller coaster ride. It was a late night, but oh so worth it!

Now, these books are violent. They are macabre. They are very graphic. But somehow, Konrath blends the horror with just enough humor to keep me coming back and looking forward to the next. The characters are so vivid I could picture them in my living room. Which is a treat in the case of Jack, Herb and even Harry, but not so much The Gingerbread Man or Alex Kork!

I've had a hard time talking my husband into reading this series. Unfortunately, in my shock and horror I read him a particularly gory scene from Bloody Mary and he hasn't really shown much interest since. I'm not one who enjoys reading gore. The torture scenes are, well, torture! I can't explain well enough in words how fabulous this series is. That it's so much more then the troubling serial killer's and their antics.

Last night, my husband laughed at me as I ooo'ed and ahhhh'ed and groaned on frustration and cheered in jubilation during the last 50 pages in this book. I don't remember ever going back and forth so much in emotion and being so caught up in a story since Harlan Coben's Gone For Good.

I try very hard to stay vague enough about the plot so I don't ruin anything for anyone. But I do have to say that this one ends happily ever after. After all that poor Jack went through in this one, she deserved it!

And lucky me! It must be kismet! Dirty Martini was released today! I think we were meant to be together, don't you?

Keep It Or Pass It On? I'm hanging on to this series for a while... Maybe I'll talk my husband into reading them after all!