Helpful Score: 4
Special Agent Karen Vail is a profiler with the FBI on the hunt for a serial killer. The killer is nicknamed Dead Eyes by the task force searching for him because of the way his victims eyes are stabbed with steak knives. Vail's struggle to remain human when she is exposed to such brutality is only complicated by problems in her personal life: she is in the midst of a nasty divorce from an abusive husband, and struggles as a single mother to a teenage son.
The blurbs on the book's cover and the considerable publicity surrounding focus on the extensive research the author did into the operations of the FBI's profiling unit. This research pays off in this book, as the terminology and processes used makes those aspects of the story ring true. However, some of the plot twists do not. I can't say anything more because I don't want to give away the surprises, but I found the ending a bit too contrived. Also, the chapters focusing on the serial killer's perspective are silly rather than scary and too frequently sprinkled in - after the third chapter it is clear that killer thinks women are *****es and wants to rid them of their eyeballs, yet the reader is reminded of these things in chapter after chapter.
Fortunately Karen Vail and her team of agents and cops are likable and more realistic than the killer. They propel along the entertaining if somewhat implausible story. This book should appeal to fans of Thomas Harris, Stephen White, and others who enjoy stories about the minds of serial killers.
The blurbs on the book's cover and the considerable publicity surrounding focus on the extensive research the author did into the operations of the FBI's profiling unit. This research pays off in this book, as the terminology and processes used makes those aspects of the story ring true. However, some of the plot twists do not. I can't say anything more because I don't want to give away the surprises, but I found the ending a bit too contrived. Also, the chapters focusing on the serial killer's perspective are silly rather than scary and too frequently sprinkled in - after the third chapter it is clear that killer thinks women are *****es and wants to rid them of their eyeballs, yet the reader is reminded of these things in chapter after chapter.
Fortunately Karen Vail and her team of agents and cops are likable and more realistic than the killer. They propel along the entertaining if somewhat implausible story. This book should appeal to fans of Thomas Harris, Stephen White, and others who enjoy stories about the minds of serial killers.
Helpful Score: 3
Book Review for The 7th Victim Alan Jacobson
I have to sneak in reading time wherever I can, whenever I can. I just feel sad that I wasted so much of that precious time that I could have been reading a good book on this one. There are very, very few books that I pick up that I don't finish. I just could NOT force myself to waste another minute on it. I was bored in the beginning but continued on because some books take a while to get into. For me, this one never picked up steam. I had heard it read like a Harlan Coben or Stephen White type of book, but I think that was being way too generous. Sorry, I just can't write a pretty little review of this one. :(
To each his own though. I am sure there will be many of you who will disagree and that is the wonderful thing about imagination and the differences in people's opinions and tastes.
I have to sneak in reading time wherever I can, whenever I can. I just feel sad that I wasted so much of that precious time that I could have been reading a good book on this one. There are very, very few books that I pick up that I don't finish. I just could NOT force myself to waste another minute on it. I was bored in the beginning but continued on because some books take a while to get into. For me, this one never picked up steam. I had heard it read like a Harlan Coben or Stephen White type of book, but I think that was being way too generous. Sorry, I just can't write a pretty little review of this one. :(
To each his own though. I am sure there will be many of you who will disagree and that is the wonderful thing about imagination and the differences in people's opinions and tastes.
Helpful Score: 3
I seldom write reviews but this book inspired me to break my pattern. Without spoiling a reading for an unspecting or perhaps less critical reader, I need to respond to the quality of the content. I've been a fan of well constructed mystery and crime plots, both in books and video form. This particular episode gives a whole new meaning to the term pulp fiction.
In what may be an early work of the author, the plot builds one improbability upon another like stacking toy blocks to see how high they'll go before it all falls down. The law enforcement characters often speak in sophomoric fashion that would best be received by (well . . .)a 2nd year high school student. The technology used in the plot is modern but the attitudes are embarrassingly unprofessional at times.
After a while the tortured plot twists are fairly predictable if you ask yourself the question: "What is the least likely and most unrealistically thing that's going to happen next. And 9 times out of ten, that's what it will be. It'll only be a surprise to the reader if they fall into a torpor before reaching it. You may find it a book well worth reading if only to be able to reach the end of it.
I hope Karen Vail and her crew grow up before Volume 3 of the series. Oh, yes, I would relish a rebuttal and perhaps an explanation.
Time to do a bit of quality reading!
In what may be an early work of the author, the plot builds one improbability upon another like stacking toy blocks to see how high they'll go before it all falls down. The law enforcement characters often speak in sophomoric fashion that would best be received by (well . . .)a 2nd year high school student. The technology used in the plot is modern but the attitudes are embarrassingly unprofessional at times.
After a while the tortured plot twists are fairly predictable if you ask yourself the question: "What is the least likely and most unrealistically thing that's going to happen next. And 9 times out of ten, that's what it will be. It'll only be a surprise to the reader if they fall into a torpor before reaching it. You may find it a book well worth reading if only to be able to reach the end of it.
I hope Karen Vail and her crew grow up before Volume 3 of the series. Oh, yes, I would relish a rebuttal and perhaps an explanation.
Time to do a bit of quality reading!
Helpful Score: 1
I must say I was a bit disappointed in this book. My first Alan Jacobson book was False Accusations and it blew my socks off. I expected the same from The 7th Victim but it was not to be. This story didn't really get into character development. It just sort of lopped along and became somewhat predictable. You never really get into the mind of the killer as in so many psychological thrillers and you don't really feel for the characters.
Helpful Score: 1
3.0 out of 5 stars Cliche-ridden psycho killer thriller disappoints..., June 30, 2010
This review is from: The 7th Victim (Hardcover)
As other readers have remarked, this book was full of unbelievable co-incidences, tired plot devices, and tepid characters. Riddled with cliches, the novel is overlong and filled with redundant details and minutiae that most of us who read this genre are quite familiar with.
Karen Vail is the only female FBI profiler in the BAU and is working on a case that has been dubbed "Dead Eyes Killer" by the rest of those on the task force. Working with them, she is faced with trying to figure out why there is an increase in the killer's activities but ends up being implicated in the case. As the killing escalates, the task force is slowly but surely trying to find the killer and prevent further murders. The narrative moves forward slowly with lots of background about the nature and function of profiling as part of the investigatory activity of the FBI when faced with a serial killer.
The revelations during the investigation are peripheral as most of the story centers on all the different facets of Karen's life -- an abusive ex husband, a contentious divorce, a custody battle, a son in the hospital, a mother with Alzheimer's -- well is it any wonder that Karen is distracted?! Oh, and of course there's a romance in the midst of all this horror!
Now -- your guess -- does the killer come after Karen? I was disappointed when, yet again, the killer marked the female agent involved in the case. She is to be victim number seven.
As far as I can tell, if you are a fan of the psycho killer, thriller chiller suspense novel -- you've already basically read this one. Borrow, don't buy.
This review is from: The 7th Victim (Hardcover)
As other readers have remarked, this book was full of unbelievable co-incidences, tired plot devices, and tepid characters. Riddled with cliches, the novel is overlong and filled with redundant details and minutiae that most of us who read this genre are quite familiar with.
Karen Vail is the only female FBI profiler in the BAU and is working on a case that has been dubbed "Dead Eyes Killer" by the rest of those on the task force. Working with them, she is faced with trying to figure out why there is an increase in the killer's activities but ends up being implicated in the case. As the killing escalates, the task force is slowly but surely trying to find the killer and prevent further murders. The narrative moves forward slowly with lots of background about the nature and function of profiling as part of the investigatory activity of the FBI when faced with a serial killer.
The revelations during the investigation are peripheral as most of the story centers on all the different facets of Karen's life -- an abusive ex husband, a contentious divorce, a custody battle, a son in the hospital, a mother with Alzheimer's -- well is it any wonder that Karen is distracted?! Oh, and of course there's a romance in the midst of all this horror!
Now -- your guess -- does the killer come after Karen? I was disappointed when, yet again, the killer marked the female agent involved in the case. She is to be victim number seven.
As far as I can tell, if you are a fan of the psycho killer, thriller chiller suspense novel -- you've already basically read this one. Borrow, don't buy.
FBI Special Agent Karen Vail works the case of the Dead Eyes killer, who's on a killing spree performing grotesque killings on young brunettes. Despite her troubled private life, her divorce from an abusive husband, her worries about her son Jonathan and an old and sick mother, she doesn't seem to make any progress in finding the killer without evidence that might lead to his identity.
By accident she learns that the woman who raised her is not her biological mother she confronts her today high positioned mother with her identity only to learn a few hours later that she was the killers 7th target and "Dead Eyes" seems to be interested in Karen as well.
Desperately searching for the connection between herself, her dead mother and the killer she needs to uncover her past that seems to be buried in the mind of her aunt who raised her. Only thing is, she's got Alzheimer's.
Karen's journey into the past leads her towards the killer but nothing she could ever have imagined is about to reveal.
-
Despite all the positive reviews about The 7th Victim I found myself in a more critical spot. At times I bored myself through the book hoping to find the excitement on the next page. Sometimes the author made the cut due to on the cover mentioned 7 year study in the profiling unit but sometimes it just didn't sound reasonable to me or just common sense to come to the same conclusion as the profiler did.
The book has certain chapters about the killer and his past but ultimately they gave me nothing and I couldn't find the purpose of those except maybe as page filler.
I hated the ending which one might imagine quite interesting (especially considering the 7 year research the author did) but ultimately fell flat and predictable.
One might argue if real life studies might have influenced the ending but when writing fiction it doesn't mean the ending has to be unspectacular.
By accident she learns that the woman who raised her is not her biological mother she confronts her today high positioned mother with her identity only to learn a few hours later that she was the killers 7th target and "Dead Eyes" seems to be interested in Karen as well.
Desperately searching for the connection between herself, her dead mother and the killer she needs to uncover her past that seems to be buried in the mind of her aunt who raised her. Only thing is, she's got Alzheimer's.
Karen's journey into the past leads her towards the killer but nothing she could ever have imagined is about to reveal.
-
Despite all the positive reviews about The 7th Victim I found myself in a more critical spot. At times I bored myself through the book hoping to find the excitement on the next page. Sometimes the author made the cut due to on the cover mentioned 7 year study in the profiling unit but sometimes it just didn't sound reasonable to me or just common sense to come to the same conclusion as the profiler did.
The book has certain chapters about the killer and his past but ultimately they gave me nothing and I couldn't find the purpose of those except maybe as page filler.
I hated the ending which one might imagine quite interesting (especially considering the 7 year research the author did) but ultimately fell flat and predictable.
One might argue if real life studies might have influenced the ending but when writing fiction it doesn't mean the ending has to be unspectacular.
Awesome book!! Rather bloody but one that will keep you on your toes. I enjoyed this and look forward to reading more by this author.
This is a good story that moves at a good pace. The main character is a profiler but being female she gets some pushback from the old school male members of the group, including her boss. They are trying to catch a serial killer who kills women and in the process establishes a pattern of taking certain body parts from every woman murdered. The story includes the profiler's personal struggles as well. I liked her and the story.
I didn't even finish reading it. The protagonist, Karen Vail, was pretty stupid for a trained FBI agent. She made so many stupid errors in the first 100 pages of the book and it focused way more on her personal life than on the crimes. Poor material.
Excellent reading! Bold characters and a plot that just doesn't quit until the very last page.
