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Heartsick (Archie and Gretchen, Bk 1)
Heartsick - Archie and Gretchen, Bk 1
Author: Chelsea Cain
A Living Nightmare — Portland detective Archie Sheridan spent years tracking Gretchen Lowell, a beautiful and brutal serial killer. In the end, she was the one who caught him -- and tortured him -- and then let him go. Why did Gretchen spare Archie's life and then turn herself in? This is the question that keeps him up all night -- and the reason...  more »
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PBS Market Price: $8.09 or $4.19+1 credit
ISBN-13: 9780312947156
ISBN-10: 0312947151
Publication Date: 7/29/2008
Pages: 352
Rating:
  • Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
 236

3.9 stars, based on 236 ratings
Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

marcym avatar reviewed Heartsick (Archie and Gretchen, Bk 1) on + 159 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 11
Wow, this was a twisted take on the serial killer theme. By page 28 I was hooked and couldn't put it down. Gretchen kills, and enjoys every minute of it. It's up to Archie, who she used as a pin cushion for ten days, to figure out who is killing young girls in the area without loosing his final thread of normalcy. What does Susan, the reporter with hot pink hair, have to do with any of it? Read it and find out! You won't be sorry!

(Don't eat while you are reading this one!)
GeniusJen avatar reviewed Heartsick (Archie and Gretchen, Bk 1) on + 5322 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 11
THE BEST THRILLER BOOK EVER!!!

Seriously, if you love thrillers, and ESPECIALLY thrillers about serial killers, then you DON'T want to miss HEARTSICK.

I don't know how Ms. Cain came up with the character of Gretchen Lowell (actually, I probably don't WANT to know!), but she has to be the most twisted killer I've ever come across. You may have thought Hannibal Lecter was the king of serial killers -- but that crazy man doesn't hold a candle to the chilling Ms. Lowell.

Trust me. Get the book. It's that good. Just don't read it while you're home alone, or when there's a threat of a power outage, or when you're eating dinner.
J avatar reviewed Heartsick (Archie and Gretchen, Bk 1) on
Helpful Score: 8
Awesome book!

I read the first chapter when I received the book, then tossed it aside because I couldn't get into it. I picked it up a week later and could not put it down until I finished it!!! Read it in one day.

The characters have the most warped and twisted relationships and the story lines weave around until they nicely tie in at the end.

The ending was satisfying and I can't wait for a sequel.
Sleepy26177 avatar reviewed Heartsick (Archie and Gretchen, Bk 1) on + 218 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 7
Heartsick was announced as compareable to "Silence of The Lambs" and it keeps what the publisher promised.

Archie Sheridan is a disturbed cop. After surviving 10 days at the mercy of a female serial killer, trying to kill him slowly, his life and mind are all messed up. Two years after his torture he´s still depending on pills and can´t to forget what happened and what his secret feelings are.
Back into law enforcement he´s dealing with a serial killer again until everything makes one huge picture and finally sets him free from his obsession.

I couldn´t completely compare Heartsick with Silence of The Lambs. The story might have similarities but doesn´t focus on the conversations between offender and victim.

I´ve heard this is the new beginning of a series and I will definitely follow it.
esjro avatar reviewed Heartsick (Archie and Gretchen, Bk 1) on + 947 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6
This book was seriously scary. The setup leads you to believe that it will be a Silence of the Lambs knock off (indeed the author subtly pokes fun at that at one point), but this is actually a refreshing change from the usual emotionally damaged cop/psychopath theme. The stories and characters are intertwined in ways that will keep surprising you until the end of the book.
The tone of this book is very dark and ominous. Be forewarned that there are graphic descriptions of violence and torture - do not read if you have a weak stomach!
Read All 48 Book Reviews of "Heartsick Archie and Gretchen Bk 1"

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Leigh avatar reviewed Heartsick (Archie and Gretchen, Bk 1) on + 378 more book reviews
Dastardly beauties have enthralled me since Cruella de Vil, and Gretchen Lowell is no exception. She's everything you'd want out of a sick, cruel, obsessive, nasty, adorable psychopath. With a dazzling smile, to boot!

Cain does just enough revelation in the novel employing flashbacks to keep the reader wondering about the shared past between Gretchen and Archie, while at the same time holding interest in the present storyline of the serial killer. Several examples of a twisted mind emerge in the novel and will probably give you pause. But stick with it.

The end made me a little heartsick. And also made me want to get the second in the series.
dirattler avatar reviewed Heartsick (Archie and Gretchen, Bk 1) on + 8 more book reviews
I love this book, it is very dark and thought provoking, not for everyone, but this book is one I will keep in my library.
reviewed Heartsick (Archie and Gretchen, Bk 1) on + 636 more book reviews
A good, solid thriller. _Silence of the Lambs_-esque, but a with a gender reversal. All in all, highly enjoyable and not as predictable as I feared it would be once I was halfway through. It's set up to be a series, and if that is the case (or even if it isn't) I will definitely continue to read this author. While this isn't my favorite thriller of 2008, it was certainly one of the more entertaining ones, but I probably wouldn't recommend it to someone who wasn't a fan of the genre...
reviewed Heartsick (Archie and Gretchen, Bk 1) on + 35 more book reviews
Heartsick is a great thriller. It is a new perspective on the detective story. I highly recommend it, but it is a gorier thriller than most. Plus it's set in my home city of Portland, Oregon!
reviewed Heartsick (Archie and Gretchen, Bk 1) on + 53 more book reviews
At first this story seemed like there should have been one before, but as you read you will get caught up with flashbacks. It's very graphic. I wasn't sure if I liked it until I read the next book (Sweetheart) then the story came together for me.I am looking forward to the next in the series. Very unusual storyline.
katbaloo avatar reviewed Heartsick (Archie and Gretchen, Bk 1) on + 4 more book reviews
THIS IS BY FAR ONE OF MY FAVORIE BOOKS! THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO MAIN CHARACTERS IS AMAZING,SICK AND TWISTED AND MAKES FOR A VERY GOOD READ! YOU WON'T WANT IT TO END AND YOU WILL BE EXHAUSTED WHEN IT DOES!!


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