Disclosure: I received an ebook copy in exchange for my review.
Genre: Adult Fiction
Pages: 256
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
They Never Die Quietly tells the story of homicide Detective Sami Rizzo, who is assigned to head a task force investigating serial killings in San Diego. Simon, the highly intelligent, cunning, and deceptively charming villain, redefines the depths of human evil. He believes God has given him absolute authority to purify his unholy victims through a ritual that ends in a grisly crucifixion. Driven by warped religious beliefs and guided by his dead mother, very much alive in his subconscious, Simon abducts “chosen ones” and holds them captive in a Room of Redemption. There, the victims helplessly await their crucifixion. Detective Rizzo urgently yearns to solve the case and gain the respect of her male colleagues, but her obsession to apprehend the killer on her own clouds her thinking. When Simon outsmarts Rizzo and captures her, determined to make her his next victim, she must employ all her resources—both physical and intellectual—to outwit the villain at his own game.
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I am really at a loss for words for this book.
As I have said before, I don’t typically read the synopsis of the book before starting it and frankly, I don’t think this synopsis even comes close.
I am all about a good mystery. I am all about a good murder mystery. While this was a great mystery – a great murder mystery – I was not expecting the gore that was encased in the pages.
The book immediately starts off the opening scene that made me hold my breath. I don’t want to say the book was graphic per se, but the behavior was… unspeakable. Brutal. Gross. If it were a movie, I would have closed my eyes.
While I didn’t necessarily like the behaviors in the book, I couldn’t put it down. I wanted to know if she catches him, how she catches him, what happens. It’s like that saying about watching a train wreck. You just can’t turn away no matter how gruesome it is.
I tried to give the book a neutral rating. I didn’t dislike it, but I didn’t love it. The gruesome details are what turned me off, but I still liked the book and couldn’t stop reading to see what happened.
About the Author
Daniel M. Annechino, a former book editor specializing in full-length fiction, wrote his first book, How to Buy the Most Car for the Least Money, in 1992 while working as a General Manager in the automobile business. But his passion had always been fiction, particularly thrillers. He spent two years researching serial killers before finally penning his gripping and memorable debut novel They Never Die Quietly.
His second book, Resuscitation (Thomas & Mercer 2011), a follow-up to his first novel, hit #1 in Kindle sales in the UK and reached #26 in the USA. He is also the author of I Do Solemnly Swear (Thomas & Mercer 2012) and Hypocrisy. A Piece of You is his fifth novel, the third in the Detective Sami Rizzo series. A native of New York, Annechino now lives in San Diego with his wife, Jennifer. He loves to cook, enjoys a glass of vintage wine, and spends lots of leisure time on the warm beaches of Southern California.
Leila,
Thank you for the comprehensive and candid review. I totally respect your opinions. I’m sure it wouldn’t surprise you if I said I’ve received many reviews from people with the same issues. However, most of the comments from readers about my books–positive or negative–generally admit that they “Couldn’t put the book down.” I am not pleased that my hard-boiled novels freak out a lot of people. But a writer’s job is to evoke emotions–good or bad, and to compel readers to keep turning pages even if one eye is closed. You might be interested to know that in my last two books, Hypocrisy and A Piece of You, I have toned it down considerably. Maybe you’ll give me one more chance?
Thanks again for the review.
Best regards,
D.M. Annechino
Thank you for the note! I will definitely be checking out the other two! 🙂 Like my review said, it was graphic, but I just could not put it down! It was definitely a look into a serial killer’s mind! I look forward to reading Hypocrisy and A Piece of You! Thank you!