Evil at Heart by Chelsea Cain

In this third installment of the Gretchen Lowell/Archie Sheridan story, Archie is in a psychiatric hospital due to his last run in with the Beauty Killer when people at a rest stop discover a spleen and eyeballs in a rest stop. His longtime partner, Henry Sobol is called in, and in the next few days a head is discovered on a hillside missing it's eyes also. Sobol and others think Gretchen Lowell has started killing again and he goes to see Archie. After a series of events in the hospital, along with the murder of another patient Archie had tried to help and an accomplice disguised as an orderly, Archie checks himself out of the hospital to help Sobol.
Susan Ward, journalist, not reporter, for the Herald, has been trying to talk to Archie for help writing her book about America's fascination with the Beauty Killer. There are now Beauty Killer tours, t-shirt are sold that say "Free Gretchen", she is all over every newspaper and magazine in the country, you can even get a Gretchen Lowell manicure. Susan, who has been emailing Gretchen Lowell fan sites, receives an anonymous call telling her if she wants to write her book, she should go to a certain address where she will find a body. Susan goes, finds a dilapidated house, with a body in it who is missing it's spleen.
Susan and Archie are then drawn into trying to figure out what is going on; is Gretchen killing again or is one of the fan sites killing people in her style to get her attention? When Gretchen starts contacting Archie, things become a whirlwind that no one could have predicted.
I loved the first book of this series but I wasn't too impressed with the second one. This one I am on the fence about. I read it in 2 days, but I didn't think the story was that great compared to the first one. I still love the characters and how they interact with each other, but to me, this installment seemed kind of thrown together and rushed to make the way for the next book. The ending isn't very satisfying, since you don't really know anymore than when you started the book. Worth the read if you have read the previous two, but I am really hoping the next gets back to the great style of the first one.

3 stars

Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain

I can't began to describe how eagerly I was awaiting this book. I absolutely loved Heartsick and couldn't wait to continue reading about the Archie Sheridan/Gretchen Lowell "relationship" for lack of a better word. I have to say I was a bit disappointed. Still no real insight into what made Lowell into what she is and how Archie has this sick dependency on her. Read it in one day but wasn't really satisfied. Seemed kind of all over the place, ties in a political scandal, Lowell's escape from prison and is left open for yet another book in the series. I like this Sheridan/Lowell idea because it really reminds be of Clarice Starling/Hannibal Lecter relationship, I just hope Cain doesn't blow it with future endeavors into this series.

Heartsick by Chelsea Cain

Man was this a twisted book! She really keeps the story moving and keeps it suspenseful. Reminded me a little of the Hannibal Lecter idea. Very creative, very sick. I found myself saying "What the hell?" out loud quite a few times. Great book, can't wait for her next one in September.