Kill You Twice by Chelsea Cain
Pages: 336
Series: Archie Sheridan and Gretchen Lowell, 5
Setting: Portland, Oregon, USA
KILL YOU TWICE is the fifth novel in the series to feature Portland homicide detective Archie Sheridan. Note: This series does not stand alone well at all. There are heavy references to the previous books in the series. The author doesn’t provide much background info to catch readers up. New readers will have to start with the first book, HEARTSICK.
A bit about me: I love to read about damaged people. I do and Archie Sheridan is the epitome of damaged. The series so far has been following Archie and his relationship with a serial killer named Gretchen Lowell, who goes by the moniker of “The Beauty Killer.” Gretchen’s beauty has led many men to kill for her. She is the ultimate femme fatale and as others have noted she’s the female Hannibal Lecter.
Archie was manipulated by Gretchen’s sexual charms and barely escaped alive. She infiltrated his task force, kidnapped him and tortured him in her basement. She carved a heart in his chest that has healed over time. The two of them developed a bond that normal people don’t understand (nor want to) while he was in her basement. The two of them have been playing mind games back and forth with each other. Even behind prison bars Archie can’t escape her. It’s only fitting that those scars on Archie’s chest begin to bleed as Gretchen is once again manipulating Archie, this time from her state hospital bed.
I won’t go into the plot details, as you can read more about the book here along with an excerpt. My thoughts on this entry: solidly written but average read for me. The pacing seemed kind of off and as usual, this book follows the pattern of the earlier novels with a homicide in the city of Portland that takes place three months after the last book ended. Catching up with Archie, he’s off the pain killers and living alone. He’s divorced and sees his kids on the weekends. Even though he still has Gretchen on the brain, he hasn’t been returning the calls to her doctor who seems persistent in getting in touch with him.
In the last book, Gretchen was more in the periphery but in here she has a more significant role. Gretchen uses Susan Ward, an ex-journalist and recurring character in the series, to lure Archie to her, giving her an exclusive story. There are homicides in the background for Archie and his staff to investigate as they chase after another serial killer with a link to Gretchen’s past. We learn more about Gretchen in here and her origins.
My thoughts: I felt the story was padded pretty good with unnecessary details about people’s hygiene and other stuff. This tended to slow the story down a lot. Buried within this 336 page book was a story somewhere. That is my biggest gripe. The author’s dark humor is here but sparsely used. The violence is back in full force but I skipped over some of those details where I could. There are people who enjoy the shock value at what Gretchen can do with her knife and other tools with descriptions that are long, graphic and gratuitous. A bit about the violence, I think a lot of readers have come to expect this from Chelsea Cain and wouldn’t have it any other way. I have a weak stomach and skipped over the gruesome parts. I think out of all of the earlier books this was one more gory which leads me to believe that the author overcompensated since her last book wasn’t as gruesome.
KILL YOU TWICE has it’s moments with Susan and her hippie mother, Bliss, return along with Archie’s partner Henry Sobol. In every book Susan’s hair is a different color. This time around it’s burnt orange. The author continues to insert Portland references which is enjoyable and informative. There’s plenty of angst for Archie and his playing games with Gretchen if you enjoy that sorta thing. Me? I’m kind of over it after five books. I mean I get confused with Archie’s true feelings for Gretchen. Sometimes he throws a curve ball and in here it’s no different. The investigation and it’s findings are somewhat tension filled and suspenseful. The ending gave me a “oh no not again” moment.
I guess fans who continue to enjoy the damaged cop/serial killer dynamic will love this story. The main draw for me is Archie and his being completely effed up. He’s barely hanging on even though he’s clean but he’s on the edge. I guess what was surprising in this book was two things: his unlikely love interest and his relationship with Susan. I won’t say more on the latter but it’s not so much surprising but my worst fears realized. The first two books in the series are still the best to me. I thought the series started to plummet with EVIL AT HEART though and has been on a downhill slide ever since then. Kind of hard for me to grade a book that didn’t blow me away and left me underwhelmed. Not bad but not great either. My grade, C. The reading order for the series is here.
Source: Publisher sent me a finished copy
What perfecft timing. I’m beginning the book later today. Will definitely be in touch when I finish it.
i like this blog and i check in a few times every month, but I wish you would review more Scandinavian crime fiction like you did before – great job.
Thanks Rune for the feedback. I will take that into consideration moving forward. I know it’s been awhile and I am currently reading one right now. Again thanks for the feedback.
I enjoyed the first two books, but I think I’m happy to leave it there. Though it’s true that reading this makes me a little curious to see what has happened since Sweetheart.
I haven’t read this series at all. My heart belongs to the crime solvers, I don’t care about the killers, and yet everyone else raves about these books. I’ve stayed away because it just seems too twisted. What am I missing?
These books are heavily angst ridden and dark (at least to me that is the draw) and the one thing that made these books interesting has been played out at this point with the serial killer/damaged cop dynamic.
Haven’t gotten this book yet, mostly because I’m not sure I want to read more Archie and Gretchen interaction. I liked the movement away from Gretchen in the last book, because while the dynamic between Archie and Gretchen is gripping, it is so profoundly damaging and dysfunctional. I don’t think Gretchen can be redeemed as a character (and Cain has established that Gretchen isn’t interested in redemption except insofar as pretending an interest will get her access to Archie), and there’s no healthy ending there for Archie as protagonist other than walking away. I don’t trust Cain to do that, because the success of the series is invested in their relationship. Thus I’m wibbling about whether I want to invest any more time or money in this series, even though I was originally looking forward to the book.
I actually thought that the author was moving away from using Gretchen but that doesn’t seem to be the case. I’d read more opinions (If you’re not already) to help you decide. I’m just about done with this series.
Finished KYT. I think I may have liked it more than you, but am finished with the series nonetheless. While I enjoy the Gretchen/Archie head-games, at a certain point their relationship is just unhealthy. As a reader, when I invest in a series, I want the protagonist(s) to advance; if they start the series in a bad, place, I want to see them end it in a better one, that’s pretty clearly not going to happen with Archie.
Also, what Cain does with Susan is predictable and disappointing, and I found the other Gretchen relationships that reach out to Archie to be a little too coincidental
First thanks for sharing your viewpoint. I agree with you on all of it. I’m always a harsh critic especially with her book as I think she can do better. Overall, I did feel underwhelmed. Wendy enjoyed it. I wish Cain would just reboot and start over without Susan or Gretchen. I’d read that book.
If Cain would have the option of rebooting, I would keep Gretchen, especially in the first novel, but then tailor the emphasis on her way down to the point of non existence. Susan—now that’s another story, because I’ve never liked her character and still don’t. Something about the way she’s drawn reminds me too much of an immature person. Not sure where Archie’s headed now, but I can say that I will be following it. Go figure!
I did enjoy this book, Keishon, although I think I’m ready to say goodbye to the Gretchen connection also, although she’s not playing that large a part in these recent stories, which is a good thing. I love Cain’s writing, so I’m willing to put up with the Gretchen link, but I would probably be just as happy for Cain to end it and have Archie continue on trying to get his life in some sort of order.
I like what Cain is doing with his character still. He’s so totally screwed personally, but he’s on his game being a detective. Susan’s character has never appealed to me from book one and I would not mind if a substitute was found for her. In the meantime, I’ll be anxiously awaiting her next thriller in which I’m sure there will be a Gretchen connection.
I agree with you that she skillfully uses her talent for dark humor, but sparingly in this story. Wish it were more evident. So be it—I’m still on board, though. Loved your review, which I believe I agree with for the most part.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Tee. I think for me the whole Gretchen link is an annoyance. Is she his sidekick? or what? *kidding* What role is she going to have going forward? Will he have to hunt her down? Will she tip him off on other serial killers like herself? I can’t quit reading Cain either but the whole Gretchen/Archie thing is played out already and I don’t think Gretchen won’t be going away anytime soon. When your biggest star in the series is a serial killer something is wrong.
—I can’t quit reading Cain either but the whole Gretchen/Archie thing is played out already—
For sure, I can’t argue that point with you at all. Archie’s character can live on with other cases and be just as interesting. He’s who he is because of Gretchen; however, Cain can do so much with that without her being part of future stories.
What do you mean about Archie and Susan relationship? I have to admit that i hate Gretchen and love Susan, at least susan’s in her feet not planning all the time kiling people like Gretchen.
All I’ll say is that Susan continues to be attracted to unavailable men.