Review: A disturbingly chilling tale
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 12, 2014
When depraved psychotic Caleb Talbot escapes from Kansas State penitentiary there are no early indications as to what lengths he will go to maintain his freedom and elude capture.This is part one of a story that will grip you as it takes you into the dark twisted recesses of a psychotic mind. Talbot has tortured and maimed women including his own twin brother’s fiancée.Valerie Bowen has created a dark psychological thriller which will have you on the edge of your seat. I found myself rooting for the various law enforcement agencies which are drawn into the desperate search to recapture Talbot before he claims another victim.Not even animals are safe and, if you dislike animal cruelty, you may find parts of this hard to read but it is essential to build up a picture of Caleb, a character for whom it is difficult to feel any empathy. I almost felt sorry for him a couple of times, but then I remembered what he was like and what he had done.The tension is expertly created and weaves into a long drawn out search and a game of cat and mouse. I especially rooted for Michael Quincy and his canine officer, Sasha, who are on the scent. A great partnership exists between them.I can’t recommend this highly enough and I simply can’t wait for the second part to see if Talbot finally gets his just desserts. This book also contains a tantalising sneak preview of Evil Stalks, the next volume of the story, in order to keep you hooked.