Review: Falls a little short
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 10 31, 2012
The Psych Ward KillerIt was a dark and stormy night. No, seriously it was. The power was out due to the superstorm and I was looking for a scary thriller or horror book to fit the mood. Did "The Psych Ward Killer" fit the bill? Meh... With satanic rituals, killings and an insane killer all set in a creepy psychiatric hospital the author dishes up the requisite screamer we've all gotten used to expecting.The book begins with Detective James Wilkes being called to the psych ward of Boston's Municipal Hospital in the wake of a horrific murder. The scene has all the earmarks of a sadistic ritual murder; blood, satanic symbols and melted wax and a sinking feeling this wouldn't be the only murder.As the investigation progresses the bodies keep piling up. The killer is taunting the police with notes pinned to each of the victims warning of even bolder murders. Detective Wilks and his partner must stop the killer before someone close becomes the latest victim.The book was entertaining, however it didn't give me quite the scare I was expecting, and that could be due to the fact I had the identity of the killer figured out early on in the book. The character development was lacking with the detective in charge being portrayed as the damaged, hard drinking rock hard man who is irresistible to women which from my point of view is a little too cliché, as was the premise of the killer being a Satanist. I was left wondering what happened to two characters that entered the story at the beginning and dropped out of the picture almost like the author forgot they existed.Although the book left little to the imagination, the author did know how to keep the creepy factor going with gruesome details of the killings and the ravings of the deranged killer. All-in-all the book is a quick read that will keep you entertained as long as you don't go into it expecting it to knock you off your feet.