Review of Freak by Jennifer Hillier

So I am back from my 9 day vacation in Disney World. 

I will tell you all about it in another post. 

Right now I want to talk about the second novel by my blog friend and yours....

Jennifer Hillier

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced reader copy of this book.

The day it arrived in my mailbox was like Christmas morning.

I was so beyond excited!

I loved Jennifer's first book Creep and I just knew that this second book was going to be awesome.

Here is the Overview from Barnes and Noble

Overview
Suspense magazine chose Jennifer Hillier’s “truly frightening” debut, Creep, as one of 2011’s best novels, while #1 bestselling author Jeffery Deaver cautioned “you better call in sick—you’re not going anywhere until you finish reading.” Now, Hillier returns to the Pacific Northwest college town where one killer’s stranglehold has ebbed . . . but another sick mind has waited for the perfect moment to pick up where the terror left off.

Sitting alone in a maximum-security prison cell, Abby Maddox is a celebrity. Her claim to fame is the envy of every freak on the outside: she’s the former lover of Ethan Wolfe, the killer who left more than a dozen dead women in his wake and nearly added Puget Sound State professor Sheila Tao to the tally. Now Abby, serving a nine-year sentence for slashing a police officer’s throat in a moment of rage, has little human contact—save for the letters that pour in from demented fans, lunatics, and creeps. But a new wave of murders has given Abby a possible chance for a plea bargain—because this killer has been sending her love letters, and carving a message on the bodies of the victims:Free Abby Maddox.

Jerry Isaac will never forget the attack—or his attacker. The hideous scarring and tortured speech are daily reminders that the one-time Seattle PD officer, now a private investigator, is just lucky to be alive. Abby Maddox deserves to rot in jail—forever, as far as Jerry’s concerned. But she alone may possess crucial evidence—letters from this newest killer—that could crack open the disturbing case. With the help of Professor Sheila Tao, seasoned police detective Mike Torrance, and intuitive criminology student Danny Mercy, Jerry must coax the shattering truth from isolated, dangerous Abby Maddox. Can he put the pieces together before Abby’s number one fan takes another life in the name of a killer’s perverted idea of justice?

Freak is a fast paced, edge of your seat thriller. 

From the very first chapter I was pulled in. The intensity of the crimes leave you with chills and the desire to turn on the light in every room you are entering alone.

Ms. Hillier writes very likable characters.

I admittedly have a major crush on Morris the fiance of Professor Sheila Tao.

It is because of the development of these characters that you really care what happens to them.

The murders and the torment effect you as if you are reading about it happening to someone you know.

I wanted to cry every time Jerry scratched at the scar on his throat.

Abby Maddox is one crazy bitch and although you know deep down inside that she is manipulating someone to commit these crimes you do start to wonder if maybe you might be wrong. 

Maybe she is innocent.

Maybe they should "Free Abby Maddox"

I won't say whether she is or not because that is the fun of reading a thriller like this.

There are so many twists and turns that you just have to keep reading because you have to know......you need to know what the hell is going on!

I highly recommend this book.

Even if you aren't a fan of crime novels you will enjoy the story and characters that Jennifer Hillier has so tightly woven together.

One last thing........

I love the Seattle setting.

I have never been to Seattle.

But Jennifer describes it exactly how I picture it.

Rainy and dark and gritty.

yet beautiful.

Do yourself a favor.

Put down that wretched mess of a book everyone is talking about and pick up this well written sexy thriller!

You won't regret it.

I promise.

Writing takes up a lot of time

In case you didn't know.

Writing takes up a lot of time.

I love the fake Buddhist quote "The trouble is, you think you have time."

I say fake because the Buddha never actually said that but it is always credited to him.

Anyway sorry.

I love this quote because....it is true.

We do think we have time.

Or at least I think I have time.

I think I have time to work my full time job that actually requires me to be on call 7 days a week. 24 hours a day. 365 days a year. The price you pay for working for a hotel.

and

Time to be a good parent who is available at a minutes notice to answer any and all questions. Fix any problems at any time day or night. Being the mother of a college age child means those calls usually come at 2 am because she forgets that I actually don't function on the same hours as she does. The calls are usually very important like "Did you know the Butterbeer they make in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is just cream soda and butter extract?" or "Can you send me the tracking number for that thing you sent me because I want to know when I will get it?"  

Christopher generally saves his problems/questions for that moment when I just get to sit down.

and 

Time to read

and 

Time to write

I am sure you have all felt the pressure of trying to find this time.

This summer has been especially busy for me.

With Amber off in Disney

and Christopher being a gypsy.....he has had more vacations with various members of my family then anyone should be allowed. He has been down the shore, up the mountains, up to the lake and back to the mountains again.

You would think that with two absent children I would have more time but it just doesn't work that way.

I am terrible with time management.

So trying to set any kind of schedule is impossible.

So here I am completely lost.

Wondering where the hell the summer has gone.

Before I know it fall will be here and every goal I have set will be out the window.

Does anyone out there have any time management advise that they would like to impart to a fellow time thief?

I am reading: I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of Jennifer Hillier's Freak......and I am loving it!