Customer Reviews

Abomination

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Michigan State Police Captain Nikos "Nick" Andreakos is searching for a serial killer. A killer who targets young blonde women who have, to the killer's way of seeing things, committed a sin. Nick has learned that the killer calls himself Gideon, and that he posts clues to his latest victims on a geocaching website.

Nick is stunned to realize that his soon-to-be-ex wife has been targeted by Gideon. He fears the worst when he finds his wife's home in disarray, and both she and their toddler missing. Horrified, Nick begins a desperate search to find her before the serial killer posts his next victim on the geocaching site.

Eve Andreakos can't remember who she is, where she came from, how she got the large lump on her head. She doesn't know why she's covered in blood, or if the young child with her is her daughter. The only thing she can remember is fear.

When a good Samaritan, Bree, stops to help her and then offers her a place to stay while she recuperates and tries to recover her memory, Eve is only too happy to take her up on the offer. With no history, she's found that she has no future, and no place to call home.

As the women's bond of friendship grows over time, Eve begins to realize that the killer who was so close on her trail when Bree found her may be even closer now. Terrified, and feeling utterly alone, Eve must decide whether to run again, or stay and fight for her life.

Author Colleen Coble has delivered an incredible story in ABOMINATION, the fourth book in the Rock Harbor series. Engrossing, full of detail, and populated by richly drawn characters, ABOMINATION is a page-turner. Coble draws the suspense out, dragging readers along for the ride, all the while deftly keeping them in the dark until the very end. Her characters are sensational, written so well that readers will long to come home to Rock Harbor with Bree , just as Eve does.

Kudos to Coble on a well-written masterpiece!

Colleen Coble fans can rejoice as her new release, Abomination, takes them back to Rock Harbor for a visit with beloved Bree & Samson. But with Abomination, Coble spreads her creative wings as a master of mystery/suspense.

While the book takes place in Rock Harbor and readers will get to visit with the characters from that series, the main character of this book is Eve and the mystery of a serial killer and his fascination with her. Sure, we love being able to get inside Bree's head again, and who doesn't love seeing Samson once more, but this level of mystery goes beyond what we've seen from Colleen Coble before.

With true-to-life characters and an intricate plot that will keep readers guessing until the final chapter, Abomination is the perfect burn-dinner, stay-up-late, sleep-with-the-lights-on reading delight. Coble's Abomination is sure to be a hit with readers, as well as with the bestsellers lists.

Don't miss this one! I have to give Abomination my highest rating. Run, don't walk to the store and grab this book.

A serial killer is loose in Upper Peninsula, Michigan, punishing people for their sins. One of his victims escaped with her life and small daughter. Now the race is on to identify the serial killer before he can finish his task.

I am a huge fan of Colleen Coble's books, and Abomination is the best yet. One of the reasons I love her books is that she constantly writes stronger with more intricate plots in each book. She cares so deeply about the craft of writing and delighting her readers with a story that will absorb them.

Abomination is Colleen's first hardcover and represents a subtle shift. In it, she returns to Rock Harbor. If you've read her Rock Harbor series, you will love the return trip and the chance to see what's happened in Bree and Kade's lives. If you haven't read those books though, you will still enjoy this read. Colleen's done a great job of balancing a setting that's familiar without making it dependent on the earlier series.

This plot is also richly layered. Eve Andreakos has amnesia, which severally complicates her attempts to stay safe and protect her daughter - and even though I've seen this type of plot in other books recently, it worked very well in Abomination. Her ex-husband is the lead investigator on the case. Because of their divorce Eve knows there are issues between them, but isn't sure what they are. He wants to start their lives together again, but she can't. Her sister has shown up demanding something Eve can't and won't give her. And a former boyfriend dances into her life again.

The suspense in this book is high-paced, probably one of the tightest I've seen from Colleen. And the romance is there, a slight step behind the suspense. The book strikes the balance I love when reading a suspense.

If you love suspense, you will love Abomination.

It's easy to write off most books released under a "Christian" label. They're often pale and flimsy, and leave you thinking, "No way this book would have been published by a 'real' publisher."

It's wonderful, then, to stumble across a book that is simply good. Not "Christian" good, not "non-Christian" good, but just good. I'm far more interested in a good read than knowing what the author believes (especially in a genre like suspense).

The book was interesting, with several subplots, and a lot of candidates for the killer. I enjoyed thinking through who "the guy" might be, and even once I had a strong suspicion, I read with interest and questioning.

The ending was strong, there was a particularly horrific scene at the end that was very unique and original, and I think suspense lovers will get a kick out of this. It's not a continuation of the Rock Harbor series (I had not read any of those, and didn't have any questions about what was going on), either. Tons of tension, realistic characters, and a great premise. I'd recommend it to anyone without a second thought.

I am so glad Colleen went back to Rock Harber! It was great to read about Bree and Samson again! This book is one of Colleen's best yet! Her character development was fantastic, and the storyline was great. She kept me guessing until the very end. I read this in one sitting because I couldn't bear to put it down! Way to go, Colleen- can't wait for the next one!

This was a pretty good story & an easy read, though I have to say that after the begining really pulled me in, I grew less and less intrigued as the story went on. It was more of a drama than a mystery (characters dealing with their personal issues rather than tracking evidence and implementing precautionary measures) and I got frustrated that the law enforcement characters and tactics were not realistic. I also thought the ending was predictable and cheesy - typical psychopath ranting about how he's correcting a wrong by punishing people, etc. Its not at all gruesome or dark for a serial killer novel so don't let the subject matter scare you away from reading it. I really enjoyed the Michigan setting because of a personal connection to the UP - loved all the pasty references.

A good mystery; it had me guessing all the way. Characters were too black or white. Real people are not either saints or drug addicts, but have good and bad traits. Just the same, I did enjoy the story. Perhaps I'll try another by this Author.

Colleen Coble's Abomination is a chilling tale of one man's obsession and a serial killer that taunts the authorities by the cryptic clues he leaves. It is also a story of second chances and hope. The ending initially left me off-kilter, but as I turned over the story in my head, the clues that had eluded me finally dropped into place. Abomination is a creepy read that kept me guessing up to the end.


Cheryl Russell
www.unseenworlds.blogspot.com

I love following the Rock Harbor characters, Collleen makes you want to move to Rock Harbor. A problem I have with her writing are the inconstancies within her stories or maybe it is just editing errors. In this book the identify of one of the characters is accidentally given before we are to know it. The character has two names and the wrong one is typed way to early in the book! The same problem occur in her other books. In one of the Rock Harbor books it is talking about the snow drifts and the late winter and then one of the characters said he could go out with his girlfriend because his dad was making him mow the lawn for a party. One minute the roads are covered in snow the next minute they are mowing lawns Silly errors but those tend to bother me in a book.

In Abominations you may get a little frustrated with the lack of police work and lack of communication between the characters regarding issues of importance. It is though they are just sitting around waiting for the next crime. Not following simple leads and logic.

Again you will love the characters and so it is a worthy read. They can't be too bad since I have read 4 of her books. :).

A woman and a small child are discovered by the roadside. The woman has amnesia, which prevents her from remembering who she is or even who the child is. However, it soon becomes apparent that she's one of the targets of a "missionary killer", that is, a serial killer who specifically targets people who he believes have sinned.

Coble's characters are somewhat realistic, if a little simplistic at times. The plot is very well fleshed out, and there's a lot of detail regarding the lives of Michiganders in the Upper Peninsula (I almost wished she'd include the Greek recipes she describes) as well as the sport of geocaching to be found. Her research is top-notch.

A couple of the characters featured in this novel, Bree and Kade, are also featured in the author's Rock Harbor series, which I plan to start soon.