Customer Reviews

Copycat

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Five years ago, Kitt Lundgren's world shattered; her daughter slowly died of pediatric cancer, her marriage fell apart, she fell into the bottle, and a serial killer terrorized her town. Blowing the Sleeping Angel Kiler case could have cost Kitt her career, but she's recovered, and now, he's back, or is he? Though the new murders resemble the SAK, there are anomalies, and what's more, the original SAK has called Kitt to tell her that the new cases are a copycat, one he resents and wants her to end. Working with a partner who distrusts her and is not happy to be secondary on the case to Kitt's primary is not ideal, nor is facing her own demons on multiple levels, but Kitt manages. With each death, things get more personal, and people outside the victim pool start dying as well. Just as Kitt's on the ragged edge, things truly get interesting, in the Chinese curse sense.

**** This is Spindler at her best. The tension stays high from start to finish, making you want to find out who did it, and it's someone you probably won't see coming. Brava. ****

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore.

As pointed out by other reviewers, this is truely a page turner. Tha author, a natural story teller, brings his stories to life through his character developement and obvious understanding of human nature. Our heroines in this tale are certainly carrying around enough baggage of their own to make an interesting story and when the author adds some very horrible crimes...well, you get the picture. As I said, Spindler is a natural story teller who uses nice, crisp prose and keeps the interest of the reader from the first page through to the last. His character development is great and his imagination is certainly not limited. If you want a nice read, one that will hold your interest and truely intertain, then this one is for you. Recommend this one highly.

The end! I thought the ending was a big let down after a really great story. To me it just seemed as if the author reached a certain number of pages and said 'okay, gotta end it, let me pull an ending out of this hat.' It just seemed cliched to me. But everyone else seemed to love it.

The best of her books by far. These characters were easy to like and identify with. I, like others, hope to see this duo solve another crime!

I love Erica Spindler books and couldn't wait til I got my hands on this one. Couldn't put it down. Read it within two days. I think Kitt and M.C. were great characters, and I was surprised as to who the real SAK was!!!! She's my favorite Author and Can't wait til I read Killer takes All!!!!!!! Alright Erica!!!!!!!!!

Erica Spindler does it again! I think this is the best book she has writen, so far!
I really enjoyed the characters, they had such depth, especially Kitt, and the killer. I also
enjoyed the working relationship between Kitt and MC, and am glad the became friends.
I enjoyed the whole story from start to finish, it was well thought out, with tons of
suspense and plot twists. I was not shocked as to who the copycat killer was, but was shocked
with who the original killer turned out to be. Excellent, Excellent book! I really hope
we see Kitt and MC in future novels.

Erica Spindler has written a few mysteries that give you chills but every parent reading this book will shudder. She brings about one of a parent's greatest fears and puts it on paper for all of us to read and become so absorbed in that we forget time.

COPYCAT tells the story of The Sleeping Angel Killer (SAK), a serial killer whose victims are ten-year-old blonde hair, blue eyed little girls. He kills them in their sleep and then puts on pink lip gloss post mortem so they look pretty. The killings stopped for five years and now have started again.

Kitt Lundgren was the detective assigned to the original SAK case which coincided with major personal tradegy in her own life. Her ten year old daughter battled and lost a fight with leukemia. Kitt forged ahead in trying to apprehend the killer and lost everything - she became an alcoholic, lost her husband, and almost her job when she let the killer slip through her fingers. Five years later, she's sober and wanting to prove to her bosses that she is once again at the top of her game.

Mary Catherine "MC" Riggio is a new detective with the Rockford, Illinois Violent Crimes Bureau and has a lot to prove. She's tough, ambitious and doesn't let anyone get near her personally. When Kitt is assigned to be MC's partner neither woman is thrilled.

The story bounces around a bit once these two are paired up - we get glimpses of Kitt's life with AA, her still wanting her husband back, and seeming to be stuck in a spot where she can't move on with her life. We see MC's life as not being grounded - she has an Italian family whose matriarch is overbearing and demanding with MC trying to make them happy without giving up her detective shield to have children. At times these side journeys left me wondering why they even existed. The addition of a romantic side to both Kitt and MC was interesting. MC's red haired comedian was appealing but some of the aspects of it left me scratching my head. Would a tough as nails cop really fall madly in love, I mean head-over-heels gaga type love, in the span of a couple of days? It seemed very out of character. Kitt's AA friend makes a play for her and she does nothing but stammer after the kiss... well that was out of character too.

Even though the side journeys were less than thrilling, the main plot was excellent. The SAK begins phoning Kitt and explains that it's a copycat trying to imitate his perfect crimes. We're given the evidence and the opportunity to identify the killer or killers at the same time as MC and Kitt. There are enough red herrings to make you wonder if there really is a copycat or is this the game of the original killer. A few of the red herrings are tossed in but we never get an ending to their story which left me wondering about them.

Overall, COPYCAT was very enjoyable and the killer's identity was well hidden until the end. I do have to admit that I had a fleeting moment in the middle when I wondered if it could be XXXX behind all of it. But the moment passed and I was drawn back into the web of uncertainty. This is one book that will be enjoyed by mystery buffs as well as those wanting something a little darker than a romance or happily-ever-after novel.

When I heard Ms. Spindler had a new book coming out, I immediately put my name on the wait list at my local library. Once I started it, I was glued to it. It was so hard to put down. I paid attention to every word, every conversation the characters had with each other and I still didn't figure it out. I hope Ms. Spindler will write future novels based on Kitt and M.C. Great partnership!! I highly recommend this book.

I REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK, I HATED TO PUT IT DOWN, I COULDNT WAIT TO FINISH IT, DEFINITELY 5 STARS

This is definately one of her best. She has always been a favorite of mine. Her deep characterization and the suspense was a real page turner. Never a dull moment. She takes you by the seat of your pants and doesn't stop until the very last page.