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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Move Over Sylvia Browne... A Chilling Psychic Thriller, January 21, 2008
This review is from: Deadly Vision (Paperback)
This review refers to "Deadly Vision" by Rick R. Reed
What would it be like to be the harbinger of death? Curse or gift? Cassandra D'Angelo is about to discover things she'd rather not. Single mom of 7 year old Max, Cass faces the pressures of raising her son alone, of living down a reputation for being a bit on the wild side in her younger days(something her mom never lets her forget) and providing a safe environment for him. So when little Max doesn't turn up on time for dinner, Cass panics and searches the small town of Summitville on the banks of the Ohio River. The neighbors always watch out for each other, and nothing really bad ever happens here, but Cass can't help but picture her little guy laying hurt somewhere in the nearby woods waiting for some help. A thunderstorm approaches, but Cass' motherly instincts won't let her stop looking. A crash of thunder and flash of lightning are the last thing Cass hears, as she is struck on the head by a falling tree branch.
Cass awakens 2 days later in a hospital bed. All is well with little Max, but after seeing the picture of the victim of a missing young girl splashed on the small town newspaper, Cass gets a picture of her own. The girl is not just missing, she's dead and Cass' brain flashes on a horrific death. The images don't stop there, and her visions give her the feeling of one very disturbed killer. She tries to warn the police, who can hardly believe her, she can hardly believe herself.
There are families out there who are desperate to know what happened to their children. Cass feels she must tell them. Putting her own well being on the line, she tries to help. Ian, the very deranged psychopath who kills at the whim of 'The Beast" who told him to(shades of Son of Sam) wants to put to put a stop to Cass. And what better way then through her own child? The race against time is on, can Cass save Max from this monster? Will anyone believe her? Can she conjure up the visions needed to find him, or rely solely on her motherly instincts?
It's a heart pounding, page turning ride from the mind of master horror/thriller story teller Rick Reed.
The first chapter, although a bit disturbing in it's content, gives the reader a look at the villain we will be dealing with. Reed's descriptive storytelling chills and sets the tone, but draws the line at not becoming overly graphic in situations that may be all to real. He brings characters to cheer and characters to fear. He draws the reader in and makes them part of the setting as well as the race against time. Everything is tied up neatly at the end - well almost everything - could there be a sequel in the works Mr Reed?
Often when I pick up a book by an Author I like, I sometimes find myself disappointed that the 2nd or 3rd book did not live up to my expectations. Not so with Rick Reed's stories. My expectations are exceeded each time. Each new one is a fresh story and the writing becomes more and more seasoned. This is the third I have read and I always find myself wanting to warn the characters. I am also always so impressed with how he gets into the heads of the characters. I was amazed at how Cass' actions as a worried mother were so real. The other two, if you are looking for some great thrills and chills are IMand In the Blood(see my reviews for book details). You should know that these three stories also deal with gay themes(and in the case of In The Blood - Vampires) and if that is something that would bother you, well, trust me when I say that you'd be missing some great thrillers, and fans should not pass this author by.
So move over Sylvia Browne, Cass D'Angelo is on the job! Another fine thriller from Rick Reed.
Keep an eye on your kids and...enjoy the read....Laurie
P.S. How come psychics never win the lottery?
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
well-written, but hard to stomach sometimes, February 19, 2010
This review is from: Deadly Vision (Paperback)
Just a glance at the reviews already written showed that enough people have already given a run-down of the plot, so instead I'll just point out a few warnings/opinions.
The author is definitely talented; the writing was strong and the story kept me on the edge of my seat.
However, don't get the book expecting it to be a romance, because as far as the two women concerned, that plays a very very tiny part in the story.
The book is full of horror, violence, depraved men, and many sickening allusions to rape.
I expected a romance mystery type thing, but this veers closer to something like Silence of the Lambs.
It wasn't what I was expecting, so it took me off guard, but if that's the kind of story you were hoping for, you won't be disappointed.
This isn't to say the book is horrible and should be avoided; just a fair warning of its darker contents.
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Midwest Book Review - April 2008, April 1, 2008
This review is from: Deadly Vision (Paperback)
Cass D'Angelo lives a regular life in small town, Ohio, with her seven-year-old son, Max. She works at a popular diner and has little unusual going on in her life except, initially, the lack of a girlfriend. Her whole life changes, however, after being struck on the head during a storm. When she wakes up in the hospital, she discovers that she's acquired psychic powers, specifically the ability to visualize the grisly deaths of local girls who have recently begun disappearing.
The killers are an insane, but handsome, psychopath and his smitten and spectacularly confused girlfriend. We find out very quickly that they worship a devil-like entity, "The Beast," and when they discover that Cass has directed the police to unearth one of their victims, they go after her and her family.
Like Charlaine Harris's Harper Connelly character, Cass D'Angelo is a psychic character who's fascinating to read about. She's thoughtful, smart, and capable. Unlike Harris's character, who travels around to use her gift, Cass is mostly happy and settled in her Ohio home and committed to family, friends, and her community. That makes her deadly visions and horror over the sick murders even more palpable. Everyone is at risk, even her own son.
Reed gives us alternate chapters from the perspective of the twisted killer's girlfriend and of our increasingly-stressed heroine. His secondary characters, particularly Cass's mother and Cass's journalist girlfriend, are lively, interesting, and essential. His use of tone, pacing, and atmosphere is masterful. A natural born storyteller, this author does an excellent job showing Cass's increasing panic in the face of the killers' single-minded murderous intent. With every page, the reader's tension level rises until the wild climax. At times graphic, always descriptive, and endlessly suspenseful, this novel takes you on a rocky ride through horror and anxiety. Will the killers be thwarted? Will Cass live to see another vision? Will she lose the one she loves the most?
Highly recommended for all who enjoy heart-pounding suspense, horror, and good old-fashioned fright within an expertly constructed narrative. ~Lori L. Lake, Midwest Book Review
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