Customer Reviews

Urge To Kill

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Plot/Storyline: 5 Stars

Mr. Lutz juggles several plot threads throughout this novel, from flashbacks to the killer's childhood to an abused woman's plight to the team of detectives brought in to find out the truth behind the newest killings. Each switch in viewpoint brings new insight to the story.

This is not a traditional mystery in that the reader is not presented with clues to solve the murders. As a matter of fact, the detectives are left with precious few actual clues. I do think it makes for a more realistic police procedural novel.

At first, the storyline appears rather disjointed with introductions of characters that appear to not have a part in the plot. However, all lines are eventually revealed to be knotted together.

There was one thread that was entirely unrelated. While reading these portions, I kept wondering how it was going to be tied in to the murders. This never happened. The scenario was resolved, but if you blink, you will miss it. The author used this thread as a metaphor to make a statement on the impact of violence on society.

Character Development: 4 3/4 Stars

This novel is as much of a character study as it is a mystery. The reader is introduced to each character carefully to provide insight into both killer and victim.

Quinn is essentially the main character. Having read previous novels in this series, I already had a feel for him. However, as a standalone, his development was somewhat lacking as the author fails to give much back story on his relationship with Pearl.

Pearl is an interesting contradiction as a strong woman who cannot seem to stand up to her mother. She is realistic and sympathetic far beyond her part in this story.

The victims were made real to the reader. Unlike a lot of serial killer type novels, Mr. Lutz makes his readers truly feel for the victims.

Writing Style: 5 Stars

I enjoy Mr. Lutz's writing style immensely. His prose flows so easily, filled with concise descriptions and excellent dialogue.

Editing/Formatting: 5 Stars

Both were of professional quality.

Rating: R for Graphic Violence and Sexual Discussions

I'm a huge Lutz fan, so my anticipation for this book was high -- Lutz is a great writer, so it should be a great book, right? The story's protaganist is, Frank Quinn - a veteran detective that specializes in homicide. While on call, Frank is injured and forced to take a side-lined role for the job he loves. The timing couldn't have been worse. A serial killer has emerged that is unlike any the city has seen before. I can't go into details, but I will say some of the scenes are delivered with enough gruesomeness to satisfy even the most depraved bloodlust. Harley Renz (the commissioner) calls on his side-lined hero to take the case -- which Frank gladly accepts -- especially since, Joe Garlin (a DEA agent) was one of his victims. This latest victim drives Frank to near obsession and he vows to bring this madman to justice. Nothing will stop Frank from achieving this goal -- nothing except the appearance of a second serial killer that is even more gruesome than the first. What is an already over-worked police force to do? Well, Frank sets a trap using himself as bait. I'll stop there so I don't spoil the story for those yet to read it. Over all, the book was an enjoyable read -- John Lutz is one of the best detective thriller writers around, but the whole cat and mouse scene has been done many times before and even the skilled hand of a master writer can't bring anything new to this table. If you just have to read everything by Lutz then by all means waste a few days reading it...but for a more enjoyable read I'd recommend JoAnna Wylde's novel: Price of Freedom Price of Freedom as your next "must read" book.

A savage murderer preys on young women, first romancing, then butchering them. That same summer, someone begins targeting men, gunning them down with .25 caliber weapons. Could these two seemingly different rampages be the work of a single serial killer? Veteran homicide team Frank Quinn, Pearl Kasner, and Larry Fedderman slowly but doggedly pick up a clue here, a thread there, but no clear picture emerges until, gradually, Quinn realizes that the killer that he is hunting is now hunting him. What a compelling idea for a crime novel. But what should have been a taut, tightly structured thriller becomes bogged down in redundancy. Talk about padding; cookie cutter sex scenes and stomach turning crime scenes materialize with unvarying regularity, sometimes nearly word for word. As a result, what could have been an edge of the seat reading experience becomes merely OK. Not having read anything else written by John Lutz, I don't know if this sort of "overkill" is typical for him. It was surprising because, in the rest of the book, he did such a good job with the personalities of his characters, particularly in an ongoing, Seinfeld-like situation in which Pearl obsesses over a health issue. On the other hand, a few of them were rather cardboard, such as the profiler, and the psychoanalyst with whom Quinn becomes involved. Overall, Urge to Kill is an uneven production. Readers who enjoy lots of gruesome detail may not find it so, but those looking for carefully controlled psychological suspense may be disappointed.

John Lutz has created an interesting concept that has passed under the radar of some readers but, for fans of mystery and thriller fiction, is worth a second and third look. The concept is remarkable: take a former New York homicide detective who was frog-marched out of his job, his ex-lady friend and a retired law enforcement colleague, and retain them in a private capacity to solve the cases that the police department can't.

Frank Quinn is the ex-detective; Jewel, the former flame (for whom Quinn still retains a flicker); and Fedderman, the Florida retiree who makes the trek back to New York at Quinn's intermittent request. Lutz, a veteran wordsmith, has chosen to infuse his primary character with age and guile in place of youth and experience; with URGE TO KILL, he has come up with a solid and compelling winner.

Those familiar with Quinn and company from such previous works as NIGHT KILLS and IN FOR THE KILL will find Lutz's trademark elements of sharp characterization, compelling dialogue and graphic depictions of evil present in URGE TO KILL. Quinn is brought in to the hunt for a serial killer who seems to be targeting his victims --- including a retired cop with a reputation for being bent --- in broad daylight. The murderer is dubbed "the 25 caliber killer" and appears to be unstoppable. What neither Quinn nor the politically astute New York police commissioner realize, however, is that another series of murders is being committed at the same time.

When the victims --- young women who are strung up, bled out and gutted like hunting trophies --- are discovered, it creates a controversy: Is this the work of the same person due to the common elements of hunting that are present in both sets of murders, or is the commonality a coincidence? Quinn himself isn't entirely sure, but under pressure from the commissioner, he treats the two cases as if they have a common killer. Jewel feels that the team is heading in the wrong direction. Additionally, she is at loose ends from dealing with a medical problem and her own conflicted feelings over Quinn. Sure that she was done with him, she is nonetheless aggravated over Quinn's attraction to a psychiatrist who may hold the key to the case.

The true star of URGE TO KILL, however, is the intricate plot, which puzzles and intrigues not only the reader but also the characters who remain a step behind the killer (or killers) until almost the very end. In order to bring matters to a head, Quinn engages in a risky and dangerous ploy to draw the culprit(s) out, putting his own life on the line while inadvertently drawing Jewel into mortal danger as well.

Lutz knows how to keep the pages turning, and the pages that make up URGE TO KILL fly by. The prickly interplay between the perpetually smart-mouthed Quinn and the perennially grumpy Jewel is worth the price of admission alone, but the various dances between killer and victim and good and evil will keep you on the edge of your seat and steal your sleep away.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

this author has a wonderful sense of dialogue and a creative way of fabricating the twists and turns of the genre. But there is a bit much of it;some tighter editing would have improved it.

This book popped up on my Kindle recommended reading list, an occurrence I found surprising since I'm not particularly into crime-related thrillers. I took a flying leap and purchased it, and from that point on was unable to put it down. John Lutz does an amazing job of interweaving several storylines together into a plot that is simultaneously realistic, gory, and fascinating. An avid reader of fiction, this is one of the better books I've encountered in recent times, and is perfect for a long weekend or flight.

This is easily five stars. John Lutz has a new fan!

John Lutz has written another in his line of serial killer thrillers, and this one has a new and intriguing plot line -- is there one killer or are there two. The killings are vastly dissimilar and yet the professionals believe it possible that both serial killers are in fact one. It takes some very scary twists and turns to unravel this mystery and you are left guessing until the very end. Along the way, a totally unrelated plot line about domestic violence is wound through the story -- you wonder if there is a tie, and worry about the resolution of this story along with the predominant plot -- and it has a very satisfying conclusion. Lutz had great character development for his killer(s) -- want to leave you guessing here -- with plenty of flashbacks to give the reader insight into compulsions. I loved this book, and if you like hard hitting thrillers, you should love it too.

I thought this book was pretty good. What kept it from being really good is his lack of characterization. A couple of them were done nicely, but mostly you were left wondering about them.

The dialogue and the story were well done. I found it to be an enjoyable book, fast-paced and intriguing.

There are a lot of sub-plots in the story, so at first you have to wonder what all of these folks have to do with the story. Eventually they're all tied together, with the exception of one. I'm still not sure why these characters were in the story at all.

Definitely worth a read.

After reading In For The Kill and Night Kills, I was looking forward to this next in his Quinn series. Overall this was a lackluster effort. Characterization was contrived when looking back at his previous work. His partner, Pearl, comes across as more unstable, constantly in a state of chaos and rage about everything...this woman doesn't need to be carrying a gun. The into bed after meeting for 15 minutes "romance" for Quinn and the psychologist was boring and dull. Her character was a cardboard cutout. Daily sex during lunch hours was monotonous. There was a lot of sex and violence in this story but I felt no suspense and the ending twists were pretty far-fetched. Lutz has done far better and hopefully will do better. He needs to get rid of these stale characters or rejuvenate them....they are now old and tired and becoming very uninteresting. Fortunately this was a free book.

I've not read this author before so have no previous writing from which to compare. But I found the story boring, the characters unreal and the writing a bit off the mark. Moreover, some scenes were simply too gruesome for my taste. Others might find it fine. Quite a disappointment.