Heartless (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: maguey spines, dressing room closet, Alison Gaylin, Warren Clark, San Esteban (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Occult horror meets chick-lit suspense in Gaylin's entertaining if formulaic fourth novel. When investigative journalist Steve Sorenson hears that his best friend, celebrity reporter Zoe Greene, has fallen for soap opera star Warren Clark and is ditching Manhattan for Warren's home in San Esteban, Mexico, Steve is alarmed not just because he's secretly in love with Zoe. Not long before in San Esteban, a town full of expat hippies involved in a longevity cult, Sangre Para La Vida (blood in exchange for life), a visiting NYU student had his heart ripped out. As Zoe's idyllic romance with Warren unravels in Mexico, certain locals show too much interest in Zoe's blood. Zoe's attendance at a scary SPLV party leads to a breathless finale. Avoiding the standard vampire twist, Gaylin (Trashed) opts for Aztec hoo-doo to keep the action hopping in a tale both shocking and silly about the pursuit of eternal youth and romantic obsession. (Sept.)
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Product Description

“Alison Gaylin is my new must read” (Harlan Coben). Everyone agrees. The thrilling author of Trashed is “a fresh new talent.”(Perri O’Shaughnessy)

From the moment magazine editor Zoe Greene joins her lover Warren in San Esteban, an idyllic Mexican village, something is strange about the place and its people—from the black crosses that hang throughout the town to the blood-tipped spines of its strange indigenous plants to Warren’s odd disappearances. Then, when tourists are found murdered, Zoe begins to ask questions. At even greater risk, she’s finding the answers.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: NAL Hardcover; 1 edition (September 2, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451224973
• ISBN-13: 978-0451224972
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #916,092 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Atmospheric, Genuinely Creepy Thriller, October 7, 2008

By	weathered1 (Nashville, TN, USA) - See all my reviews

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I first picked up one of Ms. Gaylin's books last year, and found myself quickly devouring all of her books that I could get my hands on, all because of one simple reason: her characters are truly interesting. All too often, authors fill their books with stock characters who merely take up space, instead of adding anything to the story. Alison Gaylin, however, is truly adept at character development, so that everyone in her books seems (for lack of a better word) real, in that all are flawed, but they are also truly interesting, and compel readers to want to learn more about them.

The characters in Heartless are no exception. While delving into topics ranging from the cult of personality to daytime television to the world of journalism to human sacrifice, the reader is introduced to people who run the gamut from being emotionally-scarred and trying to heal, to those whose pleasant facades mask obsession and murder.

Additionally, Gaylin really brings the setting of San Estaban to life with an abundance of rich, sensory details that paint a picture of a place that is simultaneously beautiful and foreboding.

This isn't just a run-of-the-mill thriller. It's a book that is truly creepy and disturbing on a multitude of levels, while also incorporating twists and turns to keep readers on their toes. In short, it's a genuinely good book from a very talented author.

3.0 out of 5 stars Ummmm.... , January 4, 2009

By	mahikahn (Columbus, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews

First, let me say that I loved Alison Gaylin's books "Hide Your Eyes" and "You Kill Me". While I would have liked to have seen John & Sam in another follow up I think that may be down the road. John was mentioned a couple times in this book, I'm not sure what that was about.

"Heartless" has a great plot. Five years ago Zoe Greene, a crime reporter, got into the mind of a serial killer. The killer called her and told her he was going to murder more women for her and he did. Zoe, ridden with guilt, took a job with a soap opera magazine. There she met charismatic star Warren Clark and embarked on a torrid affair. Four months later Warren left the show to go to his house in a small Mexico town asking Zoe to join him. Zoe, having quit her job because she wouldn't capitalize on her relationship with Warren, headed to Mexico and Warren. When she arrived she learned there had been several extremely brutal murders in this picturesque small town. Fearing Warren is a member of a cult that may be responsible she begins to investigate.

All good. The description of the town, customs and the bizarre events were detailed and fascinating. But I never felt the characters were fleshed out or that I really knew them. There was very little about their background or even what they looked like. I couldn't bring myself to care much about them and thought they were boring. I found myself rushing to get through the book and the very end was anti-climactic.

So, this is why I gave it a three. Hope Sam & John will be back!

5.0 out of 5 stars DELICIOUSLY CREEPY THRILLER, September 17, 2008

By	Jo Treggiari (Upstate, NY) - See all my reviews

Gaylin keeps the pressure on in this, her fourth novel and second stand-alone. I found the heroine engaging and gutsy; the steady unraveling of her relationship with a soap opera star, a realistic portrayal of what happens when the guy you're with is most definitely not the guy for you, and the cast of ex-pat, artsy, new agey types, intriguing and unusual. The suspense builds steadily, and vivid descriptions drive the story to its surprising finale.
I found the book anything but formulaic. It was as refreshing as a mineral spring,as pointed and sharp as a saguaro cactus and as nightmarish as too much tequila on a hot night. I can't wait to read what Gaylin has in store for us next; it's always a pleasure to step into her world. Highly recommended.