Sweetheart (Archie Sheridan & Gretchen Lowell, #2)

by Chelsea Cain

`Turn yourself in,' Archie said. He pressed the fingers of one hand into his right temple, trying to slow the pulse of blood that beat against his skin. Susan was taking notes, recording everything. He didn't care. `I'll do anything you want,' he said.

`You know what I want.' She let that linger in the air between them.

`Tell me,' he said.

`I want you,' Gretchen said. `I've always wanted you.'

Investigative journalist Susan Ward is about to print the story of her career - proving long-rumoured allegations about a respected senator's affair with a young girl. But the day before her story is published, the senator is killed in a car crash.

Detective Archie Sheridan is trying to rebuild a life with his family. But he remains haunted by beautiful, ruthless serial killer Gretchen Lowell - the woman who tortured him then saved his life. Now she is safely behind bars, Archie is determined to stay away from her. And when a mysterious child leads him to two bodies in Forest Park, Archie must focus his attention on the case.

But then the unthinkable happens: Gretchen escapes. The only thing this gorgeous psychopath cares about is Archie - and with her on the loose, everyone he loves has become a target . . .

• ISBN10: 031257262X
• ISBN13: 9780312572624
• Publish Date: 4 October 2011 (first published 18 July 2008)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 13 March 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: St Martin's Press
• Format: Paperback (US Mass Market)
• Pages: 338
• Language: English

Reviews

[empressbrooke]

In reality, this is probably worth 2.5 stars. On the upside, we get far more Gretchen-based plot in this book than we did in Heartsick. The other mystery is one that ties directly into the Molly Palmer/Senator Castle story that reporter Susan had been working on in Heartsick, so this time the side-plot made sense and had a purpose.

On the downside, Chelsea Cain nearly destroyed everything interesting about Archie Sheridan's attraction to Gretchen by revealing that they'd had an affair before she kidnapped and tortured him. Nevermind that it doesn't make sense within the plot of the first book, but it ruins what had been an fascinating Stockholm Syndrome case.

And, of course, Gretchen is STILL free at the end of the book, leaving the door open for yet another sequel, but I can't say I'll be interested in reading it.

[ibeforem]

I think that Chelsea Cain has really explored an area that is rarely seen in suspense fiction… What happens to the victims? What happens to those who have been attacked, tortured, nearly killed? How do they cope? Is it possible to live your life like nothing happened? When this book begins, you think that maybe Archie has started down a new path… He’s taking fewer pills, he hasn’t seen Gretchen in months, he’s moved back in with his ex-wife and kids… But then Gretchen sings her siren song, and once again Archie can’t help but to come running. I think in this book, more than in Heartsick, you learn a little more about who Archie really is, and of the true nature of the relationship between he and Gretchen.

There are no “heroes” in this book, but there is a lot of obsession. Archie is obsessed with Gretchen, who is in turn obsessed with him. Henry is obsessed with keeping Archie away from Gretchen. Susan is obsessed with the chase for a story, and not a little obsessed with herself. Everyone has their own personal motives, and these motives push the story along. But in the end they manage to work together to bring about what may not exactly be a happy ending, but is at least some closure.

I think the Senator Cassell (sic) mystery gets a little buried under all of the Archie & Gretchen stuff, but it still has an interesting ending. A third book in this series is due next September, and I can’t wait!