Name: Heartsick
ISBN: 9780330449809

Chelsea Cain

Detective Archie Sheridan has spent years tracking serial killer Gretchen Lowell. In the end, it was she who caught him, tortured him, then mysteriously set him free and turned herself in. Now as he trails a new case, Archie needs Gretchen in more ways than one--to catch a killer and to release his soul. Martin's Press.

Heartsick

Damaged Portland detective Archie Sheridan spent ten years tracking Gretchen Lowell, a beautiful serial killer, but in the end she was the one who caught him. Two years ago, Gretchen kidnapped Archie and tortured him for ten days, but instead of killing him, she mysteriously decided to let him go. She turned herself in, and now Gretchen has been locked away for the rest of her life, while Archie is in a prison of another kind---addicted to pain pills, unable to return to his old life, powerless to get those ten horrific days off his mind. Archie's a different person, his estranged wife says, and he knows she's right. He continues to visit Gretchen in prison once a week, saying that only he can get her to confess as to the whereabouts of more of her victims, but even he knows the truth---he can't stay away.
When another killer begins snatching teenage girls off the streets of Portland, Archie has to pull himself together enough to lead the new task force investigating the murders. A hungry young newspaper reporter, Susan Ward, begins profiling Archie and the investigation, which sparks a deadly game between Archie, Susan, the new killer, and even Gretchen. They need to catch a killer, and maybe somehow then Archie can free himself from Gretchen, once and for all. Either way, Heartsick makes for one of the most extraordinary suspense debuts in recent memory.

arwen

give me another one of those crazy blonde bitches

Denaiir

4.5 stars
This was such a good thriller, exactly what I am looking for: sick, twisted, full of serial-killers and damaged cops. My favorite style! 
The audiobook was not very good so it dampened my enjoyment a little bit, which is why I didn't give it 5 stars, but it was still riveting and I can't wait to get more of Gretchen Lowell!

Jasmine

4.5 Stars
Such an amazing psychological crime thriller! The dynamic between Archie, Gretchen, and Susan was endlessly fascinating, I just wanted to read more and more. There is a lot of really great character development way more than I've come across in other thrillers and it made Heartsick standout in the best way possible. Also, there is this great sarcastic sense of humor in Chelsea Cain's writing which I enjoyed immensely. This book pulled me in from the page 1 because oh wow that beginning was pretty shocking but after reading how could you not be curious enough to read on. Everything that I look for when picking out a thriller/ murder mystery was in here. 

I mean you've got multiple serial killers and complex main characters making questionable choices, what's not love? Honestly, this book can be pretty gruesome I'm not a fan of gore but it shows what Archie went through and understand how messed up Gretchen is. She is quite the twisted puppet master the mind game she is playing on Archie is quite something. Already reading Sweetheart the second book in the series and I have to say I'm enjoying it immensely so far. I've never read a psychological thriller where the plot takes place over multiple books but I'm so ready for more!

Amy Medeiros

The detective and the serial killer

This mystery is very different from what I’m used it and I love it. We have our serial killer Gretchen who owns being crazy and is not afraid to show it and Archie, the detective who became her victim when she caught him while he was chasing her. For some reason, after torturing him for 10 days she calls in an ambulance for him and ends up turning herself in and is now in a maximum security prison. They have a very interesting relationship where he visits her every Sunday and they have this crazy attraction to each other. This was an extremely entertaining story and I can’t wait to read all the other books in the series.

When beautiful serial killer Gretchen Lowell captured her last victim - the very detective who was trying to hunt her down - she quickly established who was really in control of the investigation. So why, after 10 days of horrifying physical and mental torture, did she release Detective Archie Sheridan on the brink of death and hand herself in?

Venessa Johnstone

A Great Reread!! It feels less gruesome than when I first read it years ago...

azliana aziz

Melissa Bragg 

Kayleigh Tomlyns

In Chelsea Cain’s bestselling series debut, Portland detective Archie Sheridan has spent years tracking Gretchen Lowell, a beautiful serial killer. In the end she was the one who caught him, but after torturing him for days she mysteriously let him go and turned herself in. Since then the she has been locked up, leaving Archie damaged but alive in a prison of another kind—addicted to pain pills, unable to return to his old life, powerless to get those ten horrific days or Gretchen off his mind. When another killer begins snatching teenage girls off the streets, Archie has to pull himself together to head up a new task force, but even then he can’t stop him without getting information from Gretchen—an encounter that may destroy him. With Susan Ward, a hungry young newspaper reporter, profiling Archie and his team, Archie, the killer, and Gretchen enter into a dark and deadly game. Each novel in Chelsea Cain’s scorching series leaves readers wanting more of the twisted and destructive relationship introduced in Heartsick.

Emily

He thinks he sees a flash of emotion in her eyes. Sympathy? Then it's gone. 'Whatever you think this is going to be like,' she whispers, 'it's going to be worse.' When beautiful serial killer Gretchen Lowell captured her last victim - the man in charge of hunting her down - she quickly established who was really in control of the investigation. So why, after ten days of horrifying physical and mental torture, did she release Detective Archie Sheridan from the brink of death and hand herself in? Two years on, Archie now returns to lead the search for a new killer, whose recent attacks on teenage girls have left the city of Portland reeling. Shadowed by vulnerable young reporter Susan Ward, Archie knows that only one person can help him climb into the mind of this psychopath. But can Archie finally manage to confront the demons of his past without being consumed by them? 'Dark, distressing and disturbing . . . Just pray you never meet Gretchen' Val McDermid 'What may be the creepiest serial killer ever created. This is an addictive read!' Tess Gerritsen 'Move over Thomas Harris, there's a new kid on the block . . . Compelling, highly believable and very sexy' Daily Mirror