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45th out of 570 books
—
344 voters
IM
by
Rick R. Reed (Goodreads Author)
The Internet Is the New Meat Market for Gay Men Now a Killer Is Turning the Meat Market into a Meat Wagon.
One by one, he's killing them. Lurking in the digital underworld of Men4HookUpNow.com, he lures, seduces, charms, reaching out through instant messages to the unwary. He's just another guy.
They invite him over. He's just another trick. Harmless. They're dead wrong.
Whe...more
One by one, he's killing them. Lurking in the digital underworld of Men4HookUpNow.com, he lures, seduces, charms, reaching out through instant messages to the unwary. He's just another guy.
They invite him over. He's just another trick. Harmless. They're dead wrong.
Whe...more
Paperback, 232 pages
Published
February 1st 2007
by Quest
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409)
Timothy Bright is a serial killer who targets his victims through a gay hook-up site. After the first murder, openly gay detective Ed Comparetto is asked to investigate. Once he questions a witness, Ed’s life takes a turn for the worse. Nevertheless, he is determined to solve the murders and find out the truth about Timothy Bright, even if no one else believes he exists.
I really enjoyed this story! If I didn't have to complete a class project, I'd have gobbled it up in one sitting. Its relentle...more
I really enjoyed this story! If I didn't have to complete a class project, I'd have gobbled it up in one sitting. Its relentle...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
7 likes · like · see review
Wow! IM is the first novel I've read by Rick R Reed - but it certainly won't be the last. Reed takes a modern-day twist of the gay serial killer that is at once unique and intriging; the killer meets all his victims online. Unlike typical serial killer novels, where bodies stack up will police search clues to find the person responsible, IM displays a strong backstory of the killer's life that is served up to the reader in doses throughout the novel. Just when I thought I'd figured out the reaso...more
Rick R. Reed IM
Plot:
One by one, he's killing them. Lurking in a digital underworld, he lures, seduces, charms, reaching out through instant messages. In this killer's world, IM doesn't stand for instant message... it stands for instant murder. Openly gay Chicago Police detective Ed Comparetto is on a quest to unmask a killer -- who may himself be dead -- before he loses everything. Including his life.
My Review and Thoughts:
A wonderful amazing mix of pure tense story telling at its finest. A grea...more
Plot:
One by one, he's killing them. Lurking in a digital underworld, he lures, seduces, charms, reaching out through instant messages. In this killer's world, IM doesn't stand for instant message... it stands for instant murder. Openly gay Chicago Police detective Ed Comparetto is on a quest to unmask a killer -- who may himself be dead -- before he loses everything. Including his life.
My Review and Thoughts:
A wonderful amazing mix of pure tense story telling at its finest. A grea...more
Instant messaging has become for an entire generation of young gay men what gay bars and bathhouses were for the generation that preceded them. Quick, anonymous, no strings sexual encounters are now a click of the mouse away in a computer age world where glory holes have been replaced by web cams. Gay men no longer need to endure the requisite small talk in dark, smoky bars filled with the mingling scents of too much Obsession and Polo or furtive encounters in department store men’s rooms and ca...more
May 02, 2011
~♥I_Luv_2_Read♥~
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
pick-it-for-me
Ok, let me start by saying this is really, really not my genre! I would never ordinarily choose a book like this to read. I hate suspense and horror. This was chosen for me in the Pick It For Me challenge, so I felt I needed to give it a shot.
After about 4 chapters, I knew this wasn't something I was gonna like. I suffered through and about a 1/4 of the way in I found myself thinking that the author has a really good writing style, the characters were really fleshed out, (sometimes literally) a...more
After about 4 chapters, I knew this wasn't something I was gonna like. I suffered through and about a 1/4 of the way in I found myself thinking that the author has a really good writing style, the characters were really fleshed out, (sometimes literally) a...more
2 likes · like · see review
I give this story two stars.
When I read the book synopsis I thought it would be a good fit for me as I love detective murder mystery and thrillers with a little bit of horror.
It started off very interesting, but fell into a spiraling descent from which it never recovers.
The story has so many flaws that I could not get past and hence I did not enjoy this story. I felt the story lacked credibility/believability.
(view spoiler)...more
When I read the book synopsis I thought it would be a good fit for me as I love detective murder mystery and thrillers with a little bit of horror.
It started off very interesting, but fell into a spiraling descent from which it never recovers.
The story has so many flaws that I could not get past and hence I did not enjoy this story. I felt the story lacked credibility/believability.
(view spoiler)...more
I'm going to come at this from a different angle. Yes, IM is a horrifyingly realistic thriller delivered through crisp prose and perfect pacing (I was up late into the night finishing it). But something else impressed me about this book: how the author managed to sketch concise yet resonant portraits of the killer's victims; how he also managed to create a murderous psychopath as intriguing as he is repellent.
Making "throwaway" characters come alive, if only for a moment, requires enormous skil...more
Making "throwaway" characters come alive, if only for a moment, requires enormous skil...more
As a gay guy in the age of Manhunt and Craigslist and all the other easy hook up sites available, this book sometimes had me thinking, there but for the grace of God go I. The extraordinary amount of trust I have to place in the total stranger walking through my front door just for a few moments of pleasure never really crosses my mind when flirting with someone online. Man oh man, it certainly will now.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. I did skim in a few places where I just wasn't into the...more
Overall I really enjoyed this book. I did skim in a few places where I just wasn't into the...more
4.5 stars
Overall: Engrossing and heartbreaking. A pervading sense of loneliness and grasping for contact.
Plot: Chilling main story. Subtle romance for a main character.
Characters: Shifting POVs allow insight into most characters and felt smooth. Letting us directly into the serial killer's mind was interesting, not something I've always enjoyed in the past. Reed presents realistic characters who are not necessarily admirable, instead are trying to navigate life as they see best.
Likes: The snaps...more
Overall: Engrossing and heartbreaking. A pervading sense of loneliness and grasping for contact.
Plot: Chilling main story. Subtle romance for a main character.
Characters: Shifting POVs allow insight into most characters and felt smooth. Letting us directly into the serial killer's mind was interesting, not something I've always enjoyed in the past. Reed presents realistic characters who are not necessarily admirable, instead are trying to navigate life as they see best.
Likes: The snaps...more
Jan 26, 2012
Connie
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
m-m,
mystery-suspense
"You could call him the Stephen King of gay horror." Well that's what he is.
Murder, mystery, suspense.
Characters that show up and you ask yourself "How are they going to fit in?" Well, everyone is a piece in a huge jigsaw puzzle.
Mr. Reed keeps you on the edge of your sit. You never know who is going to be next.
**some spoilers**
Timothy Bright - I haven't read a heartless nasty piece of work in a long time. I tried to hate him, in the end I felt sorry for him. The more you know about him the more...more
Murder, mystery, suspense.
Characters that show up and you ask yourself "How are they going to fit in?" Well, everyone is a piece in a huge jigsaw puzzle.
Mr. Reed keeps you on the edge of your sit. You never know who is going to be next.
**some spoilers**
Timothy Bright - I haven't read a heartless nasty piece of work in a long time. I tried to hate him, in the end I felt sorry for him. The more you know about him the more...more
1 like · like · see review
Although the writing style is good, there are way too many holes in the story line and all too frequent fortuitous occurrences that make the suspension of belief impossible for this reader, at least. The many changing POV's made the storyline hard to follow without constant re-reading.
I had a great deal of trouble actually accepting the reason given at the start of the book for the dismissal of the protagonist from the Police Force.
I do think that the actual plot was very clever, thus my two st...more
I had a great deal of trouble actually accepting the reason given at the start of the book for the dismissal of the protagonist from the Police Force.
I do think that the actual plot was very clever, thus my two st...more
The best kind of creepy.
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
1 like · like · see review
So many plot holes I almost fell through the book. The writing itself was excellent and the characters very well drawn but the premise was trite & the plot predictable. The set up was absolutely ridiculous as I said in my progress notes and the cops were beyond stupid. Even the main guy was an idiot. I loved his bf though and thought their relationship realistic, not love at first site I'm going to die without you.
The book was very violent and graphic which might bother some. there was too...more
The book was very violent and graphic which might bother some. there was too...more
I seriously need to ask myself one question: why the hell I waited too long to start reading IM?! It was so unbelievably good. Made my heart beat frequently. Worried about several characters. Feeling sad for some of them. The author did extremely well by covered everything I needed to know to understand the story as a whole. I get to read the killer's POV, the main character's POV, the victims' POV, and family members' POV.
The switching POV around was done really well. It made me want to improv...more
The switching POV around was done really well. It made me want to improv...more
Eerily realistic and altogether creepy! It’s not hard to imagine real life events mimicking fiction in this case. The storytelling is extremely vivid and puts you inside the heads of multiple characters as it unfolds. Some of the scenes are quite graphic, so reader be warned.
The writing style just pulled me immediately into the story. From there, I was along for the ride on every twist and turn to get to the bottom of this case. I felt all the roiling emotions of every character – from the fren...more
The writing style just pulled me immediately into the story. From there, I was along for the ride on every twist and turn to get to the bottom of this case. I felt all the roiling emotions of every character – from the fren...more
From the book's very first murder, Mr. Reed takes the reader on a wild ride where nothing is as it seems. Ed is a cop whose job crumbles from under him as he chases after a madman who may already be dead. Timothy Bright seems heartless and cruel, but as the story progresses, the reader learns what has made him who he is. Throughout the book, the pacing is tight and fast, catapulting you through the twists and turns, leaving you breathless, until you're reading as fast as you can in an effort to...more
Apr 02, 2008
Sarra
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommended to Sarra by:
Front Street Reviews
Shelves:
review-copy
The Internet is the new meat market for gay men. It’s easy and anonymous to hop online, browse a website and pick out a partner. So what if the descriptions are misleading and the pictures are ten years out of date, as long as the sex is hard and hot?
Then a predator starts using Men4HookUpNow.com as his hunting grounds. Chameleon-like he knows how to seduce his prey by becoming any man’s fantasy. They invite him over, let him in, and wish they hadn’t when the blood starts flowing as he satisfies...more
Then a predator starts using Men4HookUpNow.com as his hunting grounds. Chameleon-like he knows how to seduce his prey by becoming any man’s fantasy. They invite him over, let him in, and wish they hadn’t when the blood starts flowing as he satisfies...more
Nov 20, 2008
Rick
rated it
5 of 5 stars
· (Review from the author)
Recommends it for:
thriller, mystery, and suspense readers
IM
Rick R. Reed
Quest Books (2007)
ISBN 9781932300796
Reviewed by Tyler R. Tichelaar for Reader Views (4/07)
“IM” by Rick Reed is a fast-paced page turner that I could barely put down. The title is the abbreviation for
“Instant Messaging” but in this case, the instant messaging results in instant murder. While it is a mystery
concerning a series of crimes against gay men, and featuring a gay detective and a questionably gay killer, the
plot twists, character development, and suspense make it a s...more
Rick R. Reed
Quest Books (2007)
ISBN 9781932300796
Reviewed by Tyler R. Tichelaar for Reader Views (4/07)
“IM” by Rick Reed is a fast-paced page turner that I could barely put down. The title is the abbreviation for
“Instant Messaging” but in this case, the instant messaging results in instant murder. While it is a mystery
concerning a series of crimes against gay men, and featuring a gay detective and a questionably gay killer, the
plot twists, character development, and suspense make it a s...more
Chilling, tense, and terrifying are some of the first words to spring to mind as I write this review. By page 73 the people in the room with me were asking me what the hell I was reading because the beginning of the chapter I was sniffling and I was gasping and biting my lips by the end of the chapter. Milt’s part really got to me, what can I say?
I normally don’t like books with several different POVs, but in this case it didn’t bother me at all and actually made me like it more. The shifts are...more
I normally don’t like books with several different POVs, but in this case it didn’t bother me at all and actually made me like it more. The shifts are...more
The romance was definitely not the most important plot of this book - the mystery was. The villain was a very interesting character - (view spoiler)
Its a nail biter!
Wow! I wasn't expecting this book to be what it was. Thriller, suspense,and gory at times. Hooked me from the beginning and I loved it!!! It is incredibly well written in exceptional detail; true fiction. I admit, at times I skimmed over some of the pages, because I could not wait to find out what the hell was going on!!
Wow! I wasn't expecting this book to be what it was. Thriller, suspense,and gory at times. Hooked me from the beginning and I loved it!!! It is incredibly well written in exceptional detail; true fiction. I admit, at times I skimmed over some of the pages, because I could not wait to find out what the hell was going on!!
3.5 stars
It's a fast-paced murder mystery involving Internet dating. There are enough twists and turns that make me keep reading till the very end. The only 'complaint' is that there are several point of views, switching from one character to another, that sometimes I feel 'lost' and not enough insight into the ones that I think as the "hero" of the story
It's a fast-paced murder mystery involving Internet dating. There are enough twists and turns that make me keep reading till the very end. The only 'complaint' is that there are several point of views, switching from one character to another, that sometimes I feel 'lost' and not enough insight into the ones that I think as the "hero" of the story
Heard all the rave and just had to read IM for myself. Wow.
A too real concept using online dating for the major plot element that will leave you feeling just a bit paranoid if you've ever hooked up with someone from an online service. Once again, Reed's ability to portray realistic, multidimensional characters shines. Some of the horrific content might make you squeamish though, but unlike some horror stories that seem too far fetched to ever be possible, IM is closer to reality, which makes it...more
A too real concept using online dating for the major plot element that will leave you feeling just a bit paranoid if you've ever hooked up with someone from an online service. Once again, Reed's ability to portray realistic, multidimensional characters shines. Some of the horrific content might make you squeamish though, but unlike some horror stories that seem too far fetched to ever be possible, IM is closer to reality, which makes it...more
I have to say I wished I never read this book. I am sure I will never have another good night sleep again it scared me that much. This book is about a serial killer and the way it was written was so well done it felt like you are right there in the action. I have never read a book that was so realistic.
1 like · like · see review
This book took me so much longer to read than normal, because I kept having to put it down. I've always been a big fan of horror/mystery books, but one just scared the hell out of me. At one point, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to finish it. I had to have my hand held through the entire last half, and STILL put it down at least five times. It could be partially due to the "lonely hearts" aspect of the killings. I just didn't want to see the lonely ones end up like that. there were a lot o...more
2 likes · like · see review
Sep 04, 2010
Michael Barnette
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
lovers of gay romance
Shelves:
m-m-and-gay-romance
This one deserves a 4.5 rating.
This book is a great read both for the mystery and the romance. I really liked it and would recommend it to anyone who likes mystery or a really great gay romance.
This book is a great read both for the mystery and the romance. I really liked it and would recommend it to anyone who likes mystery or a really great gay romance.
Fantastic read! This story was very suspenseful and kept you chasing the truth along with Ed. The only thing I wasn't really satisfied with was the lack of resolution about Ed's job.
A thriller that will have you anticipating, yet fearing, what will happen next. I couldn't put it down. Another outstanding book by Rick Reed.
Full review can be found at On Top Down Under Book Reviews:
http://bookreviewsandtherapy.blogspot...
Full review can be found at On Top Down Under Book Reviews:
http://bookreviewsandtherapy.blogspot...
A creepy look inside the world of internet dating. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a scary, realistic thriller.
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Rick R. Reed is all about exploring the romantic entanglements of gay men in contemporary, realistic settings. While his stories often contain elements of suspense, mystery and the paranormal, his focus ultimately returns to the power of love. He is the author of dozens of published novels, novellas, and short stories. He is a two-time EPIC eBook Award winner (for Orientation and The Blue Moon Caf...more
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updated Jul 02, 2010 08:51am
Jul 02, 2010 08:50am