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Maggie O'Dell #2
Split Second
After Albert Stucky, a brutal and clever serial killer known as "The Collector," escapes from prison, he forces FBI profiler Maggie O'Dell, the agent who originally captured him, to play a deadly game when he targets her and everyone associated with her, pushing her to the very edge of sanity. 200,000 first printing.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
372 people are currently reading
2898 people want to read
About the author
Alex Kava
67 books2,568 followersALEX KAVA IS A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR of the critically acclaimed Maggie O’Dell series and a new series featuring former Marine, Ryder Creed and his K9 dogs. Her stand-alone novel, One False Move, was the 2006 One Book One Nebraska. Published in over thirty countries, Kava’s novels have made the bestseller lists in the UK, Australia, Germany, Japan, Italy and Poland. Her novel Stranded was awarded both a Florida Book Award and the Nebraska Book Award. She is a member of the Nebraska Writers Guild and International Thriller Writers. Kava divides her time between Omaha, Nebraska and Pensacola, Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 409 reviews
February 22, 2016
Originally posted on The Book Nympho
Much improved over the first book though still not without issues.
The last story ended with news of serial killer Albert Stucky's escape. This one continues five months later with what ensues and the impact on Maggie O'Dell. We didn't have many details about him and it all unfolds as he wreaks havoc in Maggie's world.
The cases are gruesome and chilling. The story moves at a pretty good pace except when it shifts to the frantic meandering of Maggie's mind as she appears to be falling apart. There are a number of new characters introduced who appear to be constants going forward and they provide some grounding. There's an odd angle that I have to admit had me puzzled for most of the book and it kept me into the story.
This was much more interesting than the last, though being in Maggie's head as she was dealing with her fears and paranoia wasn't fun. It was a bit repetitive and dragged down the story, especially since it was apparent early on...her actions and behaviors didn't require explanation. I'm looking forward to her new partnership and maybe getting to see her profiling skills. 3.5 stars
Much improved over the first book though still not without issues.
The last story ended with news of serial killer Albert Stucky's escape. This one continues five months later with what ensues and the impact on Maggie O'Dell. We didn't have many details about him and it all unfolds as he wreaks havoc in Maggie's world.
The cases are gruesome and chilling. The story moves at a pretty good pace except when it shifts to the frantic meandering of Maggie's mind as she appears to be falling apart. There are a number of new characters introduced who appear to be constants going forward and they provide some grounding. There's an odd angle that I have to admit had me puzzled for most of the book and it kept me into the story.
This was much more interesting than the last, though being in Maggie's head as she was dealing with her fears and paranoia wasn't fun. It was a bit repetitive and dragged down the story, especially since it was apparent early on...her actions and behaviors didn't require explanation. I'm looking forward to her new partnership and maybe getting to see her profiling skills. 3.5 stars
February 4, 2016
Number two in the series and I have to admit it is not really grabbing me. I am sure that I am supposed to like Maggie but so far I just want to tell her to please get her act together. As for Nick he has changed from an arrogant idiot in the first book to a mature, caring adult in this one! How did that happen? On the other hand the book is quite readable and moves at a fair pace although I did skim some of Maggie's musings. I am giving this three stars (though it should actually be two and a half) and I will try the next book because I have high hopes that Maggie will be in a better place and able to function as the strong, smart woman she is supposed to be.
June 28, 2020
Albert Stucky had escaped the prison van, killing two guards in the process. Now he was killing again and drawing FBI Special Agent Maggie O’Dell into his game. Maggie had caught him once and came close to death that time. She was determined to catch him a second time, this time putting him out of contention forever. But as he flaunted the women he killed, he gradually drew Maggie in. The nightmares wouldn’t leave her; she never felt safe, feeling his eyes on her always. Her fellow agents were concerned as they saw Maggie’s tight control loosen. Would she catch him this time? Or would it be her death they were mourning?
Split Second is the 2nd in the Maggie O’Dell series by Alex Kava, and my first by this author; and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was brutal, gruesome, bloodthirsty, but a great crime thriller that I didn’t want to put down. I’ve owned this book for over 8 years – I’m glad I’ve finally read it! Highly recommended.
Split Second is the 2nd in the Maggie O’Dell series by Alex Kava, and my first by this author; and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was brutal, gruesome, bloodthirsty, but a great crime thriller that I didn’t want to put down. I’ve owned this book for over 8 years – I’m glad I’ve finally read it! Highly recommended.
February 7, 2019
This could have been a fantastic book, but it had some strikes against it. First, it started with the escape of a seriously dangerous prisoner during transport, and I’m not fond of that gimmick. Second, there was paragraph after paragraph of descriptive prose of non-essential details that I found myself skimming. Third, too much time was spent inside Maggie O’Dell‘s thoughts and worries and self-doubts.
The plot was good and there were some new characters I liked. I was happy to see Nick Morelli show up and enjoyed the “small world” with some of the other cops. I liked the contrast in style between Maggie and Tully. I’m also very happy with the ending.
So, while the book was boring at times, it wasn’t completely terrible. I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series soon.
The plot was good and there were some new characters I liked. I was happy to see Nick Morelli show up and enjoyed the “small world” with some of the other cops. I liked the contrast in style between Maggie and Tully. I’m also very happy with the ending.
So, while the book was boring at times, it wasn’t completely terrible. I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series soon.
December 3, 2016
Split Second, the 2nd novel in this series begins five months after the escape of the serial killer, Albert Stuckey at the end of the previous book, A Perfect Evil.
Maggie O"Dell, the FBI profiler who had spent years profiling the killer, has been removed from working on the field after Stuckey's daring escape.
But when people close to her start being murdered with the same M.O. as Stuckey, she is back in charge of investigation
Another cat and mouse game between Maggie and the cunning killer - Maggie is determined to bring down the killer before he kills her first.
Story is well-paced filled with some chilling and scary and never slows down.
A good addition to this series.
Maggie O"Dell, the FBI profiler who had spent years profiling the killer, has been removed from working on the field after Stuckey's daring escape.
But when people close to her start being murdered with the same M.O. as Stuckey, she is back in charge of investigation
Another cat and mouse game between Maggie and the cunning killer - Maggie is determined to bring down the killer before he kills her first.
Story is well-paced filled with some chilling and scary and never slows down.
A good addition to this series.
May 3, 2015
I like Split Second even better than the first book in the Maggie O'Dell seres. This was a reread for me, and it has been enough years that I didn't remember much about the book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and think Kava did a great job of writing a thrilling suspense. I couldn't turn the pages enough waiting to find out what would happen to Maggie, Tully, Tess, and some of the other characters.
FBI Special Agent Maggie O'Dell has been taken out of the field after her nemesis, serial killer Albert Stucky escapes custody. That he will come after Maggie isn't in question, so her boss is trying to protect her. All too soon, women Maggie randomly encounters start turning up dead, mutilated in a way that is Stucky's signature. Maggie knows she is the only one who can find him and has to be back on the investigation. When her boss finally relents, Maggie and a new partner, T.J. Tully, follow the trail left by Stucky, trying to find him before he ratchets up more kills and eventually gets them or someone close to them. When they start finding fingerprints that do no belong to Stucky and some other inconsistencies, they begin to wonder if this madman is working with a partner.
Kava is a master at creating evil villains! This book also had mention of the one from the last book, Father Keller, and I'm sure we haven't seen the last of him. He and Albert Stucky were both ones I found very evil and creepy. I love the character of Maggie O'Dell, as well as some of the secondary characters. I thought she and Tully made a great investigative team, with each having completely different strengths. I like Tess in this one quite a bit, and worried about her fate terribly. It was good to get a glimpse of Nick Morelli again in this one, and I was very glad that Maggie adopted Harvey and bonded with him. The storyline was great, and I can't wait to see what happens in the series next!
FBI Special Agent Maggie O'Dell has been taken out of the field after her nemesis, serial killer Albert Stucky escapes custody. That he will come after Maggie isn't in question, so her boss is trying to protect her. All too soon, women Maggie randomly encounters start turning up dead, mutilated in a way that is Stucky's signature. Maggie knows she is the only one who can find him and has to be back on the investigation. When her boss finally relents, Maggie and a new partner, T.J. Tully, follow the trail left by Stucky, trying to find him before he ratchets up more kills and eventually gets them or someone close to them. When they start finding fingerprints that do no belong to Stucky and some other inconsistencies, they begin to wonder if this madman is working with a partner.
Kava is a master at creating evil villains! This book also had mention of the one from the last book, Father Keller, and I'm sure we haven't seen the last of him. He and Albert Stucky were both ones I found very evil and creepy. I love the character of Maggie O'Dell, as well as some of the secondary characters. I thought she and Tully made a great investigative team, with each having completely different strengths. I like Tess in this one quite a bit, and worried about her fate terribly. It was good to get a glimpse of Nick Morelli again in this one, and I was very glad that Maggie adopted Harvey and bonded with him. The storyline was great, and I can't wait to see what happens in the series next!
February 12, 2016
When Serial Killer Albert Stuckey was finally put in prison, FBI Special Agent Maggie O'Dell breathed a sigh of relief. But it was only a few months later that Stuckey escaped from prison. Maggie is an expert profiler who knows Stuckey like the back of her hand. She is the one person who knows Stuckey's patterns, knows the way he thinks. As Maggie works with Special Agent R.J. Tully, they realize that the latest victims all have one thing in common...they have all been in contact with Maggie within a few hours of their death.
This is the second book in Kava's Maggie O'Dell series. I liked this story better than the first in the series. We know that the killer is watching Maggie closely. He knows exactly where she is at all times. It gave me a creepy feeling to think about someone being stalked but having no knowledge of where that person is hiding.
I liked many of the new characters that were introduced in this book, especially R.J. Tully and Tess McGowan. But I thought Maggie's continuous paranoia and inner thoughts were monotonous. My rating: 4 Stars.
This is the second book in Kava's Maggie O'Dell series. I liked this story better than the first in the series. We know that the killer is watching Maggie closely. He knows exactly where she is at all times. It gave me a creepy feeling to think about someone being stalked but having no knowledge of where that person is hiding.
I liked many of the new characters that were introduced in this book, especially R.J. Tully and Tess McGowan. But I thought Maggie's continuous paranoia and inner thoughts were monotonous. My rating: 4 Stars.
April 6, 2022
Drugi tom z serii Maggie O'Dell jest tak samo oczywisty jak pierwszy, a zarazem, pomimo tego mankamentu, przyciągający.
Muszę pogratulować autorce za to, że pomimo, że pisze o oczywistych rzeczach to potrafi to zrobić w tak umiejętny sposób, że chce się to czytać. Od początku wiadomo kto zabija, można łatwo przypuścić jaki będzie finał tej historii. Generalnie nie ma tutaj miejsca na zgadywanki ani domysły, bo doskonale wiemy co, kto, gdzie i jak, a obserwujemy proces jak główni bohaterowie dążą do rozwiązania. Jednak pióro jest takie, że mimo to chce się w tę oczywistość zagłębić. Jakbym miała określić jaka ta książka jest to powiedziałabym, że na swój sposób przytłaczająca. Wszystko wiemy, a jednak czytamy o tej grze w kotka i myszkę, która potrafi psychicznie swoją brutalnością rozbroić. Raczej nie czytam zbyt wielu thrillerów psychologicznych, bo duża część z nich jest tak nazwana na wyrost, ale tutaj mogę powiedzieć śmiało, że faktycznie to jest thriller psychologiczny, w całej okazałości, z pazurem kryminalnym, a co więcej - bardzo dobrze się to czyta. Ciekawią mnie kolejne tomy, bo autorka postanowiła zakończyć motor napędowy pierwszej i drugiej części. Jednak wierzę, że będą równie ciekawe.
Muszę pogratulować autorce za to, że pomimo, że pisze o oczywistych rzeczach to potrafi to zrobić w tak umiejętny sposób, że chce się to czytać. Od początku wiadomo kto zabija, można łatwo przypuścić jaki będzie finał tej historii. Generalnie nie ma tutaj miejsca na zgadywanki ani domysły, bo doskonale wiemy co, kto, gdzie i jak, a obserwujemy proces jak główni bohaterowie dążą do rozwiązania. Jednak pióro jest takie, że mimo to chce się w tę oczywistość zagłębić. Jakbym miała określić jaka ta książka jest to powiedziałabym, że na swój sposób przytłaczająca. Wszystko wiemy, a jednak czytamy o tej grze w kotka i myszkę, która potrafi psychicznie swoją brutalnością rozbroić. Raczej nie czytam zbyt wielu thrillerów psychologicznych, bo duża część z nich jest tak nazwana na wyrost, ale tutaj mogę powiedzieć śmiało, że faktycznie to jest thriller psychologiczny, w całej okazałości, z pazurem kryminalnym, a co więcej - bardzo dobrze się to czyta. Ciekawią mnie kolejne tomy, bo autorka postanowiła zakończyć motor napędowy pierwszej i drugiej części. Jednak wierzę, że będą równie ciekawe.
July 24, 2022
Richtig spannend und gut geschrieben. Man wird so reingezogen in die Geschichte und man nimmt Maggies Paranoia ein wenig an und spürt diese richtig. Die endgültige Auflösung am Ende wartet noch mit einer Überraschung auf, die ich so nicht hab kommen sehen. Ich bin sehr gespannt, wie es mit Maggie weitergeht.
May 3, 2015
Loved this 2nd book in the Maggie O'Dell series!
May 27, 2017
Being overly generous with a 3 star rating...maybe really a 2.
This one was really hard to rate. I liked the first book well enough that I moved to book 2 fairly quickly. I'm new to the series so in essence I can binge read the series, if I desire to. And that's the big question. Do I desire to? After book 1, I thought I did. Now after book 2, I'm seriously considering abandoning the series.
The Plot - the plot is a 4 to 5 star plot - if done well. It is the primary reason I was able to finally get through the book. The hard part was getting to the plot as it was absent for what seemed like the first 1/3 of the book while we wallowed inside Maggie's head (see the info on Maggie when I discuss characters).
The Characters - talk about a mixed bag of ugly, good and WTF. There were so many 1 star moments with the characters that I kept being pulled out of the story or putting it down in frustration. Unfortunately in the book Maggie herself comes under ugly and WTF. The first part of this book spent way too much time inside Maggie's head that I almost DNF'd. This was essentially boring as well as painting Maggie as an agent who has spun so far out of control that she needs to be put on administrative leave. Talking to a shrink isn't good enough - she should have been pulled from her job. The problem is when you write a character this dysfunctional, how does the reader buy into her still working competently?
The scene between Maggie and the shrink/professor seemed way off the mark. The professor/shrink wasn't interesting but just seemed like a bizarre addition to the cast of off the mark characters.
And then you have the development of the "keystone cops". I was wondering if the other law enforcement officers were portrayed so ineptly as to make Maggie look good. And if you need to disparage the other characters to make your primary character look competent, then you need to work on you primary character. There were so many times the other cops/FBI were made to look ridiculous or inept that it continuously pulled me from the story. They were constantly denying the obvious and I don't think this would have happened in real life.
For instance: Blaming fingerprints found at the scene on a rookie cop but cops are in the system so there would have been a match. Plus when all the surfaces are wiped down and finger prints are found, the fingerprints are suspect and therefore a clue. Were they intentional and what does it mean? Denial was way too frequent of a reaction.
Agent Tully (her new "partner" and who could be an important character going forward) was really made to look clueless and inept. It didn't make sense that an inept agent would be in charge. On one hand we are told that he was chosen to head the investigation because of his ability to pull a profile together with such accuracy and then we are repeatedly shown that he can't pick up clues and pull the pieces together and Maggie can instantly do it. This was done so often it was overkill. He was constantly denying a possibility that a seasoned agent would follow up on.
Agent Tully gets shot because Maggie was not mentally stable to be part of the team and then he immediately trusts her afterwards. Say what?
Plus towards the end Maggie makes the statement "We're trained agents, too. It's not like you're here to protect us." Unfortunately, her comment is entirely incorrect and a trained agent would know that. The perimeter is secured by SWAT, and then the "regular" agents go in. She is not trained for this which is probably why the bad guys are always shooting her or carving her up with a knife.
Needless to say, Maggie got on my nerves throughout this book which is probably evident in my review. Which is disappointing because I liked her in the first book.
The character I really liked was Tess, Maggie's real estate agent that gets kidnapped. I think she was the highlight of the book. She was tough and didn't fall apart in a really bad situation. Her character was a believable one that you could be invested in.
The first half of the book was pretty boring and I did skim a lot. It needed to be condensed (significantly) and still probably could have provided the reader the info needed. The book does pick up steam in the latter part (primarily when following Tess's kidnapping). And although there is an ending, it fails to provide a nice epilogue which is something I really like.
This one was really hard to rate. I liked the first book well enough that I moved to book 2 fairly quickly. I'm new to the series so in essence I can binge read the series, if I desire to. And that's the big question. Do I desire to? After book 1, I thought I did. Now after book 2, I'm seriously considering abandoning the series.
The Plot - the plot is a 4 to 5 star plot - if done well. It is the primary reason I was able to finally get through the book. The hard part was getting to the plot as it was absent for what seemed like the first 1/3 of the book while we wallowed inside Maggie's head (see the info on Maggie when I discuss characters).
The Characters - talk about a mixed bag of ugly, good and WTF. There were so many 1 star moments with the characters that I kept being pulled out of the story or putting it down in frustration. Unfortunately in the book Maggie herself comes under ugly and WTF. The first part of this book spent way too much time inside Maggie's head that I almost DNF'd. This was essentially boring as well as painting Maggie as an agent who has spun so far out of control that she needs to be put on administrative leave. Talking to a shrink isn't good enough - she should have been pulled from her job. The problem is when you write a character this dysfunctional, how does the reader buy into her still working competently?
The scene between Maggie and the shrink/professor seemed way off the mark. The professor/shrink wasn't interesting but just seemed like a bizarre addition to the cast of off the mark characters.
And then you have the development of the "keystone cops". I was wondering if the other law enforcement officers were portrayed so ineptly as to make Maggie look good. And if you need to disparage the other characters to make your primary character look competent, then you need to work on you primary character. There were so many times the other cops/FBI were made to look ridiculous or inept that it continuously pulled me from the story. They were constantly denying the obvious and I don't think this would have happened in real life.
For instance: Blaming fingerprints found at the scene on a rookie cop but cops are in the system so there would have been a match. Plus when all the surfaces are wiped down and finger prints are found, the fingerprints are suspect and therefore a clue. Were they intentional and what does it mean? Denial was way too frequent of a reaction.
Agent Tully (her new "partner" and who could be an important character going forward) was really made to look clueless and inept. It didn't make sense that an inept agent would be in charge. On one hand we are told that he was chosen to head the investigation because of his ability to pull a profile together with such accuracy and then we are repeatedly shown that he can't pick up clues and pull the pieces together and Maggie can instantly do it. This was done so often it was overkill. He was constantly denying a possibility that a seasoned agent would follow up on.
Agent Tully gets shot because Maggie was not mentally stable to be part of the team and then he immediately trusts her afterwards. Say what?
Plus towards the end Maggie makes the statement "We're trained agents, too. It's not like you're here to protect us." Unfortunately, her comment is entirely incorrect and a trained agent would know that. The perimeter is secured by SWAT, and then the "regular" agents go in. She is not trained for this which is probably why the bad guys are always shooting her or carving her up with a knife.
Needless to say, Maggie got on my nerves throughout this book which is probably evident in my review. Which is disappointing because I liked her in the first book.
The character I really liked was Tess, Maggie's real estate agent that gets kidnapped. I think she was the highlight of the book. She was tough and didn't fall apart in a really bad situation. Her character was a believable one that you could be invested in.
The first half of the book was pretty boring and I did skim a lot. It needed to be condensed (significantly) and still probably could have provided the reader the info needed. The book does pick up steam in the latter part (primarily when following Tess's kidnapping). And although there is an ending, it fails to provide a nice epilogue which is something I really like.
January 25, 2022
3.5 Stars
rounded up to 4 Stars.
February 2, 2008
I read A Perfect Evil a while ago at A.'s recommendation and after that I couldn't resist getting the others in the series. While A Perfect Evil had a romance subplot this story is more of a thriller and the romance is really very secondary.
Some say Maggie O’Dell has lost it – lost the professional edge that makes her one of the best criminal profilers, and lost her ability to think clearly. Since capturing Stucky she’s been walking a tightwire, battling nightmares and the guilt over the victims she couldn’t save. Now with the news of his escape, she’s been taken out of the field until he’s caught again. But Maggie knows the truth: only she can see into the twisted mind of this madman. Only she can catch him. Albert Stucky wouldn’t have it any other way.
When it becomes undeniable that Stucky’s trail of victims is leading closer and closer to Maggie, the Bureau puts her back on the case. Under the supervision of Special Agent R. J. Tully, Maggie joins the hunt for a psychopath who continues to stay one bloody step ahead of them. And, once again under the control of a cunning killer, Maggie finds herself pushed to the very edge.
What, ultimately, is Maggie O’Dell capable of? Has her desire to stop Albert Stucky—to make him look into her eyes before she ends the game once and for all—become a matter of personal vengeance? Has she crossed that line in her need to make him suffer as he’s made others suffer? And is this Stucky’s game—to turn Special Agent O’Dell into a monster?
Maggie O'Dell's nemesis, the murderer who almost killed her in the past in back to torment her after having run away and killed two security guards. As before he starts murdering young women and leaving her remains to be found. The twist is that the women he is murdering are all people that Maggie came in contact with recently. Maggie is still very much scarred, physically and psycologically from her last encounter with Stucky and besides being totally determined, some would say obsessed, with finding him she also starts to have doubts about the evil inside her as she plans to kill Stucky. And all this happens when Maggie, newly divorced, moves to a new neighbourhood and starts to live alone so she is even more vulnerable.
I did like the book, it had a suspense atmosphere that I usually enjoy and Kava is wonderful at maintaining the tension but something seemed to be missing, maybe Maggie's lack of family and friends to help her think and reflect on how the case is affecting her. Her Director does make her visit a psychiatrist but that was one character I found very odd. Another secondary character that is introduced in this book is R.J. Tully her new partner. A bit odd at first they seem to have developed some degree of trust by the end of the book so I’m looking forward to see how their investigative talents will develop in the next book.
Maggie finds Nick, her romantic interest from A Perfect Evil but nothing is really resolved by the end of the book so I'm thinking he will show up again in the future. While it wasn’t as good a read as A Perfect Evil it was entertaining and I’ll continue to read the series.
Grade: B-
Some say Maggie O’Dell has lost it – lost the professional edge that makes her one of the best criminal profilers, and lost her ability to think clearly. Since capturing Stucky she’s been walking a tightwire, battling nightmares and the guilt over the victims she couldn’t save. Now with the news of his escape, she’s been taken out of the field until he’s caught again. But Maggie knows the truth: only she can see into the twisted mind of this madman. Only she can catch him. Albert Stucky wouldn’t have it any other way.
When it becomes undeniable that Stucky’s trail of victims is leading closer and closer to Maggie, the Bureau puts her back on the case. Under the supervision of Special Agent R. J. Tully, Maggie joins the hunt for a psychopath who continues to stay one bloody step ahead of them. And, once again under the control of a cunning killer, Maggie finds herself pushed to the very edge.
What, ultimately, is Maggie O’Dell capable of? Has her desire to stop Albert Stucky—to make him look into her eyes before she ends the game once and for all—become a matter of personal vengeance? Has she crossed that line in her need to make him suffer as he’s made others suffer? And is this Stucky’s game—to turn Special Agent O’Dell into a monster?
Maggie O'Dell's nemesis, the murderer who almost killed her in the past in back to torment her after having run away and killed two security guards. As before he starts murdering young women and leaving her remains to be found. The twist is that the women he is murdering are all people that Maggie came in contact with recently. Maggie is still very much scarred, physically and psycologically from her last encounter with Stucky and besides being totally determined, some would say obsessed, with finding him she also starts to have doubts about the evil inside her as she plans to kill Stucky. And all this happens when Maggie, newly divorced, moves to a new neighbourhood and starts to live alone so she is even more vulnerable.
I did like the book, it had a suspense atmosphere that I usually enjoy and Kava is wonderful at maintaining the tension but something seemed to be missing, maybe Maggie's lack of family and friends to help her think and reflect on how the case is affecting her. Her Director does make her visit a psychiatrist but that was one character I found very odd. Another secondary character that is introduced in this book is R.J. Tully her new partner. A bit odd at first they seem to have developed some degree of trust by the end of the book so I’m looking forward to see how their investigative talents will develop in the next book.
Maggie finds Nick, her romantic interest from A Perfect Evil but nothing is really resolved by the end of the book so I'm thinking he will show up again in the future. While it wasn’t as good a read as A Perfect Evil it was entertaining and I’ll continue to read the series.
Grade: B-
April 10, 2009
WOW! This was a hold your breath, edge of your seat, cliffhanger!!!!!
From back cover:
"They dubbed him the Collector, so named for his ritual of collecting victims before disposing of them in the most heinous ways possible. FBI Special Agent Maggie O'Dell tracked him for two years, finally ending their game of cat and mouse. Now Albert Stucky has escaped from prison...and he is setting up a new game for Maggie O'Dell.
Some say Maggie O'Dell has lost her edge as one of the FBI's best profilers. Since capturing Stucky, she's been walking a tightwire, battling nightmares and guilt over the victims she couldn't save. Now that Stucky is loose again, she's been pulled out of the field. But she knows it's only a matter of time before she's drawn back in - because only she can see so clearly into the mind of this madman. And he's counting on just that.
As Stucky's trail of victims leads closer and closer to Maggie, she is put back on the case under the supervision of Special Agent R.J. Tully. Together they race against the clock to hunt the killer who remains one bloody step ahead of them. And Maggie finds herself pushed to the very edge. Has her desire to stop Albert Stucky become a matter of personal vengeance? Has she crossed the line? And has that been Stucky's goal all along - to make her into a monster?"
From back cover:
"They dubbed him the Collector, so named for his ritual of collecting victims before disposing of them in the most heinous ways possible. FBI Special Agent Maggie O'Dell tracked him for two years, finally ending their game of cat and mouse. Now Albert Stucky has escaped from prison...and he is setting up a new game for Maggie O'Dell.
Some say Maggie O'Dell has lost her edge as one of the FBI's best profilers. Since capturing Stucky, she's been walking a tightwire, battling nightmares and guilt over the victims she couldn't save. Now that Stucky is loose again, she's been pulled out of the field. But she knows it's only a matter of time before she's drawn back in - because only she can see so clearly into the mind of this madman. And he's counting on just that.
As Stucky's trail of victims leads closer and closer to Maggie, she is put back on the case under the supervision of Special Agent R.J. Tully. Together they race against the clock to hunt the killer who remains one bloody step ahead of them. And Maggie finds herself pushed to the very edge. Has her desire to stop Albert Stucky become a matter of personal vengeance? Has she crossed the line? And has that been Stucky's goal all along - to make her into a monster?"
September 21, 2016
This is the second in the FBI profiler series of Maggie O'Dell.
This book starts off where the first book ends. It is strongly recommended that you read A Perfect Evil first in order to get to know the characters and their backgrounds a little better.
Maggie put Albert Stuckey, a sociopath that loved to murder women and leave their entrails hanging out, away in prison about eight months ago after being forced to watch Stuckey perform one of his murders. Unfortunately, Stuckey has escaped from prison after overpowering two guards on the way from the jail to a psychiatric facility. He is now determined to make Agent O'Dell pay for putting him in prison.
This is right up the alley of anyone who loves the honest to goodness psychological thriller-type books complete with totally deranged psychopathic killer. As far as the first 2 books in this series, I read them, I finished them and I liked them--- Nothing over the top great, or OMG this is fantastic (in my opinion) but good enough for me to read and finish them- and in the future I'll most certainly pick up book number 3 in this series!
This book starts off where the first book ends. It is strongly recommended that you read A Perfect Evil first in order to get to know the characters and their backgrounds a little better.
Maggie put Albert Stuckey, a sociopath that loved to murder women and leave their entrails hanging out, away in prison about eight months ago after being forced to watch Stuckey perform one of his murders. Unfortunately, Stuckey has escaped from prison after overpowering two guards on the way from the jail to a psychiatric facility. He is now determined to make Agent O'Dell pay for putting him in prison.
This is right up the alley of anyone who loves the honest to goodness psychological thriller-type books complete with totally deranged psychopathic killer. As far as the first 2 books in this series, I read them, I finished them and I liked them--- Nothing over the top great, or OMG this is fantastic (in my opinion) but good enough for me to read and finish them- and in the future I'll most certainly pick up book number 3 in this series!
March 6, 2016
As suspected, Albert Stucky is stalking FBI Special Agent Maggie O'Dell. Or is he? This one had me guessing til the end. Is it Albert Stucky or his previous business partner? Or are they working together? There's more suspense this time around and the descriptions of the murders a bit more visual. Nick (from book 1) is back and the chemistry is still there with Maggie. We also meet a new partner for Maggie. At least I'm hoping he shows up again. Special Agent R. J. Tully is a single dad raising a teenage daughter by himself. This is also the first time he's been in the field. I like him and think he'll make a good addition to the team. He grounds Maggie.
October 11, 2020
Weer een heel goed boek.
March 2, 2017
I am giving it 4 stars because it performs. It was simply a better product than book one. I will go on to the series.
November 17, 2013
Another great read - a serial killer that could be a copy cat or not ;)
Maggie O'Dell is a great heroine, flawed, very human, very brave, and very unsettled. No punches pulled in this book - once all the background info was dealt with, the story moved at a very good pace. Some wrenches thrown in here and there always helps keeping you guessing what comes next.
I'm glad that this book finishes one story, but also leaves another one open - great character development, plus Maggie now has a dog - a white lab rescued during the investigation.
This is a very good series and I'm so glad that I decided to tackle it now. Do I recommend this series, certainly for those that like police procedurals, a little romance (not much, which is okay by me).
Onto "The Soul Catcher" now :)
Maggie O'Dell is a great heroine, flawed, very human, very brave, and very unsettled. No punches pulled in this book - once all the background info was dealt with, the story moved at a very good pace. Some wrenches thrown in here and there always helps keeping you guessing what comes next.
I'm glad that this book finishes one story, but also leaves another one open - great character development, plus Maggie now has a dog - a white lab rescued during the investigation.
This is a very good series and I'm so glad that I decided to tackle it now. Do I recommend this series, certainly for those that like police procedurals, a little romance (not much, which is okay by me).
Onto "The Soul Catcher" now :)
July 8, 2015
Weer zo’n lekkere ontspannende thriller. Toch blijf ik die seriemoordenaars maar vreemd vinden. Ontsnappen ze uit de gevangenis, hebben ze genoeg geld op de bank staan om het ervan te nemen. Wat doen ze, ze gaan weer achter de agent aan die hen in de eerste plaats achter tralies gegooid hebben. Hoe vreemd kun je zijn en die agenten maar beweren dat seriemoordenaars niet gek zijn? Gekker kun je niet worden, volgens mij. :-)
October 2, 2020
My first Alex Kava novel and I throughly enjoyed it!! Suspenseful and fast-paced!
March 1, 2016
I enjoyed this book, like I have the others in this series.
May 12, 2018
This was the sequel to the first Maggie O’Dell novel and unfortunately it fell into the very predictable... Maggie got a boyfriend, a dog and a new partner so it wasn’t a total waste. What made Maggie such an entertaining central character in the first book was diminished in this one. But with her nemesis out of the way now, maybe Maggie can get back to her winning personality and role as a strong role model for female characters.
March 24, 2022
2 1/2 Stars rounded up. What a long, drawn out, brutal novel. I felt pummeled by this book. It feels like this could have been a much shorter book. What I liked: the main characters. What I didn’t like: seeing Maggie falling apart; the unclarity throughout; the writing (there were SO many mistakes in my Kindle edition); the ending. Not crazy about this book. Will the next one get better or should I abandon this series? (I really like the K-9 Ryder Creed series.)
April 30, 2023
3/5
❛❛Decyzje, które podejmuje się w ułamku sekundy, zawsze odkrywają naszą prawdziwą naturę, nasze autentyczne ja.❜❜
Całkiem mi się podobało. W prawdzie nie przypadło mi do gustu tak bardzo jak pierwsza część i momentami trochę nużyło mnie to usilne pokazanie, że główna bohaterka straciła głowę w śledztwie, nie potrafiąc zachować już zimnej krwi i zdrowego rozsądku. W ogólnym rozrachunku wypada jednak dobrze. Intryga była dobra, wątek życia nieprzesadzony, a finał przyzwoity.
❛❛Decyzje, które podejmuje się w ułamku sekundy, zawsze odkrywają naszą prawdziwą naturę, nasze autentyczne ja.❜❜
Całkiem mi się podobało. W prawdzie nie przypadło mi do gustu tak bardzo jak pierwsza część i momentami trochę nużyło mnie to usilne pokazanie, że główna bohaterka straciła głowę w śledztwie, nie potrafiąc zachować już zimnej krwi i zdrowego rozsądku. W ogólnym rozrachunku wypada jednak dobrze. Intryga była dobra, wątek życia nieprzesadzony, a finał przyzwoity.
April 19, 2025
4.5
I to się nazywa thriller psychologiczny!! Jeny, jakie to było dobre, dużo lepsze od 1 części.
Pomimo, że już od samego początku wiemy, kto jest mordercą, książka trzyma w napięciu. Skupiamy się właśnie na aspekcie psychologicznym, czyli „grze” mordercy z agentką FBI. Obsesja przedstawiona w najlepszy możliwy sposób. A to, że Stucky (morderca) jest MEGA inteligentny tylko sprawia, że wszystko jest jeszcze ciekawsze.
Wiele POV (chyba 5, jeśli dobrze liczę, w tym jedno mordercy) na duży plus. Bardzo pomaga w zrozumieniu zachowań bohaterów.
Końcówka jednak mnie nie zawiodła. Przez chwilę się bałam, że autorka poszła na łatwiznę i da mi najmniej satysfakcjonujące zakończenie z możliwych, ale na szczęście nie!!!🥳 Maggie udowodniła, że faktycznie jako jedyna rozumie tok myślenia Stucky’ego.
Nie daje 5 głównie przez postać Tully’ego. Wydawał się momentami niedopracowany, jakby miał rozdwojenie jaźni. Miał być doświadczonym agentem FBI, a zachowywał się jak przeciętny małomiasteczkowy policjant. Mam nadzieję, że się rozwinie w dalszych tomach (jeśli w nich będzie).
I to się nazywa thriller psychologiczny!! Jeny, jakie to było dobre, dużo lepsze od 1 części.
Pomimo, że już od samego początku wiemy, kto jest mordercą, książka trzyma w napięciu. Skupiamy się właśnie na aspekcie psychologicznym, czyli „grze” mordercy z agentką FBI. Obsesja przedstawiona w najlepszy możliwy sposób. A to, że Stucky (morderca) jest MEGA inteligentny tylko sprawia, że wszystko jest jeszcze ciekawsze.
Wiele POV (chyba 5, jeśli dobrze liczę, w tym jedno mordercy) na duży plus. Bardzo pomaga w zrozumieniu zachowań bohaterów.
Końcówka jednak mnie nie zawiodła. Przez chwilę się bałam, że autorka poszła na łatwiznę i da mi najmniej satysfakcjonujące zakończenie z możliwych, ale na szczęście nie!!!🥳 Maggie udowodniła, że faktycznie jako jedyna rozumie tok myślenia Stucky’ego.
Nie daje 5 głównie przez postać Tully’ego. Wydawał się momentami niedopracowany, jakby miał rozdwojenie jaźni. Miał być doświadczonym agentem FBI, a zachowywał się jak przeciętny małomiasteczkowy policjant. Mam nadzieję, że się rozwinie w dalszych tomach (jeśli w nich będzie).
May 31, 2019
O’Dell is a hell of a character. Only the second book in the series and I’m not sure how Kava will top it. Stucky is pure evil, he’s going to be tough to top as well. If you are looking for a Profiler/Serial Killer book, Kava is your author. Can’t wait to read the 3rd book in the O’Dell series.
April 18, 2021
4.5 Could not put it down. Love Maggie O’Dell and her demons. All the characters are well developed, even those that have just a ‘walk on’ part.
The reader feels like they are walking in her shadow.
Will be reading the next instalment ASAP.
The reader feels like they are walking in her shadow.
Will be reading the next instalment ASAP.
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