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Confessions
The bodies of young women are being left in a triangle of multi-state locations. The killer, in search of The One that will fulfill his unrealistic needs and wants, has placed these bodies on display to be discovered by unsuspecting civilians. The victims all bear similar atrocities: cuts and markings on their bodies; eyes and mouths sewn shut; ears severed.
Police detective Maeve Brennan is chosen to lead a multi-agency task force to investigate these brutal murders. FBI Agent David Willinger is attached to the task force, but he and his team of profilers have been able to add little value. The team finds itself stymied, with no clear direction to pursue, when Jonathon Boyd, an investigative journalist, presents himself to the task force informing them he possesses important information related to the investigation. With critical holes now filled in, plus a vital find by Willinger’s team, they formulate a strategy to apprehend the killer, but the plan quickly goes south.
Will the team be able to regroup in time or will the killing go on?
Police detective Maeve Brennan is chosen to lead a multi-agency task force to investigate these brutal murders. FBI Agent David Willinger is attached to the task force, but he and his team of profilers have been able to add little value. The team finds itself stymied, with no clear direction to pursue, when Jonathon Boyd, an investigative journalist, presents himself to the task force informing them he possesses important information related to the investigation. With critical holes now filled in, plus a vital find by Willinger’s team, they formulate a strategy to apprehend the killer, but the plan quickly goes south.
Will the team be able to regroup in time or will the killing go on?
384 pages, Paperback
Published April 30, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 9, 2019
Capricious
From the outset, Paul Henry Richter announces himself as the killer of all serial killers ...
Paul Richter is searching for The One, the woman who will fulfil his life. Failure to achieve the exalted position has fatal, horrific and brutal consequences. The bodies of his victims have their eyes sewn shut, their lips stitched together and their ears removed. Their naked bodies are also found with multiple lacerations, apparently, at ad hoc locations all over their bodies, and they are left in a sitting position, with a floppy hat on their heads and held in place by a board.
The narrative behind the serial killer with his motives and weird mission is well told and you can sense the madness and his extreme edgy behaviour. The obsessive and controlling manner, with that explosive response to lack of order or perfection, is discernable and extremely well drawn. The mix of the calm matter-of-fact attitude while performing heinous acts and yet erratic incidents for no apparent reason, were very well accomplished. I did get nervous during his interactions with the next potential partner come victim, wondering when she would do something to fall from grace.
The characters and relationships between the investigative team felt clunky at times and the dialogue didn’t feel natural. There is an attempt to hammer home certain points which when covered in a discussion, don’t need to be additionally described in detail. The Task Force led by Maeve Brennan is joined by an FBI agent, Dave Willinger, and the team are facing the gruesome murders and mutilation of several young women with very little evidence. They pour over the case files, again and again, hoping to connect some dots while at the same time experiencing the overflow of frustration. If only they could get help for elsewhere??
I felt the novel took time to find its rhythm and with a book-length of 384 pages there could have been opportunities to shorten it to help maintain a stronger pace. The ongoing investigation and the relationship between the killer and potential victim all seemed to take too long to develop, especially considering this is a suspense novel. I liked the novel theme and the main characters in this book, I just wish the delivery and pace was better. I also felt a little confused with the main motivation of the killer, but to discuss this would be a massive spoiler.
I would rate this book 3.5 stars and I'd like to thank Rich Kisielewski for a copy of his book in return for an honest review.
From the outset, Paul Henry Richter announces himself as the killer of all serial killers ...
“… the inflictor of joy and sorrow, ecstasy and agony, heaven and hell, and everything known, unknown, and in between.”The story flows along two main plot threads; one from the investigating Task Force team, and the other following the killer.
Paul Richter is searching for The One, the woman who will fulfil his life. Failure to achieve the exalted position has fatal, horrific and brutal consequences. The bodies of his victims have their eyes sewn shut, their lips stitched together and their ears removed. Their naked bodies are also found with multiple lacerations, apparently, at ad hoc locations all over their bodies, and they are left in a sitting position, with a floppy hat on their heads and held in place by a board.
The narrative behind the serial killer with his motives and weird mission is well told and you can sense the madness and his extreme edgy behaviour. The obsessive and controlling manner, with that explosive response to lack of order or perfection, is discernable and extremely well drawn. The mix of the calm matter-of-fact attitude while performing heinous acts and yet erratic incidents for no apparent reason, were very well accomplished. I did get nervous during his interactions with the next potential partner come victim, wondering when she would do something to fall from grace.
The characters and relationships between the investigative team felt clunky at times and the dialogue didn’t feel natural. There is an attempt to hammer home certain points which when covered in a discussion, don’t need to be additionally described in detail. The Task Force led by Maeve Brennan is joined by an FBI agent, Dave Willinger, and the team are facing the gruesome murders and mutilation of several young women with very little evidence. They pour over the case files, again and again, hoping to connect some dots while at the same time experiencing the overflow of frustration. If only they could get help for elsewhere??
I felt the novel took time to find its rhythm and with a book-length of 384 pages there could have been opportunities to shorten it to help maintain a stronger pace. The ongoing investigation and the relationship between the killer and potential victim all seemed to take too long to develop, especially considering this is a suspense novel. I liked the novel theme and the main characters in this book, I just wish the delivery and pace was better. I also felt a little confused with the main motivation of the killer, but to discuss this would be a massive spoiler.
I would rate this book 3.5 stars and I'd like to thank Rich Kisielewski for a copy of his book in return for an honest review.
April 9, 2020
I am so glad I took my time reading this book. There was so much to absorb.
“Who is interviewing Paul?” was the fundamental question dominating much of my mind. Why? Maybe because the “who” was as elusive to me as the serial killer was to the task force. True, a hint was mentioned – several times, in fact, but I wasn’t catching it.
I love the balance of the writing style. The most obvious was the dining encounters. Suzzie experiences opulence in a fairyland hideaway while Maeve eats what’s available in small-town America. One may be grander than the other, but what does that mean? Suzzie has been gifted rose-colored glasses while Maeve remains grounded behind her detective shades. And what about their dining partners? Paul and Dave are just as opposite as the restaurants they chose.
What truly amazes me is the detail of the cuts. And the planning so far ahead… was he just planning contingencies in case things didn’t work out? Deep down, did he know the “truth?”
And then, this mysterious guy named Jonathan enters the picture. Boy, does he turn out to be a fascinating player! We watch as he stalks his prey from one place to another; bars, a house, a diner. Maybe he’s the one interviewing Paul?
In the end, teamwork and dedication steer the task force to take down the serial killer. Oh, and more than one miracle.
“Who is interviewing Paul?” was the fundamental question dominating much of my mind. Why? Maybe because the “who” was as elusive to me as the serial killer was to the task force. True, a hint was mentioned – several times, in fact, but I wasn’t catching it.
I love the balance of the writing style. The most obvious was the dining encounters. Suzzie experiences opulence in a fairyland hideaway while Maeve eats what’s available in small-town America. One may be grander than the other, but what does that mean? Suzzie has been gifted rose-colored glasses while Maeve remains grounded behind her detective shades. And what about their dining partners? Paul and Dave are just as opposite as the restaurants they chose.
What truly amazes me is the detail of the cuts. And the planning so far ahead… was he just planning contingencies in case things didn’t work out? Deep down, did he know the “truth?”
And then, this mysterious guy named Jonathan enters the picture. Boy, does he turn out to be a fascinating player! We watch as he stalks his prey from one place to another; bars, a house, a diner. Maybe he’s the one interviewing Paul?
In the end, teamwork and dedication steer the task force to take down the serial killer. Oh, and more than one miracle.
January 8, 2023
A Chilling Psychological Thriller
Peering into the mind of a serial killer is always a fascinating yet disturbing adventure. What makes such perpetrators do the unthinkable things they do? Confessions marvelously answers this question, not only by taking you through the deep, dark recesses of the serial killer’s mind, but also by making the psychopathy so palpable at times you will find it hard to put the book down. However put it down you must in order to process the feelings evoked by the depiction of the crimes’ graphic details.
Between the task force members working diligently on the case, Confessions also effectively offsets the chilling effects of traversing the dark side of humanity through the enjoyable portrayal of the lighthearted and sometimes comical banter we love to see.
Confessions is a real page turner. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in reading psychological thrillers and to anyone wishing to understand the psychopathological underpinnings that lead to the making of a serial killer.
Peering into the mind of a serial killer is always a fascinating yet disturbing adventure. What makes such perpetrators do the unthinkable things they do? Confessions marvelously answers this question, not only by taking you through the deep, dark recesses of the serial killer’s mind, but also by making the psychopathy so palpable at times you will find it hard to put the book down. However put it down you must in order to process the feelings evoked by the depiction of the crimes’ graphic details.
Between the task force members working diligently on the case, Confessions also effectively offsets the chilling effects of traversing the dark side of humanity through the enjoyable portrayal of the lighthearted and sometimes comical banter we love to see.
Confessions is a real page turner. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in reading psychological thrillers and to anyone wishing to understand the psychopathological underpinnings that lead to the making of a serial killer.
November 20, 2019
The story is intense, gripping, and fascinating. It’s not often a mystery opens by telling you who the murderer is. You would think the story would be over before it began. That’s certainly not the case with Confessions.
We follow the task force led by Detective Maeve Brennan as they scramble to capture the serial killer before he strikes again. Interspersed throughout the story are snippets with the psychopathic thoughts and skewed reasoning of a man who believes it’s his right to eliminate women who don't measure up to his twisted ideals.
Confessions is one of those ”just one more page” stories that caused me to read far into the night. If you love a good psychological thriller, this is the book for you.
We follow the task force led by Detective Maeve Brennan as they scramble to capture the serial killer before he strikes again. Interspersed throughout the story are snippets with the psychopathic thoughts and skewed reasoning of a man who believes it’s his right to eliminate women who don't measure up to his twisted ideals.
Confessions is one of those ”just one more page” stories that caused me to read far into the night. If you love a good psychological thriller, this is the book for you.
June 23, 2019
Firstly, I would like to start by thanking Rich Kisielewski for sending me a copy of this book, after contacting me asking if would be interested in reading and reviewing it. Rich sent me this book in but when I picked it up the first time I got ill and didn’t manage to read it then one thing after another happened and I didn’t manage to pick it up until now.
I really enjoyed the premises of the story. However, it did take some time to get going. Also I felt it took a little to long for the plot between the killer and the victim to develop and get going. But when it eventually did I was hooked and started to enjoy the book.
I think the main reason I found it difficult to get into was because at the beginning I had to get used to the writing style. I felt that at the beginning the conversations between the different characters were a bit too long and also I thought they didn’t flow like conversations should. But, as the book progressed everything started to flow and I found it much easier to read.
Most of the characters were likeable and my favourite was Detective Maeve Brennan. I thought she was best out of all them. There were also one or two characters who I found annoying, and at times I felt like a I just felt
While reading it is very evident that the author has thoroughly done his research, and although I did find some faults in this book, overall I found it an interesting and enjoyable read, and one that I would recommend. I will definitely look into reading more books by Rich Kisielewski in the near future.
I really enjoyed the premises of the story. However, it did take some time to get going. Also I felt it took a little to long for the plot between the killer and the victim to develop and get going. But when it eventually did I was hooked and started to enjoy the book.
I think the main reason I found it difficult to get into was because at the beginning I had to get used to the writing style. I felt that at the beginning the conversations between the different characters were a bit too long and also I thought they didn’t flow like conversations should. But, as the book progressed everything started to flow and I found it much easier to read.
Most of the characters were likeable and my favourite was Detective Maeve Brennan. I thought she was best out of all them. There were also one or two characters who I found annoying, and at times I felt like a I just felt
While reading it is very evident that the author has thoroughly done his research, and although I did find some faults in this book, overall I found it an interesting and enjoyable read, and one that I would recommend. I will definitely look into reading more books by Rich Kisielewski in the near future.
May 16, 2019
I was given a copy of Confessions for a honest review. I found the characters some what realistic. There were moments where the dialogue was dry and confusing.
The plot had a good idea, but there were some places when the story went dry and lost. I wanted to like the story.
I give the story 3/5 stars. I thank the author for a copy of Confessions for a review.
The plot had a good idea, but there were some places when the story went dry and lost. I wanted to like the story.
I give the story 3/5 stars. I thank the author for a copy of Confessions for a review.
January 22, 2020
This book was chilling! I had to stop reading it for a few days at a time before I could make myself finish it. I really did enjoy it though, and you should check it out to get inside the mind of a killer.
April 30, 2019
After reading this book I had to take time and think of how I wanted to do my review. Over all I enjoyed the premise of the book. I found that there were definitely some pacing issues. I the parts that there was action going on it was great but I think that some of the fluff could have been removed and the book would have flowed better.
I also wish that there was better dialogue, the characters were kind if flat, the interactions between them seemed forced at times. As a whole I just found most of the characters to be unlikable. And because if these reasons I found it kind of a chore to read the book at times.
Thanks to Rich Kisielewski for providing a copy of his book for a review.
I also wish that there was better dialogue, the characters were kind if flat, the interactions between them seemed forced at times. As a whole I just found most of the characters to be unlikable. And because if these reasons I found it kind of a chore to read the book at times.
Thanks to Rich Kisielewski for providing a copy of his book for a review.
January 15, 2020
I was provided a copy of Confessions by author, Rich Kisielewski, in exchange for an honest review. I found it to be a gripping, fast-paced psychological thriller that was hard to put down.
There will probably always be tension between local police detectives and FBI liaison officers. Confessions examines the mental illnesses of serial killers set against the 24/7 work of investigators to solve their crimes.
Serial killer, Paul Richter, believes he must find The One – the one woman who can fulfill all his needs. One after another, chosen ones are attracted to him, then realize he is demanding, controlling, and has extremely kinky, even dangerous and painful (for the women) sexual tastes. Before they can break off the relationship or escape, they are tormented and killed.
Detective Maeve Brennan leads a multi-agency task force to investigate these brutal murders. FBI Agent and Liaison officer, David Willinger is attached to the task force, and the tension grows. Just as the group finds itself stumped, with no more viable clues, in walks Jonathon Boyd, an investigative journalist, who is certain his sister is one of the victims — probably the first. As Jonathan provides critical information, the pieces begin to fall into place.
If you enjoy a good psychological thriller, you will definitely enjoy Confessions. It will keep you up at night.
What made The Grumpy Book Reviewer grumpy?
Referring to alliteration in the names of restaurants as rhyming; then the usual things: referring to people as “that” instead of “who”, missing commas, incorrect verb usage (bringing vs. taking, went vs. gone, was vs. were), and split infinitives. Still, I gave this compelling novel 5 stars.
There will probably always be tension between local police detectives and FBI liaison officers. Confessions examines the mental illnesses of serial killers set against the 24/7 work of investigators to solve their crimes.
Serial killer, Paul Richter, believes he must find The One – the one woman who can fulfill all his needs. One after another, chosen ones are attracted to him, then realize he is demanding, controlling, and has extremely kinky, even dangerous and painful (for the women) sexual tastes. Before they can break off the relationship or escape, they are tormented and killed.
Detective Maeve Brennan leads a multi-agency task force to investigate these brutal murders. FBI Agent and Liaison officer, David Willinger is attached to the task force, and the tension grows. Just as the group finds itself stumped, with no more viable clues, in walks Jonathon Boyd, an investigative journalist, who is certain his sister is one of the victims — probably the first. As Jonathan provides critical information, the pieces begin to fall into place.
If you enjoy a good psychological thriller, you will definitely enjoy Confessions. It will keep you up at night.
What made The Grumpy Book Reviewer grumpy?
Referring to alliteration in the names of restaurants as rhyming; then the usual things: referring to people as “that” instead of “who”, missing commas, incorrect verb usage (bringing vs. taking, went vs. gone, was vs. were), and split infinitives. Still, I gave this compelling novel 5 stars.
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July 20, 2019“If I cannot have what I want and need, they are not capable of giving me what I want and need, then they cannot continue to be. Period.”
Paul Henry Richter
And this sums up his real “work” and his quest for the “The one”, who turns into another one and then another one. Paul was confident in his abilities and rightfully so. He was so skilled that a task force was created to observe his particular style of “work”. I enjoyed the way the Author drew me in with his re-telling of Paul’s projects and how they were received by the task force. The way he involved us in the courtship of Suzie Matthews was well written. You felt the creepy way Paul fixated on her. The Author allowed your mind to run rampant with the possibilities of what humiliating acts he wanted to and did perform. The task force led by a strong and intelligent woman is something that I had not seen in thrillers as much and it was a nice change. I felt the nervous energy as the plan was enacted to take down Paul. I like that the author paid homage to people in his real life by giving characters their names. That has to be exciting on some level for the recipient of such an acknowledgment i.e. Maeve Brennan. I don’t do spoilers so I won’t say much more regarding the story itself. However, from a technical standpoint, the formatting was perfection. You weren’t thrown off by anyone chapter being too long or short thus throwing off the flow of the story. The content provided was accurate for the type of crime thriller written. It is evident the author did their homework and not to mention the story was proofed and edited perfectly. All in all the author delivered an engaging and sometimes tension-filled crime thriller. I’m a fan of Detective Maeve Brennan.
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Written by Kay
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews