This book had a great premise, a serial killer who designs video games based on his kills. There is a lot of action, and a lot going on. Unfortunately this book did not "grab" me. I never felt invested in the characters, particularly Jude. I didn't feel compelled to keep reading, and I missed having that feeling. I like a book that I can't wait to get back to, and this one wasn't like that. The second half of the book is almost completely the events that are happing over the course of one night. It was a loooong night. Jude has to perform supernaturally in order to make it through the "kill game." How did Lennox get this all set up? Doesn't seem possible. ( )

SCREAM CATCHER by Vincent Zandri
Published by StoneGate Ink
ISBN:
At the request of the author, an EPub galley was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

Synopsis (from author): Life is but a scream. Then you die.
Jude Parish was once a tough cop. But now he is afraid.
For reasons even he can’t begin to fathom, the former violent crimes cop turned bestselling true crime author has acquired a fear-filled demon that’s lodged itself inside him. A demon so real, so visceral, he can only imagine a slimy reptilian beast with scaly gray skin, black eyes, and razor-sharp fangs having taken up residence inside the place where his once confident and fearless soul resided.
Now, in the wake of his literary success, the ever anxious Jude is hoping to lead a quiet, peaceful life in the idyllic Adirondack vacation town of Lake George, New York with his new pregnant wife, Rosie, and Jack, his young son from a previous marriage. But when Jude becomes the accidental witness to a bizarre “kill game” in which the killer, video game designer and master of disguise, Hector “the Black Dragon” Lennox, insists on recording the screams of his victims prior to shooting them dead, the ex-cop’s life is turned upside down.
When Lennox is arrested by the L.G.P.D. and Jude is asked to act as the state’s “star witness,” he has no choice but to fight his demon-fear and take on the role. But what he doesn’t realize at the time is that the killer’s arrest is actually the first chapter in what is a carefully designed and scripted kill game that will involve Jude’s entire family.
How will the kill game end?
It will end not with a whimper, but a scream.

My Thoughts and Opinion: Where do I begin? I'm thinking that I should apologize in advance as this is not going to be like my typical reviews where I attempt to make them short, concise, and to the point but this book has me reeling. It all started in May of 2010 when I read a debut novel, Moonlight Falls, by an unknown author to me, Vincent Zandri and I was hooked. Since that time I have read every one of his books and he doesn't disappoint.

I wrote a pre review last week when I was quite surprised when I received this galley in my email. So I will start this review there.
(written on 07/28/11) If you are a reader of mystery's, thrillers, non stop action filled novels, mark your calendar for the release of this book!!! Vinzent Zandri has IT!!! Vincent Zandri is IT!!! Vincent Zandri is brillIanT!!! Just when you thought he reached the pinnacle in writing, he has found a higher mountain!!! He has raised the bar with Scream Catcher!! My heart was pounding at warp speed!!! And that's from reading 1/2 the book. It can only get better!!! In ten days...plan on spending the day reading....it's a page turning, can't put down novel.

Now that I have read the book in it's entirety, I can give a full review. Fantastic!!!! Zandri is a genious at story telling. Why does this book have me reeling? His inventiveness of writing style. I noticed a deviation immediately. It has the classic Zandri flair, short chapters, cliff hanging chapters, twists and turns, non stop action and page turning suspense. However, this had more drama, less quirky, quip dialogue and more of a psychological thriller plot. Masterful!!!!

In my pre review, I stated "it could only get better"...It did!!! Exceptional!!! His creative talent is phenomenal!!! Vincent Zandri and Scream Catcher are Champions!!!!

My Rating: 5 ( )