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A review by write_of_passages
Kill Game by Cordelia Kingsbridge
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I branched out a little bit in choosing to read a non-supernatural police procedural romance and I'm very happy I read this! Although this book has a slow start (which makes sense as it's the beginning of a series), I really enjoyed a lot of novelties in this book that I don't always see utilized in other romances! For example, our main duo (dual 3rd-person POV by the way!) don't start out together, but one starts out dating someone else and the other has casual flings. We see them before they get together and then how they get together. So much of this story felt incredibly realistic, which I adored. Dominic and Levi are incredibly easy to root for and I'm so grateful that neither of them ended up in trope city, either. They're truly dynamic and complex characters!
Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Yes!
See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book
CHARACTERS: Definitely a highlight of this story. We are gifted both Levi and Dominic's POVs throughout and the way they "meet" (technically they knew each other in passing before the story begins), is quite unconventional and I truly enjoyed that. Set against the backdrop of a serial killer mystery, Detective Levi Abrams and bail enforcement officer Dominic Russo run in similar circles but certainly not the same. The external circumstances that drive them together and their relationship forward are different from many novels I've read and I loved the interplay between such a police procedural and the murder mystery with a burgeoning romance.
PLOT: Levi and Dominic end up singled out by a new serial killer in town, the Seven of Spades (though the exact reason why Dominic ends up involved is a little more nebulous). They end up having to work together to discover who this mysterious serial killer is before they kill yet again. Especially because this killer has taken a strange personal interest and investment in their lives. It's fascinating and the mystery isn't easy to solve, which I also adored. It takes a little bit to get into the story, but once the plot picks up to medium-paced, we're in for quite the ride.
EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.
2:5/low. High stakes but lower intensity. Perfect beach read for those of us who enjoy action and mystery.
CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled?
75%. I'll admit, the climactic event didn't feel all that climactic to me and that left me a bit disappointed. The first book also ends a bit quickly (though without a cliffhanger), but I wasn't frustrated with the ending, which is a good thing. It's a HFN.
Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Yes!
See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book
CHARACTERS: Definitely a highlight of this story. We are gifted both Levi and Dominic's POVs throughout and the way they "meet" (technically they knew each other in passing before the story begins), is quite unconventional and I truly enjoyed that. Set against the backdrop of a serial killer mystery, Detective Levi Abrams and bail enforcement officer Dominic Russo run in similar circles but certainly not the same. The external circumstances that drive them together and their relationship forward are different from many novels I've read and I loved the interplay between such a police procedural and the murder mystery with a burgeoning romance.
PLOT: Levi and Dominic end up singled out by a new serial killer in town, the Seven of Spades (though the exact reason why Dominic ends up involved is a little more nebulous). They end up having to work together to discover who this mysterious serial killer is before they kill yet again. Especially because this killer has taken a strange personal interest and investment in their lives. It's fascinating and the mystery isn't easy to solve, which I also adored. It takes a little bit to get into the story, but once the plot picks up to medium-paced, we're in for quite the ride.
EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.
2:5/low. High stakes but lower intensity. Perfect beach read for those of us who enjoy action and mystery.
CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled?
75%. I'll admit, the climactic event didn't feel all that climactic to me and that left me a bit disappointed. The first book also ends a bit quickly (though without a cliffhanger), but I wasn't frustrated with the ending, which is a good thing. It's a HFN.