Let Me Go: An Archie Sheridan / Gretchen Lowell Novel

So, back when I worked for Borders (when Borders still existed) I read ARCs of the first 2 books in this series - Heartsick and Sweetheart. These stories introduced us to the primary protagonist, Archie Sheridan, who was assigned to hunt for a serial killer but did not know that she had infiltrated the investigation posing as a psychiatrist. She captured him, tortured him almost to death, and left him seriously messed up. She continued to mess with his head, even from prison. Over the course of the 6 books, Archie hunts other serial killers with help from his captor and torturer, the beautiful Gretchen Lowell, then hunts for her when she escapes as well. Throughout the series we also see the growth of a young journalist, Susan Ward, who becomes involved in Archie's life in increasingly complex ways. Chelsea Cain crafts brilliant thrillers with some gruesome violence and shocking twists. The final volume contains some of the most tense scenes of the whole series. I felt that the ultimate conclusion was somewhat unsatisfying, but the overall series was great!

Loved this whole series. Highly recommend! I just wish she'd get on the ball and write some more. My understanding is that she left her publisher to follow her editor who was jumping ship and then couldn't write any more of the series partly due to contract problems, and also because her new publisher wanted their own new series. That's a lot of loyalty when you have a very popular series going and your fans are used to getting a new installment every year or so. Now it's been about 4 years ( i think)! It also screwed up the new series about the young girl who was abducted and forced into child pornography (sorry, name has slipped my mind), then gets rescued and winds up working for a shady company that rescues missing children. She came out with the first book, was already promising the second was nearly ready, when the whole publisher shuffle happened. Just seems to me that it has set her career (and momentum) back years. BTW, they've premiered a TV show based on this new series. I've watched a couple episodes, but it's not nearly as interesting as her writing. I wouldn't mind a movie or series based on the Archie Sheridan/Gretchen Lowell novels, but mostly, I wish she'd just get back to writing them! The relationship between these two characters are beyond fascinating! And the last one really left us hanging, what with Gretchen on the loose again and the relationship between Susan and Archie finally heating up. One of these days, Gretchen is going to get her hands on Susan, and considering what she did to Archie, I can't imagine what she'll do to Susan!

"Happy Halloween, darling."Archie Sheridan can't catch a break. The sixth installment opens to Archie celebrating his 42nd birthday with his family. It seems he has regained some semblance of a normal life, despite the infamous Gretchen Lowell still on the run from a state mental hospital. Sadly, Gretchen doesn't make much of an appearance in the first third of the book, other then flashback memories in Archie's tortured mind.Archie begins investigating the powerful Reynolds family, assisting Leo whilst he works undercover for the DEA. Unfortunately, this storyline isn't as interesting as it sounds. There's a lot of posturing and talk of corruption, and the plot is dragged out way too much. For the first time ever, I found Archie actually a little boring. Without his pill addiction or obsession over Gretchen, he sleeps and eats like a regular person. Even his relationship with Rachel is progressing at a normal, boring rate. And just when you thought all hope was lost... Gretchen is back. Well, it is Archie's birthday after all. She wouldn't miss it for the world. And boy, does she give him a birthday present he won't forget in a hurry.With Gretchen back in town, the man-hunt is back on and the story really starts to heat up. Susan Ward, the lovable ex-reporter, now sporting jet-black hair with a very Cruella De Vil white stripe, becomes embroiled in Leo's investigation, and inadvertently puts her life on the line. Archie's attempts to save her threatens his own life, and when you throw Gretchen into the mix, the body count sky rockets. Can he catch her once and for all, or can Gretchen finally let him go?This sixth book slowly veers off course for a while, straightening out towards the end. With Cain;s next book a stand-alone unrelated to this series, the only consultation we have until the next book is that Gretchen is still out there. Watching. Waiting.