let me go

let me go

gretchen lowell series #6

chelsea cain

suspense/thriller

st. martin's press

published 2013

Detective Archie Sheridan is about to receive a birthday present from the last person he ever wants to see again: Gretchen Lowell.  The investigation into Jack Reynolds's drug enterprise is heating up and has Archie heading off to attend a masked Halloween party on Jack Reynolds's island, where Susan is a reluctant guest.  But the next morning one of the guests is found murdered, and Archie quickly realizes that nothing is what it seems.  Only one thing is clear: Gretchen is back, and she's been closer than anyone thinks.  On Halloween Eve, with time running out, Archie will have to risk everything, and choose wisely whom to trust, if he and his loved ones are going to live through the night.

I love how freaking bad ass Susan has become.  How grown up and amazingly tough she is now without losing her humor or vulnerability.  And Archie, well Archie....it's simply amazing that he has survived as long as he has.  It is unbelievable that his body can take so much trauma and still be here.  Of course, it is the true earmark of fiction.  It's crazy and heart-pounding.  It doesn't matter how vicious or evil she gets, I always find myself rooting for Gretchen.  Thinking it about it this time I realized that's probably why I love Alice on Luther so much.  She is how I picture Gretchen even though they're not described physically similar at all!

We've delved deeper into the world that has already been laid out before us before, but not really examined this way.  Most of our time is spent on the island where Jack, Leo's father and the father of one of the Beauty Killer's victims lives and conducts the business that Leo is trying to bring down.  A glamorous party brings all the player to the island and Archie finds himself in quite over his head.

Gretchen is still out there, in the shadows, but she won't stay hidden for much longer.