This is a serial-killer thriller with a twist.
Portland detective Archie Sheridan is a tortured soul, in every sense of the word. He spent years tracking Gretchen Lowell, a beautiful and prolific serial killer. In the end, she was the one who caught him. She tortured him, then inexplicably spared his life and turned herself in.
Fast-forward two years and Archie is still recovering from his ordeal. His marriage has broken up, he’s addicted to prescription medication, and he’s totally obsessed with Gretchen Lowell. He visits her in prison every week, ostensibly to locate the bodies of her many victims who are still unaccounted for.
Meanwhile, Archie is involved in an investigation into the brutal rape and murder of several teenage girls. As it’s his first case since returning to work, the press are hounding him. They want the inside story on his captivity with Gretchen. In an attempt at damage limitation – and with a dubious motive of his own – Archie agrees to an exclusive deal with the Oregon Herald.
The journalist assigned to the case is Susan Ward. Susan is a rebel with a cause. She has a lead on a senator who allegedly had an affair with his underage babysitter. She’s convinced this will be her big break, but finds herself stonewalled at every turn. In the meantime, she accepts the four-part exclusive on Archie Sheridan and his investigation.
It soon becomes clear that Archie and Susan are caught up in something a lot more sinister than they had anticipated – and that something involves Gretchen Lowell.
Susan & Archie are satisfyingly complex characters. Susan plays it tough but is in reality incredibly vulnerable. She hides her insecurities through her whacky appearance and ill-advised affairs. As the investigation progresses, she’s forced to look to her own past and finally face up to some of her demons.
Archie is addicted to medication and to Gretchen. The narrative is interspersed with flashbacks to his time in captivity and this gives us some insight into what exactly was done to him. Certain aspects of his torture are left to the reader’s imagination, but I had the impression that it went far beyond the infliction of physical pain. Given Gretchen’s manipulative prowess, she most likely psychologically tormented him, and possibly sexually abused him.
The real star of the story, though, is Gretchen herself. She’s evil and twisted, no doubt. She’s a cold-blooded serial killer and utterly without remorse. Yet she let Archie go free and turned herself in to the police. Why? Does she have a secret agenda? She has a strange sort of affection for Archie and I’m not sure if she isn’t as obsessed with him as he is with her. Perhaps more will be revealed in the sequel.
Heartsick is definitely not for the squeamish. But if you can stomach a bit – or a lot – of gratuitous violence, I can highly recommend it. Grade B+
