Kill Switch by Baer & Greene

Kill Switch

By Neal Baer and Jonathan Greene

Narrator: Bernadette Dunne

Rating: 3 stars (2.8)

Overview (from Barnes and Noble)

A heart-pounding glimpse into the world of forensic psychiatry, Kill Switch marks the powerful fiction debut of Neal Baer and Jonathan Greene—former executive producers of television's acclaimed Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Filled with breakneck suspense, vivid characters, and riveting detail, it is a mindbending thriller you'll never forget. . .

Meet Claire Waters, a young, dedicated forensic psychiatrist with unnervingly personal insights into the criminal mind. Haunted by a disturbing childhood incident—and driven by her demons—Claire has always been drawn to those rare "untreatable" patients who seem to have no conscience or fear. She has a natural ability to put people at ease, to help them face their darkest secrets. But one shocking case could make or break her career—and it's waiting for her in the psychiatric wing of New York City's Rikers Island.

His name is Quimby. A deranged inmate whose boyish good looks hide a sordid history of dysfunction and abuse, Quimby triggers something in Claire she'd rather not face. As she tries to unlock Quimby's past, she unwittingly reveals her own painful secrets—leaving herself dangerously vulnerable. For Claire, the patient's obsessions are just the beginning. When the case propels her into the mind of another killer—a homicidal maniac who's watching her every move—it could only end in madness, or murder, or both. . .

Brilliantly constructed and breathtakingly suspenseful, Kill Switch is a masterful combination of murder, mystery, and modern forensics that will keep you turning the pages to the final shocking conclusion.



My Review

Claire Waters has accepted a fellowship working with inmates at Rikers Island. Her first patient, Quimby, reminds her of deed seeded emotions from her childhood.  When a blond turns up dead Quimby is the likely suspect. Waters being hard headed and quite frankly too nosy dives head first into the case. Detective Lawler is assigned to the case after returning from one personal tragedy and going through another. Lawler and Water work together to find the serial killer who may turn out not to be Quimby after all while coming to terms with their own personal demons.

Ok this book had action. It kept you engaged all the way through. There are many side stories. Fortunately they are all intertwined so it works. Main story: the serial killings. Side story A (strongly linked to main story): Claire’s friend from childhood being abducted. Side story B (weakly linked to main story): Lawler career ending medical condition.

The way the story is written is choppy in the beginning. The purpose for the choppiness is clear, it is written that way to show the confusion that Waters is experiencing. The rest of the book is written in alternating point of views of Waters and Lawlers. There isn’t much character development for any of the characters. You know what ails them but you don’t know them. The book is about events that happened, how they happened, and how they are solved period. Overall, it’s a good read. Or in this case a good listen.

Plot: 3  Writing: 3  Characters: 2  Other: 3* Overall feel: 3**

*side story B was unnecessary to the story. If he didn’t have the medical problem and was just a regular detective the story would have still worked

** I was interested but it didn’t bother me if I had to put it on pause

Challenges:
Mixing It Up 2012
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