Scratched Off

By: Julie C. Gilbert

Narrated by: Rick Struve

Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

Failure means more people die.

“The Big One” could make Sam's career or...break him.

FBI Special Agent Samuel Kerman has been tasked to catch a wildly erratic serial killer dropping bodies in Pennsylvania state parks. The victims differ, and the manner of murder changes every time. Amid the mountains of physical evidence, only a mysterious gray dust and declarations of guilt or innocence link the crimes.

It's not much to work with, and the case drags on for months. Then, things go from bad to worse when the killer makes it personal. Family, friends, strangers...everybody's in danger of being scratched off.

©2018 Julie C. Gilbert (P)2018 Julie C. Gilbert

Chilling~

This one kept me on my toes.The main characters are an FBI agent and a serial killer. Will the agent be able to stop the killer before it becomes personal? You will have to check out a copy and find out. No spoilers here. I recommend this book. I chose the audio book which made it even more chilling listening to the narrators voice added to the suspense and tense moments.

Pick this up for a suspenseful thrill ride!

OMG!!!!! This story! What a brain burner! I kept trying to figure it out but believe me...I was SHOCKED! I just ran across this book and decided to give it a shot. I am sooo glad I gave the new to me author a chance.
The story was interesting to me. I loved how I was inside the killers mind. Thinking and seeing how he worked through and delivered for the thrill.

This is a first time author for me. I loved the delivery of the story. The thrill....the suspense and the drama. I wondered where this title came from before I read this book. Now...I LOVE it! I did listen to this on audio. Rick Struve did an amazing job bringing the story to life.

Wow! At the edge of your seat!

The first chapter was a little slow but then zoom...right into the heart of the story. I absolutely loved the story line and the fact that there was no horrible language. Not to give away the ending, but, just be prepared to be blown away. I have never read one of Julie Gilbert's books before but will definitely be reading another one. She has a new fan!

Didn't see it coming

Wow - what an energetic book. Right from the first page this fast paced book of twists and turns captures the listener. The narrator did this one proud. Started listening late at night - bad idea - ended up with no sleep as the story developed.

Great psychological thriller

Scratched Off is a stand alone psychological thriller by Julie C. Gilbert. I’ll be honest, when Chapter 1 clearly stated who the serial killer was, by name, I was really worried that this wouldn’t be a mystery or very suspenseful. I was wrong. So, so, wrong.

Instead – regularly hearing Andrew’s thoughts and plans juxtaposed with the victims’ and other character’s in the story created an almost constant tension while listening. The closed door romance between Andrew’s sister, Melissa and FBI Agent Sam Kerman added another level of depth to the story – but in very unpredictable ways.

Like most good mystery/thriller books – it’s hard to share what I enjoyed about it without giving anything away. The most descriptive praise I can give is that it was full of surprises and I truly enjoyed listening from beginning to end. I’m looking forward to checking out more of Gilbert’s work.

Content Note: While the romance is closed door and there is no explicit language, this is a book about a serial killer and some of his killings and their aftermath are described in detail.

Narration:
This was also my first experience listening to Rick Struve. He did a fantastic job with a variety of voices, personalities, and emotions. I felt completely drawn into Gilbert’s writing and truly enjoyed his performance.

Disclaimer note: I know we’re supposed to mention if we received an audiobook for free. For whatever reason, I didn’t make a note about where/why I picked this book (I’m getting better, but have been inconsistent in the past). I *think* it may have been a giveaway in a FB group. So… like everything else, this is my honest review whether or not I received it for free. I did borrow the ebook version via KU to make it easier to take notes.

Take a gamble

This was a Pleasant surprise as I usually read more extreme horror/thrillers
A well written detective novel that doesn’t rely on violence,sex or profanity opening it to a wider audience
Great narration and twist ending highly recommended
I received a free review audiobook and voluntarily left this review

Chilling story!

I was given an ARC audiobook to listen to and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Wow, what a story! The narrator did an awesome job with the delivery. I am just getting into psychological thrillers and this is the first time for me with this author. She really had me hooked! The story is told as 3 different storylines Andrew the serial killer, Sam the FBI agent, and Mel, Andrew's sister and Sam's love interest. It was fascinating to get inside the killer's mind and see what he's thinking and feeling. Very chilling! I also liked the fact that sex and profanity did not play a role in creating a good story. There were so many twists and turns and a big reveal at the end. It was so full of suspense, it kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time. And the title makes so much sense after listening! I definitely recommend this book. I am looking forward to trying other books by this author as her writing style was very well done.

Chilling💛

The writer keep to a relatively small cast of characters which worked well. 
The serial killer monologues provided  character insight while being nearly clinically informative & instructive. So creepy!
The story was suspenseful and coldly horrific, it improved as it progressed.
I had to increase the play speed to 1.10 before being able appreciate the book. The narrator did well voicing different distinctiive characters. 
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntary leaving a review. 

Suspense Filled Thriller

A suspense filled thriller that has some twists you won't see coming. The narrator did a great job bringing the story and characters to life. I look forward to more from this author.

Very Interesting way to write a mystery

I found the story well written and actually enjoyed herding the murderer's thoughts and how his logic determined what he would do. I felt the characters were well thought out and realistic.
#tagsgiving #sweepstakes