A Thriller (Archie Sheridan & Gretchen Lowell) - The Night Season

GOOD LORD!!

I loyally followed this "Heartsick" series from the moment I put the first installment down. I was sucked into the story from the beginning. I pre-ordered the second book, "Sweetheart" with anticipation. It was alright. Then the third book, "Evil at Heart", I was disappointed. Each installment became a little less captivating.
Now this! I read this book with ongoing frustration. What happened here???

This story is so far-fetched in some areas that I had to put it down and take a break more than once. Besides the fact that Chelsea refuses to evolve these central characters in any way, I found the plot ridiculous at best. This series has gone from being a serial killer thriller to being a cheesy detective mystery.
Each book strays farther and farther from realism. I enjoy losing myself in a good fiction book, particularly a thriller or mystery. But it has to have at least a minuscule amount of substance. This book had none.

Archie. The main character, the detective, the victim of Gretchen Lowell and the saint of the criminal world. From the first book to the fourth, he has never managed to evolve as a human being and suffers from severe egotism. Every murder, kidnapping or torture is always his fault. Food and sleep are a crutch and he is incessantly ill. Everyone is always concerned with his well being and he is only concerned with saving the world. There is no depth to this character and I have lost all hope that there ever will be. Even snippets of his therapy sessions reveal absolutely nothing and he insists on keeping the façade of never experiencing emotion. Archie remains the redundant martyr of the story. I'm over it.

Susan Ward. Probably the most irritating character of the entire series. Yes, the ever changing hair color, rebellious attitude and childlike maturity as a grown adult instilled a fair amount of entertainment to the story in the beginning, but this character too has yet to evolve. Time and again she is put into life threatening situations because of her need to tag along like a 5 year old and seek the approval of the detective that she has chased around for 3 years. Her behavior has followed a predictable pattern in every book. So much so that I and everyone else that reads this series could accurately forecast how she will be by Archie's side through every crime scene, be working on two separate news stories that always tie together in the end and act like a frantic dumb a** through every situation WHICH no matter how severe, she never really learns from. Again Chelsea has successfully stifled the growth of the very characters that she has created.

And by the way Miss. Cain, are there anymore natural disasters that are prominent in the Pacific Northwest that you have left to incorporate into your detective series? What's next a tornado? Will the murder weapon be a deadly caterpillar next time? How about when Portlanders go to grab a newspaper, a deadly trout jumps out and rips their faces off? Does that sound anymore ridiculous than an Australian native blue ringed octopus poisoning people around the city?

I hope your next book Gretchen Lowell escapes prison and puts Archie out of his misery. Someone should. Too bad I won't be spending my money to find out.

Well, what a disappointment. I have read all her other books and they were so exciting. I just have no idea what happened here. It got more boring the more I read but I forced myself to finish it. (Well, I actually skipped about 20 or 30 pages in order to get to the ending). I wasted $15.00 is how I would review it.

finally a break from Gretchen as she was basically absent from this book. not that I don't like Gretchen just needed a break from her and Archie and his feelings in her.

this book focuses a lot more on Susan. which was a nice change.

flooding has started in Portland with the early snow melt and rain. in the process a body from several decades ago was uncovered. in the meantime some deranged serial killer is on the loose and killing and dumping the bodies.

I have to admit it was nice to actually read a book where not all the good people survived. I am sad that a cop died but nice to see that reality does exist in books.

archie seems to be getting his act together a bit which is good and hopefully that continues with the rest of the series.

Night Season follows Evil at Heart as Chelsea Cain's fourth Archie Sheridan, Gretchen Lowell and Susan Ward thriller. I have heard critics call the book riveting, captivating, spellbinding, you name it. These accolades gave me just a moment's pause because I did not find the book to be any of those things. Since this genre is one I read a lot of and enjoy, I stand by my opinion of the book. I say opinion, because it is all subjective, isn't it?

In Cain's first book, Heartsick, the characters were new to the reader, obviously, and all their many quirks and the lightness and shadows of personality were interesting. The dynamics were fresh and the action shocking and sensational in its way. But that was three books ago and the things we found different and offbeat then are now just plain wearing.

I have to admit to being so sick to death of Archie's martyrdom that I want him to go away for years of therapy. I want to take immature and goofy Susan Ward and shake her until she grows up. And someone stick a knife in Gretchen cause she's done. The first one or two books were riveting, captivating and spellbinding, maybe, but this one is just hard to put up with despite some good writing underneath it all.

A Portland river, the Willemette, is flooding and people are turning up dead. But detective Archie soon discovers that they didn't drown by accident but were murdered in an unconventional way. Portland has a new serial killer and Archie chases him with all his might. Susan in the meantime just finished a story about a skeleton that was found and that she thinks was a victim of the Vanport flooding some 50 years ago. Of course he takes her along for the ride again too. I tell you, a lot of water and flooding in this book! This book is a little different from her 3 previous books because the focus is on Archie and Susan and another serial killer but this break from Gretchen was ok for me. Whatever story it is, there is always good storytelling, good character building etc. The book has some serious action and the terror here comes from a completely different and unexptected angle.

Read from June 03 to 07, 2013

Listened for Fun (Borrowed from the Library)/Read for Fun (Paperback)
Overall Rating: 4.00
Story Rating: 4.00
Character Rating: 4.00

Audio Rating: 4.50 (not part of the overall rating)

First Thought when Finished: I missed Gretchen but I think this book proved Chelsea Cain can write a pretty good Archie book without her!

Story Thoughts: Archie is a good detective! He sucks at pretty much everything else but as a detective he knows his stuff. This was an interesting case that kept me guessing for a very long time. I wasn't sure how I was going to handle Gretchen not being in the book (much) but it turns out that I was pretty compelled without her. Oh, I missed her but the case was solid, the action was intense, and the suspense about killed me for the last 1/3. The fact that the killer drug some of my favorite characters into the mix was enough to have me biting my nails.

Character Thoughts: Here is what I love about Chelsea Cain's characters: they are all damaged! Each of them are scarred, good and bad, make questionable decisions, and yet you still root for them. I think her characters are as compelling as her story lines. That is not always the case in thrillers but in this case it is true. I find myself often times getting personally worried about them and their welfare. Heck, I was even glad when we got a Gretchen check in so we knew where she was during the flood.

Audio Thoughts:

Narrated By Christina Delaine / Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins

I am usually not a fan of switching up narrators in a series but in this case it really worked. I think Christina is more suited to the characters that Chelsea Cain has created. Her pacing was brilliant and her voices were pretty spot on. I just checked and she does the next one so I am excited.

Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed Night Season and can't wait to dig into the next one :)

The old gang (Susan Archie, Henry and Claire)is back together again and under some very unusual circumstances. During one of the worst floods (ok 2nd worse, apparently there was one in the late 1940s) in recent history, a deranged (ok, maybe that's a little common) serial killer is hunting in Portland. Oddly enough, the killer uses some highly poisonous blue ringed octopus (i.e., weapon) to kill his prey, before drowning them, leaving virtually no physical evidence with the exception of a tiny key (i.e., his signature).

Archie has finally kicked his 7 a day vicodin addiction and is back to what he loves....working ...his job as a Homicide Detective and saving lives. This time he is trying to save, an abducted boy (who has ties to the killer), his partner Henry (who has become one of the killer's victims), and even Susan (his girl Friday whose job is on shaking ground with her boss/ex-lover).What I enjoyed about this story is Cain's continued dedication to remain true to her characters. Archie is still the martyr, occasionally punishing himself for his past mistakes, while always staying focused on discovering the truth, all while still trying to heal from being mentally and physically tortured. He's a dichotomy of a man who should be broken, and yet his mere spirit prevents it. And then there is Susan (an eager reporter), who is still a zealot for the truth, but unlike most in her profession, she looks at the people involved in the story more so than the angle.

What I enjoy most about this story was Cain's ability to weave seemingly unrelated events (missing boy, skeleton, a woman in a nursing home, a dead woman on a carousel, and the flood of 1948) into one coherent story that offers suspense, thrills and chills. And of course, there is still the usual Cain gloom, doom and darkness that is only intensified by the horrific weather conditions in the story.

The killer, while ordinary on the surface eventually became mildly interesting because of his killing method (killing people with octopus). And there was his misguided sense of revenge over the death of a family member . Again, how someone so ordinary could kill in such a compelling way was mindboggling. I was also glad to see that "Gretchen" who was throughout the first 3 novels was virtually absent, merely an echo or briefly mentioned. Although we know that Gretchen will always be a part of Archie, it is also time for him to move on with his life. Therefore, Cain's ability to continue the series by strengthening the central characters is an achievement in and of itself.

My only criticism, and it is small is that I would have liked Archie to find true happiness....with Susan. All the signs are there and I think they would be perfect for each other. Think about it, both are broken but with a little healing could make it work.

Overall, this was a decent read. For those who love a slow building and suspenseful read, with some tortured characters and a sick serial killer, this is the story for you. I can't wait to see what Cain comes up with next.

History repeats itself in The Night Season, when the Willamette River rises nearly as high as in 1948, when it swept away an entire town in less than an hour. Now the city of Portland itself is threatened, but there's more than a flood to worry about when a series of drownings turn out to be murder by octopus. If you can swallow the idea that a serial killer would choose such a bizarre, troublesome method when a simple hypodermic would do, this isn't a bad mystery. Detective Archie Sheridan has returned from an extended medical leave, and as he hunts for the psycho he must also battle the weather, which plays a major role in the book's outcome. Tagging along as usual is journalist Susan Ward, who inadvertently serves as the murderer's catalyst. For some reason, the cops tolerate her intrusiveness, and she makes discoveries without which they'd not be able to resolve the case, at least not as quickly.

As its title implies, this is a dark novel. The characters spend most of the time in sopping wet clothing, drenched either by the incessant rain or by their own rescue forays into the river. Archie and Susan are likable characters, quite natural in their personal quirks, reactions, and motivations. That sort of realism extends to the less prominent characters as well. Lamentably, the one exception in Night is the killer himself, of whom we learn little and see less, and I kept wondering how he managed not to fall prey to his own murder weapon. Also, it was never made clear why he kidnapped a child. Nevertheless, the police procedural part of the plot works, the atmosphere is bleak and ominous, and the ending is a dramatic one.

As a proud Portlander, I get a thrill reading Chelsea Cain's murderous novels set in our beloved town. While her villain, the serial killer-psychiatrist Gretchen Lowell, may be the demented love child of Hannibal Lecter and Clarisse Starling, Cain's hero Archie Sheridan is a terrifically Portland creation. A depressed white knight in rumpled clothing, Sheridan is a perfectly Pacific Northwest hero.

Perhaps realizing that Sheridan needed to break out from Gretchen Lowell's shadow, Cain left Lowell on the sidelines (in prison) for most of "The Night Season." Instead, Sheridan gets to track down another serial killer. At first it seems that the murderer might be Mother Nature, as the rising Willamette River is drowning the unwary and is threatening to wash away downtown Portland. But then we discover that some of the victims didn't drown, but were poisoned before hitting the water.

Steeped in local lore, "The Night Season" never quite plumbs the demented depths of Cain's other novels. Cain's best work saw Sheridan at Lowell's mercy, subject to her various loving tortures and schemes. Here, the murderer is rather pedestrian - a poisoner (with an admittedly exotic weapon) acting out some deep-seeded impulses. There's a mildly intriguing subplot involving a young boy who may be working with the killer, but all in all the murderer just isn't all that scary or interesting.

"The Night Season" is a brief book - you can plow through it in a few casual hours - and almost seems like a palate-cleanser for Cain as she decides to take Archie Sheridan, and perhaps Gretchen Lowell, in a new direction. It's not bad by any means, and perhaps one day it will be seen as a crucial minor piece in Cain's overall body of work. But for fans of Cain's novels who anxiously await her next offering, it was more than a bit of a letdown.

Before I began reading this book, I made the mistake of reading more reviews than usual, and that could’ve been what led me to be less than thrilled with “The Night Season.” Although, it could’ve also been the total absence of Gretchen Lowell. I mean, the main “villains” of this was a flood threat and killer octopuses (not a spoiler by the way). I mean, of course there a human killer to be caught, but I can’t help but feel underwhelmed by this installment.
These books work mostly due to the relationship between Archie and Gretchen, and that just wasn’t present in this book. Don’t get me wrong, I know that Archie’s moving on and whatnot, but come on! The whole reason I was into the series was, and I’m being honest, was Gretchen. She was in the book for all of two pages (if that). Disappointing to say the least.
I’m nearing the end of the series, what with only two more books to go. Hopefully, “Kill You Twice” will up the ante again, or I believe this once captivating series will fade into mediocrity. At least in my mind.

The prologue in this novel, about the flood in Van Port, starts with a huge historic event. The residents were not warned in a timely manner to get out when the dam was breached, and was about to flood their city. These were the poor, the working class, in what was a company town. In present day it has been raining and flooding for weeks. Bodies are turning up, from the past and the present, and they are all being delivered by the water.

The entire story seems like it is told next to the sounds of the rain in the background. It is always drumming against windows and roofs, and pounding on car-tops. It seems like the skies have just turned on Portland.

And of course a mystery, and a mystery within the mystery. Susan Ward, the sort of likable reporter is central to the story as is Archie, both from earlier novels. Susan is a little overeager but also a little charming, if not foolish.

Chelsea Cain has written several books with these characters and they are generally interesting, but more interesting when they are involved in and struggling against Gretchen Lowell. Archie and Gretchen have always created an interesting dynamic. But she does not appear in this novel except in the most tangential way. On the other hand, where Archie is, so is Gretchen.

The most serious problem I had was with the reader. I don't know why women readers have such a difficult time with male voices. Seriously, I haven't read a single JD Robb novel since I listened to a book and the reader made Rourke sound like a girl. Can you imagine? The first books I ever heard on CD were read by Jim Dale who did 200 different voices with hardly a second of incredulity except that at how amazing he is but this reader is no Jim Dale. She wasn't the worst, but the gruff male voices she tried were all the same.

I wondered if it was just me, and played sections to several people, just small sections. All of them asked why was she faking that gruff voice? The reader of a story should never distract from the story and yet this one did. Every time I heard her speaking as Archie, I thought why is she making this fake voice? Why fake something like that?

I love Chelsea Cain. Her writing is what every thriller should be made of! The pace of her novels totally prevents putting them down. I read the first page of the book and I am locked into the story until the last page. Cain's books are made to be devoured!

In The Night Season, Cain takes the characters that we know and love from the previous three novels in this series to a little bit different of a place. This series, up to The Night Season, has focused exclusively on serial killer Gretchen Lowell and the detective, Archie Sheridan, who was not only the person who captured who, but also her only living victim. Cain moves away from Gretchen Lowell as the big bad in this book, and focuses on a new serial killer. All the other characters from the previous novels are in play.

I enjoyed getting to experience Archie Sheridan working a different case and having come a long way psychologically from the trauma he suffered at the hands of Gretchen Lowell. Even though he wasn't hunting the serial killer I came to know him for, he was still a very compelling character and one I enjoyed reading about.

But I do have to be honest. I missed Gretchen Lowell. She is, quite possibly, my favorite novel "bad guy." There is a brief appearance of Lowell in this book, but it is very brief. It makes complete sense for Cain to take the series in this direction. The Gretchen Lowell storyline can only go on for so long. But she is such a twisted character that I missed her (not sure what that says about me).

I really enjoyed this book. I would definitely recommend it to lovers of thriller novels. Also, I think this novel could be read without having read the previous three novels in the series.

In this, the fourth book in the series featuring police detective Archie Sheridan, Gretchen Lowell, the beautiful but masochistic serial killer who in previous entries shared the stage with Archie, is little more than backdrop, a recurring theme playing almost entirely offstage. Gretchen has now been in jail for six months [after having been recaptured]. This time reporter Susan Ward plays a larger role, working almost in tandem with Archie, the cop who lived to tell the tale of the Beauty Killer and has still not quite recovered. [For the uninitiated, Archie headed up the task force searching for the gorgeous psychopath for ten years before she caught him three years earlier. She had held him captive and tortured him in ways too lurid to be described here. It nearly cost him his life; it did cost him his marriage.] After spending two months in a psych ward, he is now, at 41 years of age, eight months clean of painkillers and six months out of inpatient treatment, and allowed to go back to work in the police department.

The killer which is front and center this time around is the swollen Willamette River in Portland. But it seems that a human killer is at work as well: Among those swept away by the flood waters are several who were killed before they were left to drown, poisoned by one of the most bizarre methods one is ever likely to find in a novel. As the cops investigate, one of their own is an early victim. There are parallels between the current fictional natural disaster and one which actually did completely wipe out another Willamette River city more than 60 years earlier.

Readers can be reassured that this book does not have any of the graphic descriptions of the pleasures in which Gretchen indulged in the earlier books. For those that miss the gore, the author notes in an acknowledgement that she will make up for it next time. With or without those elements the book makes for great reading, as did the others. It is another suspenseful entry in the series and, as those earlier books, is recommended.

Gretchen Lowell, the Beauty Killer, is finally safely locked up so Archie Sheridan can focus on other things. Their love-hate relationship is finally laid to rest and Archie has become much healthier. He no longer pops pills as if they were candy and religiously goes to his therapy sessions. There isn't long to relax because of the torrential, heavy rains causing the Willamette River to come to the cusp of flooding. As a result, drownings are becoming a more frequent occurence and the corpse of a man who died sixty years ago is found, which is possibly a link to a devastating flood that destroyed the city Vanport in 1968. The drownings, upon closer analysis, seem to be linked because of a strange mark found on the palm of each victim. Archie is on the case with quirky, nosy, indomitable Susan Ward. The increasingly bad weather and threatening flood make it harder for them to do their job and easier for the killer to disguise his actions. Can Susan and Archie catch the killer before they become victims themselves?

When I found out that Gretchen Lowell wasn't going to be featured in The Night Season, I was a bit wary of being bored or having this one not measure up to the rest of the series. Her presence is so magnetic and her and Archie's relationship is as sick and twisted as they come. I found out that Chelsea Cain's writing speaks for itself and doesn't need Gretchen Lowell at all to be incredibly addictive. It still has the same fluidity and holds my interest until I'm staying up at all hours of the night just to find out what happens. Gretchen's absence also allowed Archie Sheridan and Susan Ward to develop without her corrupting influence. Archie stopped most of his self destructive behaviors and is as healthy as he can be with extensive liver damage, scars, and no spleen. Susan shows another side of herself when she puts the friends that she has made in the police force over her job getting the latest scoop to publish the paper. She also has a larger role in story than she has in the past. Together, they make an odd, yet strangely harmonious mystery-solving pair.

The new killer is interesting enough with a very strange mode of murder, but the real star of The Night Season is the threatening flood. It makes simple, inane things very difficult and fills each scene with tension that builds until its climax at the end of the novel. It's almost as if the flood is a looming, silent character that is omnipresent and without human emotions. I really liked the prologue at the beginning of the novel that linked a horrific flood from the past to the current flood and unexpectedly tied the loose ends of the mystery together. It showed the mastery of Chelsea Cain's writing that the flood was not only a biproduct of the weather, but also created a tense ambience and was used as an integral part of the mystery.

I enjoyed The Night Season immensely and I highly recommend it to fans of mysteries or books about serial killers. The story is a great mystery that has unexpected twists and turns. This book could be read as a stand alone, but it's better to read the rest of the series to better understand the relationships and motivations of the characters.

'The Night Season' reads like a hard rain - fast, intense, inescapable. Propelled forward by a fast-moving plot and the snappy dialogue of her characters, the story comes on strong and doesn't let up until it's done.

Here, in the fourth book of Cain's Portland crime series, we have the story of a modern-day Portland engulfed by rain and the ever-rising waters of the Willamette River, and the tale of Vanport, flooded 60 years previously. Mysterious deaths are uncovered that link both to the modern age and the previous one, and it's up to detective Archie Sheridan and reporter Susan Ward (with new vibrantly-colored hair) to unravel the mystery, all while trying to stay alive. In Cain's hands, there's lots of twists and turns in a story that moves as fast as the river's floodwaters, and an ending that does not disappoint.

What's impressive here is how Cain takes established characters and lets extreme circumstances change the game. The whole series has been set in Portland, but in 'The Night Season' we have new suspense created by constant rain, rising waters, and a drenched city. Locations that should be safe suddenly aren't, and threats that didn't exist previously now loom large, all overshadowed by weather that creates a sense of danger that never lets up.

The only thing lacking is Gretchen Lowell. The presence that dominated (what an appropriate word) the previous three books in this series only makes a few brief appearances here. We're told that she's been silent ever since her incarceration and will only speak to Sheridan, who refuses to see her or talk to her at all. Her absence is a hard void to fill, something that another killer and an elemental force can't even quite do. Gretchen seems an elemental force herself, and without her even a great story isn't quite the same.

And we do have a great story here. It's not as breathless or as extreme as the previous books were, but it's told with the same deft hand, the same sharp eye for detail, and the same compelling voice. 'The Night Season' is almost everything I've come to expect from Chelsea Cain's excellent and enthralling books.

But I guess once you've had Gretchen, even a deluge can't quite compare.

Well written in spite of the utterly stupid and unbelievable "weapon" used by the killer. I mean, really (WARNING SPOILER AHEAD), imagine this guy going up to his victims and saying "Excuse me, would you mind standing still for a bit while I press this deadly octopus against your flesh so it can bite you." Another reviewer's great comment about the killer trout hits the nail on the head. But I think her next book should feature the little known deadly poisonous Oregon slug which the killer cunningly induces people to adopt as pets, having trained them (the slugs) to crawl out of their terrariums in the dark of night, sneak (the deadly Oregon slugs are really good at sneaking!) over to where the victim is sleeping and, well, slime them with their poison slime. Then the slugs would dial 911 and sneak (there they go again, sneaking around) back to their terrariums. A veritable locked room mystery!

I thought that Chelsea Cain's series was called the Archie-Gretchen series. So what happened to Gretchen. She is totally missing in this book. Such a let down since the love-hate thing is so good.

This book is the fourth in the Archie-Susan series. I have read them all and the first was clearly the best. This book is no slouch though. Ms. Cain's writing style continues to enthrall me and I remain a fan. Sadly, there is only one more of her books to read.

As a former lengthy Portland Oregon resident, I was able to identify with the Portlandia she writes about. She does a good job of portraying the city and the residents. She does however make Portland sound a bit naive - yes Portland is idealistic.

The story is well written and should keep the reader interested. Ms. Cain has crafted a set of primary characters that are sufficiently interesting, with their relationships, to serve readers for many more books. The story lines are sufficiently complex to make you want to keep reading.

Ms. Cain has a good imagination and lays out the stories well. I am a fan.

The Night Season is a splendid thriller. The detective, Archie, is a wonderful character, dogged and weatherbeaten--and someone you always root for. Susan, the journalist who follows him, is a rich and enjoyable creation, a mixture of beatnik and traditional heroine. The story is filled out with a number of interesting characters: a male and a female detective, who are in an affair, a subdued and haunting villain with an odd modus vivendi, a tribute to the banality of evil, a young boy who has been kidnapped and has a quirky charm, a number of street people who are realistically drawn, and a host of bit players--policemen, doctors, national guard rescue teams, and smarmy reporters. The decision to time the action to occur alongside a natural disaster that perpetually complicates the action screws up the tension. I found myself geting excited as the detective's search reached its climax. The reader of the audio book is excellent, subtly delineating all the characters with a careful ear for the tension in the story. This is my first Chelsea Cain novel, and I am eager to become acquainted with its predecessors.

In the first three installments of Chelsea Cain's Portland thrillers, she developed three major characters: Archie Sheridan. the almost psychotically ambivalent detective who can't help staying in love with the serial killer he chased for 10 years and who tortured and nearly killed him: Susan Ward, the plucky, eccentric but indefatigable newspaper reporter who may be based on an earlier version of the author; and Gretchen Lowell, the serial killer, a female Hannibal Lecter who far outdoes her prototype. These characters kept readers going through three action and thrill-packed novels.

Now, in her fourth Archie Sheridan thriller, Chelsea abandons Gretchen and introduces her fourth main character: water. The book often feels like a demented ode to Portland's most famous feature, not roses but rain. The characters in The Night Season spend a lot of time under water. If they're not under it, it's just offstage, chasing them down, or else squishing under their feet. The new serial killer, Elroy Carey (a nod to an obvious Cain predecessor, James Elroy?) uses a golf-ball sized octopus to dispatch his victims. There may be a few too many references to people slogging through water that keeps creeping up toward their knees. Even so, the flood theme is hypnotic, and by book's end there can seem to be only one character, water, water everywhere.

This may be Cain's most labored plot, which at times mars the book. It's well nigh impossible to see how people keep getting swept away by the raging Willamette river yet manage to survive. And it seems rigged when characters we like, a nine-year-old boy included, survive by miracles Cain doesn't explain.

For all this, the book works. There are plenty of twists, even if a few seem implausible, especially toward the end. But the book, or should I say the raging river, drew me in to the point I couldn't put it down, perhaps because I feared the flood waters would carry it away. Cain remains one of our most vivid and impactful thriller writers, and this book manages to be a refreshing change from the Gretchen chronicles even as it signals that the next in the series will be back to Gretchen.

And do try to read The Night Season in the dead of night. It really will carry you away.

The victim suffers an unspeakable death at the hand of a misguided killer. That victim would be the reputation of the Portland PD, although the reader does not remain unscathed. If one actually found any of this book plausible, one might believe that the police allow outsiders to wander freely about crime scenes and their offices, having access to computers and other records. They put physically disabled individuals out on the street with severe mental issues and histories of substance addiction. That would explain why they can't solve a crime without the aid of a total ditz. The murder weapon is a small octopus that cannot inject venom. It must bite and salivate the poison. However, the one in the book proves lethal, merely by flinging it at someone's face. Presumably, it has the mental faculties to access the situation in a fraction of a second, the agility of a cat to position itself in mid-air for the proper angle of attack and the speed of light to execute the poisoning upon impact and prior to rebound.

Even allowing for creative license, this rambling wreck simply does not wash. The character development has the depth of onion skin and they are virtually all unlikable losers. There are no redeeming traits to make the reader care. The killer goes undeveloped until the closing pages and his motivation and thought processes do not ring true.

Contained in this shoddy structure are questionable facts, contradictions and fallacies. All kinds of people are leaping into the cold river and suffer only the slightest signs of hypothermia. In one breath, it's stated that it takes a couple feet of flood water to wash away a car, but the harebrained columnist watches hers get swept down the street in water five inches deep. On one page, it's said that a fashion is so popular that even the lead detective could notice it but, on the next, he's described as being highly perceptive. The killer fills a 20 gallon aquarium in a sink. Really? It's got to be almost three feet wide and almost as high. How do you wedge that into a household sink and under the faucet?

To quote Truman Capote, "That's not writing, that's typing."

Heavy rains have caused the Williamette River in Portland, Oregon to flood the city. Det. Archie Sheridan has just learned that one of the recent drowning victims actually died from poisoning before going into the rising water.

When the medical examiner discovers that more of the presumed drowning victims actually met the same fate, Sheridan finds himself in a search for a serial killer. The killer is using a very unusual way to harm his victims, a deadly toxin from an exotic octopus sting.

Sheridan heroically rescues a young boy from the floodwaters, only to have the boy disappear from the hospital. As Sheridan races against time to find the killer, he believes the child is tied into the case. Having lost her day job, reporter Susan Ward follows Archie throughout the investigation. It's obvious that there is an attraction between Sheridan and Ward, but since I haven't read any of Cain's other novels, it's hard to tell what the connection is.

The murder weapon in Ms. Cain's novel was just a little too far-fetched to be believable. However, THE NIGHT SEASON is a well written mystery and I liked that Cain incorporated the true story of the Vanport Flood on Memorial Day in 1948. Lynn Kimmerle

I came to this novel without having read the first ones about Archie Sheridan's captivity by Gretchen Lowell and needed some time to catch on to the storyline. This wasn't the author's fault, but for a first-comer the chemistry between the characters did not kick in until a third of the way through.

When it did kick in i was so engaged I read the rest of it in a day. Chelsea Cain finds new ways to depict murders for the ongoing fascination of readers in the slaughter of their fellow humans, assisted by Archie Sheridan's special powers of observation of oddities. He appears as a very kind man made vulnerable by Gretchen in their play-game-torture relationship, which certainly makes me want to read the first books.

Let's start with this: What Chelsea Cain knows about marine biology would fill a toothpaste cap (the travel size) with room left over for a small cephalopod. (Oh, Lord, I hope I haven't spoiled things for you already.) In fact, the killer's weapon of choice in this neuron-snuffing annoyance of a snooze-inducing hack job is blatantly ripped off from Michael Crichton's State of Fear, a novel that was, itself, no miracle of accuracy. Actual research was apparently too, like, boring for Cain and also got in the way when she just want to make stuff up. Cain and the Creationists have that in common. In short, the science in this book - which, unfortunately, matters to the plot - is aimed at readers who struggle to grasp the Discovery Channel. By the by, the only thing that makes this a Gretchen Lowell novel is the fact that Gretchen Lowell's name appears on the cover, because she otherwise plays absolutely no role whatsoever in the plot. There, by mentioning her name I have apparently just written a Gretchen Lowell novel myself. Hope Chelsea won't sue me for plagiarism! LOL, Ms. Cain! Other than Cain's house payment, this preposterous ball of blithering piffle has no reason to exist. Avoid it as you would a visit to your gastroenterologist (though s/he probably has more interesting reading material in the waiting room).

Beauty Killer Gretchen Lowell may be behind bars, but her legacy lives on. Detective Archie Sheridan is embroiled in a new case that centers on several suspicious drownings in the rapidly rising Willamette River, but he can't fully escape from the after-effects of his time with Gretchen. Meanwhile, reporter Susan Ward is taken with a different mystery -- a decades-old skeleton she's convinced is linked to a shady time in the city's history.

Of course, the two story lines intersect, set against the threat of flood. A missing child, deadly octopuses, several near-drownings, and the ever-looming threat of Gretchen keeps the reader on the edge of the seat.

Plenty of action, some great character development, and smooth writing make this a can't-miss suspense. It would be five stars, but the narrator bugged me -- her choice of pacing and voices were at times grating. I'd actually prefer to read this one, rather than listen to the CD.

Chelsea Cain's first two books in this series were five-star reads. "Heartsick" and "Sweetheart" were sock-o thrillers with protagonist Archie tracking down the beautiful and utterly evil killer Gretchen Lowell-- his unhealthy obsession with her and her twisted manipulation of him made the first two books-- really one long book-- memorable and extremely enjoyable. The third volume, "Evil at Heart," represented a significant drop-off in quality and, sadly, this hasn't been reversed in volume 4 of the Archie saga, "Night Season."

Devotees may wish to read it, but it's a sad effort. If my daughter weren't a marine biologist, I probably would have skipped it. The killer's use of octopuses to kill his victims drove me to try it to see if I could recommend it to her. The answer is no-- but I'll be giving her copies of "Heartsick" and "Sweetheart" when next I see her. They're still worth reading.

After having devoured the first three books in this series, I started this book with high hopes. I ended this book totally let down. I felt like Cain was trying to see if Archie could make it as a character on his own without Gretchen (that's as much as I'll say without giving spoilers!). The way she chose to do it though, was to weave a story that reminded me of something I wrote in high school English. Had I read this book first, I would not have sought out the others. Here's a tip--if you've read the first three books, read the summary of this one on Wikipedia, and go right on to book five. You won't miss a thing, and you'll save yourself a couple of hours.

Like watching an episode of "Criminal Minds", the dark psyche of a serial killer is explored in tandem with the efforts of Portland detective Archie Sheridan and a team all too familiar with the havoc such a killer can inflict on the public. The tension is magnified by the imminent threat of the rising Willamette River. Because of the flooding, emergency measures are initiated. Amid this flurry of activity, a cold-blooded killer watches impassively as his victims succumb to sudden paralysis and death. Cain marries these two elements, nature's implacability and a serial killer's determination, the weather as vital a character as the sick mind striking at his unsuspecting choices. In the first novel not dominated exclusively by serial killer Gretchen Lowell, Cain sends scarred detective Archie Sheridan after new prey, journalist Susan Ward never far behind. Although there's never a shortage of monsters, Lowell is present in this tale as well, firmly entrenched in Sheridan's haunted mind and in the persistent questions of reporters who will never allow Archie to forget his intimate connection with horror.

Given the growing number of corpses, a spate of supposed-drowning deaths are reevaluated, poison determined as the cause of death, albeit by a bizarre method that is unique to this killer- and hopefully this novel. The rising menace of the cold black water permeates every chapter of Archie's pursuit of a demented killer, detectives wading through nightmarish scenarios to face a killer with his own agenda, drawing Archie and Susan into a dangerous contretemps made worse for the physicality of the environment. Eventually linking these crimes to the devastating Willamette River flood of 1948, Cain wanders fertile ground, the landscape of twisted minds, outrageous crimes and their perpetrators the meat of her thrillers. Plot-driven, Cain wastes little time on in-depth characterization, her straight-forward, if gruesome narrative carried by the momentum of nature and conflict resolution. This evil is served straight up, undiluted by nuance, a style that has won Cain a legion of fans, if not this one. Conscious of the power of images and the short attention span of an audience, the author throws everything at the wall, knowing some of these graphic details will stick to the memory like the heart-shaped scar carved on Archie Sheridan's chest. Luan Gaines/2011.

Portland, Oregon police detective Archie Sheridan feels he can finally move on with his life as his nemesis serial killer Gretchen Lowell is incarcerated. However, he also knows she has been locked away before, but escaped like a magician.

As the Willamette overflows its banks, a body is found at an amusement park. Archie assumes it is another misfortune drowning victim until the coroner reports the cause of death being from a puncture wound. Other corpses turn up with the same trauma. At the same time reporter Susan Ward is writing an article on a skeleton found in the ghost-town Vanport, destroyed by the 1948 flood. Archie allows the journalist to join his team as they search for a serial killer using a strange toxin.

The fourth Sheridan police procedural (see Heartsick; Sweetheart; Evil at Heart) is a refreshing tale though the hero deals with another serial killer but this time Gretchen is limited to a few moments when Archie agonizes over his mixed feelings towards the black widow. The key to the superb whodunit is the real Vanport flood of over six decades ago that will remind the audience of Katrina as Chelsea Cain brings this disaster alive to readers. Fans will enjoy Sheridan's brisk investigation of a present day psychopath and the deep look at the Vanport Flood calamity.

Harriet Klausner

Even though it says "Archie and Gretchen" Gretchen is not really a part of this story. That said, if you are looking for another story of those 2, you will not find it here. Gretchen is mentioned; she is like background music. Not the focus of the tale, but you know she is there.

I have read the other 3 books featuring Archie & Gretchen & simply loved them! I listened to the first one on audio a while back & was sorely disappointed in the reading quality. If I had listened to the audio prior to reading the book, I may not have liked the book so much. Yep, I was that put off by the audio. The reader just didn't seem to know how to create the characters. That said, I don't recommend the audio on the first book. I can't speak for the other 2. If the same person read them, then I would avoid them as well.

Thankfully the woman who reads this audio book is fantastic! She does a brilliant job creating the different characters! I look forward to listening to more books read by her.

A different serial killer is on the loose with no ties to Gretchen. Archie & Susan are the main characters. The weapon the serial killer choses is really a unique idea by the author & I enjoyed not only that but how said weapon adds some humor to the story. The story wraps up very neatly at the end. There are no loose ends, no questions left unanswered.

I debated wether or not to give this a 4 or 5 star rating. I went with 4 because unlike some audio books that I love, I didn't feel like listening to this all over again right away even though I enjoyed it very much. I tend to do that with books I love, I can listen to them 3 times in a row easily & love it just as much if not more than the first listen! I started to listen to this a second time & felt a bit bored & wanted to move on to something new.

The book is very engaging. I listened to it in one day. I didn't want to stop & I am not disappointed. Chelsea Cain has shown that she can write a great novel without having Gretchen be front & center. I look forward to reading and/or listening to more of her books in the future!

Confession time. Chelsea Cain has become one of my guilty pleasures. I recently read 'Heartsick', the first book in her Archie Sheridan/Susan Ward series, (mainly because it was on NPR's list of 100 all-time best thrillers) and was pleasantly surprised to find it a really engaging and exciting read. 'The Night Season', book four in the series is also an entertaining read. It is not quite the nail-biter that 'Heartsick' was but that's okay. Cain makes up for it by interlacing several mysteries, past and present, and her protagonists, homicide detective Sheridan and reporter Ward, struggle to resolve them while having to deal with torrential rainstorms that threaten to flood the city of Portland. Once again, a serial killer is at work in Portland, preying on those fighting to save the city. The weapon this killer uses is unique, to say the least. Okay, Chelsea Cain does tend to go over the top a bit with her killers, but so what? Where would Thomas Harris be without his Hannibal Lector?

The author uses her intimate knowledge of Portland and environs by introducing a mystery based on an actual flood that wiped out Vanport City, Oregon, in 1848. Already a fascinating story, Cain introduces her own twists into the story making it even more intriguing.

As mentioned previously, this book is part four in a series. I read the first book and now this one and do not get the sense that I missed anything by not reading the books in order. I do think it is important that readers start with 'Heartsick' as Archie's relationship with Gretchen Lowell, the psychopathic killer who captured and tortured him in that book, is an crucial element in defining his character.

Narrator Christina Delaine does a really good job of bringing the characters to life in the audio version of the book. I haven't listened to her work before but I intend to make a point of it in the future.

Famous female serial killer, Gretchen Lowell has been arrested for the second time. It does not look good for Gretchen this time. Meanwhile, Archie has been seeing a psychiatrist and been staying off the prescription medications for a while now. Archie is actually communicating and working with his co-workers again.

Susan Ward works as a reporter for The Herald. Now that anyone is counting but she and Archie have saved each other's lives a few too many times. You could almost call Susan and Archie mutual friends. Now when there is a murder, Archie gives Susan the scoop. Like this latest murder. What at first seemed like a drowning has turned into a murder. A woman's body was found. It seems that she was poisoned. Before Archie can figure out the answers to the questions...who, what and why...another body is found. Can Archie stop the killer before it is too late?

The Night Season is the latest offering from author, Chelsea Cain. While, I am a fan of Mrs. Cain and have been since day one, I realized just how much I missed Gretchen and a big presence she makes in these books. Though, I did enjoy getting to know Archie better as well as some of the other characters. Archie showed some real backbone in this book. Susan was a nice addition. I briefly got to know here in the prior novels but this time I really got to become familiar with her and I loved her. She is full of spunk and determination. She reminds me a bit of Nancy Drew. The killer in this book made more of a quieter presence. Though, trying to follow after Gretchen is a difficult feat to live up to. This book was a good thriller. I can not wait to read the next one. Be prepared to lose track of time as The Night Season draw you in!

Review: I really enjoyed this book. Wow, it grabbed me right from the start and just kept hold. It is a few books along in a series(4th) but I had no problem catching up to what was going on and the relationships between the characters.

The detective is recovering from a brutal beating and hostage situation from one of the previous books, the reporter is struggling with her feelings for him and with the book she is writing. She's also quite quirky and many on the police force and her own colleagues find her a bit over the top and pushy. I found her funny and a bit scary (eating the Jolly Ranch from the table, really?) The other characters add a level of believability, but still are secondary to the ongoing story. Even the long time detective friends and partners are just part of the scenery in this story.

This story moved fast, just like the flooding river. It started in 1949 and then ended in the present. I enjoyed the way the past introduced the problems in the future and the guilt of those who knew the truth. I've been to Portland several times and this was a fun reminder of the area. Of course I have only been there when it isn't flooding and icy cold (just in the sunny summer).

The book was dark with the theme and with the rain soaked streets and people. The murder weapon was unique and different. It really kept my attention and I didn't put it down. I would suggest this and her other titles to anyone who loves a good police procedural murder mystery.

This book was very very light on the Archie/Gretchen storyline but I went into it expecting that and ended up enjoying it quite a bit. The book could almost serve as a standalone, but I also thought it was a good entry in the series because it was so different and didn't feel repetitive in the least. The mystery/thriller part of the story was interesting - flooding and octopuses and kidnappings was a unique twist - and as always, Cain's writing was extremely readable and I'm looking forward to the next in the series!

Note: I am reviewing the audio version.

In The Night Season, Gretchen Lowell, the uber-killer from Chelsea Cain's previous novels, is safely locked away and exerts no especial influence in the novel except for the scars, mental and physical, she has left in her wake. (Those who have not read the earlier novels might want to before diving in here to avoid feeling like an outsider with all the references to past events--and to avoid ruining plot elements from the earlier books.) Instead, as the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, floods, bodies begin to turn up, apparently the work of a new killer. Simultaneously, a young child, rescued from the river and nearly certain death, disappears from the hospital, apparently taking up with the killer.

The book moves along quickly, and the recurring characters seem real, but there are significant problems with the serial killer in this book--by which I mean we really have little idea why he is doing what he does, how his bizarre preferred method of killing is effected, or whether it is even feasible. So I felt a strange division in the book between the apparent realism of the characters from previous novels and the rather cardboard portrayal of the killer.

The reader, Christina Delaine, did what I thought was a very good job, especially switching voices for the characters so that they were easily distinguished. I did think that Delaine was, a few times, a bit overly emotional (which does cause problems when her volume drops), but this was a solid reading.

Unlike other reviewers, I prefer books 3 and 4 to the first two in the series, although I liked those, too. The dark humor felt more present to me in Night Season and Evil at Heart, mainly because a lot of it comes through Archie, who is no longer in a doped-up fog all the time. Archie's more than a barely-functioning PTSD case and has real personality in 3 and 4, and I can live without the torture scenes we were dealt earlier (just one poor gerbil gets it in this one). Yes, there are points I could pick at, but Cain is a damn fine writer who lovingly skewers the Pacific NW.

Chelsea Cain does it again with the next installment of Archie and Gretchen. Enjoyable narration, great plot, and getting to spend time with characters who have become as real to me as my neighbors. I love how the mindset is explored and how the stories all seem to start out with some sort of bang - although not always typical in nature. The narrator here was good - pleasing and easy to listen too although a little more inflection would be nice. While you cannot exactly say fun in relation to listening to novels like this it certainly is engrossing and thought provoking!

In Chelsea Cain's latest thriller, "The Night Season," Homicide Detective Archie Sheridan is on the trail of a psychotic killer who uses a most unusual weapon to dispatch his victims. Sheridan has stopped popping pain pills and dutifully attends his psychotherapy sessions. However, he will never forget the torture and humiliation that Gretchen Lowell, known as "the Beauty Killer," inflicted on him. "His scars were as much a part of him as his eye color." This time around, Cain wisely puts Gretchen on the back burner; the "Beauty Killer" makes a brief appearance, but is not the story's central focus.

Archie has his hands full: The dead body of a woman is found on a carousel; skeletal remains that were missing for sixty years have suddenly surfaced; and a nine-year-old boy is missing. At Archie's side is Susan Ward, an aggressive, sassy, and extremely sharp reporter with an aptitude for digging up arcane facts. She writes a "quirky crime roundup column" and is always on the lookout for juicy material. She sports raspberry-colored hair and rainbow striped boots, smokes cigarettes, and wisecracks incessantly. Archie has a soft spot in his heart for the irrepressible Susan, so he gives her more leeway than he would to most reporters.

Meanwhile, a potential catastrophe threatens the city. Two weeks of heavy rains ("the kind of rain that got in your eyes and streamed down your cheeks") have pummeled Portland, Oregon, and the Willamette River is threatening to overflow. Cain maintains an excruciating level of suspense, nicely tying the menace of the rising waters to the search for a serial killer who enjoys watching people die. The scenes depicting the out-of-control flood waters washing away everything in their path are terrifyingly realistic.

Along with Archie, who is daring and heroic, the author showcases the ever lively and curious Susan (who in one scene is so uncharacteristically stupid that readers will want to shake her), the witty and astute medical examiner, Lorenzo Robbins, and Archie's friends and colleagues, Detectives Henry Sobol, Claire Masland, Jeff Heil, and FBI profiler Anne Boyd. Although the novel contains a few formulaic elements that do not quite ring true, they do not detract markedly from the book's entertainment value. "The Night Season" has sharp dialogue, an intriguing plot, a brisk prose style, and effective descriptive writing. This is a sure-fire page-turner and one of Chelsea Cain's most compelling works of fiction to date.

I have read the other books in the Gretchen Lowell-Archie Sheridan series to mixed review. This one is so unrelated as to be understandable if read as a stand alone.

First off -- the reader of this audio version, Christina Delaine, was the WORST narrator I have ever heard! I almost threw the CD box in the trash but forced myself through to the end hoping for improvement. There was none. Her pronunciation of words (skele DON instead of TON and BOOO kay instead of Bow) drove me up the wall as did her hoarse-voiced raspy attempt at Archie (and all the other male characters come to think of it). He sounds like he has no personality and is almost dead most of the time -- no emotion. Anyway, the audio version was horrible. If you want to read more in this series, at least get the book.

Now for the review of the story. Well, hate to tell you, but it was not very good either. Victims are found in the waters of the Willamette river - they drowned -- but wait -- what is that puncture wound??? The killing method (blue ringed octopus???) = ridiculous and the whole motivation for the murders quite lame. There was absolutely nothing in this book to redeem the boring characters or the plot. The relentless and pedantic descriptions of the Willamette flooding and the water, water, water, were redundant and uninteresting. The only thing that got me were the needless deaths of some perfectly fine people.

I do not like any of Cain's characters. Susan Ward makes me crazy -- she's so immature and stupid (you'll agree when you read how she manages to yet again insert herself into the clutches of the killer) and I'm tired of Saint Archie and his sad sack life, addictions, and in-need-of-therapy self. I was bored by turns and irritated by others. I didn't even care when the climax occurred but wondered why the book went on for several more chapters of blah blah blah. Gretchen Lowell? Well she's not in this book :) This was not suspenseful and not a thriller. Pass.

I won't read another in this series and urge you to just say NO. It really isn't worth your time.

Ever since Chelsea Cain arrived on the scene four years ago with her Gretchen Lowell series, I've been hooked. For those who may not be aware, Gretchen isn't the protagonist, but the villain, and one who has made quite an impression as amoral serial killer obsessed with Portland, Oregon detective Archie Sheridan who knew her on more intimate terms. Some would say that Archie was a willing victim because he allowed himself to be placed in the situation where she tortured and mutilated him, but he lived, and because of it, has continual mental and physical anguish. Unlike the last three books, Gretchen is only in The Night Season for a blip, but her spirit is definitely alive because she's always in the back of Archie's mind. Since Gretchen makes such a strong impression, I thought I'd be disappointed here. I can't get enough of this psychotic woman who makes grown men drool at her feet. Surprisingly, I wasn't because Chelsea Cain is a very skilled author at keeping the tension and suspense alive without the benefit of such a memorable character. Also, her other characters are so well-rounded and realistic, where humor pops up even during the darkest moments.

A serial killer is poisoning victims with a deadly octopus (yes, it sounds silly at first, and even commented upon in the story, but it's actually a great weapon), and as the killer's victims becomes paralyzed, they slowly die and their corpses end up all over a flooded Portland. The weather is more than damp since the rain won't let up and the river is overflowing and water is everywhere. Not a great crime scene to collect evidence, and even with Archie on the case, he has his hands tied. The serial killer hits close to home for him when his good friend and fellow detective, Henry goes missing and is near death's door because of being attacked by the octopus serial killer. Now it has become personal for him. Also, a young boy he saved from drowning in the river maybe working with the killer by no choice of his own. Along with Susan, a reporter who tails him and has become a close ally and friend, (perhaps something even more growing between them) they have no idea who and why innocent people are being targeted. Susan thinks there might be a connection to a flood that occurred on Memorial Day 1948 that causes mass destruction and death. The killer may want revenge for all the lives lost. Or perhaps the killer is just some deranged maniac with no reason? What Archie does know is that they're running out of time because the flood waters are rising and more bodies continue to pop up with no end in sight.

I really have to hand it to Chelsea for keeping me turning the pages. Archie really shines here as he uses his analytical mind in ways we haven't seen before. He's also not so closed off and distant as he has been before. His relationship with Susan continues to grow, and I really can't tell you which way they're headed. For now they're friends with the possibility of something more between them. But Archie knows he has way too many issues. Susan has more than her share to get through. For now I'm fine with the way things are between them and can't wait to see what other future crimes they work on together.

Unfortunately, the serial killer aspect was really weak and I really couldn't get a good handle on why the killer acted the way they did. The killer was flat and too one-dimensional and their fascination with Susan didn't make sense. I was hoping for someone with a bigger personality, much like Gretchen, but because she's larger than life, no killer can compete. The Night Season worked for me because of Archie and Susan.

I think Chelsea played it smart by not having Gretchen as a focal point. There's one small scene with her that's very satisfying as it plays out. I really want to see her and Archie interact again, but not too much, because their relationship cannot sustain itself if every book is about them.

This is a fast paced read with writing that really grabs you. I never found myself confused at any point. Even with the lacking serial killer, I enjoyed myself. Popcorn comes to mind when reading a Chelsea Cain book. Tasty, satisfying and one where you want to read more as soon as you finish. Seriously, if you haven't picked up this series, you're really missing out.

Katiebabs

I love this series! Archie and Gretchen are addictive, so I was really looking forward to the newest book in the series, The Night Season.

Gretchen is locked up, so Archie has been concentrating on his job and trying not to think of the vicodin that he was addicted to for a few years. He's clean now, but he still misses it.

The Williamette River keeps rising. Years ago, it was breached and thousands died. Now, bodies keep being found, drowned. Archie thinks nothing of it until the medical examiner finds a puncture mark on the victim. Murder, probably. But when they then examine the other bodies, they find the same puncture mark. They have a serial killer on their hands. With more tests done, they come to the conclusion that a rare octopus is biting the victims, causing almost instant paralysis. When Archie's dear friend and partner Henry is bit, Archie can hardly breathe himself. They get Henry to the hospital in time, but the bite is deadly and all they can do is wait for the inevitable.

Meanwhile, reporter Susan Ward has been creating a bigger name for herself in the newspaper industry. Archie allows her on almost every crime scene, and Susan usually scoops the competition. She's been working on a really old story of when the town of Vanport was flooded and many killed; a place not far from their current location. She found a skeleton and believes it to be one of the victims. Archie doesn't see what the connection could be and concentrates on his current case.

When his investigation deepens, they realize a young boy is involved. A boy kidnapped over a year ago. Archie vows to the parents he will retrieve him and bring him home. But if Archie keeps jumping in the river to save people, he won't be able to save himself. His lungs are very weak from the torture he sustained from Beauty Killer Gretchen Lowell.

The stakes heat up and the killer is closer than they think. As the water rises, the deaths climb and no where near the water is safe, especially not knowing where the killer lurks with the deadly octupus.

The Night Season is a great addition to the series. It is great to see Susan Ward move forward into the passenger seat alongside Archie. When he isn't being tortured or lusting after Gretchen or trying to catch her, he is a great detective and he shines in this novel. Susan's character is strong and she grows in maturity without giving up any of her unique characteristics. Although I really enjoyed this novel, I was disappointed not to see Gretchen until the end of the book. However, it is a plus for Cain to show that she doesn't need Gretchen to write a top-notch thriller with a solid page-turning plot that will have you up late into the night. Now I can't wait for the next one! Write faster Chelsea!!

Ever since Chelsea Cain arrived on the scene four years ago with her Gretchen Lowell series, I've been hooked. For those who may not be aware, Gretchen isn't the protagonist, but the villain, and one who has made quite an impression as amoral serial killer obsessed with Portland, Oregon detective Archie Sheridan who knew her on more intimate terms. Some would say that Archie was a willing victim because he allowed himself to be placed in the situation where she tortured and mutilated him, but he lived, and because of it, has continual mental and physical anguish. Unlike the last three books, Gretchen is only in The Night Season for a blip, but her spirit is definitely alive because she's always in the back of Archie's mind. Since Gretchen makes such a strong impression, I thought I'd be disappointed here. I can't get enough of this psychotic woman who makes grown men drool at her feet. Surprisingly, I wasn't because Chelsea Cain is a very skilled author at keeping the tension and suspense alive without the benefit of such a memorable character. Also, her other characters are so well-rounded and realistic, where humor pops up even during the darkest moments.

A serial killer is poisoning victims with a deadly octopus (yes, it sounds silly at first, and even commented upon in the story, but it's actually a great weapon), and as the killer's victims becomes paralyzed, they slowly die and their corpses end up all over a flooded Portland. The weather is more than damp since the rain won't let up and the river is overflowing and water is everywhere. Not a great crime scene to collect evidence, and even with Archie on the case, he has his hands tied. The serial killer hits close to home for him when his good friend and fellow detective, Henry goes missing and is near death's door because of being attacked by the octopus serial killer. Now it has become personal for him. Also, a young boy he saved from drowning in the river maybe working with the killer by no choice of his own. Along with Susan, a reporter who tails him and has become a close ally and friend, (perhaps something even more growing between them) they have no idea who and why innocent people are being targeted. Susan thinks there might be a connection to a flood that occurred on Memorial Day 1948 that causes mass destruction and death. The killer may want revenge for all the lives lost. Or perhaps the killer is just some deranged maniac with no reason? What Archie does know is that they're running out of time because the flood waters are rising and more bodies continue to pop up with no end in sight.

I really have to hand it to Chelsea for keeping me turning the pages. Archie really shines here as he uses his analytical mind in ways we haven't seen before. He's also not so closed off and distant as he has been before. His relationship with Susan continues to grow, and I really can't tell you which way they're headed. For now they're friends with the possibility of something more between them. But Archie knows he has way too many issues. Susan has more than her share to get through. For now I'm fine with the way things are between them and can't wait to see what other future crimes they work on together.

Unfortunately, the serial killer aspect was really weak and I really couldn't get a good handle on why the killer acted the way they did. The killer was flat and too one-dimensional and their fascination with Susan didn't make sense. I was hoping for someone with a bigger personality, much like Gretchen, but because she's larger than life, no killer can compete. The Night Season worked for me because of Archie and Susan.

I think Chelsea played it smart by not having Gretchen as a focal point. There's one small scene with her that's very satisfying as it plays out. I really want to see her and Archie interact again, but not too much, because their relationship cannot sustain itself if every book is about them.

This is a fast paced read with writing that really grabs you. I never found myself confused at any point. Even with the lacking serial killer, I enjoyed myself. Popcorn comes to mind when reading a Chelsea Cain book. Tasty, satisfying and one where you want to read more as soon as you finish. Seriously, if you haven't picked up this series, you're really missing out.

Katiebabs

I love this series! Archie and Gretchen are addictive, so I was really looking forward to the newest book in the series, The Night Season.

Gretchen is locked up, so Archie has been concentrating on his job and trying not to think of the vicodin that he was addicted to for a few years. He's clean now, but he still misses it.

The Williamette River keeps rising. Years ago, it was breached and thousands died. Now, bodies keep being found, drowned. Archie thinks nothing of it until the medical examiner finds a puncture mark on the victim. Murder, probably. But when they then examine the other bodies, they find the same puncture mark. They have a serial killer on their hands. With more tests done, they come to the conclusion that a rare octopus is biting the victims, causing almost instant paralysis. When Archie's dear friend and partner Henry is bit, Archie can hardly breathe himself. They get Henry to the hospital in time, but the bite is deadly and all they can do is wait for the inevitable.

Meanwhile, reporter Susan Ward has been creating a bigger name for herself in the newspaper industry. Archie allows her on almost every crime scene, and Susan usually scoops the competition. She's been working on a really old story of when the town of Vanport was flooded and many killed; a place not far from their current location. She found a skeleton and believes it to be one of the victims. Archie doesn't see what the connection could be and concentrates on his current case.

When his investigation deepens, they realize a young boy is involved. A boy kidnapped over a year ago. Archie vows to the parents he will retrieve him and bring him home. But if Archie keeps jumping in the river to save people, he won't be able to save himself. His lungs are very weak from the torture he sustained from Beauty Killer Gretchen Lowell.

The stakes heat up and the killer is closer than they think. As the water rises, the deaths climb and no where near the water is safe, especially not knowing where the killer lurks with the deadly octupus.

The Night Season is a great addition to the series. It is great to see Susan Ward move forward into the passenger seat alongside Archie. When he isn't being tortured or lusting after Gretchen or trying to catch her, he is a great detective and he shines in this novel. Susan's character is strong and she grows in maturity without giving up any of her unique characteristics. Although I really enjoyed this novel, I was disappointed not to see Gretchen until the end of the book. However, it is a plus for Cain to show that she doesn't need Gretchen to write a top-notch thriller with a solid page-turning plot that will have you up late into the night. Now I can't wait for the next one! Write faster Chelsea!!

Chelsea Cain has always been able to enrapture me with her characters. Their personalities, dialogue, and rationales. Here, it seems to lack a bunch of that. The lack of Gretchen Lowell in this is somewhat like Silence Of The Lambs without Hannibal Lecter. While there is a villain, it just doesn't compare. I felt there just wasn't enough to this book. Not enough Archie and Susan. While what was there I enjoyed, it just didn't live up to the previous books. The antagonist here was without any real charisma or interest. His motivation and especially his weapon of choice weren't interesting. I don't want it to seem that I didn't like this book, it just doesn't compare favorably to the previous three books. With all that I still have faith that the next time I read about Archie and Susan I will be pleased.

I was entertained by this audio. Susan is still a little strange ;) but a wonderful character. Archie is a "new" man-drug free and a good detective.

Good story too. Ms Cain has proven she can write without Gretchen and all the gorey details, but so good, being in the book. I'm sorry to say that I thought the series might faulter when Gretchen isn't part of the story but I was delightfully wrong and I'm happy to be wrong!

A new serial killer and does he kill in a scary way can't wait to "meet" him again. Wouldn't it be great to see Gretchen and he get together LOL

I don't need to go over the story I'm sure you know it by now but it was so good!

Chelsea Cain is sure to have staying power up against the thriller greats. She writes in a way that makes the reader uncomfortable, like they have to solve the case or they might not make it. I really like the sense of urgency she builds throughout the book. I was listening to this book well into the wee hours, dying to know what happens. This wasn't as gory as a Patterson book which I really liked. She also stays away from some of the more cliche styles of thriller writing which is refreshing. A must read, especially on a cold dark rainy night.

Although this book was pretty good without much Gretchen in it how could it be anything but disappointing? On its on merit I would probably rated it 31/2 stars at least but when you expect more Gretchen nothing else will do.

CAUTION - CONTAINS SPOILERS:

I'm a newbie to Chelsea Cain's work, not having read any of the other Archie Sheridan novels, so I may be wanting for some background and familiarity with the characters However, it also means that I can judge this novel on its own merits. The story's opening was dark and intriguing - the human drama surrounding the decimating flood of a workers' town, and the ensuing juxtaposition of a modern-day flooding of the same river. A jogger discovers the remains of skeleton in the course of the daring (and somewhat poignant) rescue of her dog, followed shortly thereafter by the police discovering another body in a seemingly unrelated crime. In the realm of murder-mystery novels, all seems to be starting off nicely.

Unfortunately, from this point on the story starts to unravel, or perhaps just doesn't build very well. Characters (at least three) appear in the story, reach a one-dimensional level of development, and are subsequently killed off senselessly to move the plot forward. The serial killer, whose motives never make the slightest bit of sense, is more like a drab cartoon character than a complex, menacing force of evil. Even better (and here comes the spoiler) is his diabolical choice of murder weapon, which is...a tiny blue-ringed octopus? Despite myself, I laughed out loud when I read this, since it really is an idea that belongs in something like a Monty Python or Saturday Night Live comedy sketch ("Oooooo, Octopus-wielding Serial Killer! Ooooooo!"), but not as much in a dark murder mystery.

Though I won't give any more of the surprising key details away (pun intended, if you've read the book), I will say that the book ends on revelations that either don't add up or are extraordinarily contrived. You do end up liking the two protagonists, but that's just not enough to make the book worth the read.

I hope this review will help even one person out there save the money they would have spent on a copy of "The Night Season" (whose title never really enters into the story, by the way) - I'm going to end up shelling out about fifty cents in overdue fines, but I consider that money well spent when compared to actually buying it.

While others descibe the plot as "implausible," I feel even using a word like that gives it too much credit. The whole thing was just ridiculous. And when Susan put herself into the killer's hands the way she did? I always feel when someone is that shockingly stupid the writer can't kill them off fast enough after that.

Ok ... so an ok read. Hmmm, something is missing. Oh yeah, where is Gretchen in the Archie&Gretchen series? Gretchen is added as an oopsie moment; as if Cain realized at the end that Gretchen is no where to be found in the book. So the big mystery Cain should solve is - Where is Gretchen?

I really enjoyed this audiobook. The packaging and quality of the product is excellent; the vocal narrative is well done and easy to understand.

The actual writing is also easy to follow, fun, and gripping. This is a nice thriller and ties in actual history with a current murder plot. Very well done and clever - bravo! I will be on the lookout for additional titles from this author.

Overall highly recommended!

chelsea cain write with such authority throughout her books that you become a willing participant im this fictional world she has created. her research and gritty details draw you in but her ability to build suspense, terror, and mystery keep you coming. she has strong, well defined characters; flawed heroes and a truly evil vilian. Read this series! Tell your friends!