Finished reading: April 14th 2014 (view spoiler)[Dean Run is in many ways just another of those crime thrillers that doesn't really stand out from the rest. A lot of cliches are used in describing both characters and the plot, which was kind of a turn off. But although I normally detest stories with too many cliches, in this case I will forgive Erica Spindler because of the plot twists. It is easy to read and would serve perfectly on a rainy night with a cup of hot chocolate... Or on vacation for that matter.It all starts when Liz decides to move to Key West to find out what happened to her sister Rachel. Rachel, the local pastor of Key West, had disappeared mysteriously, but not before warning her sister that she uncovered something and that she was in trouble. Everybody seems to believe that Rachel just ran off, but Liz knows something happened to her sister. Soon after she arrives at Key West, people began showing up dead. The women brutally murdered and showing signs of a ritualistic murder similar to the style of the "New Testament" serial killer now on death row. Together with an ex-cop Rick, who is still friends with the local police, they try to reveal the truth, but nobody seems to believe them... At a point even Rick doesn't believe the conspiracy theories Liz believes in anymore and she is left alone to uncover some hidious secrets.There is something evil on the loose, and will there be somebody to stop it?I must say the final chapters made me change my opinion about this thriller by Erica Spindler. Although I still find Dead Run rather cliche for various reasons and the relationship between characters like Liz and Rick too obvious and on the verge of boring, I must say the end surprised me. Spindler was able to use various twists in her story, and I wouldn't have guessed the identity of the killer until the very last. (hide spoiler)]
Erica Spindler really knows how to write mystery thrillers, and she's well known for the twists she throws into her books. Dead Run is no different, the ending is sure to catch you off guard, and I have to admit, I didn't have a clue the murderer was who it was. The story begins with Liz's sister Rachel, a pastor in Key West, going missing. With the police claiming that she must have just got up and left, Liz heads to Key West to try and find out what happened to Rachel. When people suddenly start dying violently, Liz is positive it must be connected to her sister's disappearance, but with the police brushing her off as a crazy woman, she decides to find out for herself what's happening on the Island with a little help from Rick Wells, a local bar owner who used to be a cop. What they stumble into is a deadly satanic game, and when Liz starts getting death threats, she realises how serious it is.The story was gripping and was full of action right from the first page. She writes fantastically, the story flows so well and is very easy to lose yourself in. The only reason I gave it a 4.5/5 is because I've read other books by Erica and know them to be even better than this one. I would definitely recommend this to Thriller fans, and would also recommend See Jane Die and Copycat, my two favourite books by this author.
What do You think about Dead Run (2003)?
When Liz gets a panicked message on her answering machine from her sister Pastor Rachel . Saying she,s in trouble they are watching. Than her sister disappears .Liz heads down to Key west. to try to find out what happened. Within hours of her arrival a prominent banker jumps to his death, than a teenage girl whom Rachel was counseling is found brutally murdered. The ritualistic style of the killing is hauntingly similar to that used by the notorious New Testament serial killer now on death row. Is there a copy cat killer on the lose Are the disappearance of Rachel and the murder of the girl somehow linked? And why do the ploice refuse to help? Liz turns to Rick Wells a former cop to help her find answers. Together they peel away layers of deception and evil to reveal a terrifying adversary- and the unspeakable evil at the heart of this island paradise. If you enjoy books about cults serial killings and good versus evil i highly recommend this book.
—Georgiann Hennelly
I don't remember when I bought this book, but it is a quick enjoyable read. If you like murder mysteries, with a touch of satanism you will probably enjoy this. You will probably figure out who the killer is before the characters in the book do, but. It is written well enough that you will still finish the book, to find out all of the how's and whys, and like me be surprised at the depth of deceit and infiltration the killer has amassed. I will be seeking out other books by this author, and recommendations?
—Paul
Po twórczość pani Spindler sięgam z wielką chęcią odkąd przeczytałam po raz pierwszy jej książkę. Ta pisarka po prostu mnie zaczarowała jako czytelnika. To co ona potrafi wymyślić i jak zwodzić czytacza w różne strony aby go później zaszokować prawdą sprawiło, że sięgam po jej książki ślepo. Jak widzę jej nazwisko na książce to wiem, że to znaczy, iż jest ona na liście książek do przeczytania. Jednak od kilku miesięcy nie miałam okazji czytania jakiekolwiek pozycji pani Spindler. Zdążyłam już nawet zapomnieć jak świetnie się czyta jej książki, lecz dzięki ,,Wyścig ze śmiercią" to sobie przypomniałam i znowu mam ochotę na więcej pozycji spod pióra tej autorki. Książkę zaczęłam czytać wolno, nigdzie się nie spiesząc. Jednak im więcej stron było za mną, im bardziej wciągałam się w historię, tym bardziej nie potrafiłam zachować tego tempa i przyśpieszyłam, aby jak najprędzej poznać kolejne wydarzenia. Tak pragnęłam poznać całą historię opisaną w tej książce, że ciężko było mi się z nią rozstać, więc po prostu tego nie zrobiłam dopóki nie skończyły mi się strony, na których był tekst do czytania. Muszę przyznać, że zakończenie książki ,,Wyścig ze śmiercią" było niesamowite. Może nie sama treść, lecz klimat jaki stworzyła autorka przeszedł na mnie. Ogarniał mnie niepokój, ciągle zastanawiałam się, który z bohaterów jeszcze zginie, kto przeżyje. Po przeczytaniu tej książki mam wrażenie, że powinnam czytać więcej kryminałów, gdyż czytanie tej pozycji przysporzyło mi tyle emocji i radości z samego czytania, że mam ochotę na więcej takich przeżyć. Zdecydowanie polecam!
—Anna
