Like 'Dexter' meets 'Zodiac' - but when Daniel comes for you, no one will hear you scream!
Daniel is back, and he’s more evil than EVER!
Oakville is in another panic! The most hideous serial killer the city has ever known has returned with a new theme.
The murders are more violent. The deaths are more gruesome. Where will it all end?
Follow the clues that Daniel leaves at each crime scene, and try to unravel the Bloody Puzzle along with the perplexed detectives hot on his trail.
Are you ready for an insane new spree of blood and gore?
he Bloody Series will be made up of three books, plus a prequel, each containing a stand-alone story with no major cliffhangers. However, since it is a series, for the best reading experience and to avoid spoilers this is the recommended order to read the stories in:
Bloody Origin – Prequel Bloody Legends – Book 1
Bloody Puzzle – Book 2
Bloody Hunt – Book 3 (to be released)
WARNING: These stories contain extreme violence against people and animals, vulgar language, sex, and graphic murders.
Assessment:
Plot: A crime thriller told primarily from the perspective of an anti-hero serial killer, the book is a middle entry in a running series. It features some gruesome spectacles centered around an elaborate puzzle and themed murders, but despite the implications of its name the book is largely propelled by dramatic irony and the protagonist’s personality rather than mystery and sleuthing, leaving the book lacking in suspense or meaningful conflict.
Prose/Style: The dialogue here is often on-the-nose and can read as melodramatic and forced at times. Similarly, the descriptive writing can be imprecise. The shift in perspective throughout the book can read as muddled; this is most notable in chapters that move perspective for exposition around the police working the case, but also in more subtle shifts within the first person narration when descriptions with a hint of omniscient voice slip in.
Originality: Clearly a lot of thought and research went into the complexity of the puzzle Daniel presents to the police with his murders. The characters, plot, and setting feel original and fresh.
Character Development/Execution: The protagonist describes himself as a cunning and deceptive killer akin to a Hannibal Lecter or Patrick Bateman, and this book wants the readers to accept this at face-value. However, this entry offers little depth of character or complexity of plotting to entice the reader to root for a killer who is too clever by half, but narratively never feels very imperiled. The secondary characters exist to serve the plot, with little nuance or depth outside that purpose.
Date Submitted: May 11, 2021
Bloody Puzzle: The Bloody Series Book 2 is a unique tale of horror that provides the reader with a delicious concoction of gore, suspense, and sleuthing. The book follows Daniel - the most hideous serial killer Oakville has ever known - as he wreaks havoc on the town once again. But this time, Daniel's killings follow a new theme, and the detectives chasing him are forced to piece together the clues that he leaves behind with help from the reader.
Bloody Puzzle is part of The Bloody Series, but I read it as a standalone novel. It was enjoyable on its own, and I became hooked with Daniel from the beginning. Andrea Merchak's distinctive voice combines the best elements of a slasher horror with a police investigation that carries with it the air of a black comedy. Throughout my reading of the novel, I could see how Merchak was inspired by the television show "Dexter"; however, they took this inspiration and made it their own. I adore horror novels that incorporate elements from other genres, such as mystery, and Merchak did so seamlessly. I found Daniel to be an irresistible antagonist, and I loved to hate him. As a serial killer he reminded me of Hannibal Lecter in his pursuits, which contributed to my infatuation with the story. Merchak's presentation of gore played out as though I was watching a slasher flick, and it made my imagination run wild.
If you are a fan of horror novels featuring serial killers and the detectives that seek them, then you are going to adore Bloody Puzzle. It is perfect for fans of "Dexter", "Zodiac", and Hannibal Lecter. Andrea Merchak incorporates the best elements of extreme horror with a witty and comedic storyline that is sure to blow you away. While Bloody Puzzle is reminiscent of some of the most classic serial killer stories, it stands on its own. With such a unique voice in the horror genre, you are going to be hooked on Andrea Merchak's writing!
Bloody Puzzle is the second book in the Bloody Series by Andrea Merchak. Dr. Daniel Cooper is a charming man who knows how to sell his business and how to lure his victims in. During the daytime, he is a good doctor and by night he is the worst serial killer that Oakville has ever seen. After his last killing spree, he is once again thirsting for blood and death. This time, he is switching up the game and he is ready to make the police and the FBI sweat. He leaves creepy clues that the authorities have to unravel and make sense of if they want to catch Daniel. Can they do it this time? Is this the end of Daniel’s killing spree? Or is he going to wreak more havoc?
Graphic, gory, and gruesome, this story is everything I am scared of in a horror novel. This book is terrifying and it becomes darker as the story progresses. This is the first novel I have read from the author and I have become a fan of her writing style. Horror is not my cup of tea and I seldom read it, but when I do, I have very high expectations. Andrea Merchak gives everything you wish for in a horror story. She gives you jump scares; she gives you scenes that will give you nightmares and she has created an anti-hero that will make you second guess everything. I hate Daniel, but I am also amazed at his genius mind. He is cunning, a little unstable, and scarily good at killing people and leaving clues. The plot moves forward at a steady pace and with each new chapter, the story becomes even more interesting. It was sadistic and it was the type of dark thriller that I love!
