The I Hunt Killers is a wonderful, thrilling, grizzly, and disturbing series. The series is very far from my comfort zone, but I can't seem to get enough and neither can my students. Lyga has created a thriller/horror series that is hard to put down. Many thanks to Little, Brown and Netgalley for the advanced readers copies of these books.

Description: In an effort to prove murder didn't run in the family, Jazz teamed with the police in the small town of Lobo’s Nod to solve a deadly case. And now, when a determined New York City detective comes knocking on Jazz’s door asking for help, he can’t say no. The Hat-Dog Killer has the Big Apple–and its police force–running scared. So Jazz and his girlfriend, Connie, hop on a plane to the big city and get swept up in a killer’s murderous game.

Review: Game is an engrossing sequel to I Hunt Killers. Jazz is sought out by the police in order to investigate and help out with tracking The Hat-Dog serial killer due to Jazz's uncanny skill in following the mindset of killers thanks to being a son of a serial killer. The Hat-Dog Killer is more gruesome and disturbing as the Impressionist, a copy-cat killer mimicking the infamous sociopath, Billy Dent-Jazz's own father. The Hat-Dog Killer disembowels victims who are also cut with images of either a dog or a hat. To heighten the book's suspense, Billy has broken out of prison and may or may not be at the heart of this new investigation, testing his son's ability to piece together a new "game." 
  The narrative is split between Jazz and his friends trying to figure things out with chilling random chapters from the killer's point of view allow readers to know things that Jazz has yet to figure out. Although I liked knowing things that the main characters do not, I felt this narrative style slowed down the book's pace and it read very much like a middle book. There are multiple subplots going on in the book, which some where interesting and others seemed extraneous. The ending has multiple cliffhangers which leaves each main character in a dire situation. 

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong language as well as violence at times bloody and gory. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.



Description (edited to avoid spoilers): From New York City to the small town of Lobo's Nod, the chase is on, and this time, Jazz is the hunted, not the hunter--while Billy Dent lurks in the shadows. And beyond Billy? Something much, much worse. Prepare to meet...the Crow King.

Review: After waiting for a cruel year to finally get answers to the multiple cliffhangers that were left at the Game, Lyga retches up the violence, the darkness, and the complexity of his hit murder/thriller serial killer series. Blood of My Blood doesn't waste precious pages in catching us up on what happened in the first two books of this series. It picks up immediately from the multiple cliffhanger ending in Game. Jazz Dent is the son of escaped serial killer Billy Dent and he relentlessly continues to aid the police in his father's recapture. Unaware that his girlfriend Connie and his hemophiliac friend, Howie, have been brutally attacked, Jazz faces his demons alone-including repressed memories with sexual undertones, and the creepy voice of Billy educating his son on the acumen required to be a good serial killer (appearing in italics). 
  Jazz continues to be haunted by the idea that his father's violent and sociopathic tendencies are genetic. It is this thought that propels Jazz in the right direction to foil some copycat killers and elude authorities long enough to solve his own life's mysteries. There are many moments that you have to suspend your disbelief while going on the adrenaline ride with Jazz as he outsmarts adults and the police in his wake until he goes back home to Lobo's Nod for the chilling climax and surprise ending, which made me shudder and my jaw drop. While I had a hunch about the ending, I really hoped it didn't turn out the way it did. Disturbing, chilling, and incredibly smart, the Jazz Dent series is definitely worth checking out if you are a thriller fan but just be aware it is not for readers with a light stomach. 

Rating: 4.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong language as well as violence at times bloody and gory. There is also allusions to sexual abuse in the book. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like these books try: Made for You by Melissa Marr, The Body Finder series by Kimberly Derting, Ripper by Stefan Petrucha, The Naturals series by Jennifer Barnes, Dexter series by Jeffry Lindsay, I Am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells

 I have been curious about Barry Lyga's I Hunt Killers since it was an idea that the author was working on. My curiosity grew as his Facebook statuses began to reflect on the chapters and characters he was writing about. So when I had the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of the book, I pounced. Thank you to Little, Brown for the advanced reader's copy. As a side note, I am doing an ARC giveaway of this title along with several other books, if you're interested be sure to click on the book cover found on the right panel of the blog to enter!

Description (from Goodreads): What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad? Jasper (Jazz) Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say. But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could--from the criminal's point of view.
    And now bodies are piling up in Lobo's Nod. In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret--could he be more like his father than anyone knows?

Review: As much as I anticipated for I Hunt Killers, I wasn't sure if I'd be brave enough to read it. I'm not interested in serial killers. I switch the channel and make an effort to not watch Silence of the Lambs. I've only caught the last half of Copycat when Holly Hunter is about to catch the bad guy. Sure I was glued to the screen when I saw David Fincher's Se7en and Zodiac, but that's because the emphasis was based on psychology and the aftermath of the murders rather than watching the serial killer at work. I told myself I'd give I Hunt Killers a shot, just to see what it is about and if it got too much, I'd put it down. Right. For my lunch break, I burned through the first 100 pages of the book. Every time I thought of putting it down, I was on the verge of discovering something new and had to pick it right up again. I was hooked, riveted, and completely disturbed.
  Are violent offenders the product of nature or nurture? Do you have the ability to change your destiny when all odds are set against you?  If you are Jasper “Jazz” Dent, I'm not so sure the answer is a resounding yes for both questions. He has two huge factors working against him: Not only is he the son of the country’s most notorious serial killer, but daddy dearest has forced him to watch those grisly crimes and sometimes…more. Jazz is barely surviving. He thrives on the belief that he will not follow his father's footsteps. He believes people are real and have feelings. At least that’s what Jazz keeps telling himself as he watches the police inspect the crime scene of a brutal murder through his binoculars at home. Jazz suspects a new serial killer is at work in his small town and can't help but flash back to the memories that make him extremely uneasy. Is it possible that he help kill someone he loved without knowing it? Can he stop the ticking bomb within himself as he hears his father's soft voice instructing him on 'to enjoy and capture' a new prey? 
  I'm sure many of you think this book is "Dexter for YA", which is exactly how it is marketed, but what sets this apart is Jazz. He is incredibly complex, and believable character. Jazz is consumed by the idea that he is incapable of loving anyone without hurting them. He carries the guilt of not helping his father's victims or 'toys' and hangs their pictures as a reminder. Though he is charismatic and charming, you wonder about his intentions. He easily manipulates his friends to help him in the investigation without a second thought, putting his mission and needs first. Even though we admire and hope along with him that he can capture the serial killer on the loose and be better than his father, we realize that his mission is tainted in more ways than one. For Jazz, justice is a second priority. Clearing his name is his first.
 The story itself is engaging. Though I don't know anything about criminology, it does look detailed, well-researched in an accessible way. I was delighted to discover a few chapters written from the serial killer's point of view interspersed with Jazz's chapter which ramped up the suspense. These chapters were brief and allowed us to see whether or not Jazz was on the right track on finding the serial killer. I did not expect the book to be funny, more of the black, dry comedy flare, which is a nice surprise to lighten the book's somber tone.
  Despite its catchy plot and great characters, I'm not sure this book is for everyone. I admire Lyga's tenacity of refusing to look away from the often horrific nature of brutal crimes. The twisted mind games made my head spin and I was shocked multiple times.  Early in the book we’re eased into some crimes because they’re mostly told in past tense, but the later scenes definitely escalate in tension and violence, some of which are graphic but nothing that wouldn't be shown on CSI or other detective shows found on TV.
  There were a few times when the writing faltered by using overused phrases or the use of paragraphs when a few, sharp sentences would suffice. I also think that Jazz’s give and take relationship with the police is something readers will have to grapple with, although their doubtful reliance upon him is portrayed in a fairly believable tone. The ending made me scream is frustration as it ends with a semi-cliffhanger and leaves open for a much anticipated sequel. 
 I Hunt Killers definitely pushes the YA envelope, making us rethink once again what young adult literature means. While I would hesitate giving this book to younger teens due to the psychological content of the book instead of the violence, I do think it's more suitable for older teens and adults. Readers who are looking for a psychological thriller have been served. Dark, disturbing, and unsuspectingly funny, I Hunt Killers will grab your interest and not let go. 

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong violence (mostly, which takes off screen but it is described graphically) and some strong language. Recommended for Grades 10 and up.

If you like this book try: Zodiac by Robert Graysmith, Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris, Darkly Dreaming Dexer by Jeff Lindsey, and I Am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells