Book Reveiw: I Hunt Killers By Barry Lyga

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

REVIEW BY JANINE

 Jasper Dent's dad was one of the worlds most notorious serial killers in modern history, Billy Dent.  Billy was a meticulous and ruthless killer who taught his son from a young age how to be just like him.  After Billy was caught, Jasper desperately tries to carry on a "normal" life, far from the one his father tried to create for him.  However, Billy had many admirers and people wishing to be like him.  In the small town of Lob Nod. one serial killer has been caught.  How will the town handle another? And can Jasper convince himself that he will not turn out like his father, but choose to hunt killers instead?

  I have to first say that I LOVED this book!! I have always (since I was in at least middle school) loved murder mysteries, and this one is a keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat thriller.  It has been four years since Jasper's (Jazz) father was captured from his years of killing.  Years of which he took Jazz and taught him all that he knew, which included manipulation, hiding emotions and most importantly, thinking like a killer.  These lessons continually haunt Jazz and leave him wondering if he is, in fact, like his father, that he could be the next killer.  Continually throughout the book, you learn of the lessons that Jazz's father taught him and the one nagging memory that he can only remember in bits and pieces (that memory I will not spoil for you here!).  I found it fascinating how the author was able to put you right into the mind of what a psychopathic killer was thinking: the rationalization and the complete lack of emotion.  All the while that these thoughts and "lessons" are going on, Jazz is trying to maintain a sense of normalcy for himself.  Which isn't easy since his guardian is his sometimes lucid grandmother, but his best friend Howie and his girlfriend Connie are his rocks on which leans and which sometimes smack him back, at least into reality. I really loved the characters, especially Jazz.  You could feel his internal struggle the entire way through the story, and you could just truly sympathize with him and the horrible life he has and the guilt he feels for being who he is.  What I will caution you all is that if you have a weak stomach or you can not handle shows like CSI or NCIS, you should not read this book, it may just give you nightmares but for everyone else, this is a must read now!!!