Years later, Alex’s former partner calls asking Alex for help. He’s tracking a killer known as "The Butcher." Alex is familiar with "The Butcher." They met face to face a long, long time ago. Sullivan is "The Butcher." His criminal record began at a young age and his butchery has become extreme over the years. Alex and his partner follow "The Butcher’s" deadly path, picking up pieces and pulling together clues. It’s a twisted, bloody trail of pain and violence.

Patterson finally reveals all about Maria Cross’ murder. The tale as a whole is brutal, methodical, and extreme. The voice of Sullivan (The Butcher) dragged me emotionally kicking and screaming into his sickening world of death and perversion. It’s not a world I’ll easily forget.

As always there is some sort of child's game or song involved in a Cross novel. In this one, it's Sullivan’s version of the playground game Red light, green light - a game he uses to pick up his female victims.

The audio version is powerful - kudos to narrators Fernandez and Sanders for the tremendous reading. Fair warning: be prepared to stay until the end - it’s that good. Due to the mature theme headphones are recommend.