Book Review: Killman Creek by Rachel Caine (Stillhouse Lake #2)

Killman Creek follows Stillhouse Lake in Rachel Caine’s Stillhouse Lake series. If you haven’t yet read Stillhouse Lake, I’d advise you to avoid all reviews of Killman Creek, and the synopsis too, if possible, because you’re likely to stumble on spoilers, not through any fault of the reviewers, but this is a direct continuation of the plot and as such, the surprise reveals from book one are “the norm” in book two.

Book Description:

Every time Gwen closed her eyes, she saw him in her nightmares. Now her eyes are open, and he’s not going away.

Gwen Proctor won the battle to save her kids from her ex-husband, serial killer Melvin Royal, and his league of psychotic accomplices. But the war isn’t over. Not since Melvin broke out of prison. Not since she received a chilling text…

You’re not safe anywhere now.

Her refuge at Stillhouse Lake has become a trap. Gwen leaves her children in the protective custody of a fortified, well-armed neighbor. Now, with the help of Sam Cade, brother of one of Melvin’s victims, Gwen is going hunting. She’s learned how from one of the sickest killers alive.

But what she’s up against is beyond anything she feared—a sophisticated and savage mind game calculated to destroy her. As trust beyond her small circle of friends begins to vanish, Gwen has only fury and vengeance to believe in as she closes in on her prey. And sure as the night, one of them will die.

My Thoughts:

Wow, what a sequel! I thought Stillhouse Lake was really good, but Killman Creek was fantastic; gripping, exciting, tension-filled, an all out addictive one-sitting read! Killman Creek begins twelve days after Stillhouse Lake – the plot is continuous so read these books in order to get maximum understanding and enjoyment.

“I’m too broken to be broken anymore.”

Gwen Proctor has been through the wars already, but when we catch up with her in Killman Creek, she’s about to face the toughest fight of them all. Gwen’s ex-husband, Melvin, has escaped from prison, and Gwen isn’t going to wait for the police to find him, she’s going to end this once and for all – and hope she makes it out alive. Throughout Gwen’s ordeal, you feel every emotional right alongside her and that’s what makes this read so gripping. This book has you in it’s clutches and you feel the danger, the threat that’s ever present – as with Stillhouse Lake, you have this nervous-excitement throughout the entire read, you feel the intensity build with each page you turn. And gosh, did I wish I could send thoughts into this book to change the actions of certain characters, that’s how invested I was in this plot!

Not only has Caine written an amazing character in Gwen, she has penned her two children extremely well too, and they each have a point of view in this novel. Connor is 10 and Lanny is 14, but don’t think either of their perspectives slow the pace of this novel; with a serial killer as a father and mother out hunting to avoid becoming the hunted, these kids add to the tension-filled excitement.

I’m not elaborating on the plot itself in anyway because you need to experience all the psychological thrills knowing nothing, except what you read in Stillhouse Lake. Just know that I highly recommend this book! And some readers will no doubt appreciate that this one doesn’t end on a cliff-hanger like the previous novel, so you’re fully sated after reading this one; but, I did pick up on one thing that may kick of the next instalment in this series, and I’m curious to see if anything becomes of it. Caine has got a tough task ahead of her in topping this one, but I’m excited for the future of this series.

This book is available to buy from: Amazon UK / Book Depository