Book Review: I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

Rating:

Genre: Young Adult > Mystery | Suspense

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?

*****

I suddenly miss Dexter Morgan of Dexter TV series. *sigh*

Have I ever told you how fascinated and obsessed I am with books that have Serial Killers in them?

The Alienist by Caleb Carr
Heartbreaker by Julie Garwood
The Killing Hour by Lisa Gardner

Imagine my intense delight when I came across a YA book with that theme! *happy dance*

Okay, not to sound so morbid or anything, but I really enjoy such stories. I have yet to perfect the act of blending in, so no, my tendencies of becoming a serial killer is still not apparent… Ha!

I Hunt Killers is very disturbing, and that’s really good for me. The murder scenes might be mild to my taste (compared to Adult Crime fiction), but the terror lying beneath is there. Bill Dent… crap, he gave me the creeps with his charm and intellect. Really now, Barry Lyga knows his stuff!

Jazz Dent got me in his clutches from page 1. For someone who’s hell bent on not becoming like his father, Jazz showed me snippets of himself that wanted, wanted to succumb to darkness so badly. I can feel his conflict, his guilt, and his defiance to his father’s legacy. It was freaking amazing! Add to that his best friend Howie, whose punchlines are so funny. Ah, Bliss.

My favorite part(s): Jazz’s internal dialogue with Billy – how to act in a certain situation? Billy is always in his mind to whisper practical, nasty, brilliant advice. Oh, you are evil, Barry Lyga. I am engrossed with Jazz and his dilemma!

I read maybe 2 or 3 YA books with serial killers in it, but I Hunt Killers is undeniably leading the pack. Woohoo!