I Hunt Killers (Jasper Dent #1)

 I guess I’m in a creepy phase right now. Some of my colleagues were talking about books they didn’t like on the YALSA listerv and this was one of the titles that came up. I really didn’t have any interest in it before, but after several people agreed it was super creepy and gross I had already purchased five copies of it. Just kidding, I only have the one.

Guess what? It’s super creepy and gross! I loved it though and pre-ordered that sequel. Jasper Dent is the only child of the super serial killer Billy Dent. His father safely behind bars Jasper, Jazz, is trying to live the normal life of any 17-year-old boy. Trouble is that his dad so supremely messed with his head that Jazz is constantly having to remind himself to act like a human being, rather than the perfect sociopath his dad raised him up to be.

Trouble is brewing in Jazz’s little town of Lobo’s Nod, there’s a new killer on the loose. Jazz is frantically trying to get the local police department to listen to his insights regarding the case, but even though he is a super smart dude with an insider’s view into the world of sociopathy, he’s still a kid in the eyes of the law… a kid with a past that would make anyone wary. Jasper is caught between his own knowledge of the mindset of a killer, his burning need to crack the case, and the sometimes crushing worry that he’s not any better than his father.

Jazz’s struggle with his own morals and humanity make him an excellent character. He is so very aware of not just everyone around him, but of himself and his own actions, I think that his behaviors and analytical awareness will be familiar to anyone who has grown up in a destructive family environment and is working toward healing.

I Hunt Killers is a super fast paced and compelling novel for readers who enjoy the morbid or gruesome. Be warned that there are some very detailed descriptions of disembowelment and such, so this novel may not be for you if you’ve got a weak stomach!