Afraid by Jack Kilborn (Also known as J.A. Konrath) is a horror* novel about five psychopathic killers let loose in the little town of Safe Haven.

A classic story of survival and savage human nature, Afraid really pulls you in and sticks you up close and personal with everyone from the killers to the few folks still holding onto their lives. The novel provides just enough detail to set the mood while still leaving plenty of room for your imagination to fill in the gritty details.

I will admit, I picked this book up from the Amazon Kindle store due to the very lovely price of $1.99. However, it’s worth the full price if you don’t happen to have a Kindle.

For me in particular, this is just the sort of book I was looking for. I enjoy serial killer stories. Jack the Ripper, Mafia men gone bad, the Batman Villians, etc. However, what I’ve never particularly enjoyed are mystery or detective novels. Do you all know how hard it is to find a serial killer novel that doesn’t involve some detective tracking them down? It’s difficult. Even more so if you want to see things from the point of view from the killers. Afraid does that.

There’s a Sheriff (Of whom I adored. I love you Sheriff Streng!) and a fireman, but it works here because it’s not their job to hunt down the perp. It’s not some mystery they’re trying to figure out. The Sheriff is in the same boat as everyone else in the town and there’s no interrogating or looking at evidence and trying to figure out who the killer is. With Afraid I know who the killer is; who the killers are. They’re introduced in the first few chapters and we dive right into their heads. And it is a gripping place that not only paints them as monsters but gives that perfect edge of humanity that really makes you fall in love.

A scene in particular towards the end where we take a peak into Ajax’s head and see things through his eyes made the book worth reading by itself. Not that the novel doesn’t have enough to spur it on – the entire cast is worth reading and I found myself rooting and cheering for well – all of them. Killers included. It’s a rare event when you’re split between hoping both sides will win.

The rivalry between Sheriff Streng and Santiago is particularly enjoyable and I love that it was dragged out for almost the entire length of the novel.

So, in closing – it’s a good book. I loved it and I plan to pick up Konrath’s next Kilborn novel.

*But before I close (Ha! I kept going) I’d like to just address the genre of this novel. “Horror” doesn’t quite seem to describe it. At least for me, I didn’t find this novel scary. Gory and graphically violent from cover to cover? Yes. Suspensful? Sure. Did I know what was going to happen? Sort of – some things are a given, but it did have some twists I didn’t see coming that made it a thrill. But I wouldn’t really call it scary. Then again, I could just find it extremely difficult to think of books as frightening. Especially when it falls under the ‘fiction’ genre.

Actually, I spent a great deal of the novel smiling like a lunatic myself. I’ve always loved villain characters and Kilborn/Konrath gave me five gorgeous ones. If you’re curious, Santiago & Ajax were my favorites. I just want to pet them.

Heh, but enough of this. Go read the book. Shoo.