Idolum by Tracee Ford

By: Unknown on Saturday, September 14, 2013

Title:  Idolum:  Visions of the Undone

Author:  Tracee Ford

Published:  August 30th 2013 by Injected Ink Productions: 

An Imprint of PDMI Publishing, LLC

Page Count:  240

Genre:  Thriller/Suspense (with some paranormal & romance)

Shelf:  Review Copy

Rating:  ★★★★

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Dr. Lauren Harris, a brilliant and nationally respected forensic psychologist, is called upon by the FBI to help track down and stop the The Phantom, a hedonistic serial killer who is burying his victims alive. She is teamed up with Nicholas Bennette, an agent who has been promoted to the directorship of a Southwestern Ohio field office. They find it difficult to work with one another at first, but as time passes a romance blooms. Lauren has a special secret. She's an empath and to solve the crime, she must not only rely on her training and education, but also her supernatural abilities. Through her visions she can see through the eyes of the victims and hopes to give a voice to the dead, peace to their families, and ultimately stop the killings. However, making sense of the visions proves to be one of the most difficult challenges she faces. Lauren is sometimes overwhelmed by the victims' feelings that so much in their lives have been left undone. As time passes and the body count rises, Lauren fits the puzzle together and discovers the identity of the killer. She soon learns she too has been targeted by The Phantom and comes face to face with him. When Lauren Harris finds herself at his mercy, she realizes she’s left much undone in her own life.

Adult-content rating: This book contains content considered unsuitable for young readers 17 and under, and which may be offensive to some readers of all ages.

My Review:

This story flows nicely from one section to the next, transitioning between the viewpoints of various characters to give you a very well rounded understanding of the situation. Even when filling in background information or introducing new characters Ford keeps up the fast, intense pace of the novel. I really appreciate that Ford takes the time to give you the little details but doesn’t bog you down with the irrelevant ones. As a reader, you can visualise every scene and setting that Ford sets forth. All of her descriptions are clearly and eloquently laid out.

The research and accuracy behind this novel is phenomenal. Being that she uses reality as a basis for her work of fiction, Ford is able to completely draw you into her world. The case that these characters are trying to solve keeps you on the edge of your seat and keeps you guessing throughout. There are also some really heart wrenching moments as the author delves not only into the case these individuals are working on, but also into their everyday lives and into their personal histories.

Ford pulls you right into both the world and psyche of the characters she creates. These characters are emotionally, physically, and intellectually developed, but never excessively so. They are developed in the manner of real human beings. Everything about these characters, both the main characters and supporting cast, screams realism. They are very easy to identify with, thus drawing you further into their world. Their actions and relationships are so natural that you become part of their family, you become the characters. Even their dialogue flows naturally. This cast shows you the best and the worst of human nature. It’s utterly captivating yet completely terrifying in its realism and possibilities.

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