I Hunt Killers Kindle Edition

Do you believe violent offenders are the product of nature or nurture? In the case of 17-year-old Jasper "Jazz" Dent, he's got both factors working against him. Not only is he the son of the country's most notorious serial killer, but dear old daddy even forced him to watch those grisly crimes and sometimes...more.I've always been interested in how human beings cope with extreme circumstances, and the way children in particular can demonstrate remarkable resilience. I Hunt Killers sets up a fascinating scenario showing how both environment and biology can contribute to certain conditioned responses and behaviors--and how an innate sense of human decency might be strong enough to overcome even the worst of upbringings. At least that's what Jazz keeps telling himself. Because now that he suspects that a new serial killer is at work in his small town, he's flashing back to memories that make him extremely uneasy. Did he help kill someone he loved without knowing it? Is he destined to follow in his father's footsteps?What sets this novel apart from all the other paint-by-numbers mysteries is that Jazz is an incredibly complex, believable character. The book has been billed as "Dexter for YA" and it's an apt comparison; Jazz is likable, relatable, and consumed by the idea that he may not be able to stop himself from doing harm to others. The story itself is engaging, with the masterfully detailed, well-researched criminology aspects related in an accessible way. The book is also HILARIOUS from beginning to end. I didn't expect to be laughing so much at a book about a possible serial killer in the making, but it's impossible to resist the graveyard banter running through Jazz's seasoned, offhand narrative.Despite its humorous tone and exceptional writing, however, my guess is that this is going to be an extremely polarizing book. Its refusal to look away from the often horrific nature of brutal crimes and twisted mind games will be shocking to readers who aren't used to these kinds of details. Early in the book we're eased into some crimes because they're mostly told in past tense, but the later scenes definitely escalate in tension and violence, although I don't think they really cross the line in terms of being gratuitous rather than graphic.If I had to quibble about anything, I'd say that Jazz's give and take relationship with the police is something readers will need to accept, although their doubtful reliance upon him is portrayed in a fairly believable tone. And as with all murder novels, I wasn't particularly keen on the few scenes told from the killer's point of view. But those things are really almost incidental when the writing is nearly pitch-perfect in balancing ghoulish humor and a macabre subject.It's so exciting to see YA that pushes boundaries in this way. While I confess that I'm a little uneasy about the idea of 13-year-old being exposed to this sort of information, I don't think the book contains too much explicit material that older teens or adults already haven't seen in other forms of entertainment. I strongly urge readers to carefully consider whether this is a subject that they want to read about, however, because this book certainly isn't for the faint of heart. But for the right audience, this thriller will hit all the right notes for an unforgettable reading experience. Its dark, disturbing, and devilishly funny vibe is pure genius.*An advance copy of this book was received by the publisher for review.*

(If you want to read this book, I would just like to note that it contains murder, rape, graphic violence, and emotional child abuse. If you are easily offended by any of this, this is your warning. If you aren't easily offended by any of this, I'll just point out that while it's bad, I've also read worse, so no need to let it dissuade you.)I really enjoyed this! I don't quite know what that says about me, but let's just go with it. To be quite honest I've always been fascinated with the psychology behind serial killers. I've read Encyclopedia of Serial Killers for leisure. No, I'm not crazy, it's just that a certain time long ago it was my 'backup plan' to be a Criminal Profiler (This was before that Criminal Minds show!) It's funny that my current career is as far away from what I pictured myself doing as possible. I suppose when opportunity knocks, you answer... even if it is unexpected. Enough about me though, I was just trying to make a point that this book is right down my ally, so you may not hold the same opinions about it.I Hunt Killers is told from the perspective of Jazz, a seventeen year old kid desperately trying not to be anything like his father. His father, Billy Dent, is one of the most notorious (fictional) serial killers the world has seen. Jazz didn't have a normal upbringing, seeing as his 'Dear Old Dad' has basically trained him his whole life to be a serial killer as well. Many fathers want their kids to grow up to be more successful, and the same is true for Billy, just in a twisted and bloodier sense than most.Jazz himself is actually a likable character, despite the fact that he harbors many characteristics of an antisocial personality disorder. You have to at least respect his struggle not to succumb to what his father basically bred him to be. He's fighting nature AND nurture.Anyway, this is getting kind of clinical, so let's move on.I kind of see I Hunt Killers as a cross between the tv shows The Following and Criminal Minds, with some Will Graham from Thomas Harris's Red Dragon thrown in.While this is a great book, it did seem to be a little slow for me at times. Don't really know why, because there are some pretty exciting events that unfold.I do wish we could have gotten the POV of Billy Dent himself. While he is a major character of sorts, we don't actually meet him until later in the book. Of course, maybe that's just me and my weird fascination again. We did get a look into the mind of The Impressionist though, so I suppose should be content.Speaking of The Impressionist... they were on my short list(of two) as a suspect. I'll be curious to know if my fellow GR friends also suspected him, so make sure to include any details on that either in the comments here, or in your review, because I would like to know! (Just make sure to hide it with a spoiler tag, lest we ruin it for someone else!)I would definitely recommend I Hunt Killers, since it's and interesting and exciting read. It stands out in a crowd of somewhat homogeneous Young Adult books. I didn't miss the typical YA cliches one bit.I'm anxious to start the second book because we are left with some unanswered questions... The most prominent being: What ACTUALLY happened to Jazz's mom?!?! So much build up for us not to have an answer yet!