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Free Candy_Poetzel

Title: Free Candy

Username: Poetzel

Genre: Humor, Mystery & Thriller

Rating: PG-13

Summary:

The drivers at Quack City thought their jobs were safe until one of them ends of floating face down in Salmon Bay.

Steven is obsessed with Seattle serial killers and keeps rounding up odd jobs to make ends meet. He's a bouncer, a bartender and would-be educator, trying to teach the children of Seattle to be frightened of strangers. Then he meets an odd fellow who used to hang out with Ted Bundy.

Marie and Sheila might be able to catch lightning in a bottle with their fledgling all-girl rock band, if they can keep from tinkering with the lyrics.

Suzi is a free spirited dentist that would rather be spreading her vision through creative taxidermy.

Seattle's practically drowning in water, from the lakes to Puget Sound and all the rain falling from above. What is it about all that water that drives some people crazy? Read on and you might figure it out.

# Of Chapters I’ve Read: 37/37 (completed)

Other Works I’ve Read:  None

 

MY REVIEW:

This was a quirky book filled with fascinating characters that I really loved. I enjoyed the story, but did have some mixed feelings at the end (which I’ll explain soon).

The chapters flipped between a few different points of view, but the main character seemed to be Steven, a laid-back pothead who’s obsessed with Ted Bundy. I felt that everyone else’s stories were only there to enhance Steven’s (or at least that’s how it seemed to me).

So, Steven is a funny dude and his obsession with serial killers was a big plus for me (‘cause I also have an interest in the subject). It turns out that he lives in the same apartment building that Bundy used to live in, and even has a neighbor who was around when Bundy lived there.

This creepy neighbor has his own little side story here, and some of the chapters refer to his life story (including his time with Bundy). As I read this book, I felt like there would be some connection and although there was a connection to Steven (and his group), there wasn’t a connection to the murder. I’m not sure how I felt about that, but I did LOVE this story line. It was sad and mysterious.

So the story starts, and at some point someone dies (somewhere in the middle of the story). There was never any real hint or sense of danger. And then we don’t hear too much about this murder until the end when that killer is caught and everything is neatly solved.

A big part of the story was just about Steven, his girlfriend Marie and the other girls in her girl band (Suzi, Gretchen and later Sheila). Their version of events displayed their quirkiness and humor, as well as a peculiar connection with Steven’s neighbor.

It seemed to me that the murder aspect of this story was unnecessary. I guess that’s my problem with it. While I enjoyed the story, the crime aspect of it was a small part when it could have been bigger (or not there at all).

The murder didn’t really need to be there, it would have been a fabulous story on its own in my opinion. I found the Ted Bundy story line really powerful and interesting.

Of course without the murder, Steven wouldn’t have found his perfect job...that may or may not involve getting paid to scare children while driving an old truck with the words ‘free candy’ spray painted on the side.

If you like humor in your mystery and a little bit of quirkiness…then I recommend this story!

Overall Rating: ★★★★☆