September 29, 2009
Fans of romantic suspense are used to glossing over gruesomeness in a fast-paced story, but this macabre effort from Butcher (No Escape) offers only a tired plot and characters to balance the revolting details of serial killer Gary Maitland's escapades. Reporter Elise McBride, worried because she has not heard from her irresponsible sister, Ashley, breaks into Ashley's house for clues and is inevitably discovered by Trent Brady, the handsome but burnt-out ex-cop from across the. Ashley has been kidnapped by Gary, who slices body parts off his victims while they're still alive, and it's the usual race against time as Elise and Trent team up to find Ashley before Gary dismembers her. Their sizzling passion helps them tame personal demons and confront the killer, but the romance is soon buried under gore and clichés.