This is the first book I have read by Alan Cupp. While “Scheduled to Die” is the second book in a series by Mr. Cupp, I found that it was very readable as a stand-alone book. I think that, perhaps, reading the first book would flesh out the character of Carter Mays (the private detective), it wasn’t necessary for this story. Having read and enjoyed this book, I will go back and read the first book in the series, too.
I have to admit that the beginning of the first chapter in the story was a little off-putting to me. I thought it was a little simple and wordy. Once the author got to the real story, only a few pages in, I realized that the simplistic beginning was part of a plot device. It make Dana appear what she was, a nice trusting young woman who had the misfortune to attract the notice of a sociopath.
Once over that hurdle, the book became engrossing for me. I had originally thought it would take me the whole day to read the book and I finished it by around noon. I simply could not put it down. Most of the characters were well explained – with the exception of Carter Mays, as I mentioned earlier. He was certainly given his back story but there were hints of much more based on the prior book. The plot made sense in its weird, twisted way and the resolution was everything I could hope for in this type of story.
While at first, the female characters in the story seemed a little weak, by the end of the book, they had done a complete 180. I was very pleased with the author for not making the women complete victims and instead letting them be a large part of the solution.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, Henery Press, via Netgalley.
