Kiss It Away — Carol Anne Davis

Davis' latest is a harsh, disturbing, graphic, gritty story set in Salisbury, England. Nick is a skinny, angry drifter whose obsessions are working out and taking steroids to build up his muscles. Horribly abused as a child, Nick has grown up defensive, full of fury, and ready to take out his rage on anyone unlucky enough to get in his way. Ben, a software engineer, has a fight with his girlfriend, Dawn, and walks through the park to think their relationship through. Unfortunately, Nick is already there, waiting for a hapless victim. In a burst of violence, he rapes Ben and shortly afterward, stabs a young woman to death. A few days later, Nick needs money to buy his latest dose of steroids and kills another woman for her money. Ben, who is too sickened and ashamed about being raped to tell anyone, begins acting oddly, and Dawn can't understand why. When the police put out a ""photo-fit"" of the killer, Dawn is shocked that it looks just like Ben, who was seen leaving the park after being raped. The police are closing in but on the wrong man. This brutal and ugly story pulls no punches in exposing the seedy and chilling world of a psychopathic killer. A not-to-be-missed thriller by Scotland's `queen of suspense.'"" Booklist (Starred review). ""Davis unveils her scariest hero yet: a steroid-addicted psychopath who's not only nasty but who inspires nastiness all around him."" Kirkus Reviews