The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker

Ted Dekker has done it again...penning another cross-over thriller that will keep you up until the wee hours of the night...and leaving you breathless. You won't find much of a faith element in this story...but, for me, it's more about other things you won't find...

...like gratuitous sexual content or excessive language.

With his second clean (a relative term, I know) thriller for the general market, Ted Dekker is making his mark. Similar to authors such as James Patterson or Stephen King, Dekker's writing is fast-paced and crisp. You won't find a wasted word or phrase in one of Dekker's novels.

Each scene is carefully scripted for rich detail and mind-numbing suspense. In his soon-to-be released new novel, this time the question posed is "Who wants to be loved like a bride?" with the answer being quite simple...

...'be careful what you wish for.'

"The Bride Collector" is a serial killer, hunted by FBI agent Brad Raines. So far the victims are up to three, with the promise of more to come. Each young woman is posed in a delicate yet gruesome fashion, each with a bridal veil over her face. Each carefully made up, with a precise manicure that would be exquisite if it weren't for the mayhem preceding it.

It seems this madman is on the hunt for his perfect bride, and he won't stop until he finds her. Notes left hidden are discovered, pointing to many more victims. Some seem to be tied to Brad Raines...but are they? And how?

When The Bride Collector goes after Brad's partner, he makes it personal. Can Brad stop him in time, or will she become another bride for his collection? Enter the world of psychosis and mental illness as Brad goes to the Center for Wellbeing and Intelligence...

...a home for those suffering from mental illness, and possibly higher intelligence? A particular young woman, known as Paradise, has a unique ability that could help assist in the search for this savage killer.

I'm not sure what to make of this one. My family kept asking me "Is it good?", a question I had a hard time asking. Yes, it is very well written. Yes, it is a gripping story. But to call a novel about such gruesome and multiple killings good...I just don't know.

If you enjoy criminal thrillers and want something relatively clean, this is the novel for you. I applaud Ted Dekker for writing fiction that anyone can enjoy, with a small element of faith in each story. I would like to see more faith in the stories, but I can understand his motivation.

So, I'm giving "The Bride Collector" four out of five bookmarks, with a can of putty as a charm...you'll have to wait until April 2010 to find out why, if you dare.... "The Bride Collector" releases from Center Street, a division of Hatchette Publishing (Thanks, Miriam, for my advance reader copy).

Happy Reading!





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