Review: Ruthless by Carolyn Lee Adams

A spine-tingling debut about the ultimate game of cat-and-mouse in reverse as a teen struggles to retain hope—and her sanity—while on the run from a cunning and determined killer.

Ruth Carver has always competed like her life depends on it. Ambitious. Tough. Maybe even mean. It’s no wonder people call her Ruthless.

When she wakes up with a concussion in the bed of a moving pickup trick, she realizes she has been entered into a contest she can’t afford to lose.

At a remote, rotting cabin deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ruth’s blindfold comes off and she comes face-to-face with her captor. A man who believes his mission is to punish bad girls like Ruth. A man who has done this six times before.

The other girls were never heard from again, but Ruth won’t go down easy. She escapes into the wilderness, but her hunter is close at her heels. That’s when the real battle begins. That’s when Ruth must decides just how far she’ll go in order to survive.

Back home, they called her Ruthless. They had no idea just how right they were.

Kindle Edition, 256 pages

Expected publication: July 14th 2015 by Simon Pulse

Terri's Thoughts

**I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher Simon Pulse vie Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  The expected publication is July 14th, 2015**

This story read a little bit different for me.  Although the concept is not exactly unique, it is the first that I can recall that was written entirely in the first person.  This kept the story focused entirely on Ruth and her situation and left out any other noise.  It felt like a long monologue.  A frustrating and terrifying monologue.

As with any suspense cat and mouse type stories I found myself screaming and frustrated as Ruth struggled to escape.  Just when you get a moment to breathe, BAM! the story shifts.  It reminded me of an eighties horror movie.  You know the kind, the victim is running as fast as they can and the bad guy is slowly walking....and still manages to catch up to wreak havoc.

The length of this story was good.  I find with this type of story if it is too long my attention tends to wander.  In this case it was just long enough to offer up the suspense and action but not to long to overstay it's welcome.  My mind...or is it my heart.. can only handle so much of this type plot.

This story is written so that it can appeal across multiple demographics.  Both YA and older will be able to follow this.  Overall  I thought it was a good read and I will be staying away from remote cabins in the mountains for quite some time

About the Author

arolyn Lee Adams is originally from the Seattle area, breeding ground of serial killers and those who write about them. She attended USC Film School and graduated with a BFA in screenwriting. RUTHLESS (Simon Pulse, Summer 2015) is her first novel. When she isn't exploring the dark side of human nature in her writing, you'll find her on stage as a stand-up comedian. Because those things go together.

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