Tina B.'s Reviews > Predator

It’s hard to believe “Predator” is Zoe Caldwell’s debut psychological thriller. Propulsive and addicting, but yet only 231 pages, it packs a wallop that you’ll still feel after you put it down. The main character, Camilla Black, is the femme fatale you can’t help but root for. She’s the standard twisted and depraved serial killer who thirsts for the next kill. Yet, she emerges as an anti-villain too, her own abusive childhood the impetus for murdering evil men who’ve abused women or children.

As the story begins, Camilla is out on a date with a man named Julian that she met through an online dating app. It’s no ordinary get-to-know you date, however. Camilla already knows enough about Julian’s past that she plans to kill him. A rapist who intends on making her next, Julian’s unaware that Camilla is watching him as he slips a drug into her drink — or that she slips him the same drug, reversing their roles as victim and predator.

With gory details of her kills and graphic descriptions of the sex she has with both her male and female lovers, “Predator” is not for the faint of heart — or the prudish of minds. The story doesn’t gloss over details of sexual and domestic abuse either.

Told in first person, Camilla is a complex character who bares all to the reader. Her euphoric attitude and lack of remorse over the murders contrast with her life as a refined, high brow fashion designer. The gruesomeness of each kill contrasts with her polished look and the top designer labels she wears to hide the depravity inside. Author Zoe Caldwell does a masterful job of illustrating Camilla’s psychopathy. Yet, Camilla’s abusive childhood and vigilantism make you wish that the psycho doesn’t get caught.

“Predator” picks up in pace and intensity throughout the novel. Longer chapters at the beginning give way to shorter ones as you near the breath-catching end. The final twist is one you’ll see coming a split second before it happens but, by that point, it’s too late to brace yourself. The question is, does Camilla see it in time?

Thank you to Zoe Caldwell for an complimentary eARC of “Predator” in exchange for an honest review.