Killer Instinct

By: S. E. Green

Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller

Length: 5 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's Summary

She's not evil, but she has certain…urges.

Lane is a typical teenager - loving family, good grades, after-school job at the local animal hospital, martial arts enthusiast - but her secret obsession is studying serial killers. She understands them, knows what makes them tick. Why? Because she might be one herself.

Lane channels her dark impulses by hunting criminals - delivering justice when the law fails. The vigilantism stops shy of murder. But with each visceral rush the line of self-control blurs.

And then a young preschool teacher goes missing - only to return in parts.

When Lane excitedly gets involved in the hunt for "the Decapitator", the vicious serial murderer that has come to her hometown, she gets dangerously caught up in a web of lies about her birth dad and her own dark past. And once the Decapitator contacts Lane directly, Lane knows she is no longer invisible or safe. Now she needs to use her unique talents to find the true killer's identity before she - or someone she loves - becomes the next victim.

©2014 Shannon Greenland (P)2014 Blackstone Audiobooks

Enter the Darkness

As I indicated this is a dark piece of fiction. Lane is not your typical teenager; at least I hope not. She researches serial killers and stalks the streets at night wearing a mask avenging the wronged; dispatching her own brand of justice. Added to the complications is that both her mother and her stepfather are FBI agents. She's headed for the University of Virginia and works part time at a veterinary clinic. Her attraction to the doctor at the clinic is complicated by the age difference; he's 25 she's 17. "Fortunately" for her the doctor's brother is a junior transfer student. That situation is made more complex when she meets him initially when her younger sister Daisy brings him home. Daisy who is the "blowjob queen" of their high school has some issues of her own. Going back and looking into her family tree doesn't provide Lane with a lot of comfort either.
A good piece of realism is added to the story when Lane isn't an automatic member of Seal Team 6. She makes mistakes in her role as vigilante, doesn't prepare as well as she should; forgets certain important factors, and hesitates when she should act; in other words, just like a real teenager.
Personally I enjoyed Lane's dark side and liked a protagonist who acts as we all want to at times. I gave 5 stars to this work; though it was more like 4.5 or 4.6. regardless it's a good listen; short, (about five and a half hours) to the point and without any glaring weaknesses.

34 of 37 people found this review helpful

Teenage Dexter

This book should be in the teen age section. Not very believable. Did not find the lead character engaging or likable. Did not believe the ending. Just all around, not a very good book.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

A little graphic for me, but not for the genre

I liked it more than I thought I would. It's a short read (listen), and kept my attention the whole time. The narrator does a fine job.

7 of 8 people found this review helpful

Young adult (YA) fiction tends to be dark but,...

Killer Instinct takes the darkness to a new level. I'm a 72 year old grandfather who will not recommend this book to my teen grandchildren. The author Shannon Greenland wrote this book using the pen name S. E. Green. Her third novel Vanquished which will be released in November 2015 carries the warning "For Mature Audiences Only" which probably should also appear on he first two books (both YA). The narration of this novel was excellent.

Lane, senior in high school and the main character in Killer Instinct, is fascinated by serial killers to the point she has little social life. Actually, she is planning on becoming a serial killer herself and she is working hard in preparation for her life's goal. Her mother and step father are both FBI agents and she appears to have a good relationship with both. Lane has a half-sister she hates 2 years younger than she and an eight year old half-brother who she adores. She has been told that her father died in an accident before she was born. The setting is Northern Virginia. I've just set up the plot, but have not given any plot spoilers.

In summary this is an interesting book that due to the disturbing psychopathic nature of some of the characters and the extreme violence should be aimed at a more mature audience than teens.

9 of 11 people found this review helpful

Unbelievable character actions

Any additional comments?

Although I finished the book, I got bogged down in a few parts. It was hard to suspend my disbelief concerning the interaction between the characters. Overall it was a stretch for my imagination. The narration was good, and if it wasn't for Emily Woo Zeller's performance I wouldn't have made it to the end.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Didn't see the end comming

Would you consider the audio edition of Killer Instinct to be better than the print version?

I have no idea. I only have the audio edition.

What did you like best about this story?

The ending surprised me a lot. I really didn't see it coming this time and it's been a long time since any book surprised me like that.

What does Emily Woo Zeller bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I'm not sure. I listen to audio books during my commute, not because I don't like to read books myself. I did like the narration of Emily Woo a lot.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Her choices at the end.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Twisted

I'm not sure I can describe how this book made me feel. This teenaged girl has a warped way of viewing life and seemed to have a hard time relating to people. I was taken aback by, by pretty much everything I heard. Wow! However, this was mainly because I didn't like the narrator, Emily Woo Zeller. Let me clarify, if the narrator's voice were more inflective not only would I have been more invested in the story I'm sure I would have liked the book more. Over all the book wasn't bad and I'm sure the author's intentions were to cause me to feel conflicted they just picked the wrong narrator for this story.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Unoriginal

Uh, this is the entire first season of Dexter. Only it's a teenage girl. I can't believe someone can change a few details here and there and call it their own original work. But ok.

With that said, the story is so unbelievable that it got ridiculous. I listened to the entire thing thinking maybe it would go in a different direction and not be Dexter, however, it didn't.

$2 was too much to pay for this.

If you like these types of books stick with the Dexter Series and not a complete copy of it.

The narrator was excellent.

8 of 10 people found this review helpful

Didn't see THAT coming!

Always like a twist! This one has a couple. Female Dexter. I miss Dexter! Read it before but was still surprised! A fun short read.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

More juvenile

Not an adult thriller. Ok story but other reviewer had it right - it's Dexter. Fun, short listening experience though.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful