If there's one thing that's all wrong about the protagonist of Serial K by Brian Gallagher, it's his name: Craig Breedlove. The last thing Mr. Breedlove does is breed love! But if only that was all that was wrong with him. Craig Breedlove is a rich, narcissistic, murdering sociopath who wants to prove he's the greatest serial killer of all time. He thrives on the fear that headlines about his gruesome kills create, and is glued to the papers and TV reports to enjoy his notoriety. When he doesn't get the press he craves, he begins calling the police, even the FBI to tease them, giving them riddles to solve to track him down. But being a narcissist, he honestly believes that, just like the best of the serial killers, he will never be caught. And that is enough to keep fans of this genre flipping the pages as fast as they can go. Along the way, although he doesn't want one, Breedlove acquires an acolyte, a Satan-worshiping computer hacker, as an accomplice. Between them, all hell breaks loose, not just in cities across the USA, but within the ranks of the FBI who are bamboozled as to how Serial K is forever able to elude them.

Watching the FBI scrambling around for clues is hilarious for Breedlove, and to a certain extent for readers. There's no Criminal Minds BAU stars working on this case, but there's one, Link, who thinks he is, and boy, does Breedlove show him who's the star of this show. The more sensible, intelligent FBI agent is Lea, who is teamed up with her ex-husband, a writer, to track and nail down Breedlove. Do they succeed? You have to read the book to find out. Brian Gallagher is a very good writer. He doesn't waste readers' time. The plot isn't all that deep, but it never stops moving thanks to Gallagher's skillful use of dialogue. Characters are believable, if not all of them likeable, especially the foul-mouthed FBI agent, Link. His non-stop barrage of expletives leaves his team cold, and odds are some readers might find it hard to take, along with the very gruesome details of each murder.

Serial K is not a book for the squeamish: it's way too gory and Craig Breedlove is way too despicable. That said, he is also laughable, and the reader does laugh at him while he's busy laughing at others. In other words, Brian Gallagher has tossed in some humor to balance the horror. If you like this kind of writing and content, you'll enjoy Serial K.

When Craig Breedlove’s parents die not many days from one another, he does not waste much time claiming his inheritance and starting the life he had dreamed of. His fascination with the most renowned serial killers in history was intoxicating. Ramirez and Dahmer, they were the best; but Breedlove was ready to usurp their supremacy and evolve into the greatest serial killer in history. Unfortunately for him, FBI profiler Lea Pucci and agent Ryan O’Callahan found common ground in their fascination with Breedlove. Though divorced for a few years, there was no denying the strength of their working relationship. They were a team, with or without the marriage license. Breedlove’s desire to go down in history as the greatest serial killer of all time was in jeopardy with Pucci and O’Callahan on his trail. Or, was it?

Serial K by Brian Gallagher had me from the first line: “It was a perfect spot for his first kill.” The banter between main characters Pucci and O’Callahan is intoxicating in the reality of human emotions portrayed; as well as later dialogue from more minor, but essential characters. Special Agent Link provides the perfect internal conflict necessary to a well-rounded story line. He is that bully existent in every work place and his shallow character is easily identifiable for readers of all interests. Brian Gallagher is in obvious contention with such crime writing greats as Stuart Wood and James Patterson. This reviewer gobbled up Serial K in one afternoon and is anxious for more!

Serial K by Brian Gallagher is a thriller centered around the mind and actions of a serial killer, a gripping novel that starts off with an introduction to a man named Craig Breedlove and his first kill. The story then takes us back a bit and slowly we learn about Craig’s family background in Arizona, his dysfunctional family relationships, his abuse, and how that affected his life and relationships: in short, we learn how Craig became a serial killer. Craig is obsessed with past serial killers and has been since he was a child, and as a result, his killings are often orchestrated to mimic past ones. As law enforcement officers find more bodies, what results is a chilling and gripping tale of action, suspense, and murder.

Serial K by Brian Gallagher is a psychological thriller in a certain sense because the essence of the book lies in unraveling the mind and thoughts of a serial killer, who typically suffers from a personality disorder, including anti-social personality disorder with the classic symptoms of a lack of empathy and the inability to differentiate between right and wrong. I think Brian Gallagher does a great job presenting the novel from both perspectives, the victim as well as the killer. What I also loved about the book was that Brian has dealt with the subject with a mature understanding that shows how serial killers are not born; they in fact become this way through their early experiences. The fast-paced writing and exciting plot kept me turning the pages of this book in one sitting. This is a very well-written book that I would highly recommend!