Review – The Bride Collector

When FBI special agent, Brad Rains studied the young woman’s body in the “dimly lit interior” of the “long-abandoned barn” turned crime scene, he “felt strange words of empathy well up inside...” “I cry with you, Angel…weep for you…I am so sorry.” He stood with the forensics team staring at the grisly handiwork of the “Bride Collector” and his once beautiful fourth victim. Thus begins Ted Dekker’s 2010 thriller, the story of a psychopath, a killing spree and a motivated killer who leaves few clues in his wake, no DNA, finger or footprints, not even tire tracks. Except for bridal veils found at each crime scene, now considered the psychopath’s trademark. Until forensic pathologist, Kim Peterson finds a small “bloody roll of paper” during autopsy. This time the “…killer had left them a message,” yet the “virtuoso killer” would dash their hopes and remain a ghost to those who hunted him until the unexpected... In The Bride Collector Dekker enters the world of the mentally ill through the doors of the “Center for Wellbeing and Intelligence,” an institution filled with insane, often gifted inmates. There Agent Raines meets several zany characters and Paradise, a beautiful, extraordinary schizophrenic with supernatural abilities. Although Raines is seriously skeptical, he’s getting nowhere with the case and feels compelled to make Paradises’ acquaintance, little knowing that their meeting would lead to the “Brides of Christ.” Like all Dekker books, this one is laced with suspense, believable characters and an interconnected plot that gives nothing away until the end, which made it a “one-sitting” read for me. The inclusion and character development of those diagnosed with mental illness provided a refreshing and thought-provoking perspective rarely found in mystery-thrillers. The thread of subtle romance runs throughout the story and includes a surprise ending. The dialog contains a bit of warm wit and humor without the explicit language, sex and gore often found in thrillers. However, many explicit descriptions of multiple crime scenes are not for the squeamish. Overall, the Bride Collector is an adrenaline-laced, unpredictable mystery-thriller like only Dekker can produce. If you love the thriller genre’ treat yourself to Dekker! He doesn’t disappoint. I agree with Nelson DeMille who writes, “Dekker is a true master of thrillers.”