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By: Candice Fox
Series: Archer & Bennett #2
ASIN: B00QDYYJT0
Publisher: Kensington
Publication Date: 8/25/2015
Format: Other
My Rating: 5 Stars

A special thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Warning: M I N D - B L O W I N G !

Sydney’s sensational crime author, Candice Fox returns following her chilling and shocking debut, HADES,  5 Stars (Archer & Bennett #1), a landfill of horrors, with a continuation of dark and gritty intensity (on steroids) with multi-layered EDEN (Archer & Bennett #2) — an electrifying spine-chilling, suspense psycho-crime thriller page-turner!

Let me begin by saying, Candice Fox writes like no other. The queen of creative, complex, gruesome, harrowing, violence, and nerve-racking mystery crime suspense. Next, it is imperative you read HADES, prior to embarking on this journey to EDEN. You will need to be fully equipped with the dark background of Eden and her brother Eric--how Hades, came to be their father.

After reading HADES, a strong (unique) debut, with its twisted, dark, and evil narrative—was so intrigued, breathlessly awaiting the follow-up, EDEN. Again, Fox does not disappoint. Left with another cliffhanger, dying for Dec, 2015 for FALL(Archer & Bennett #3) . . most likely a longer wait for US; hoping to get my hands on an ARC!

Hades, the junkyard king in Sydney, “The Lord of the Underworld,” an intelligent, artistic man, a sculptor, known for disposing of bodies, for a mere price of twenty grand. A place for the evil ones, and never for the innocents.

With HADES, we received a glimpse into the world of Hades (Heinrich), one of Sydney’s most powerful criminal overlords back in the sixties and seventies – centered around the time when he found the two damaged babies (Eden and Eric )and raised them as his own--from childhood, teen years, to adulthood. Their background and how they came to the dump, left for dead.

Presently, Eden Archer, a highly intelligent cop, and a serial killer, is feared by many, including her own detective partner, Frank Bennett. Like her dad, Hades is known for “setting up games, creating shadows, observing, listening and testing you.”

In EDEN, we have two powerful storylines. Hades and his children were a superior breed of urban predator. Frank is afraid of Eden, and yet more so of Hades. The most intriguing is the chilling childhood of HADES, a man, feared by many, yet sometimes fascinating. Fans will love discovering how his past shaped his personality and the man he is today (so good). He hires Frank to help him solve some of the mysteries and demons of his past, as he senses someone is watching him.

As the book opens, Frank is a mess. Martina is dead. He has been in pain, with his shoulder from the nightmare they experienced; still on drugs (Oxy) and constant binge drinking to dull the pain and his mind. There is also the psychologist, Dr. Imogen Stone; he and Eden, are required to see. He has let himself go, and Eden is determined to get him back on track. She needs him clear headed in order to help with the new investigation. She is relentless, showing up around the clock pushing him.

After a day with Hades, at the Utulla, Frank feels he has purpose and agrees to help Hades, and assist Eden with an uncover case. Hades will pay him well. He has no clue what is in store for him with the two cases.

When Frank first met Eden, she was beautiful and dark, like an enchanting witch from a fairy tale – a wolf in the dark. He knows what she is capable of, and this has bound him to her like a magnet. He wants to get closer, but at the same time he is afraid of letting her get her claws deeper into him. Sometimes he wants to see how bad she really is, and at the same time fearful. “She is irresistible, like the carnage of a road accident.”

The new case is of three missing girls, all in their late teens or early twenties. Ashley, Keely, and Erin. One missing sixty-four days, thirty days, and four. They were all blonde. Ashley was a full time prostitute, Erin a recreational prostitute, and Keely, not a full time prostitute, but all the same into drugs and sex. They think Jackie Rye is involved. He has a sordid past, but has inherited a farm with a ton of people involved in the daily operations. He also makes a lot of cash from housing horses. He sells specialty organic meat and produce to major supermarkets. They have camps there where runaways go, from violet criminals, laborers looking for money on the side, and girls to share their beds. All the girls seemed to have stayed there. Captain James wants to send Eden in undercover and she needs Frank to protect her on the outside. Eden is about to walk in a dangerous world.

Eden will never forget that night (the fear, rage, and fragmented memories of the night their parents were murdered). From the night in the trunk, and maybe Eric had been chasing those memories though the years of killing as if he could do something to help them, or warn them. Where would she be if Hades had not saved her; she had not been reborn a killer. She enjoys toying with raw emotions. "She hungered for making art, the same way she hungered for the kill."

Flashing back and forth from the current investigation into a serial killer with Eden and Frank’s impending investigation, and Heinrich’s nightmares of his past - Bear, the French Man and Sunday.

Tensions mount, emotions are high, as everyone has to face demons from the past. Detective homicide Frank is the center of both storylines, as he has to protect Eden, and at the same time trying to protect her father, Hades. Fox pulls out all the stops and leaves no stone unturned. I felt my blood pressure rising as you are holding your breath with each page – do not think about putting it down.

Many of you inquire as which book I enjoyed, the best? Read them both. Hades was my favorite, possibly due to the enthralling background of these two children left in a dump to die. Their childhood and father was quite fascinating. However, with Eden, it is more complex, compelling, and intense as we learn more about Hades; the cold case, and the current case with an intimate look at Eden, Frank, and Hades.

Cleverly written, both stories pull you into these complicated, edgy, dark and twisted characters. They are like a dark, talented, and moody artist, weaving their feelings, rage, and evil thoughts on their canvas. Fox has a special way of describing her settings in vivid detail, drawing you in, making you sympathetic towards the evil guys, due to their horrific background.

Would love to see the author at her famous coffee spots in action – you can bet she is in a zone, shutting out the outer world. Candice is on her way to be associated with the best of crime writers in Australia in addition to Bernhard Aichner; as like Paul Cleave-New Zealand, Jennifer Hillier/ Linwood Barclay– Canada, and Karin Slaughter/Lisa Gardner/Michael Connelly -US. Top crime thriller authors, not to be missed.

With the cliffhanger ending, readers are in for a treat with the next installment with the psychologist’s discovery of the birthmark and the connection of the Tanner children case. What will she do with this information and how will this affect Frank, Eden, and Hades? I can hardly wait! Hope Christmas (Dec) comes early.

Note to self: Do not mess with Eden or Hades. One more thing: love the way Candice connects each book. We get just enough to pull you back in. The original case with the murdered family will now come front and center. Great writing -Awesome!