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Written by: Jennifer Hillier

ASIN: B00DC2BX7W

Narrated by: Talmadge Ragan
Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins
Series: Creep Series #1 
Format: Unabridged

Release Date:06-24-13
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Format: Audiobook
My Rating:   4 Stars

CREEP, a debut novel by Jennifer Hillier, involves a sex addict, an alcoholic, an unbalanced grad student, and his girlfriend, for a suspense drama of secrets, lies, and madness.

Shelia Tao, 39, is a highly regarded professor of social psychology at Seattle’s Puget Sound University. She is engaged to an alcoholic Morris Gardner, a successful Texas investment banker, a man who offers her love and security. After her first marriage ended when she caught her husband sleeping with his male nurse, she experienced a difficult period, as she was seeking validation of herself as an attractive woman.

After going through the recovery process,she began dating Morris and all was going well, until after the death of her father, she relapsed and begins an affair with her handsome young graduate student, Ethan.

Three months into the affair, Shelia decided to end things with Ethan, as she wants to build a life with Morris, as they are making wedding plans. However, manipulative Ethan does not want her to marry Morris and has other things in mind. He begins to blackmail her with a video tape.

Shelia is a former Sex Addict and has been attending Sex Addicts Anonymous for three years and a seeing a therapist, Anna (Morris was unaware of this). Shelia decided to come clean with Morris about her sex addiction. He is shocked since they have not had sex until attempting once and it did not go well. However, Morris at the time did not know who the affair was with or about the tape.

In the meantime Shelia goes missing, and Morris hires a PI, Jerry, since the police is not assisting. Morris is not sure if she has been kidnapped or if she is off with a man, or some crazy adventure. Ethan is unbalanced with a troubled past and has many disguises and masks.

I listened to the audiobook and Talmadge Ragan, narrator, did a good job with a pleasing voice. While CREEP was an engaging read, I would not classify it as a complex psychological thriller until towards the end, as prior to this was a little predictable.

It was not as intense, or as fast-paced as her latest upcoming book, THE BUTCHER; however, was even paced with a twisted surprise at the end, leading into the sequel FREAK (Creep #2), which I plan on reading next, as looking forward to hearing from Shelia, Jerry, and Abby.

Fans of Daniel Palmer, Lisa Gardner, Gregg Hurwitz, Lisa Jackson, and Amanda Kyle Williams will appreciate Jennifer’s style and well-developed characters.

Possibly after just finishing Jennifer’s Hillier’s upcoming book (July 15)  THE BUTCHER most definitely a psychological thriller; a 5 star read; would highly recommend, as was fortunate to have received an ARC!

Of course, CREEP would not be expected to be of the same level as THE BUTCHER, since CREEP was her debut novel. This shows real growth and maturity in the author’s writing on a new level; look forward to reading the one in the middle.

If you loved CREEP, you will devour THE BUTCHER!