Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to have read this book.
This is the first book in a new series, and I can see this series going strong in the future. I can not wait to see what happens to my new kickarse cop! Entertaining and thrilling.

A former Homicide detective is contacted by the LAPD after a Serial Killer the Skull Cracker resurfaces after a five year lull. Is this the Skull Cracker or is there a CopyCat at work ? We soon find out when with a shocking twist the identity of the killer is revealed halfway through the book. This book is very descriptive and not for the faint of heart but I would recommend this if you're a fan of serial killer thrillers.

The title fits this psychotic thriller.

Morris Brick a detective that is on the case of SCK (Skull Cracker Killer). I am not going to go in much detail about how this killer killed his victims because the acronym says enough. If this was made into a movie, I could not go see it...just a bit too gruesome. However, the author is more descriptive on the character of the killer Henry Pollard. The narration is seamlessly done in different times as you get a good ideal of who Henry Pollard really is and how he became the killer that he was.

The narration starts with Henry caring for his invalid wife. The contrast to how he cares for her and how he stalks his victims is what makes this narration a genius. Henry was the kid that was chosen last, who was an odd ball, but who was extremely strong. Henry realized with this father's help, his strength was to his advantage when he was bullied. Henry also had trouble with the girls as he was little clumsy and not to nice to look out. Did I mention that he was weird. His life changed when he married his wife Sheila and the accident that left her invalid. That was the start of crime spree.

The narration was between Officer Brick in his search for the SCK suspect and how he closed in on who he was. Henry has he stalked and picked his victims. And Sheila and why she picked Henry would no one else would have him. Again, the author his masterfully brings his characters together where you are more intrigued by them than driven by hate. Don't get me wrong- I wanted Brick to bring Henry in however, Henry was destined to be who he was.

I will definitely be going the ride of Morris Brick. Good detective work and character development.

A Special Thank You to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

Lyrical Underground and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Deranged. This is my honest opinion of the book.

Morris Brick was an LAPD homicide detective for 14 years and lead investigator on three serial killer cases. Now his own boss at Morris Brick Investigations, he has been hiring himself out as a consultant for the Hollywood film industry. An unexpected call regarding a resurfaced serial killer known as the Skull Cracker Killer brings Morris, his investigative team, and an unexpected observer on the hunt. Will Morris be able to help the LAPD capture the dangerous killer before there are more victims?

Deranged is marketed as a thriller, but there are really no surprises here. With the exception of one small twist, readers are given the identity of the killer. As the author uses flashbacks to explain the origins of the killer, the continuity of the story is lost. There is no suspense, no build up to the identity of the killer, which ruins the book for me. I also wish that the story had ended before the postscript, for it was simply not necessary to end the book with a cliffhanger. Deranged had promise, but the aforementioned issues made the book an average read for me.

A serial killer story that is elevated by black humour and mordant wit. Whilst this is, for the most part, standard fare, the story is peopled by some well drawn characters and the plot progresses with pleasing rapidity. The actual killings are described in broad brush terms and the meat of the story concerns the serial killer and the man assisting the police, one Morris Brick,an ex L.A.P.D. cop now running his own detective agency.
Most of the plot devices are predictable and as there is no attempt to have a " whodunnit " element, the main thrust is the battle of wits between Brick and the killer. So, a well constructed story that will pass the time quite pleasantly.

This one's for you if you like procedurals where the cop (or in this case the retired expert) is chasing a serial killer. It's well written and Brick's a good character but it got a little out there for me. There are good twists and some reddish herrings in this fast read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Deranged
Jacob Stone

Meet LA investigator Morris Brick a former homicide cop now a PI. He is currently working for the local law enforcement tracking a grisly serial killer dubbed the Skull Cracker Killer.
Five years earlier he had killed twelve people and vanished. Now he is back and just as violent.

I really like this type of murder thriller. There is a huge twist about half way through that will totally catch the reader off guard. The book is told from the point of view of the different people involved. It gives a wider look at what is going on. Well written with well developed characters and an insane plot. Oh, and there is a dog. Just love a book with a dog.
I enjoyed this read and look forward to more Brick adventures in the future.

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Just an okay read. The first half was interesting and then my attention started to drift. Overall a passable read.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆☆
4.5 stars
M/F Murder Thriller
Triggers: Stalking, murder

Morris is a retired expert on serial killers. He is consulting on a movie when he is called back into the scene because the SCK (Skull Cracker Killer) has returned. Morris' wife is worried about his stress level, but he promises that he'll keep it under control. You get to see into Morris' way of conducting his investigations and see how he gets to the bottom of the mystery that is provided in this story.

Then you have the SCK. This is a twisted person, but not necessarily in the way most killers are. I think there is a manner of love that only another twisted person can feel, return, and cherish. I think that these are the ways that the SCK is able to continue killing.

While the killer is horrible, there are definite moments when you feel bad for SCK. I wanted to get SCK help – to have someone else, anyone else, see this and somehow reason with SCK. Obviously, I know this would have taken the story in a different direction, but there was so much hope that SCK could have been different and I think that's what I loved most about this story. The possibility, but inability to help SCK.

Stone creates a great story – it's developed, twisted, not super predictable, and then, when you get to the end, I felt that it was a very abrupt ending. Almost as if there was some page limit and it just needed to end. I think if the ending had been different, this would have been a solid 5-star story for me.

I can't wait for the second story – the teaser at the end has my interest piqued and I want to know more about Morris' way of finding the killers.

Exciting serial killers with a twist tale excitingly written with the hero of the piece having a hero dog along to keep things interesting! Plenty of sordid detail to keep the bloodthirsty satisfied...a good read.

Deranged by Jacob Stone.
They call him the Skull Cracker Killer. He drugs his victims. Breaks open their skulls with a hammer and chisel. The rest is inhuman.
Five years ago he terrorized New York City, claiming twelve victims before the killing stopped. Now he's racking up victims on a fresh hunting ground. Where former LAPD homicide detective Morris Brick is working as a consultant on a serial-killer film. Where a desperate mayor pleads with Brick to take on the case. And where the only way he can stop the next wave of murders is by outsmarting a madman—before he strikes again, this time much too close to home . . .
Absolutely fantastic read with brilliant characters. I loved the story. Gave you a real insight into why he became a killer. You got to know why he did what he did. I definitely didn't see that coming. OMG. Can't wait for next part. Highly recommended. 5*. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from netgalley.

DERANGED introduces the reader to LA investigator Morris Brick. Brick is a former homicide cop. His investigations practice is hired by local law enforcement to track down a vicious serial killer.

The Skull Cracker Killer drugs his victims, breaks open their skulls with a hammer, and scoops out the brains with a chisel. The victim is alive during most of this.

The killer claimed 12 victims before disappearing 5 years ago. Now he's back .....

This is a well-written crime book. The killer and his wife are what I would call the Odd Couple. Brick has a wife and daughter and is a straight-shooter. He loves what he does, although it is a little tiring to keep hunting down serial killers. But he believes in justice. I absolutely adored Parker, the family dog who loves to go to work with Brick.

There is a huge twist about half way through that will totally catch the reader off guard. The book is told in the voice of different characters.

I enjoyed this one and look forward to see what Brick will be doing in the future.

Many thanks to the author / Kensington Books -Lyrical Underground / Netgalley for the advanced copy of this novel. All opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

I wanted to like this book, I really did. For overall plot, were that the only review criteria, I'd likely have given it at least 4 stars; however, there were just too many things which caused me to chalk up demerits. Let me first comment on those things I did like... I believe the book was written either by someone with a personal law enforcement background, or someone who had access to such a person. The procedural scenarios / conversations were logical and believable. What the author and/or publisher need to do are a couple of things right off the bat: (1) get rid of all the repetitious content, and (2) delete those blatant "no-no's" from the storyline (example, a police detective assigned to an extremely high-profile serial killer case would NOT be discussing the case specifics with his wife!). Re the repetitious content, nearly the exact same things were said by specific characters over and over again, as were the descriptions of the crime scenes.... to the point where the shock factor went from 10 to three or four. Finally, the story is told in two different timelines; that's fine, except the headings for those sets of pages/paragraphs could have been just a bit more descriptive (e.g., "Henry / Junior High / Los Angeles / 1985"). Overall, not a bad book, but the author needs to streamline his writing just a bit for the full impact of the plot to hit with maximum force.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Kensington Books for an advance copy of Deranged which tells of the hunt for a serial killer in Los Angeles.

Morris Brick was a highly decorated LAPD detective, until he left to set up his own private detective agency, having had enough of violent crime after chatting 3 separate serial killers. The mayor's office asks him to lead the investigation when a body is found with all the hallmarks of SCK (skull cracker killer) who was active in New York 5 years ago.

Deranged is a routine serial killer novel with gruesome crimes (not too explicitly described fortunately) and a smart detective hunting him. The reader knows almost from the start who the killer is and as the novel progresses his rather implausible reason for killing. I also have to say that the big twist in the novel is fairly well signposted so I had guessed before the reveal.

It is a straightforward hunt for a killer with an emphasis on the killer rather than the investigative detail with his backstory and attempt to explain his psychology. It is not particularly nuanced so it's all fairly obvious.

If you want a novel with a fairly simple plot to pass away a few hours Deranged will fit the bill nicely.

A serial killer known as the skull cracker terrorized New York City for five years and killed 12 people before he stopped. Now, in Los Angeles former Los Angeles police department homicide detectiveMorris Brick, is acting as a consultant on a film about a serial killer. It would also appear that the skull cracker has returned, this time on the west coast. The mayor pleads Morris to take the case before any more blood can be shed. This is a gruesome novel, Not for the faint of heart, but a thrilling read nonetheless