I’m excited to tell you about all three books in The Color of Evil series.
It’s been thrilling, chilling, and intense reading them.
I’m starting out with Khaki=KIller as it’s the most recent release. But I’ve also reviewed the first two books, so you can skip down and read my reviews in order if so inclined.
Beware. As of the third book, Pogo the Clown was still free, still prowling, looking for his next victim!
Have fun and fasten your seatbelts!
~~~
Khaki = Killer (Book 3 of the Color of Evil Series)
Publisher: Quad Cities’ Press (April 22, 2014)
Category: YA, Psychological Paranormal Thriller
ISBN: 13: 978-0982444825
Tour Dates: June 23-August 1, 2014
Available in: Print and E-book, 235 Pages
MY REVIEW
Being the third book in this series, this may contain spoilers from the other books.
The author drops you right back into the story.
Michael Cray,AKA Pogo the Clown, is still roaming free, still plotting to kill Tad. So that was always in the back of mind. Especially when some local girls go missing.
Tad once again teams up with retired police officer Charlie Chandler to find the missing girls. The whole town joins in the search. Fear hangs over the small town like a fog bank.
Tad and Jenny are still working out their relationship.
One girl is clinging to life in the hospital.
Some bad guys are still plotting and caring on.
New romances start and others struggle.
And under it all, Pogo still prowls, still waits to pounce.
This third book and the entire series have something in common. They start fast, pick up speed, drop you in without a parachute, leaving you flailing and maybe, just maybe, give you a safety net.
So many different things are happening with different people, but the author blends it all together into an easy to follow chiller thriller.
4 Stars
~~~~
The Color of Evil series first two books (The Color of Evil and Red Is for Rage) were named: PageTurner of 2013 by Shelf Unbound magazine; Best Indie Cover of 2013; NABE Pinnacle Thriller winner; E-Lit Gold Medal winner (Horror); and Connie is a 2 time Silver Feather (IWPA) winner (2012, 2014, Chicago chapter).
The Color of Evil series describes the adventures of the young man (Tad McGreevy) with the power to detect auras around others (Tetrachromatic Super Vision) and to relive the crimes of those with “the color of evil” in his dreams.
Khaki = Killer, the third book in the Color of Evil Series, picks up where Red Is for Rage left off, answering the question, “What happened to Melody (Harris) Carpenter?”
Readers of Red Is for Rage, [Book #2], will remember that Melody was involved in a rescheduled UNI (University of Northern Iowa) football game, cheering for the Sky High Eagles. Rushed to the hospital with injuries suffered in a fall from atop the human pyramid [formed by fellow cheerleaders Heather, Kelly, Janice, Angie, and Jenny, Melody is hospitalized and fighting for her life as Khaki = Killer opens.
The budding romance between Janice and Stevie continues to grow more serious, but Janice’s parents oppose her relationship with the son of a murderer. There are more revelations about Earl Scranton’s motives, and other romance s develop (Tad and Jenny; Charlie and Andrea).
When Heather Crompton and Kelly Carter mysteriously disappear while ice skating on the Cedar River, the tension in town ratchets to a fever pitch. The entire town is involved in the search. Retired police officer Charlie Chandler reorganizes the rag-tag team that helped find Stevie Scranton and bring him back to Cedar Falls, Iowa (Book #2).
In the background lurks Michael Clay (aka, Pogo), still searching for Tad McGreevy, still hoping to permanently silence “the boy who can see the future.”
Tensions run high and the stakes run even higher in KHAKI = KILLER, Book #3 in THE COLOR OF EVIL series~~~~
Praise for THE COLOR OF EVIL series:
“Wilson makes all this count and mixes the ugly and the good in ways that can turn out to be rewarding for readers…There are moments of a real gift here…deft touches…especially between Stevie (Scranton) and his girlfriend, that are quite touching and even inspired…So, I remain happy to follow this series. I am assuming this series will reach a conclusion, and I cannot wait to see how Wilson writes it.”- Andy Andrews,True Review
“Connie Corcoran Wilson weaves a deftly fine scalpel in an age where a crude blade is more the norm. Her work is a smooth, subtle hybrid mix of science fiction, thriller, and horror that realizes a unique and pointed vision in the great tradition of Phillip K. Dick and Ray Bradbury. Her voice is a wonder to behold, at once dark and somber while maintaining a glimmer of hope that shines in the hearts of her heroes, who cling to the light. Like Stephen King, nothing escapes her discerning eye, the result of which is tale after tale that bleed life onto the page, both literally and figuratively.”—Jon Land, bestselling author of the Caitlin Strong Series
“Connie Wilson is back—-She’s good! She’s DAMN good! In a world of mainly bad-to-fair writers, she stands above the crowd with plot, description , and strong character. Believe me, you’ll enjoy her latest! That’s a guarantee!…She’s a born storyteller!”—William F. Nolan, Living Legend in Dark Fantasy, “Logan’s Run,” “Logan’s World,” “Nightworlds”
“Wilson’s characters come alive on the page. Comparisons to Stephen King, Dean Koontz and Philip K. Dick aside, Wilson has spent 33 years teaching students in this age range. She knows what she is talking about.”—Gary Braver, author of “Flashback” and 8 other thrillers.
“THE COLOR OF EVIL series is old-school psychological horror, artfully blended with new-school shocks and twists. ..Bravo!” —Jonathan Maberry, New York Times best-selling author, multiple Bram Stoker winner
~~~~
Color of Evil (Book 1 of The Color of Evil Series)
MY REVIEW
When Tad McGreevey opens the door, he falls back in fear. Standing before him is Pogo the Clown, hired to entertain the kids at his eighth birthday party.
It’s not the clown suit that terrifies him. It’s the aura that surrounds him. Tad can see auras, or colors, around people. Different auras show whether that person is good or bad. Pogo’s aura is gray-green, or khaki, the worst color.
Nothing happens at his birthday party, but Tad suffers 53 days of nightmares. Pogo is a serial killer and Tad sees each violent killing in his dreams.
Night after night he wakes up screaming and no one is getting any sleep. His family doesn’t believe in his visions and Tad spends a brief time in a psychiatric hospital before Pogo the Clown is caught and his horrific deeds are revealed.
The author then takes you forward eight years. Tad’s nightmares ended when Pogo was caught and his biggest problem now is that Jenny, one of his best friends, is hot for bad boy Jeremy, while Tad’s feelings for her have changed from platonic to to romantic. He is falling for her.
Tad’s nightmares begin again. This time he can’t see the crime as clear. Can’t quite tell who the killer or victim is. And his dreams don’t tell him whether the crime is going to happen, whether it’s happening now, or whether it’s yet to occur. But it will happen. And his biggest fear is not being able to do anything about it.
Something this author does and does well is catch you unawares. You’ll be reading a scene, and suddenly, with no warning, it turns ugly. It rocks you back on your heels. And it happens often, catching you again and again.
The atmosphere of pending danger is felt the whole time you are reading, even in scenes that seem innocuous. Not that they stay that way for long as the evil in this small town is rampant. Hiding in plain sight. Happening to many different people. It’s as if the town harbors evil.
As I neared the end of the book, I knew there were going to be many issues left unresolved. So when I read the title for the last chapter, Loose Ends, I feared the author would cram all of the unfinished scenes into this last chapter.
The author does tie up some of the loose ends. But some really big ones are still hanging wide open. I’ve never read a book with so many things left unfinished and I still loved the ending.
4 Stars
~~~~
Synopsis
Tad McGreevy has a power that he has never revealed, not even to his life-long best friend, Stevie Scranton. When Tad looks at others, he sees colors. These auras tell Tad whether a person is good or evil. At night, Tad dreams about the evil-doers, reliving their crimes in horrifyingly vivid detail.
But Tad doesn’t know if the evil acts he witnesses in his nightmares are happening now, are already over, or are going to occur in the future. He has no control over the horrifying visions. He has been told (by his parents) never to speak of his power. All Tad knows is that he wants to protect those he loves. And he wants the bad dreams to stop.
At Tad’s eighth birthday party (April 1, 1995) in Cedar Falls, Iowa, the clown his parents hire to entertain Tad’s third-grade classmates is one of the bad people. Pogo, the Killer Clown (aka Michael Clay) is a serial killer. So begins 53 nights of terror as Tad relives Pogo’s crime, awakens screaming, and recites the terrifying details to his disbelieving family. The situation becomes so dire that Tad is hospitalized in a private institution under the care of a psychiatrist–who also does not believe the small boy’s stories.
And then the police arrest Pogo, the Killer Clown.
Flash forward to the beginning of Tad’s junior year in high school, 8 years later. Tad is 16 and recovered from the spring of his third-grade year. When Michael Clay was caught and imprisoned, the crime spree ended and so did Tad’s bad dreams.
Until now, in the year of our Lord 2003, when evil once again stalks the land.
This is a terrifying, intense story of the dark people and places that lurk just beneath the surface of seemingly normal small-town America. As one reviewer says, “Wilson nails the darkness beneath the surface of small-town Midwestern life with an intense story based on fact.”
Tad must wage a silent war against those who would harm the ones he loves. A battle to the death.
~~~~
Red is Rage (Book 2 of The Color of Evil Series)
MY REVIEW
I should warn you this is the second book in The Color Of Evil series in case I can’t avoid spoilers from the first book.
In book one, Tad suffered horrendous nightmares until the serial killer, Pogo the Clown was caught and put behind bars.
Moving on to highschool, Tad begins to have the nightmares again. They are tied to the aura’s he sees around people.
In the end of the first book, Tad’s best friend, Stevie, is still missing, and Tad will not stop until he finds out what happened to him.
With the help of a retired police officer, he follows the clues and encounters someone every bit as evil as Pogo the Clown.
I had a feeling Tad wouldn’t be getting any relief from his nightmares. Especially when I learned that Pogo, AKA Michael Cray, had escaped and immediately set about to find Tad and kill him, believing if he did this, he could remain free to do his evil deeds.
This second book takes place a few months after the first and moves at a fast pace. You are dropped right back into the middle of small town terror.
I feared Tad wouldn’t be able to get a handle on his special powers. Wouldn’t be able to use them to save the people he cared about.
As I was reading, I felt like an observer, like I was privy to different character’s thoughts and actions. This made for more thrills and tension as evil plotted and Tad raced to catch up or get ahead of them.
Not as horrific as the first book but more intense, more suspenseful.
4 Stars
~~~~
Synopsis
RED IS FOR RAGE is the second book in the award-winning THE COLOR OF EVIL series. It was named the winner in the Thriller category of the Pinnacle book award by NABE (National Association of Book Entrepreneurs) in 2013.
At the end of Book One (THE COLOR OF EVIL), Stevie Scranton, best friend of Tad McGreevy, went missing. Best friend Tad McGreevy, who has the ability to see auras around others that lead him to “see” the crimes of the evil-doers, vows to do everything he can to find Stevie. In their search, they discover a monster every bit as dangerous as Pogo, the killer clown, and must confront him in order to save Stevie.
Pogo, from Book One, still is a threat, hoping to kill Tad to keep his freedom, since he thinks Tad has the power to turn him over to the police. Now, Tad must learn to harness his unique gift. Stevie’s fate hangs in the balance as well as his own life.
~~~~
”I didn’t find this book as scary/creepy as I did The Color of Evil. It was more eerie. I knew that something was going to happen, I just didn’t know what or when. Ms. Wilson introduced a number of side stories that each could have been the ‘big one’. Again, I found myself wanting to continue reading to find out which of these stories would develop furthest. I wasn’t able to complete the reading in one sitting, but I was back up early in the morning to finish.”-Heather Pearson, Books and Quilts
“Connie Corcoran Wilson has become another favorite go-to storyteller. The Color of Evil and Red is for Rage, are reminiscent of a Stephen King novel. Mr. King has a knack for making the all American small town a nest of unimaginable horror. Well, Ms. Wilson has also accomplished that in her tales.
The incredible twists and turns the author takes the reader on; the in-depth characterizations that Author Connie Corcoran Wilson employs is exceptional; the reader becomes intimate with the characters, an affectionate bond grows, with the reader finding those characters to root for.
Red is for Rage was a good story, disturbing in spots but this was due to the author’s skill at creating a very realistic plot line. The story flowed smoothly, the action was steady.”-Michelle Cornwell-Jordon, Author of “Tormentin”, “Night School Vampire Hunter Trilogy”, “Chrysalis”
“I have not read the first book in this series, The Color of Evil, but I had no problem picking up on what was going on in Red is for Rage. It was suspenseful and Intriguing. After I started reading, I quickly became absorbed and anticipating what would come next . Connie does a great job of bringing it all together in one book that. I highly recommend reading .”- Heather Beldon, Saving for Six
” If you’re looking for a book full of adventure and action, then this is the one for you. I can say that Ms. Wilson did a wonderful job with Tad, and his unique abilities, which we learn more about in this novel. I also think that she knows her characters quite well. She left me craving the next book, which says something. Especially since I tend to avoid these types of tales where there is so much darkness. But I could see that little glimmer of hope, the little bits of light through the darkness and it left me wanting more.
We also get to see a bit more of Stevie in this book which was nice since he had gone missing early in Book #1. And Michael Clay, (aka Pogo the Clown), just reinforced my hatred of clowns! He doesn’t have as big a role in this book, but he still plays a part in continuing the story line. He is a great character whom we all love to hate!
I recommend it to ages 16 and older. While it deals with some sticky situations, it does it in such a classy manner that it will suck you into the world she has created.”-CondyGirl, Recent Reads
~~~~
About Connie Corcoran Wilson
Connie (Corcoran) Wilson (MS + 30) graduated from the University of Iowa and Western Illinois University, with additional study at Northern Illinois, the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Chicago. She taught writing at six Iowa/Illinois colleges and has written for five newspapers and seven blogs, including Associated Content (now owned by Yahoo) which named her its 2008 Content Producer of the Year. She covers politics and entertainment and has over 1,000,000 “hits.”
She is a member of ITW (International Thriller Writers), where she is a writer for their online newsletter, and a member of IWPA (Illinois Women’s Press Association, Chicago chapter), which awarded her its Silver Feather Award in 2012 and 2014, MWA (Midwest Writers Association), AWP (American Writing Program) and MWC (Midwest Writing Center), which named her its Writer of the Year in 2010. She has won numerous E-Lit awards, a NABE Pinnacle award, an ALMA (American Literary Merit Award), Lucky Cinda competition and two IWPA Silver Feather Awards (2012, 2014).
Her stories and interviews with writers like David Morrell, Joe Hill, Kurt Vonnegut, Frederik Pohl, William F. Nolan, Anne Perry, r. Barri Flowers, Valerie Plame, Allen Zadoff and Jon Land have appeared online and in numerous journals.
Her work has won prizes from “Whim’s Place Flash Fiction,” “Writer’s Digest” (Screenplay) and she has 25 published works. Connie reviewed film and books for the Quad City Times (Davenport, Iowa) for 12 years, wrote humor columns and conducted interviews for the (Moline, Illinois) Dispatch and maintains her own blog, www.WeeklyWilson.com, while also twittering (@Connie_C_Wilson), Connie Wilson Author.
Connie was a presenter at the Spellbinders Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii over Labor Day (2012) and at Love Is Murder in Chicago (February, 2014). She has three ongoing series: THE COLOR OF EVIL, HELLFIRE & DAMNATION (short stories organized around the crimes or sins punished at each of the levels of Hell in Dante’s Inferno) and THE CHRISTMAS CATS, which she writes for her granddaughters. (www.TheColorOfEvil.com; www.RedIsforRage.com; www.KhakiEqualsKiller.com; www.HellfireAndDamnationTheBook.com; www.TheXmasCats.com)
Connie lives in East Moline, Illinois with husband Craig and cat Lucy, and in Chicago, Illinois, where her son, Scott and daughter-in-law Jessica and their five-year-old twins Elise and Ava reside. Her daughter, Stacey, graduated from Belmont University in Nashville, and is currently in training in Dallas to become a Southwest Airlines stewardess.
Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest
Buy Khaki=Killer:
Amazon– Paperback
Amazon– Kindle
~~~~
Follow the Tour:
Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus June 20 Spotlight & Giveaway
Books & Quilts June 23 Review
Room With Books June 24 Review
Let’s Talk About Books June 25 Review
Cassandra M’s Place June 26 Review & Giveaway
The News in Books June 30 Review
BK Walker Books July 8 Interview
Like a Bump on a Blog July 12 Review & Giveaway
Elizabeth McKenna Romance Author July 14 Excerpt
Giveaways and Glitter July 18 Review
Bound 4 Escape July 21 Review
The WormholeJuly 22 Review
fuonlyknew July 23 Review
Cheryl’s Book Nook July 28 Guest Post
Paranormal Romance July 29 Review
Award-winning novelist Bette Lee Crosby brings the wit and wisdom of her Southern Mama to works of fiction—the result is a delightful blend of humor, mystery and romance along with a cast of quirky charters who will steal your heart away.
