Review - A Good and Useful Hurt by Aric Davis

Title and Author: A Good and Useful Hurt by Aric Davis

Publisher: 47north

Publication Date: February 21st, 2012

Paperback/Hardcover: 293

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Summary:

Mike is a tattoo artist running his own shop, and Deb is the piercing artist he hires to round out his studio's motley crew of four. The last either expects is romance, but that's what they get as they follow their off-kilter careers and love lives into complete and total disaster. When Mike follows a growing trend and tattoos the ashes of deceased loved ones into several customers? tattoos, he has no idea that it will one day provide the solution ? and solace ? he will sorely need. And when the life of a serial killer tragically collides with the lives in the tattoo shop, Mike and Deb will stop at nothing in their quest for revenge, even if it means stepping outside the known boundaries of life and death. Ink that is full of crematory ashes, a sociopathic killer, and pain in its rawest form?this is going to hurt.When the hope of redemption runs headlong into the dark side of life's chaos, we are left with one of the most haunting thrillers in recent memory

Review:

I received this book in exchange of an honest review and was immediately interested in the mystery and the fact the story dealt with a serial killer.

The serial killer in this book commits several disturbing murders but he and his crimes are not the center and focus of this store. Mike, a big-hearted tattoo artist who is still trying to get over his girlfriend’s suicide is.

When Mike hires Deb as a new piercer for his shop she helps bring him out of his funk and shows him that it’s always possible to move on.

I really liked the characters in this book. Mike is still struggling to move on but it was clear from the start that he was a great guy.

Deb was great as well. She’s strong and intent on living her life in whatever way she wants and sees fit. She was able to bring Mike out of his shell.

Other characters like Lamar and Doc also brought a lot to the story.

I don’t have any tattoos and never been to a tattoo shop but the author was able to make me feel like I really understood what was happening in the shop and how it works.

I also think the author did a great job when it comes to making the readers understand what the tattoos and piercings mean to the people who work in a tattoo parlor as well as to the clients.

All in all I really enjoyed this book. I thought the story was great and combined several interesting and unusual elements. I liked the fact the tattoo parlor was on the center of the mystery and that it was such a nice place with great people.

The book kept me interested and wanting to know what would happen to the characters.

Rating: Worth Your Time ( 4 Stars)

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