Sometimes death is not enough.
Looks that Kill
by Lee Gemmill
Genre: Serial Killer Thriller
Sometimes death is not enough…
Laura Johnson’s life has been a mosaic of terror, each piece a fragment of her haunted past. In her world, to be unnoticed is to be safe, yet, beneath her camouflage lies a burning desire to live without the constant pulse of fear.
Enter Diablo, a serial killer who transforms his victims into chilling avatars that appear within his dark and popular computer games. With the police powerless to peel back his many masks, Diablo sets his sights on Laura.
In this heart-stopping race against time, Laura is thrust into a deadly play where facing fear isn’t a choice-it’s survival. With the killer’s shadow looming, can she stand against the darkness? Or will she become the next character in his twisted games of death?
The terror begins now….
“A wounded soul becomes the target of a brutal serial killer’s game in this dark, gripping, game of cat and mouse.” ★★★★★ – Explore Authors Magazine
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Laura’s entire body throbbed with pain as she regained consciousness. Her wrists and ankles were tightly bound, leaving her immobilized on her back with her arms stretched overhead. The muscles of her neck and shoulders burned, likely from being restrained in the same position for a long time. She blinked, trying in vain to bring the blurry room into focus without her missing glasses. Trapped and helpless, Laura could do nothing but wait for her abductor’s next move.
A tide of claustrophobic panic engulfed her. Thrashing against the cords, she felt them dig deeper, burning as they sliced her wrists and ankles. Through a haze of tears and her own poor vision, she glimpsed redness streaking her arms. Blood. It took all the willpower she had to calm herself against the terror. At last, she settled down and sighed tragically. Escape wasn’t an option.
“Help!” she cried, the words scraping her dry throat. Traces of duct tape glue tugged at her lips when she opened her mouth. Louder, she screamed, “Help me! Somebody help!”
Laura tensed as she detected movement to her right. A blurred figure appeared and drew nearer; his murmuring voice sent a chill down her spine. The man strode up to Laura and crouched over her, bringing his face uncomfortably close to hers. His breath smelled like an ashtray. Up close, she squinted, struggling to discern his features. A jolt of fear pierced her heart — it was the pizza delivery guy without his cap. His gaze was predatory. Laura shuddered, paralyzed by the terror of understanding.
“W-who are you?” she stammered, her voice quivering with fear. The simple question caught in her throat, nearly choking her. The stranger’s presence filled her with dread. She lay on the concrete floor compelled to learn his identity despite the fear gripping her heart. She asked him again in a timid whisper, “Who are you?”
“I think you know who I am,” he replied, sounding cocky. When she didn’t seem to register, he shouted at her. “Diablo! Who did you think I was?”
Diablo set something blue and blurry on the floor by her head. Laura turned and looked but couldn’t see it well enough to know exactly what it was. A small box maybe? He took something from the box that shone brightly in the light. Her blood went cold. Was it a knife?
“I need you to scream more, but louder. There’s no ADR session after we’re done here, so I need all the vocals you can give me now.” He pointed at something, then at something else, but she could only squint and wonder what he meant.
“You can’t see, can you? I thought those glasses were awfully thick. I’ve placed microphones above and around you, and I’m recording your every sound, so I need you to be loud. And I have camcorders strategically placed to show your face, your body movement, everything about you.”
“I don’t understand,” she said. “Why are you doing this?”
“To capture your entirety, of course!” he beamed. “I need the best sound and video I can get.”
“Why me?” she asked, still not comprehending. “I’m ugly.”
Diablo was taken aback. “How can you say that? I saw your picture in the paper. You must know how truly lovely you are.”
“You’re going to kill me.” Laura became uncharacteristically calm, like an animal being led to slaughter that knows it’s going to die. She accepted her fate with sadness.
“I’m going to make you immortal.”
“You’re going to kill me. I saw it in your eyes just now. Your eyes have the looks that kill.”
At 20, Lee Gemmill set off on a hitchhiking adventure from Virginia to California, climbing Handies Peak in Colorado and losing all his food to sneaky ground squirrels in the Grand Canyon along the way. A former biology and anatomy teacher with 32 years of experience in Virginia, he’s now retired and fully dedicated to writing.
Lee’s mission is to reshape storytelling by blending fantasy, science fiction, and horror into unforgettable tales. His work pushes the boundaries of imagination, delivering thrilling experiences that stay with readers long after the last page — all while building a legacy of unique, genre-defying stories that cultivate lifelong fans.
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Sounds like an intense read, thanks for the chance.
This sounds like an exciting read and one I would like to read this winter season.
The excerpt sounds really intriguing.
oh I love a good mystery, this sounds amazing
Looks like a good read
Do you have any advice for new writers?
I would love to read this.
Looks very exciting
I love the cover and the excerpt.
Do you write in a daily journal
I like the book cover. It is very mysterious and I love the darker colors and color difference in the font.
This doesn't sound like one to read either late at night or when you are alone in the house!
Love the book cover and sounds like a really intriguing book!
I think the excerpt sounds really interesting!
I can not wait to read this book. It sounds like one I would love.
I like the book cover.
The premise of the book is very interesting.
This book looks very intense and the characters are intriguing!
This sounds like an exciting read
Sounds very captivating.
The premise of “Looks That Kill” sounds really intriguing – the idea that death isn't the end is a compelling thriller setup. I found some interesting character archetype discussions relating to similar themes on https://tinyfun.io/game/happy-monsters-2, which added another layer to thinking about motivations.
Looks intense
This sounds like an interesting book and I also like the cover.
This book looks really suspenseful-I also like the cover.
Sounds like a really great book.
I like book details
The premise of the book sounds great.
Serial Killer Thriller -this genre ensures a great read!
Thank you for the excerpt.
The excerpt is interesting. Thank you for sharing it.
Sounds like a great book. I'm looking forward to reading it.
I like the book cover. Congratulations on your new book.
Sounds like a great read. Congratulations on your new book.
This sounds like a great book!
This sounds like a great Serial Killer Thriller book. I like the cover.
A thriller book! I cannot wait to read this!
The book sounds like an intriguing read. Love the cover!
looks like a fun one.
I'm on the edge of my seat just reading the blurb!