March 30, 2020

Here is a somewhat different kind of review because it was a unique situation.

Most of the time, when I pick up a book in a series, I can usually get the gist of what has happened previously and enjoy the current case at hand (because they’re almost always crime thrillers). This was the first time that I have felt utterly lost in a series and wished I had read the other books first.

So, take the rest of this review with that in mind – you don’t want to miss this one, but absolutely positively read the previous books first.

The main character is interesting, as being an undertaker is an unusual vocation for a protagonist. The author has either researched well or has a background in the business. There were numerous details about the process, as well as insights into the perspective of an undertaker. I found those parts very informative.

As to the overall plot, as I mentioned, it is quite apparent that it is a continuation of previous events. It almost felt as if it is the culmination of a series (not sure if more are planned or not), but things came to a head in this installment. There is some dark stuff (serial killers always are), and it was interesting to see how the author related it all together.

There are plenty of twists and revelations, and people who have read the first books in the series will most likely be satisfied. I just can’t repeat enough: READ THEM IN ORDER.

Warning: This book is not for the faint of heart. And I loved every minute of it.

The author begins with “The Note.” You don’t know quite what it is, other than a lot of personal information. But by the end of the note, you see the purpose. And then we’re off and running.

I loved how this story rolled out. After the introduction of the note, the author switches focus to the hero, Ben, and we take some time getting to know him. I liked that he was flawed and not a super-hero. He was just an average guy who tried to do right, was good at his job, and made some bad choices. We’ve all been there.

Shortly, we learn more about the person who sent the note. And then the killings begin. And some are brutal. I found the killer’s choices to be interesting, and thought the author did a great job of giving us hints into the motivations while also allowing to see the killer as they went about their everyday business. This illustrated how even psychopaths can appear normal.

I thought it was also smart to make the hunt for the killer personal for Ben. It would have still been interesting if he had been helping Serena out, but that personal connection added a layer of desperation and determination to Ben’s investigation.

The whole book was well-paced and held my attention. In today’s atmosphere, that’s sometimes difficult to do. I would definitely recommend picking this one up.

About Keith Dixon

Keith Dixon was born in Yorkshire and grew up in the Midlands. He’s been writing since he was thirteen years old in a number of different genres: thriller, espionage, science fiction, literary. Two-time winner of the Chanticleer Reviews CLUE First in Category award for Private Eye/Noir novel, he’s the author of ten books in the Sam Dyke Investigations series and two other non-crime works, as well as two collections of blog posts on the craft of writing. His new series of Paul Storey Thrillers began in 2016.

When he’s not writing he enjoys reading, learning the guitar, watching movies and binge-inhaling great TV series. He’s currently a resident in France.