This was a fantastic well written book with some serious breath holding moments.

Porter and Nash are excellent characters and along with Clair bear, the author has found a winning combination here.

This has just gone to my number one read this year.

Half the fun when you’re reading crime is figuring out who the killer is, so it’s unfortunate when said killer gets squished by a bus in the first few minutes of a book. In this case it’s all about finding his last victim. A one-eared teen hidden in a cement jungle in a dark room full of nasty surprises.

The killer picks his victims in an odd way. He chooses to inflict secondary pain by killing someone close to the person he wants to punish. Of course that pain is nothing compared to the butcher-like torture he expresses upon his physical victims. Bit by bit and parcel by parcel.

A cat and mouse game ensues with Detective Porter, who is dealing with plenty of personal issues at the time FMK returns to make a last stand.

There are plenty of twist and turns combined with strong characters and a compelling plot. Barker likes to take his readers to very dark places, literally dark places.

I will not tell a lie, the author manages to create the type of images that make your spine tingle and the hairs rise up on the back of your neck. It’s creepy and vicious, in a very IT clown staring up at you from a drain, kind of way.

Barker writes a wicked plot, a wee bit gruesome and barbaric at times, but definitely a fast-paced and blood fuelled exhilarating read. Definitely an author I will be revisiting.
*Thank you to the publisher for my copy of The Fourth Monkey.*

Spoilers in review ahead.
This is a tough one for me to review fairly as I found much of it teeth-clenchingly over-written with a tendency to gratuitous violence - as if the author thought 'I have to emulate the Saw movies or no one will take my killer seriously'. But I liked the police chase and the unravelling of clues and have scored it 3 stars, as if I could edit it, and remove the entire chapters told from the victim's point of view, which add literally nothing and which I eventually learned to skip, and as if I'd toned down the almost comical details of torture (drugged rat in an inverted glass salad bowl taped to the stomach of a victim while we wait for the rat to recover and go through the lengthy mental process of deciding how to escape - perhaps just having to read this ludicrous section was the true torture?)

Having two perspectives is a common narrative device, but here we have chapters told from the point of view of the police detective, the killer, a victim, the victim's dead mother as auditory hallucination, and completely unnecessary crime reports and police notes which simply summarise what happened in the chapter before. It's way too much. We don't need to endure every single second of the victim's experience of being locked up; there's no more tension from hearing her mother's voice in her head than without it. Surely we need NOT to be aware that she's alive, in order for the tension to escalate? Being reminded that she's fine every few chapters just detracted from that.

There were some questions that never got answered - what's the significance of the loud classic rock tracks that seem to be so important in the victim's prison, right down to the lyrics and the minutely-detailed description of the audio equipment it comes from? Why does Porter need to have a recently -killed wife? Why do we need to know about the relatively unimportant Claire's rise in the police department á la 21 Jump Street, when it happened fifteen years earlier and has no bearing on the current case?

There were elements of a really good thriller here but far too much convoluted nonsense to get there - if I hadn't felt obliged to review it for Netgalley in return for the free book, I would have quit. Did the killer's criminal parents ACCIDENTALLY move to a street with only two houses, the other which just happened to be occupied by other criminals being hunted by even more criminals?

In any case it ends on a nod to the sequel, but I am afraid I'm unlikely to seek it out.

Wow,Wow, Wow. What a book. Gripping from the first page an utterly fantastic read that I struggled to put down.
Fantastically developed characters that you want to find out more about.
I loved the interwoven diary, which was in perfect balance with the rest of the book.
Talk about dark crime thrillers, the best I've read for a VERY long time - I predict a Summer blockbuster!

Don’t you love a good book? Don’t you love a good book that reels you in from the very beginning? Within a couple of pages I was hooked – a low rumble of excitement with anticipation of hours spent in pleasurable discovery within the covers of JD Barker’s book. From the outset, the title intrigued me but a bit like a vague question because I was more focused on discovering more about Sam Porter – the lead detective called back to investigate another victim of the Four Monkey Killer.

Over five years the killer had evaded capture; he kidnapped his victims, and then taunted the authorities by sending gift wrapped parts of the bodies before the discovery of the body itself. However, on this occasion they have found the killer and now have to discover the location of the victim before time runs out. To aid them in this search the killer has left a diary…

This is such a brilliant, brilliant book. I relished reading the diary excerpts; I worried about Sam; I fretted about the missing girl. So many twists and turns. Excellent.

Oh how I wish I had not read it – and had the joy of discovering it all again.

The Four Monkey Killer has terrorized the city of Chicago for over five years. When his body is found, the police realise he was on his way to deliver a final message. Could his victim still be alive and awaiting rescue?

Detective Sam Porter is the lead investigator on the 4MK task force and he knows even in death the killer is far from finished. Discovering a diary in the pocket of the body, Sam delves into the dark mind behind the dark murders he has followed for half a decade, hoping the answers may be found in the past.

Can Sam put his personal problems aside to discover the Four Monkey Killer’s latest victim, or will 4MK still manage to outwit the police from beyond the grave?

WOW! Considering I went into this book with a somewhat low expectation I was absolutely blown away, this is an exceptionally clever and well written story. I was hooked from the first chapter which, unusually, sees the death of the serial killer. I did find myself thinking ‘well, if he’s dead that makes it fairly straightforward’, how wrong I was! Barker guides the reader through this story skilfully, allowing you to believe you’re on the right path before throwing in a blind-siding twist.

The childhood writings of 4MK are chilling, as he describes his horrifying upbringing in a calm and almost emotionless way, providing an interesting insight into the mind of a killer. Barker never held back, throughout the details and descriptions were graphic and, at times, gory. In a weird way, the conclusion left me feeling rather affable towards the killer, which is not something I am used to feeling when reading such a sinister psychological thriller. I thought the last page presented an intriguing, and almost rational, side to 4MK.

Dark, dirty and downright gritty, this was a clear five star read! For those of you who have the stomach for it, pre-order it now! For the more feint-hearted amongst you, pre-order it now and read it through the gaps in your fingers. This is a book not to be missed!

A cross between Se7en and Hannibal they say....... what they didn't say is 'and then some!' The Fourth Monkey is a book that once started I struggled to put it down even in the dead of night!

Porter is a 50 something Chicago Metro detective recovering from a personal traumatic event. He gets called out to a scene whereby a man has been run over by a public bus. The victim is the notorious Fourth Monkey Killer aka #4MK who has been terrorising the city of Chicago for the past few years. Porter has been the man hot on his tail but the killer always remains a few steps ahead. A personal diary is recovered from the scene and gives Porter a psychological insight into the mind of a depraved killer. Slowly through different narratives a story is revealed as to why the The Monkey Killer is why the way that he is.

This is one heck of a read that once grabbed me by the jugular just refused to let go until the very last page. Many times I thought I knew where roads were leading only to be thrown completely off and blown away by the latest reveal. As I read along it just got better and better and there were times where I swear I stopped breathing.

The Fourth Monkey is a fast paced thriller that left me gasping. I literally couldn't turn the pages quick enough and even forsake meals!! Yes..... sometimes eating gets in the way of a good book!

I highly recommend this one and dearly hope there will be more ...... please Mr Barker!

Thank you to those involved for my review copy.


My review as posted on Goodreads. Will post on Amazon on publication.

Thanks again!

I am only 200 page in and I can honestly say this book, is utterly fantastic.
This is not just another book, books of this quality in my opinion come around so rarely, that I am torturing myself because I have put it on hold to read on my summer holiday,if you buy one book to take with you on your holidays this summer PLEASE do you self a massive favour and get The Fourth Monkey by J.D. Barker without question EPIC in every sense,and destined to be a huge bestseller.

This is a fase paced and well scripted story, really liked the depth in which the author wound the plot around a piece of information, that we only get to find out near the end of the story, GZ! Mr Barker :)
Spoilers aside, I found myself eagerly awaiting bedtime, so I could have some reading tiem ( do not really get the chance to read during the day) it wasn't until I couldnt keep my eyes open anymore, did I put it down.
This is a dark and quite twisted novel, featuring, murder and mutilation, where body parts are delivered to families of his victims bit by bits, but he does have a reason for this ...dont they all?
If you are into serial killers / murder and mayhem then this HAS to be on your list for the summer.

Well maybe I'm just blood thirsty but I didn't think this book was as scary as others have made it out to be!!!....it was scary and had me on the edge of my seat but I've read scarier books!!....

I loved the book and the way you learnt about the 4MK killer through his fairy and it all started to fit together once you read the diary more and more!

I actually started to feel sorry for the serial killer haha that's a new one for me! Fast paced with twists and turns galore a definite must read for anyone who likes to be on the edge of their seats and wants to stay awake long into the night....!!!

We all know the tale of the three monkeys: Hear No Evil, See No Evil and Speak no Evil but there's a fourth monkey and he represents Do No Evlil. Detective Sam Porter is still off work after the death of his wife but is called in when it appears a serial killer he's been chasing for nearly a decade has abducted another victim. The Fourth Monkey killer abducts the daughters of people he thinks have done evil in some way but now it looks like he's died - hit by a bus. Is this person the Fourth Monkey Killer? Will Sam and his colleagues find the girl he's abducted and what has her father done to be deemed as evil? Dark and disturbing this was a fantastic read from the opening chapters.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read and review this book - I really enjoyed reading it and look forward to the next one.

There are some books that stay in your mind for the sheer mental images they produce. This is one of those books. Very Stephen King with all the vivid torture and horror scenes. A bit graphic in places, I'm not going to lie but the overall effect was one I almost fainted as a result of the denouement.
It's a macabre plot with someone called the Monkey Killer having terrorised the city of Chicago for more than 5 years. A city on the edge - well I was by the end of the book. What does go on inside the mind of a writer never mind a serial killer? Jeepers, It's raw and relentless - Imagine I felt very similar to the characters in the book. Although the horrors in which one victim is placed - well I don't want to go there!

It's taunt, fast paced and relentless. Any future visits to Chicago are going to be marked with this macabre history but I may well stroll past Chicago PD and salute Sam Porter. If he comes back in another novel, I will be reading - maybe with both eyes covered like that monkey...

A novel which stabs you, twists the knife and leaves you reeling. And remember the proverb don't see, hear or speak any evil. And then just remember there is a fourth monkey who might just do all three.

Had me hooked from the start,really enjoyed this book.

I've found it particularly difficult to write a review for this one. Whenever I tried to transfer my thoughts to paper ( ok ipad ) I found that ( in my excitement) I seemed to be giving away some small detail that would possibly spoil it for other readers. The shock and horror that I personally felt whilst reading this story, would have little value for others if they knew what they were about to read.

Unusually, the story begins with the death of the man known as The Fourth Monkey Killer, a killer that has terrorised Chicago for the last 5 years. We're all familiar with the three monkeys - hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. The fourth monkey represents 'do no evil' which, coming from a serial killer is something of a contradiction in terms!


On the day he dies, he was about to deliver a message to police informing them of his latest abduction, so the race is now on to discover her whereabouts before it's too late.


The killer leaves behind a handful of clues for Detective Sam Porter, not least a personal diary, which dates back to his childhood. Herein lies the fascination with this story - this was no ordinary childhood - and his thoughts and actions (given his age) are utterly chilling!

Oh boy, this was a completely gripping storyline , but exceptionally graphic, and not for the squeamish. It played havoc with my emotions and was really distressing at times, yet impossible to put down.

So why, if I found parts of it so distressing would I rate it 5 Stars? Well, it was an exceptionally clever and well thought out plot - the writing was simply superb - and the author brought this serial killer very much to life, the minutiae of his life story was utterly absorbing, and then there was the conclusion - just when I thought it had ended, when everything had been done and dusted, there was another twist right on the last page, and oh boy was it a cracker!!

As psycholigcal thrillers go, it doesn't get any better than this. A remarkable read that I think will be one of the stand out books of 2017!

* Thank you to Netgalley, HQ and J.D.Barker for my ARC for which I have given an honest unbiased review*

3.5 ⭐⭐⭐

I know I'm in the minority here but I thought this was a book with promise but
elements of it for me were too drawn out, unrealistic and overly descriptive. Also I didn't think it needed the case summaries/lists to recap what we have already read.

The diary entries however were great and I could have read a whole book of these, I was desperate to know what happened next with each entry.

Although the rat scene in the basement?

There was real potential here though and I would read future books by the author as I can see he is developing a certain style that I enjoy, suspenseful and twisty.

I loved both Se7en and Silence of the lambs so as this was touted to rival both I had to give it a read and was pleasantly surprised, in a gruesome sort of way.
It has a bit of everything – humour, gore, intrigue, hungry rats, corrupt property tycoon billionaires with a penchant for golf and a bit of a mushy human angst backstory as well as some serious torture and serial killing. The diary entries worked really well and moved the story on nicely.
A very quick and compulsive read, I can see this paperback being a runaway bestseller and a popular holiday read.

I’m very much looking forward to Detective Sam Porter’s next instalment.

I really, really loved this book!

Violence, humour, unsettling yet family orientated diary enteries, well written story that weaves well together despite the twists and turns and a wonderful cast of characters.

I need more books with these people, much more!!

One of the best books of 2017 so far.

When Detective Sam Porter is called to an accident where a man was hit by a city bus, he's at first sceptical. However, this man is holding a box containing a woman's ear; the first item usually send by a serial killer called the 4 Monkey Killer. In his possession is a diary, some change and a dry cleaning slip. Now Sam has to try and find the person's whom the ear belongs to, whilst working out the relevance of the items.
I really enjoyed this book. Rotating between chapters focussing on the police force, the kidnapped woman and 4MK's diary, the tension is quickly built up. This book is graphic, but horribly realistic. Disfigurements, torture and lots and lots of rats pass by in a whirlwind. I found it hard to put down this book, and the diary was intriguing enough to be an entirely separate book.
I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more books from J. D. Barker, especially those featuring Sam Porter.

Excellent book! Great characters and a brilliant storyline. I would highly recommend this book.