I stayed up well past my bedtime last night to finish this book which I only started the previous night. It is such a compulsive read and impossible to put down especially towards the end.

DI Grace Archer hopes for a quiet introduction to her new role. She had a traumatic experience when she was a child which has stayed with her. She is living with her grandfather who is showing signs of dementia. She finds her boyfriend is cheating. All of which mean Grace is having a particularly difficult time. I can’t imagine she would have expected for her first case to be investigating the murders of 3 homeless men, posed in glass cases in formaldehyde. A so called art installation by the new and unknown ‘artist’ ‘@nonymous’ which he has called ‘The Forsaken’.

Yet that is what she finds herself investigating and she is first on the scene.

The ‘artist’ is sitting in a cafe, making notes of the customers and waitresses who are going to be perfect for his next artwork. He is very cunning and investigates his subjects on social media and dating apps in order to get close to them.

He posts real time on the internet when he murders his victims and also when he watches them without them knowing.

As other reviewers have said, it is quite obvious who the murderer is from quite early on, but it is interesting following the police as they track him down and get tripped up with red herrings along the way.

A good debut which I hope is the start of a new series as I would certainly like to read more about DI Grace Archer.

Thank you to Bonnier Books and NetGalley for an advance copy for review. I have a signed copy of the book on order.

Thank you to Bonnier Books for my ARC, which proved a fantastic read!

I love police procedurals, and this was no exception! Though macabre, the story was brilliantly executed, and the interwoven themes of art, serial killing, and dogged pursuit were skilfully written.

David developed some excellent characters in the story, and the backstory of DI Grace Archer offered a subtle yet defining sub-plot. I look forward to reading more of the developing relationship between Grace and DS Harry Quinn!

For those who prefer the serial killing, thriller or police procedural genres, this book offers the lot! I highly recommend it!

The Art of Death is a pretty run-of-the-mill serial killer thriller set in London and introduces newly promoted thirty-year-old DI Grace Archer as she prepares to start her first day at Charing Cross Police Station, where she is due to replace the detective she arrested for corruption. Prepared to face hostility from boss, DCI Clare Pierce, who was in a relationship with the corrupt cop, Grace’s first day is a baptism of fire that begins when she and DS Harry Quinn are called to a grotesque art installation outside a central London landmark. Confronted by the corpses of three homeless men floating in glass vitrines of formaldehyde, all being live streamed on social media, it is the latest work of an incognito artist who calls himself @nonymous. With more ‘exhibits’ in the same vein promised to follow in quick succession Grace is immediately on the back foot with a muckraking tabloid journalist eager to expose her own brush with death in childhood.

DI Grace Archer’s backstory is wildly over-the-top and unbelievable (specifically that at the age of twelve she escaped from and became the sole survivor of a child serial killer) and Fennell elaborates extensively on it to the point where it intrudes on the investigation and the book begins to feel all about Grace facing down a second serial killer. Together with the implausibility that she would have been immediately drafted into the position of the detective she had arrested, and expected to report to DCI Pierce, it is not the most auspicious start to the book. However DI Grace Archer and sardonic DS Harry Quinn make an agreeable team despite Archer initially ruffling a few feathers by demanding to lead the investigation and parachuting in transsexual NCA analyst, friend and tech whizz, Klara Clark. There were early signs of a rapport developing between this trio who all have seem to have a solid work ethic and sense of humour which bodes well for future outings, with bigoted DI Rodney Hicks keen to undermine Grace and take the lead in the investigation.

The novel is narrated in the third person and largely told from the perspective of Grace with the exception of interludes that follow @nonymous and the lives of his intended victims prior to falling into his clutches. The investigation is largely reactive due to the quick succession in which further exhibits appear meaning there is precious little opportunity to even begin identifying possible future targets. The results mostly come by way of Clark’s deft scrutiny of CCTV and monitoring of ANPR cameras, not making for a particularly exciting case. The novel itself cracks along at a decent pace and whilst suspension of disbelief is pretty much standard with every serial killer novel, with The Art of Death it is a necessity with laughably gory deaths, fantastical staging and a hefty body count. Whilst it’s obviously nigh on impossible to bring anything new to the serial killer thriller genre I was disappointed at how cliché-ridden and hackneyed The Art of Death felt even down to what seems to be the now de rigueur method of selecting victims via social media. The perpetrator isn’t particularly well disguised and, along with his obvious intention to target DI Grace Archer, the reveal is very little of a surprise. Overall a solid read but not one that left me particularly excited about future outings from DI Grace Archer or offerings from David Fennell.

AN INTENSELY CREEPY SERIAL KILLER THRILLER DEBUT, FOR FANS OF CHRIS CARTER, M. W. CRAVEN AND THE WHISPER MAN. Death is an art, and he is the master . . . Three glass cabinets appear in London’s Trafalgar Square containing a gruesome art installation: the floating corpses of three homeless men. Shock turns to horror when it becomes clear that the bodies are real. The cabinets are traced to @nonymous – an underground artist shrouded in mystery who makes a chilling promise: MORE WILL FOLLOW. Eighteen years ago, Detective Inspector Grace Archer escaped a notorious serial killer. Now, she and her caustic DS, Harry Quinn, must hunt down another. As more bodies appear at London landmarks and murders are livestreamed on social media, their search for @nonymous becomes a desperate race against time. But what Archer doesn’t know is that the killer is watching their every move – and he has his sights firmly set on her . . . He is creating a masterpiece. And she will be the star of his show. ****AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW**** Praise for The Art of Death: ‘I flew through it . . . tense, gripping and brilliantly inventive’ SIMON LELIC ‘Unsettling, fast-paced, suspenseful and gripping . . . Excellent’ WILL DEAN ‘A serial killer thriller with the darkest of hearts’ FIONA CUMMINS ‘A tense-as-hell high-body count page turner, but a rarer thing too – one that’s also full of genuine warmth and humanity’ WILLIAM SHAW

The second I read the description of this book; I knew I would love it. Murder mysteries, thrillers and serial killer books are my absolute favourite. Everything about this book is perfect, the characters (especially Grace Archer) are very likable and relatable (not the serial killer) which made the book even better.

I read the book so quickly as I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen next. The plot was very unique and I don’t think I have read anything like it before.

The crimes included were very graphic at times and also quite gruesome, so if you find these topics triggering or uncomfortable, be wary reading the book.

I 100% recommend this to thriller and murder mystery lovers. It would be interesting to see whether this could be part of a series as the ending leaves it open for future cases.

‘The Art Of Death’ is out February 4th and you can buy it everywhere.

What a macabre debut this is! Certainly not for the faint hearted!
DI Grace Archer has quite a disturbing history herself and joins a new team, newly promoted. She immediately pairs up well with DS Harry Quinn and they make a formidable pair chasing an 'artistic' serial killer.
A definite page turner. I had my suspicions as to the perpetrator quite early but it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the story.
Do hope this is the start of a series of books featuring these characters.
Many thanks to Netgalley/David Fennell/Bonnier Books UK for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

A chillingly creepy serial killer, a strong yet damaged female lead, cliffhanger chapter endings driving you on to read "just one more", what more could you want?

DI Grace Harper faces problems from all directions: a serial killer claiming he's an artist is leaving displays of bodies around the capital, her new team don't like her because she's just arrested their old boss, her Grandad is suffering from dementia & she is still haunted by her childhood trauma. This story is multifaceted & each one brings you closer to Grace, she is a great central character surrounded by a good but less explored secondary cast & hope there's going to be more from them all.

I really enjoyed the build up in this book, the trail of breadcrumbs leading to the killer & the red herrings which had me questioning whether I'd guessed right. The ending has set this story up for more & I can see @nonymous featuring as a side story in any future novels.

A cracking debut novel from @mrdavidfennell

I quite liked Archer & Quinn but the story never got me particularly interested. It was gritty though and would appeal to a lot of readers.

I rather think that the Chris Carter reference is misleading; Carter's stories of late have been gory and gratuitous in the extreme. The killings in The Art of Death at least have a "logic" behind them however misguided that "logic" may be.

The opening scenes were rather interesting and unusual, but I did feel as the story and the killings progressed that it was becoming more and more unlikely and I spent some time focusing on the logistics of the mass killings rather than the story itself. Archer is a sympathetic hero, with a backstory that I felt needed a little more padding out and I did feel that her interaction with the civilian neighbour helping out her grandfather was rather naive to say the least.

Despite some niggles and to my mind the early reveal of the killer I did enjoy the book and if, as I suspect, we'll be seeing more of DI Archer I will certainly read more. I'm just a little disappointed that the book wasn't as "different" as I was expecting.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

The Art of Death is a clever and twisted serial killer thriller which, for me, sits somewhere between Detective fiction and an episode of Dexter (more the TV show rather than the books). Now I mention Dexter because the book has echoes of the showmanship of the killer, the way in which they present the bodies to the public, rather than you taking anything from this about the nature of either the lead Detective or the antagonist. It was more the vibe, the intent of the killer to depict their murders as, just as the title suggests, a work of art.

Nothing in this book is especially gruesome in the way it is depicted, although the very nature of what the killer does is, in itself, pretty unsettling. In the main, the violence is left off the page, that which is portrayed done so in a less than graphic way, but with enough detail to leave readers in no doubt about what has, and is about to, occur. The story is not about the act of murder as much as the way in which the killer is choosing their victims and the motivations for what they are doing. Rather than dispose of their victims, they are left in plain sight, something which has adds a sense of urgency to the investigation.

The story is told predominantly from two points of view - that of the investigative team , more specifically newly appointed Detective Inspector Grace Archer, and of the killer, the self titled @nonymous. Grace Archer has a dark past of her own, something which gives her a kind of empathy for the victims and also appears to be a minor impediment in terms of her reaction to the crime scenes. The killer - well, they are twisted and yet fully logical and methodical in their approach. David Fennell has done a good job in depicting a character who is clearly dark of heart and mind, and yet fully able to justify to themselves, and therefore to readers, how rational their decisions and their actions are. It's a difficult balance when creating a character who is clearly quite disturbed, and yet the author keeps things just tight enough to make them believable.

As readers we are treated to the perspective of some of the victims too, their lives, their thoughts and the reasons why they find themselves the target of a serial killer. Their points of view are carefully crafted, and it makes it easy to see how many of them fell prey to the killer, but also creates those moments of frustration where I knew the inevitable will happen and you wonder just how dumb someone could still be in this day and age. It was still credible, just, but I did wonder whether this is just highlighting the need for a real push in internet safety for adults. Kids are way more switched on than we are it seems.

If you are a fan of serial killer novels then I think you will get a real buzz out of this one. It is not gratuitous but it is inventive, and the characters are compelling and intriguing enough to hold your attention right to the end. I'm an curious to see what comes next from the author and how, and if, he can top the creativity of his first antagonist. With a story that is infused with tension, and a pace that is pitched just right to draw readers on to the jeopardy laden showdown that will have you on the edge of the seat, this is sure to be a popular pick for crime lovers everywhere.

Well, when M.W. Craven recommends a book, who am I not to rush onto netgalley to request an early copy. I am so glad I did!

What a page turner this was! This was such a fast paced, well written story with so many likeable characters that I am really looking forward to seeing where Fennell will take them. I gave this 5 stars even though I guessed who the killer was early on but the amount of twists and turns in the story kept me wondering if I was correct. If you don't like them gory, then this isn't for you but this is a fantastic thriller and I highly recommend!

Trafalgar Square has a new art display - three glass cabinets. When they are revealed things go from art to murder. Newly-promoted DI Grace Archer is assigned the case, and with her partner DS Quinn, they must move quickly as the artist has promised there is more to come.
When more exhibits are streamed live the search becomes desperate, and Grace starts to realise she may be closer to the killer than she thinks.
In a race to reveal the murderers identity she will have to use all her whits and avoid becoming the artist’s star attraction.
An intensely dark novel with incredibly intense scenes that will have the reader gripped from the grisly start to its spectacular end.
A story that can only be described as breathtakingly brilliant. A page-turner which I found impossible to put down.
A true masterpiece.

Gritty thriller with good,interesting characters and lots of twists. The main character is good and her struggle to prove herself amongst antagonistic colleagues while worrying about her ailing grandad and solve the murders makes for an exciting read.

I loved the main detective, her grandfather and her back story, so I'm really hoping this is the start of a series. I found this didn't grab my attention at the beginning, maybe because I'm not a fan of the killer's pov. Yes, he's weird and he wants to kill people...yawn; I just wish we could discover that from the detective's perspective. I'm glad I stuck with it though, as (again aside from killer's POV) it was an entertaining and gripping story. I also enjoyed the details the writer added to the victim's stories, making the reader feel their loss more sharply. Often the victim's are 'painted by numbers' characters; only there to provide a crime to investigate.

My thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Overall, I enjoyed The Art of Death which is an inventive take on the serial killer genre. I have read 2 previous books, about artists and serial killers one was terrible, the other brilliant like this one. Each of them did have their own angle on the basic premise.

This is mainly told from newly promoted DI Grace Archer’s point of view, which is interspersed with sections on the victims’ lives in the lead up to their deaths and some chapters told from the killer’s POV, these help to ensure the tension never waivers. It is very worrying how easily the killer lures his victims in, through social media and dating apps. Just off to check my privacy settings. The victims’ stories are a little repetitive but illustrate how easy it is to take advantage of lonely people.

I really liked the investigation, which seems to me to be well run and as organised as it could be, when constantly having to react to unknown. DI Archer’s team is a mixed bunch that works well. She is extremely likeable, intuitive and relatable, with an interesting back story. DS Harry Quinn also has an interesting back story. The other DI – Hicks is one of those detectives that thinks he is a lot better than he is. The DCI Clare Pierce, who is not very welcoming to DI Archer at first but thaws out a little and there is hint of some history. Then there is Klara Clarke, they are an unusual character with many technical and analytical talents!

Overall a great inventive story with a good plot that is well written. There are elements of suspense and multiple twists and turns. I did identify the killer fairy early on, but there were enough twists and misdirection’s to make me doubt my decision. I hope this is the beginning of a series, as there is much to praise in this crime novel, and I want to read more about the characters in future.
A thrilling and satisfying read, many thanks to David Fennell

I used to read a lot of crime/thriller stuff as a kid for two reasons:
1. It felt rebellious reading things that would give you the creeps
2. I could nab my mum’s books and not have to pay for them

Yet as an adult who’s currently surviving my way through a shitty pandemic, I found myself drifting over to YA in an attempt to avoid doom and gloom when it came to reading. That was until I noticed The Art of Death listed as Goldsboro’s February book option and I was like allllllright you have my attention once again.

BEFORE WE GET STARTED – this book has some trigger warnings that I’d feel like an ass not bringing to your attention: murder (obvs), violence, catfishing, transphobia and confinement (minor). If any of those are triggers for you, I’d probably avoid.

Cool, so if you’re here for the TL;DR, sorry for making you wait:
✨ London without the shitting pandemic sweeping through it
✨ One badass woman Detective Inspector fighting through her own traumas to stop other people going through equally traumatic shit
✨ An artist who will murder (literally) for their art

Interested? Good because you probably should be.

Grace Archer. Oh Gracie. How I wish to wrap you up in a warm, heated blanket and become your new best friend. A recently appointed (like the first day on the job kinda recent) DI, Grace swans on into her new office to glares, makes pals with DS Harvey Quinn and before you know it, they’re off viewing some nice art installation in Trafalgar Square. Except the art is a triple homicide of homeless men.

Your murderous pal LOVES having their work seen. So, naturally, they live stream all of it through social media which spreads like bloody wildfire.

So who is this person? Kinda part of the book, dear reader, but let me tell you this – some chapters are from their perspective. And it’s creepy as fuck because it’s horrifically relatable / gives me the heebie-jeebies.

This book goes fast. Do not blink or you will miss something important and you’ll find yourself questioning what just happened. A wee caveat on that – this ain’t no bad thing. Promise.

It’s only weakness? It just didn’t suck me into the world as much as I would like. Would I read another one from the same series? Hell yes. Should you read this at night? Hell no because my dreams are easily infiltrated. Don’t make the same mistake as I did.

Grace and Harry (Garry) take over the world. Sign me up.

I love a crime thriller that has a dark heart and veers towards the gruesome side and The Art Of Death by David Fennell ticks both boxes. Move over Banksy there’s a new artist in town! @nonymous is setting the world alight with his ‘living art’, it’s not art for the feint hearted as the artist has a very warped, sadistic imagination. The killer first murders his victims and then exhibits them in public places, and streams his macrabe ‘works of art’ live on social media. 

Newly promoted Detective Inspector Grace Archer is leading the case, and like many fictional Detective she comes with a fair deal of baggage, she’s not portrayed as a gun-ho all guns blazing protagonist, which when you read a lot of crime thrillers makes a refreshing change. Her sidekick DS, Harry Quinn, adds a well-needed dose of light humour to this dark read. The Art Of Death isn’t particularly descriptive or gory, but the crimes committed give the plot a creepy edge. I genuinely enjoyed Fennel’s concise style of writing. He tells the story without getting bogged down in incidental details that can often detract from a plot. 

The chapters told from the killer’s POV ensure the tension never waivers, It’s beyond creepy how the killer lures his victims in through social media and dating apps. My heart was in my mouth, as he enticed each victim into their web, especially knowing each one is going to make a gristly death. As the killings escalate, the tension ramps up a notch, compelling the reader on to the heart stopping conclusion. I found The Art Of Death to be a cracking read, it’s fast-paced, creepy, and it keeps you guessing which is always a bonus. An assured debut from new crime author on the block, David Fennell. Highly recommended to all crime thriller lovers.

Loved, Loved, Loved this book. I haven’t read a book as good as this for some time. I really hope that this is just the start of Grace Archer’s series??

I found the serial killer’s character was really interesting. He came across as charming but oh so creepy! Made me once again think about what people get access to on social media.

I loved the relationship between Grace and her grandfather. The way she is torn between her job and her ailing grandad brings a lump to the throat.

I think if more books are in the pipeline Grace’s relationships with her colleagues will become fuller. She had only just started working with them but is starting to breakdown walls after reporting one of their colleagues who was having an affair with her new DCI!

I would thoroughly recommend reading this book. I read it in less than 24 hrs. I just couldn’t put it down!

It is written in a way that flows. It has shocks, a definite creepiness but I do think this would make a great TV series, like a Prime Suspect style drama.

Count me in for the next book 📖

What a cracking debut. Now I had heard of live art, but this is the other extreme as a psycho artist displays the people which he has killed as exhibits that everyone can see. The works of art have titles, the first three victims are homeless, called “The Forsaken”, and he streamed it online @nonymous. These are not by any means random killings, and they certainly aren’t the last.


Oh wow, if you are a little squeamish then walk away if not then you are in for a brutal and heart-pounding few hours. Although this was Grace Archer’s first day as a DI, this case already had that make or break feel about it. The pace is like lightening and the story complex but it is all put together in such a way that each display makes it unforgettable.

Grace is a complex character herself with a team that comes across like water and oil, but it works. This nut job has a finale in mind that could have easily made this a memorable stand-alone but ……….. I am looking forward to more from this author who has created a very likeable DI that you can’t help but get behind.


I wish to thank Net Galley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

The Art of Death was an utterly unputdownable book for me. I started it and finished it in one day. I really enjoyed the concept and thought it was well written. Archer was a great character, I really liked getting to know her. The Art of Death is grisly, dark and completely engaging. Bloody brilliant!

D.I. Grace Archer a newly promoted officer is transferred to Charing Cross Police Station. Her first partner is DS Harry Quinn and their first case together involves a series of gruesome, macabre murders displayed publicly in the centre of London.

Characterisation is a bit 'thin on the ground', but the story is exceptional and involves dead bodies and a newish form of art. No other spoilers from me.

Superb ending and maybe the start of a new series with Grace and Harry? I hope so.

Thanks to Net Galley and Bonnier Books UK for the chance to read and review.