A Killing in Paradise by Elliot F. Sweeney
(Narrated by Elliot Fitzpatrick)

Wow...! This is a great written dark crime fiction! I loved the way that Dylan Kasper, who was the private investigator, to investigate the crime. As a private investigator gave him flexibility to work on the case and also gave the readers some good content that there might be some restriction to the police!

With the exciting story plot, great narrator and thrillingly dark investigation, these all deserved a 4-starred rating!

Many thanks to Netgalley, Headline Audio, Wildfire and the author for my copy.

Pub date: Jun 6 2024

"A Killing in Paradise" by Elliot F. Sweeney is a gripping psychological thriller that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. As soon as I was introduced to the murder on the notorious Paradise estate, I knew I was in for a thrilling ride. The story follows out-of-work private investigator Dylan Kasper as he delves into the dark underbelly of the neighbourhood to uncover the truth behind the killing.
Sweeney masterfully builds tension and suspense throughout the narrative, keeping me guessing at every turn. The graphic descriptions of torture were chilling, and I found myself fully immersed in the harrowing events unfolding before me. The anxiety and stress were palpable, and there were moments when I had to set the book aside to catch my breath.
The final twist in the story took me completely by surprise, and I was left reeling by the unexpected revelation. Sweeney's storytelling kept me hooked until the end, and I was thoroughly satisfied with the conclusion.
The audiobook, narrated by Elliot Fitzpatrick, perfectly complements the story. Fitzpatrick's voice and delivery added more depth to the narrative, enhancing my enjoyment of the book.
Ex-DI Kasper is a complex and compelling protagonist, and I found myself rooting for him as he navigated the treacherous world of the investigation. The dark and twisted secrets he uncovers shed light on the brutal reality of a world where money reigns supreme and human life is expendable.
Overall, "A Killing in Paradise" is a riveting and adrenaline-pumping read that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This intense and gripping tale will not disappoint fans of psychological thrillers and gritty detective stories.

A Killing in Paradise by Elliot Sweeney

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Wildfire and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

A young man has been murdered on the notorious Paradise estate in London. The police have their assumptions; out-of-work private investigator Dylan Kasper, more than familiar with the neighbourhood, has his own.

Kasper takes it upon himself to get to the bottom of the killing. He soon discovers the reason the boy was killed that the police will never find - or want to find. A highly incriminating piece of evidence tying an illegal production company to the government and police alike.

But this is just the beginning. Kasper has made a name for himself getting under the skin of the most brutal killers in the capital. When those dearest to Kasper are suddenly thrust into view, he will have to make an impossible choice. Will the inhabitants of Paradise feel safe at last, if the price must be paid in blood?

My Opinion

This is the second book in the Dylan Kasper series but I have read it as a standalone, I feel that enough information on the backstory was provided to allow this. This is a psychological thriller that is packed with drama. Kasper gets involved in quite a dark investigation so this book is not going to be for everyone. Will Kasper be able to solve the case before anyone else gets hurt?

I'd hesitate to say that this was an enjoyable read due to the themes, but it was a well-written gripping thriller.

Rating 4/5

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Killing in Paradise by Elliot F. Sweeney an audiobook narrated by Elliot Fitzpatrick is an anxiety-building psychological thriller full of action. It's like a psychological thriller combined with a detective story.
Trigger warning: torture
It wasn't very clear at the beginning, but once the ball was rolling, oh my dear! There are some really graphic descriptions of torture, that I literally could imagine in front of my eyes, and because of that suspense and stress were built to the highest level! There were parts where I thought my heart would skip the beat! So I needed to take a break and turn back the next day but if I am looking at the book as a whole, I absolutely enjoyed it! And the final twist was spot on! I would not see that coming in a hundred years!

I really enjoyed the narrator! This was a good choice! It was like it was meant to be! I believe that good narration added to the fact I enjoyed this book!

Ex DI Kasper gets involved in the dark investigation. He never wanted to do it but once he started he could not stop! The things he discovers open a dark-illegal world where human life has no value! Money dictates the rules and decides who will live and who will die. Soon Kasper learns that he can't trust anyone!

Thank you, NetGalley, Headline Audio, and Wildfire for this copy!

I wasn't keen on the narrator of this book. I find him a little dull, which is a shame because it detracted from a great book.
This is the second book I have listened to by this author and once again he has written a really gritty and extremely upsetting piece of work. He tells the stories of those living at the lowest rung of the social ladder with grace and understanding. The lead, Dylan, is a damaged but lovable (in my eyes) character who fights to put right the wrongs he is faced with but may be a little too naive in who he trusts along the way.
Don't read this if you are easily traumatised. Elliot Sweeney does not hold back.

This is the second in Elliot F. Sweeney's gritty and hard hitting London based series featuring the guilt ridden PI Dylan Kaspar, still grieving the loss of his daughter who committed suicide, living with retired former psychiatrist, Dr Steiner. I both read and listened to this on audio, narrated reasonably well by Elliot Fitzpatrick, and which is 11 hours and 40 minutes long. I should warn readers that this is a particularly gory and upsetting addition, with a too high dead bodies count, and takes in the horrifying filmed murders of young women for the purpose of snuff movies. It all begins with Mani taking Kaspar to a women's boxing match in a community hall, it turns he has an ulterior motive, as he introduces him to the talented and promising winner, the boxer Patience.

Patience lives in the poverty stricken and troubled London council estate of Paradise, she has suffered the loss of her father, and her 14 year old brother, Kwame Mensah, has been recently knifed to death, a crime that attracted no police investigation, and apparently witnessed by local crook, drug dealer and cafe owner, Terry Kinsella, his account raising suspicions. Patience shows Kaspar the truly disturbing and macabre film on a camcorder stolen by Kwame which suggests the real reason behind his murder. Patience is in no position to be able to pay, and Kaspar initially agrees to do a day's work for free, only to find himself unable to drop the case, so desperate is he to catch the 2 men committing such heinous crimes. However, he underestimates the criminal power and ruthlessness of those he is up against.

Those close to him are in danger, targets to ensure Kaspar complies with villainous demands, and he finds himself under the kind of dangers and case that will test his moral fibre and change him for good, along with others too, such as DS Diane McAteer and Suzanna McGovern, and there is a shocking final reveal at the end that is to underline the morally ambiguous territory he has now entered. There is an unevenness to the storytelling, plotting, and in the character of Kaspar in the way he handles the most gruesome of cases. After reaching the end, I was left wondering where the author will take Kaspar in his next outing. I would not recommend this to the faint of heart, and do recommend the audio and the book. Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC and the ALC.

This book sounded like it would be right up my street. An ex-copper turned PI/vigilante goes after a group who murdered a young boy on a large London council estate? Sign me up.

When Patience's young brother is murdered, the cops don't seem to care. Patience wants Kasper to investigate. Kasper quickly discovers the boy accidentally stumbled upon a large-scale snuff film industry targeting local women sex workers. Soon the bodies are piling up around him.

I wanted to like this one. I really did. And I'm grateful to the publisher for the chance to read it. But this book irked me. Were it not for the fact it was an ARC, I would have stopped reading as soon as it became clear this was a cis White man writing about male violence against women. Honestly, I suspect this author doesn't think he hates women.

Who would enjoy this book? Probably a whole lot of people. I'm not one of them, though.

This novel is compelling in much the same way a car crash is. The plot is soap-operaish. The characters are amalgams of outdated stereotypes (e.g. about immigrants, women, people of colour, council estates) and overused tropes (e.g. tart with a heart, PI with a drink problem, etc.). As for setting, he seems to have used episodes of Casualty as a guide to what life is like on an urban council estate.

Towards the end, there's an uncritical reference to the crime fiction written by 'that woman famous for writing about wizards' and let's just say … that tracks.

My thanks to Headline and the author for the chance to read this one. I'm sorry I couldn't write a nicer review.

On the plus side, the narrator did an excellent job.

I enjoyed it although I felt there was a hell of a lot going on - police corruption, prostitute's, child abuse, murder, suicide and a lot more.
I think I few less twists and turns might have been nice, but it still was an ok story.
Narrator was fine - wasn't quite sure his educated voice matched Kaspar, the main character, but wasn't offensive.
3 stars.

A down and dirty ex cop gets roped into helping a desperate teenager and before long they find themselves tangled in the despicable and cruel underworld of the city....the familiarity and predictability of the plot makes this a quick and easy read but the rich cast of characters helps keep it interesting and more memorable than most.

Not for the faint of heart, this is a gripping thriller. With its multi-layered mystery and violent themes, it throws you curveball after curveball with each chapter.

As it turns out, life on the Paradise Estate is about as far from paradise as you can possibly get.