oh goodness this was okay but... honestly some of the plot threads didn't feel like they really connectedl. thanks for the arc tho

This was a totally fun and intense trip of a book. What a great thriller read. I absolutely enjoyed every moment of this. The book started out with a bang and it kept riding on that high all the way to the end.

Death Pact was a well thought-out and planned novel, and I couldn't wait to get back to read the next move and the next move. The characters were interesting enough and boy, it kept on coming. This cult-centered book went beyond what I expected and I couldn't rave enough about this. If you like a deep and intense storyline much like an episode of Criminal Minds, you'll really enjoy this. You just would get more and more than expected.

I kept thinking, however, that the book cover didn't match with the intensity of the book. It almost stirred away from how vigorous this book could get, but that might just be me. All in all, I was so glad to get to know this author's work, because I'm now truly a fan!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this amazing thriller. All opinions are my own.

The Death Pact by Matt Hilton is an intense, spine-chilling dive into the darkest corners of human nature. If you thought angels were all about harps and halos, this book will shatter that illusion. Former detective Nate Freeman, haunted by a past entwined with a cult, is dragged back into a nightmare as a serial killer with a divine mission starts picking off the 'Children of Hamor'. The brutality is visceral, the tension relentless, and the stakes couldn't be higher as Nate races to save himself and his brother Will.

Hilton masterfully blends crime, horror, and a dash of the supernatural, creating a story that's as addictive as it is disturbing. Fans of Thomas Harris and Douglas Preston will revel in the gruesome details and the complex, morally grey characters. The pacing is spot-on, with each twist tightening the knot in your stomach until the explosive finale. I was left breathless, questioning if this really is a standalone or the start of something bigger. Either way, I’m here for it.

Hilton has outdone himself—The Death Pact is an unmissable read for any crime thriller enthusiast.

Thankfully I've FINALLY finished reading this book, and when I tell you it feels like I've been reading it for literal years.

To begin with I really got into it, it felt interesting and different and I loved the idea of the cult and the way that was feeding into the story.

I really liked how the author started building on the relationship with Grant and Nate.

But then around the halfway mark I started to feel like I was wading through treacle whilst trying to read it.

The sentence structure and writing started to drop off and go downhill, and that meant that the relationships and character building just wasn't as good. Everything felt forced and I found it hard to feel anything for them.

And whilst I appreciate it's a book and anything goes, it did start to feel like it had gone off the rails a bit and things were just getting a bit all over the place.

I can't lie, from about 85% onwards I just skim read a lot of it as I couldn't bring myself to keep reading properly.

Disappointed with this one, as I felt it had some great potential but around halfway started to miss the mark before completely going off the rails.

I enjoyed this thriller with plenty of twists and enough suspence to keep me turning pages fast.
Well plotted and entertaining, a solid plot.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I enjoyed this book, it was full of twists and turns, however I felt like it dragged in some places and I think I was able to read it as I read it quite quickly, I think it would have been harder to do if I kept putting it down.

A cult has been doing terrible things. Including murdering their own when ambushed by authorities.

Years later some murders begin to some of the survivors. Is it one of them?

Brutal killings and plenty of trigger warnings. I did enjoy it. Thank you to the publisher and Matt Hilton for the opportunity.
3.5 ⭐️ raised to 4

Death Pact by Matt Hilton  is a thriller about a man who has tried to hide his childhood experience of being in a cult.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Severn House and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 
My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions):
As a child, Nate Freeman lived on a commune on the Ohop Island off Washington State, sometimes known as the Covenant of Dead Names, or just the Covenant.  He was considered one of the Children of Hamor.  His parents were devoted followers of Weyland Berith.  On his back, Nate was marked with Berith's seal, which translates as "covenant".  He was to be sacrificed.

The commune was breached by the FBI, and an agent got Nate, his brother Will, and a few other children out safely, after Berith tried to burn everything to the ground (including his followers).  The children were sent to Britain, and all ended up in different adoptive homes.

Nate went on to become a detective, but his career ended abruptly.  He has no idea where the other children are, and that includes his brother Will.

But when some of them start ending up dead, the symbols on their backs sliced off, Nate decides to help his old boss DCI Grant Openshaw.  Nate, as one of the "promised",  is in danger of becoming a victim of the killer.  His brother becomes the #1 suspect.  Although he has no idea what his brother's life had been like for the past 20 years, Nate refuses to believe that Will could be a killer.


My Opinions:
I really enjoyed this book. The cult aspect of the book was really interesting (and probably one of the reasons I picked it up), although I would have preferred more details of what life was actually like in the cult.  The plot still held my interest from start to finish, although it did, occasionally, drag.

The characters had depth and were quite intriguing, and I liked the relationships and friendships that developed between the 4 main characters.  I didn't like the Jim Powell character, and thought that storyline could have been eliminated, but everyone else was really interesting.

So, although the story ended up being quite predictable, it was still very good, and I will watch for more stand-alone books by this author.  I don't have the time (nor inclination), to read the two series he has written.

I have only read one other stand alone book by this rather prolific author, who is better known for his series books. I said after that one that I would be adding his series onto my ever growing tbr but haven't quite managed to read any yet.
So, in this book we meet two survivors who were saved from a cult as children and follow them as they try and evade a serial killer... good hook huh!?
Anyway, one of the survivors is Nate, a former detective, retired after a career ending case which he is still trying to get over. He is called back by his old boss to assist in the case of the aforementioned serial killer who has been rounding up and killing other former child members of the cult - The Children of Hamor - and, well, removing the skins on their backs. Skin that was branded with symbols. It soon becomes obvious that the perpetrator is wanting to reenact a ritual, but I'll leave you to get the ins and outs from the author direct. Nate has had no contact with his brother Will for years so whether he will be another victim or indeed the perpetrator remains to be seen...
I have mixed feelings about this book. The story was great - five stars. The execution (excuse the pun) was a bit hit and miss - three stars. Hence the middle rating of 4! It should have been more frightening and suspenseful than it actually was and the feeling of immense peril for the main character, Nate, failed to transpire. As did the hero or villain status of brother Will. But that said, I was interested and intrigued enough to carry on and my faith in the author nobly rewarded with a decent and satisfying ending.
I also enjoyed (if that's the right word) the crimes and executions. Brutally horrific and well described! And the crime solving element was well crafted and executed with aplomb.
All in all, a good solid read that I will recommend with the above provisos. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Full of plot twists: the twists and turns in this book kept me guessing all the way through. Speaks to those who love a bit of horror and a bit of criminal intrigue.

Nate and Will are survivors of the Children of the Hammer, Or are they? Rescued from the cult in the US, they grew up in care in the UK and all seemed well. Except it's not because now someone is killing in gruesome ways and leaving signs. This merges several subgenres and while it might be a bit much in spots, it did keep me reading. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Nate and his brother were rescued from a cult in the US when young, and watched their mother kill the man who was helping them to escape.
They returned to the UK but were adopted separately.

Fast forward and Nate is now a retired police officer after a hostage situation went wrong, he works for the forest rangers but has been called in by the police after some of the other cult survivors are being murdered and then skinned.

It was an OK book, little bit predictable, an easy read.

Nate, his brother, and several others are saved from a cult as children, only to separated and lead very different lives. Years later, when cult survivors are being butchered and flayed, Nate, a retired police officer, is asked to help his old colleagues catch the killer by utilising his past whilst facing risk to his own mortality.

This is on par with your average cop thriller, where the characters chase leads, ignore protocol, and everything gets wrapped up in a bow. The cult doesn’t feature much, nor does it really feel like much of a threat. There was no sense that Nate's life was in danger, nor a growing fear as the book went on. Everything seemed too easy and straight forward, and the plot was predictable. It also falls prey to the 'men and women can't just be colleagues' trope, whilst simultaneously painting the women as amazing at everything and the men amazing for not hating them for it.

It was an easy read but didn't do anything new. Thank you to NetGalley for the arc.

This will become the thriller of the summer! Perfect for fans of The DaVinci Code or Angels & Demons. The plot takes off from the beginning, slows a bit in the second half, but ends in a breathless ride to the conclusion. I would certainty read any follow-up that has the four main characters teaming up again in the future.

Interesting read but would have liked to read more about the cult. It was a good book and finished it pretty quick but could have used a bit more of the cult side. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

Much more of a police procedural than I was expecting - unfortunately not a big selling genre for us nor a genre I really enjoy.

A sharp, intricately plotted thrilling story. First time reading this author and it was a hell of a good time. Brilliantly done characters you feel for. It’s a top read for this year for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC.

A thrilling crime thriller that reminded me of Silence of the Lambs. Pacing was superb, and the twists and turns kept me glued. Highest recommendation!

Thank you to NetGalley and Matt Hilton for allowing me to read this Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of Death Pact.

Everybody mark your calendar for July 2nd! Death Pact packs a punch - an amazing storyline filled with plot twists. This could be a movie or a criminal TV show episode. Nate and Will, two brothers rescued in childhood from the cult "Children of the Hammer". Both are placed into the system in the UK. Both grow up to lead very different lives. Or do they? One day a horrendous crime scene unfolds and at the center is a symbol drawn in the victim's blood. This symbol is no Satanic symbol. Quite the opposite. This symbol is angelic and heralds the coming of a new leader for the "Children of the Hammer" - and they want all their members back together, in the flesh, anthropodermic bibliopegy (now I know you're interested)! Deeprooted in heavy biblical undertones and religious beliefs, Death Pact is a classic serial killer cult classic that takes the reader deep into methodology, thought processes, and belief systems from the viewpoint of a survivor.

Will Will and Nate be safe? What is one of them is the rising leader and killer? What if it is brother against brother?

Gruesome Crime Horror/ Thriller Starts With A Bang. Seriously, the start of this book feels like Hilton read Jeff Guinn's Waco, because it truly feels like Hilton took Guinn's hyper realistic descriptions of what actually went down there to scaffold his own fictional version.

Which is actually a *phenomenal* way to begin this particular tale.

The rest of the tale then flashes forward a bit and crosses the "pond", becoming a UK based police/ crime tale featuring some particularly horrific murders that fans of Thomas Harris' Hannibal Lecter trilogy or Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child's Pendergast series will absolutely enjoy. The pacing of the investigation is solid, and the way the various characters meld together is done quite well.

Surprises late are well executed, and by the end you're going to be questioning if this is meant to be a series starter afterall...

Overall truly a great crime story excellently told, and a solid change of pace from Hilton's Gey and Villere thrillers in particular in that while the action is equally intense, the criminals here feel so much more decidedly dark and truly evil. Very much recommended.