Let me first start of by saying this easily falls between a 4.5 and 5 star read for me. Despite some of the British banter that wasn’t really for me, especially in the beginning before things really start to take off, overall it was BRILLIANT! I can say with certainty that I won’t be shocked when it enters the Bestsellers list. It’s one that I’ll be recommending all year!

It was a little slow to start but once it got going, boy did it go!! So many minor (yet major) little plot points that truly came together PERFECTLY throughout the entirety of this book. Everything made sense in an addictive, page turning way. It never felt “fluffy” or like any unnecessary filler was used. Everything served an important purpose and I LOVE that in any novel.

The amount of research and carefully thought plot and meticulous attention to detail really made this book stand out amongst other psychological thrillers I’ve read in the past. It’s very heavily focused on the psychological aspect rather than thriller but in a digestible, edge of your seat, full body goosebumps kind of way. Every single character had such depth and intrigue that you genuinely wanted to know everything about everyone.

My only real feedback would be feeling a little disappointed we didn’t find out more about what happened with Chi and Tom. I feel like I was still left with some questions and would have loved a little more finality to wrap up those storylines and relationships.

All in all, Impeccable writing and an absolutely brilliant book! I audibly gasped, didn’t expect to cry but shed actual tears TWICE!

Thank you to BoldwoodBooks for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

PLEASE pick this one up April 7th - you will not be disappointed!

This dark novel took me on a rollercoaster ride - one that I did not want to get off of! This is a very well written book, however it does take some time getting used to the writing style. This was my first book by this author, so that could be why I felt this way about the writing. I really loved the depth of the relationship between the Mother and Daughter throughout this book, it made me cry. I also enjoyed the strong friendship between Emy and Chi. This psychological thriller was a really good one! It had many twist and turns! I had no idea what was coming next and I never would have guessed how this thriller unfolds towards the end. It is unique, witty, funny at times, and extremely disturbing. Overall, it was a very entertaining and emotional book!

How to Read a Killer’s Mind is a book about a woman psychologist named Emy that talks to serial killers, so she can get inside their heads. She wants to find out where the missing bodies are located from these serial killers. She has one big motive for being there and talking with them, especially one certain serial killer. As the book progresses, things begin to unravel, relationships become jeopardized and everything becomes clear.

The trigger warnings for this book are death, violence, and grief. This is a psychological thriller, so it gets really intense throughout the entire book.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Tam Barnett and Boldwood Books for sending me this advanced reader copy of this brilliant book in exchange for my honest review!

#NetGalley
#HowToReadAKillersMind

With a title like that I was always going to pick this up. Absolutely my kind of book. It was a little slow to start with but once it got going boy did it go. It was kind of addictive in the end, I just needed to know what was going to happen and what twist would happen. There are a lot of surprises in this book, and most of them came at the end of chapter so I just had to keep going.

Dr Emy Rose is a psychologist who is working with serial killers who have confessed. Her aim is to get them to reveal where they have buried the bodies. But she has an underlying motive in doing this. She isn’t a very likeable character for most of the book, only when she was with her mother did I see a little bit of her compassion.

This is a book that I will not forget in a hurry. It is dark and messed with some pretty gruesome details in there. There is also some humour in parts, not as much as I had expected with the book comparisons but enough in the right places.

Thanks to Boldwood books for my advanced copy of this book to read. Published on April 7th.

How to Read a Killer's Mind by Tam Barnett is a gripping psychological thriller that dives deep into the twisted thoughts of a killer, unravelling complex motives and the dark recesses of the human psyche. The novel skillfully intertwines suspense and emotion, offering a chilling narrative that keeps you on edge until the very end. With its well-crafted characters and meticulously researched details, it's a must-read for fans of crime thrillers.

Here’s my breakdown:

🔪 Murder
🚩 R*pe/Sexual Assault
🚫 Neglect/Child Abuse
🧠 Mental health diagnosis
🌊 Twisty and well-researched

It's a journey that will have you questioning everything.
3.5 star rounded up to 4 star!

The blurb:

I’m psychologist Dr Emy Rose, but that’s not my real name.

I work with serial killers who've hidden their victims. My job is to find the bodies - and I'm kind of awesome at it.

The trick is to get inside these murderers' minds. And there's one in particular I'm hellbent on breaking.

Why? None of your business! Just know, I'll stop at nothing to read that killer's mind...

My thoughts:
This is the second book that I’ve read by Tam Barnett, I thought How To Get Away With Murder was good, but this one was just mind blowing!

The book reeled me in from the start. The first half is fairly medium paced, but then at about halfway it really picks up pace and I couldn’t put it down!

I loved the concept of Dr Emy Rose and her role in the story. I liked that although the story is quite dark and twisty we also see a side to Emy that is humorous too.

A really great read, one I’d highly recommend adding to your tbr!

Thank you so much to Tam Barnett for sending me an advance copy of his book to read via Netgalley. Opinions expressed here are my own.

***advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
I recently read (and reviewed) Tam Barnett’s previous book, which I very much enjoyed. I thought for a few chapters that this story didn’t have quite the same spark as the other, but in having finished it fully I can say that it absolutely does.
Barnett is a master at the final jaw-drop, but before we get there the reader has a tight, fast-paced narrative with absolutely no filler whatsoever. An enjoyable read that I’m sure other fans of the genre will also appreciate.

Let me begin by saying that this book is something between a 4-star and 5-star read for me. Despite there being some things that I didn’t enjoy, overall, it was awesome. It was beyond awesome. I think it will take me quite some time to come up with a better and deeper reasoning and reflection of the true nature of the things I think I didn’t quite enjoy.

When considering whether this book is for you, think House MD, just female, and not a doctor, but a psychologist. And she isn’t popping Vicodin, she’s drinking wine instead. And no treating regular patients, but dealing with serial killers. Think somewhat rude, somewhat nihilistic, somewhat sardonic, somewhat misanthropic. Think wannabe witty but coming across as crude and strangely self-obsessed. This is Ely Rose, the psychologist. I’m not sure I was a fan of how the MC was written and I want to blame this on “men writing women” phenomenon, which might be the reason I usually prefer women authors. In my defense – I hadn’t done my homework and didn’t know the author was a man. Tam is a name that didn’t make me think this is going to be a book written by a dude. In fact, I have met only girls named Tam, and that happened in Vietnam, so, who knows?

Ok, back to the book. The story actually is brilliant. Bloody brilliant. It’s well-told, well-written, and it’s unique af. The other characters are beyond brilliant, especially the three serial killers, they make the book what it is. They add depth and meaning, they are the characters driving the book. They are the salt of the book.
Also, if you are looking for a psychological thriller that is way, way more psychology than a traditional thriller, then let me present you with this book. If you want a story that goes deep (and if you can look aside from the wannabe witty banter that oftentimes comes across as a grotesque parody of some senseless misanthropic rambling), if you want a story that has a satisfying (albeit swift and abrupt) ending, if you want a story with a zillion minor (yet major) details that all tie up together super neatly – this is a perfect book for you.
It was an *almost* perfect book for me. And I feel like it will stay with me for quite some time now. And yes, I will be recommending this one left and right.

First of all, wow! Second of all, WOW! I actually couldn’t put this book down! The research that must have gone into this book is crazy. You would genuinely believe Tam was a Psychologist as Emy is perfectly written. I loved everything about this book - the way it was written, the characters, the twists, the ending, the family relationships, the relationships between the inmates..everything! I held my breath reading the last couple of chapters as I had no idea how it was going to go and I so wanted a happy ending! Amazing book, get this ordered as you will not be disappointed!

This is my second book by this author, and I can't wait to read more of his books. This particular one, full of suspense and quirks, is the kind that everyone is suspicious. I loved reading every page, it was so addictive that I devoured the book in a day.

As the title “How to read a killer's mind” says, it tells the story of Emy, a psychologist who will try through various strategies to get inside the minds of three serial killers in order to locate the victims' bodies.

What's really enthralling is that the tension and twists make you alert to every detail of the plot. You can tell that it was well written and that the author researched beforehand in order to create this insightful and captivating psychological thriller.

The plot itself waves in the blurred lines between morality and corruption during the research of the murders. The pacing was perfect as it flowed smoothly at every moment.

I liked the character depth in Emy, she was unapologetically herself, but we slowly saw her crumble as her goal got closer. Moreover, her backstory and the reason she struggles to find the truth even if she makes hasty decisions for it. It was really touching the relationship that Emy and her mother have.

Furthermore, it was exquisite and intriguing to navigate each serial killer's mindset, specially the interactions, as every minuscule detail can be a clue to locate the victims.

The ending was well executed, but I felt that there were some loose ends that didn't conclude in the way I expected, for example, what happened with Chi or Shenton. I'm not saying it's bad, it's just something was missing for there to really be closure.

Nevertheless, I'm in awe of the epilogues of Tam Barnett's books because of how jaw-dropping they are. The final plot twist was hilariously explosive.


Thanks Netgalley for this ARC

3.5 stars. This was a unique read, unlike anything I've read in the mystery/thriller genre. It was like watching Mindhunter. I thought this book kept the mystery interesting and it kept me flipping the pages. I would not say this was funny, however. I thought the tone was pretty serious. Emy does a lot of questionable things in the name of finding her brother. Emy and her mother's grief was palpable. So, too, was the hope that never dies.

I liked the analysis aspect of the book, but I do wish there had been more of that. However, the analysis that was included was well researched. I didn't really find any of the characters relatable. Emy was willing to push all boundaries to get her answer, her mother was unable to move on, and I hated Chi and Harrington. But I thought the dynamics between the characters really moved the book along and led to the explosive ending. And I loved the twist at the end of the epilogue.

***Thanks to Netgalley and the author for an eARC of this book. All opinions expressed herein are my own.***

"Is there anything more crass than popping open a bottle of champagne to celebrate the discovery of five dead bodies?"

Prepare to get uncomfortably close to the thoughts of killers.

Darkly funny and witty, this book toes the line between vulgarity and class — with an enigmatic thriller, unapologetically real narrator and whip-smart storytelling that wades through the murky world of clandestine criminology research, corruption and murder.

We follow Emy, and best friend/business partner Chi as they perfect their new techniques, deal with government reps and slowly find out exactly what stake Emy has in finding out how to get inside the minds of killers. At the start, things moved a little lazily, slowly and I wished we’d have a little more personality. While I felt for our main character and knew her backstory and motivation, it seemed very told and not felt during the first half so I never really grew an attachment to her throughout the book.

This is the kind of book that feels like a future Netflix thriller adaptation - delightfully fun with an ambitious premise and high stakes.

"This is a dance with the devil. I must not trip."

3.5 but rounded up to a 4.

I knew just from reading the initial synopsis that I was going to enjoy this.

We’re following Dr Emy Rose whose job is to work 1-1 with serial killers to get them to confess to where they may have hidden the bodies of their victims. However, Dr Rose has her own motive for wanting these men to confess and she’ll stop at nothing to discover what happened to a victim close to her heart.

Some thoughts:

I loved the concept and dynamics of this book. Whilst I've read similar plots of psychologists and serial killers before - this felt unique in the way it unfolded. I loved that we were given a good background and context to why Dr Rose is choosing to do this, without being told everything straightaway. The writing lends itself to be full of suspense and surprises without it feeling like we’re constantly being thrown a new plot point to keep up with. Everything in the story had relevance and yet was woven in so cleverly that I even missed some important details during conversations between the psychologist and killer- something I love in thrillers!

The pacing of this was good. It felt right that it started off slower and as things began to unfold the pace and tension within the book picked up. It also was represented well and written into Emy’s character with her behaviour becoming more intense and erratic as things unfolded.

I loved how well detailed the psychology of this was. You can tell the author genuinely put time and effort into exploring the psychology of serial killers and different behavioural traits of different killers. It was refreshing to see the language and links being made that felt very grounded in reasoning. I also feel like this then allowed for more accurately created characters.. It really helps the reader to understand the developed relationship between Dr Rose and the killer.

I loved the familiar relationships within this book between Emy and her mum. It really felt like we were observing the most sacred moments between them both at times.

I do wish we’d seen what happened with Chi later on. I feel like it was completely skipped over, yet throughout the book we’re told how close she and Emy are and how important Chi has been in Emy’s life and throughout the project. It would have been nice to see what actually happened to her after everything.

Why only a 3.5? Despite really enjoying this, it took me a lot longer to read and felt like I was reading for longer than I was. Whilst i was captivated and have thoroughly enjoyed this. I really wish the ending had given me more.I was slightly disappointed how ‘neatly’ this ended because of the background and unpredictability of these characters.I was expecting one final big twist or blow at the end. Having said that I absolutely loved the final twist in the epilogue, it was so well executed and rounded the book off so well.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This follows a Emy, who is working in a program that is trying to learn from serial killers, getting them to reveal where their remaining victims are located. Why is she so invested in this? One of her younger brothers was murdered by one of the serial killers in the program. And she wants to find out more information about her brother's death.

This is such an interesting concept and really reminded me of those scenes in Criminal Minds where they're interrogating the serial killer and outsmarting them. So if you're a fan of shows like Criminal Minds and like that psychological element to movies like Silence of the Lambs, trying to outsmart a killer, I think you'd probably really enjoy this book.

My only problem was that I couldn't get super invested in the main character, Emy. She didn't feel as fully figured out as I wanted, I wanted her to feel a bit more dramatic and bit more real.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

Really don't judge this book by its cover.
Its a real psychological thriller, dark and twisty.
Great storyline which is full of surprises.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

Explosive! This story is one the reader is not likely to forget ~ ever!
The premise is an absolute original for me, and there is not much
chance I’d ever run across it in my future.
Psychologist Emy Rose is a well written, brilliant character.
The story itself is fascinating, totally fictional, and the reader
is propelled from the start into an environment that lead
one character to never speak aloud ~ select mutism ~ a
rare reaction to trauma so severe the brain is unable to
make sense of it, and speech is disconnected.
For a book with so much action, it does not stop until
the very last word ~ and it is absolutely worth the wait !
The conclusion is absolutely and completely on point!
My thanks to BOLDWOOD BOOKS, for the download copy’
of this book for review purposes.

A twisty psychological thriller perfect for fans of classics like THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, Barnett's novel follows Emy Rose, a psychologist leading a program to get serial killers to reveal where their victims' bodies are hidden. But her true goal in building a rapport with these murderers is to figure out where one of them has buried her younger brother, a quest that causes this program to spiral into increasingly deadly territory.

Barnett portrays three disturbingly plausible and truly sinister killers in this story, with the conversations between them and Emy consistently reaching a nail-biting pitch of tension. This darkness is counterbalanced by the pathos of her relationship with her mother, who has been mute since the disappearance of Emy's brother, with the novel leading Emy's quest towards a startling conclusion that fulfils the title's promise to bring us into the secrets within a killer's mind. While I was less enthusiastic about the comedic elements of Emy's narration and a relationship subplot she becomes involved in, which occasionally clashed jarringly with the grimness of the main narrative, this doesn't detract from how exhilarating and disquieting this novel manages to be.

Wow!!! My first Tam Barnett book! Definitely not the last.

This book was definitely not a book you left untouched. It was so addictive. I absolutely the concept of the book.
The book had so many twists and moments that had me in suspense.
The pace of the book was brilliant and built up so much tension. I completely this in 24 hours which is a fast read for me but I literally couldn’t put it down.

Absolutely loved Emy and her mum’s relationship, it was quite emotional for me.

It was such a brilliant read. If you haven't added this to You won't regret it.

Tense and as addictive as Fritos, there is no putting it down or stopping. Twists and red herrings and even if you guess something you will not guess it all. A treat for suspense fans!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC.

Ever since Dr Emy Rose's brother Sam, 21, was kidnapped and murdered by serial killer Frank Elkins, her mother has suffered from traumatic mutism and hasn't spoken a word. That was ten years ago.

At the weekends, Emy who gets a first person POV, and her mother go searching for Sam's grave. In her work time, psychologist Emy is trying everything to get Frank Elkins to talk and reveal Sam's and his other victims' whereabouts to get their families some closure. She has managed to get a project off the ground that allows her to interview serial killers in a facility called Beeswell, together with her colleagues and friends Chi and Robbie.

The inmates, beside Frank Elkins, are Joe Okorie who killed eight women, suffers from a personality disorder and is in love with Emy. He gets a third person POV. Then there is Tim Shenton, a highly intelligent psychopathic paedophile who is charged with raping and murdering his little nephew. He doesn't fit the criteria of Emy's study because he hasn't confessed and there is no body to be found, but Justice Secretary Harrington has ulterior motives that require him to confess before a trial, so in he comes.

Can Emy, with the help of her colleagues and journalist Leon, get some results for the victims' families, including her own, before Beeswell is shut down forever? And how far will she go in this psychological tug-of-war to achieve them?

There are some very unlikeable characters in this book, and many unpredictable twists and turns. The story takes a bit to get going but I would say this is better than Tam Barnett's first novel "How to Get Away with Murder". I stayed up all night to finish this. It's a captivating read with gobsmacking twists I did not see coming! It is darker than the cover suggests though and I didn't detect any humour. There is a love story but it's incidental and in the background.

I Ioved Emy's relationship with her traumatised mother, how she tried to get the inmates to talk and how we got an insight into a twisted murderer's mind. Recommended if you love a twisty thriller with unhinged psychopaths or sociopaths at every corner.

"If you can convince someone that you and they are on the same team, have the same goals, or the same purpose, it makes them far easier to manipulate and influence."
(Robert Cialdini's unity principle)

4.5 stars

Wow what a read! How to read a killers mind follows Dr Emy Rose, a psychologist who is working with serial killers to get inside their minds and find the location of the victims. I loved the whole concept of the book, the slow building of the tension had me hooked immediately. The disturbing psychology of the serial killers mindset was expertly written, and the pace picks up with many twists and turns. It meant that I couldn’t put the book down and had it read far too fast!

No spoilers but Emy and her mother had me in bits by the end. The relationships between Emy and her coworkers/friends were just as enthralling as the serial killers, and added so much depth to her decisions.