This is another book that has been on my "to be read" list since 2015 and I have finally got round to reading it and so pleased I did as I really enjoyed it. Although this is book 4 in the Frank Behr series, I haven't read any of the others and I admit that it would probably be better to read the others in order to get some clarity and background to Frank but having said that, it didn't detract from my enjoyment of this book so will say it works well as a standalone.

This is a pretty disturbing story written from Frank's perspective and that of the killer; this I think was genius in that it gave Frank a strong voice and made him come alive but it also did the same for the killer which was chilling and oddly satisfying but perfect for this book.

The writing style was excellent and easy to read; the suspense and action scenes were described perfectly and all the characters were well developed and authentic.

This is a gritty, dark, atmospheric and suspenseful read that I found gripping and very difficult to put down; I will certainly read more of this series and from this author but hopefully won't delay it so long next time.

Thank you to RandomHouseUK / Transworld Publishers via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review.

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

He's disturbed and dark. Very dark. For this man, killing is like a craving he just can't satisfy. Death is his art and his victims simply his materials. But half the fun is in the planning, and this killer knows how to plan, and how to stay unseen.
Frank Behr isn't even a cop. He used to be a cop, but now he's just a man, down on his luck, and tangled up in a whole lot of trouble. When he discovers a connection between a missing persons case and one of the serial killer's victims, he is forced to go it alone to find the culprit.
This is a hunt that will push Behr to the limits of his skills, and the limits of his morals. Because as Behr is drawn further into this killer's grotesque mind, he finds that the line between good and evil is more grey than he ever imagined.

This is a tough review - some very good points to it, but some stuff that let it down for me.

Let's start with the good: this was one heck of a thrilling, page-turning read. The suspense was dialled in nicely and the pacing of the story was just about spot-on (for my liking!) The plot, the twists and turns were well done and think these things are really hard to get right in tandem.

The downsides, however, are here too: Frank was a walking cliché - a down-on-his-luck former cop, now P.I.; can't hold a relationship with a woman, although a number of them like him - didn't get into him at all. The other thing was that every other chapter, the bad guy is dismembering something. Just really graphic and violent - and could have done with a lot less.

Still, I recommend this book - and will go back and see what the earlier books were like.


Paul
ARH