This review is written with thanks to Trapeze, an imprint of Orion Publishing Group and Netgalley for my copy of Ragdoll.
DS William Fawkes (known as Wolf) and his team are called to a crime scene, where the body parts of six victims are stitched together by a murderer known to the media as "the Ragdoll Killer." In the days following the discovery of "Ragdoll", a list of victims is leaked to the press alongside the dates they will die. One of the victims is Wolf himself. Will his team be able to catch the killer before he claims any more lives?
Over the last year or so, I have enjoyed several police procedural novels. One of the aspects I enjoy most about this genre is the opportunity to be introduced to a new group of characters and watch them develop over the course of a series. In this respect, Ragdoll is no different. The police officers are flawed, and this makes them easier to relate to than many other fictional detectives, which made me root for them in the hunt for their killer. The relationships between the team are often fraught, and this increases the already palpable tension that runs throughout the novel. However, alongside this, there is also an element of humour, which prevents the novel from becoming too dark and helps Cole to strike the right balance between serious and lighthearted.
The premise of Ragdoll is highly innovative and one that drew my interest from the outset. Throughout the novel, I was constantly intrigued. This was heightened by the references to Wolf's past, where he spent time in a psychiatric hospital, and I was interested to learn how his experience would influence this case. Such references are integral to the plot, in which Cole weaves several intricate details. I found the plot to be incredibly clever, and my mindset at the time of reading meant that certain parts were more difficult to follow. However, I love a novel with a twist and this was no exception.
I enjoyed Ragdoll, and I hope that there is more to come from Wolf and his team.

What I Thought:

Ragdoll is the debut novel by Daniel Cole featuring Detective Sargent William Oliver Layton-Fawkes or Wolf. Fawkes is a detective that went rogue following a not guilty verdict in a serial killer trial. Now back on the force there’s a new killer in town and it soon becomes clear to those involved the new case is linked to that original case.

For me this is a really difficult review to write, I want to encourage every crime / thriller reader to pick up this book a read it, but at the same time I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone, I want you to go in as blind as I did, just knowing the most basic of details from the description, learning about the characters and experiencing all the new plot points as you go. I will say I loved the characters, the relationships between them and the plot. The book is well written, the plot moves along at a great pace and had me staying up late to get it finished.

The ARC e-Book contains a brief note from Daniel Cole where he explains a little about his history and journey into becoming a published author. In it he states that Ragdoll began life as a screenplay that was rejected, within the first few pages it becomes abundantly clear how this would have played out on screen, the visuals created are particularly vivid, and I really hope that this is picked up and ends up on screen, I would definitely watch it.

Would I recommend it?

Absolutely. Daniel Cole is another great addition to the crime writing community. I loved this book and flew through it. I understand that Daniel has a three book deal, I’m not sure if the next novel will feature the same characters or be a stand alone novel but I do know I’ll be keeping my eye out for it, whatever it may be.

My strategy for choosing the perfect book to read on my holiday to Madeira was a brilliant success with Ragdoll. It is everything you could possibly want whilst away in the sun - a stitched together body created from parts of six different people, a Met Detective with baggage who doesn’t play by the rules, lots of action and tension and all good things that make a thriller thrilling. But, if you are squeamish about gory bits, do tread carefully. This is a no-holds-barred action ride that isn’t short on messy detail.

Fawkes, our troubled detective, is seriously troubled, and with good reason. He's had a rough time of it but he’s not alone in his quest for justice. He’s got a good team helping him solve a number of crimes whilst the media stalks them in close quarters. The team dynamic is really good here. Baxter, Wolf’s former partner, and her new trainee are a great tag teaming duo and prove a good balance for Fawkes.

Ragdoll is a brilliant book to read when you are in and out and can only read in fits and starts. The story is intense, gripping and keeps your interest as all the shocking events roll out.

Oh my days. For 97% of this book I was totally and utterly gripped. I'm not one for action thrillers usually, in fact I love a good book with no action at all, but I was hooked with Wolf and Baxter and Edmunds. The writing was tight, the characters interesting and the plot twisted and turned but in a way that I could follow. I Wasn't at all sure about Wolf himself as he seemed too much of a maverick to be employed in the Police Force but I was happy to overlook this in the rollercoaster ride of the story. But the events that enfolded at the end just weren't my bag, I wanted reality. However, I know lots of people are keen on a smattering of the fantastical so it won't disappoint. Would still recommend to all thriller readers as its so enjoyable and I see from reviews that many loved the ending. I think its just me.

This book just didn't grab me in the way I thought it would, and I struggled to read it.

Ragdoll by Daniel Cole

There is nothing ordinary about this particular corpse. It comprises the stitched together dismembered remains of six people – male and female, black and white, tall and short. Each of the limbs – and torso and head – have something distinguishing about them. Just enough to give away clues as to their origin and, perhaps more importantly, their connection to each other (other than through the thick, uneven, cruel stitching). It isn’t long before the media award the murderer with a name – the Ragdoll Killer.

Sergeant William Fawkes (aka Wolf) has just returned to the London Met after a long time away. It’s possible that he may never be the same again after the part he played in bringing another infamous serial killer, the Cremation Killer, to court. It certainly destroyed his marriage. But like it or not, he’s back on the job and his first case is the Ragdoll Killer, surely a murderer every bit as evil as the one who almost destroyed his life. With Wolf on the new case is his old partner Detective Emily Baxter. She too has her own problems, while the newbie on the case, Detective Alex Edmunds, has everything to prove. But he has the mind and ability to do it. It’s a small team working on the Ragdoll Killer case and tempers are frayed, especially when the killer sends the press the names of the next ragdoll, the next six people on his death list along with the days on which they will meet their fate. It doesn’t help that the sixth and final person on the list is none other than Wolf himself.

Ragdoll is the debut novel by Daniel Cole and you wouldn’t guess it for an instant. This is such an accomplished, confident and fine piece of writing but, not only that, its plot is absolutely fantastic! We’re left guessing from the very beginning but this almost plays second fiddle to the thunderously dark and menacing mood that hangs over the whole proceedings, as well as the novel’s great characterisation, dialogue, and wit. There are moments here that made my jaw drop almost off my face, the shocks are so horrifically shocking, while there were other moments that made me laugh out loud. This is a novel as witty as it is dark.

The story is brilliant. It’s ridiculously inventive and clever. It might be gruesome and macabre in places but I was filled with admiration for the imaginative flair of the killer (and author). The pace is urgent throughout because we know the killer’s timetable of murder from the very beginning. Our expectations are mirrored by that of the media and public who are pinned to the news as the death clock in the corner of the TV news studio counts down the hours and minutes to the next day of slaughter. The fact that the journalist with the most prominent profile is personally close to Wolf certainly helps to stir up the passions. But, more than anything else, this is an ingenious murder mystery. I didn’t guess any of it and I didn’t even try. I was glued to every page.

Wolf is a fantastic central creation but my favourite, I think even more than Wolf and the violently vulnerable Baxter, is Edmunds. I love the ways in which he tries to ingratiate himself with Baxter, never succeeding, and yet growing ever closer, more by accident than design. I can’t think of another police partnership I’ve enjoyed as much as this. There is barely a detective here without some kind of crippling back history – and Wolf’s own past experiences would be impossible to beat – but I really enjoyed the effect of this on their personalities. There is a frisson of insanity running through the incident room. It’s as close to the edge as it can get. It’s as if somebody has lit a fuse and at any moment the whole business could be blown into smithereens.

There are a few elements here that seem familiar, notably the killer communicating directly with the female news reporter, and at times there seems something rather American about the phrasing and tone, but regardless of all that, Ragdoll is one of the most thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining crime thrillers I’ve read. It is a joy to read, fuelled in part by the author’s pleasing sense of humour, and I didn’t want to put it down at all. I was shocked in the best of ways by some of the twists that are revealed along the way. Ragdoll is full of treats from start to finish. I can’t recommend it enough.

On the whole I tend not to enjoy crime books, however, I really enjoyed Ragdoll and I will definitely read more books by Daniel Cole.
Ragdoll was originally written and rejected as a screenplay and I have no idea why, I thought it was brilliant and incredibly entertaining, I was hooked from the get-go.
The prologue begins with the media-frenzied trial of ‘The Cremation Killer.’ He was a prolific serial killer who had killed twenty-seven young prostitutes in twenty-seven days. The 14-16 year old girls had on the whole still been on fire when they were discovered.
Eighteen days after all the killings had stopped Wolf arrested Naguib Khalid for the murders.
“The arresting officer at the centre of the controversy, the detective nick named Wolf: William Oliver Layton-Fawkes.”
Then everything to do with case began to fall apart and rumours began to emerge about Wolf’s obsession with the case, his alcohol dependency and allegations of his violent behaviour towards his wife and how that had led to his marriage failing.
When the jurors find Khalid not guilty Wolf sees red. “Ribs cracked beneath Wolf’s foot, the skin liberated from his own knuckle, with the intensity of the attack…He looked dead, but Wolf needed to be sure.”
In the present Wolf is woken by a call from his boss, Simmons, in the early hours of the morning telling him he has a crime scene he needs to be at. When he gets there the constable on the door asks if he is “courtroom massacre Fawkes.”
Wolf’s colleague, Emily Baxter, comments to Wolf that it is a ‘once-in-a-career case’ and when he sees the body Wolf can see why she made this comment:
“The naked body, contorted into an unnatural pose, appeared to be floating a foot above the uneven floorboards. It had it’s back to the room, looking out through the enormous window. Hundreds of almost invisible threads held the figure in place, which in turn, were anchored by two industrial metal hooks.
It took Wolf a moment to identify the most unnerving feature of the surreal scene before him: the black leg attached to the white torso…As he drew close, he noticed the huge stitches binding the mismatched body parts together, the skin tensed where the material punctured through: one black male leg, one white; a large male hand on one hand side, a tanned female counterpart on the other.”
Wolf is my favourite character from any crime book I have ever read, and on the whole I would say this book had a lot of very strong characters. Wolf is described as being ‘solidly built’ and ‘deep blue eyes’. One of the jurors thinks he would be attractive if he didn’t look like he had been awake for months.
Wolf is well-liked by his immediate colleagues even if they don’t agree with some of his decisions, they tend to ere on the side of concern rather than anger when reacting to his unorthodox methods.
Simmons and Wolf “had known one another for over a decade and until the Khalid incident, Wolf had considered him a friend. Beneath the forced bravado, Simmons was in fact an intelligent, caring and competent police officer.”
Whilst at the crime scene Wolf recognises the face of the ‘ragdoll’ is Khalid’s and it soon becomes clear that there is a definite link to that case when Wolf’s ex wife, Andrea, is sent a list of names of people who are going to be killed and the dates they will die. Wolf’s name is on that list.
I loved the relationship between Baxter and Wolf, not just the way the reader was never certain what they were to each other, but also just the way they believed in and looked after each other. Despite being ‘nearly a decade his junior’ there is clearly a spark between them.
On the whole Baxter is a prickly character who is constantly on the defence and puts up barriers in the form of a barrage of insults against people. Where Wolf is concerned though she has a softer side and this was what made me love her as a character.
One colleague who is more critical of Wolf’s methods is Edmunds, a transfer from the fraud department. He is newly married and is under-estimated at every turn by the rest of his colleagues but proves invaluable to them once the case is underway.
Edmunds and Baxter argue over Wolf because Edmunds questions the wisdom of Wolf’s involvement in what is bound to be a high- profile case. “You just wait until you’ve been in a few more years, watching these pieces of shit wriggling themselves out of trouble time and time again…Everything’s not black and white. What Wolf did was wrong, but he did it in desperation for all the right reasons.”
Baxter clearly feels regret over how she reacted to Wolf after the Khalid incident. “No one stood by Wolf when it happened, not even me…He was going to be sent down for it. They wanted blood. They were going to make such an example of their ‘disgraced detective’ and then, one chilly February morning, guess who they find standing over the barbequed corpse of a schoolgirl? She’d still be alive today if they’d only listened to Wolf.”
She reveals that he didn’t get off ‘scot-free’, he was put in a mental hospital and his marriage and reputation were left in tatters.
Baxter knows Wolf better than any of his other colleagues and recognises signs of his strain easier than any other. “She still had not even acknowledge the fact that his name had featured on the killer’s list, perhaps because she was not sure how he expected her to react. Now, more than ever, she had absolutely no idea what they were to each other.
She was amazed by the way in which he had thrown himself into his work. Weaker men would have gone to pieces, hid, sought sympathy, and reassurance from those around them. Not Wolf. If anything, he had grown stronger, more determined, more like the man she had known during the Cremation Killings, the same efficient, ruthless, self-destructive time bomb. No one else had noticed the subtle shift in him yet, but they would in time.”
This book was definitely not for the faint-hearted as many of the deaths were pretty gruesome. The first name on the list was Mayor Turnable and he was due to die on the day officers discovered there was a list. They brought him in to their interview room for his safety and Wolf was tasked with sitting with him despite their difficult history.
“Wolf was about to protest when the Mayor defiantly placed the cigarette between his lips, sparked the lighter and, with a cupped and hand shielding the flame from the air-conditioned breeze, drew the fire towards his face…For a fleeting moment, the two men stared at one another, neither able to comprehend what was happening. Wolf watched as the flame caught when the cigarette wedged the mayor’s mouth open and spread instantaneously to consume the entire lower half of his face.”
I would recommend this book to others without a second thought. It was an enthralling read.

A dramatic crime thriller set to keep you on the edge of your seat. A dead body , Ragdoll, comprised of components from 6 people is found and is pointing to the flat of William Fawkes AKA Wolf. He is a detective who is being rehabilitated after a period of incarceration following his savage attack in court on a multiple killer, Khalistan, who was found not guilty. Wolf's previous partner gets him involved in finding who the component parts of George rag doll belong to. At this time Wolf's exwife, Andrea, is sent a letter giving a detailed timetable of murders to be undertaken. The last name is Wolf. The race is on! Are these connected?
Plenty of twists and turns along the way and a dogged sleuth emerges in trying to get to the heart of the matter. There are wonderful descriptive passages and the characters well portrayed. He author originally wrote this as a screenplay then converted it to a novel after many successive rejection letters. I enjoyed the plot and the way the story developed but I must admit it did not grip me and make it unputdownable. The pace slowed in some areas midst the descriptions. It certainly did 'hot up' towards the end. It was a good read and I am sure we will hear more of this author.

The worst idea I ever had was starting this late one night, I thought I’d read a couple of chapters and resume the next evening. Who was I kidding though, after finally putting it down at 2am and having a very restless nights sleep due to the nightmares I had to pick it up again as soon as my eyes opened the next morning.

Ragdoll is one of those books that starts off running and doesn’t stop and totally has you gripped.

Daniel Cole has created some brilliant characters in Ragdoll, especially Detective William Fawkes aka Wolf. He’s a man with a past and present that gives him problems, he’s quite flawed and unpredictable but an intriguing character you can’t help but like. Equally as interesting is Baxter and her trainee Edmunds, both well developed characters that bring a lot to the story.

Full of twists and turns, Ragdoll has an original plot that keeps you guessing all the way through. Umpteen times through out the book I had a hallelujah moment thinking I’d guessed who the killer was and each blooming time I was wrong, I’m not complaining though as this is what I loved about Ragdoll, it wasn’t predictable and kept my attention to no end. If I had to sum up this book in four words they would be, gruesome, dark, shocking and witty. This really is a must read for all crime fans and I predict this debut will be flying off the shelves. A highly recommended read by It’s all about the books.

Ragdoll has already been getting some seriously good attention from reviewers in advance of publication and it's not difficult to see why. The blurb is sensational. A killer who stitches together the parts of his victims to make a puppet-like corpse dubbed The Ragdoll by the press. Not only that, he has more murders planned and releases a list and the dates when he will kill these latest victims.

The rush is on to hunt down the killer and save those intended to die next.

Detective Wlliam Fawkes (Wolf) is on the case in many more ways than one. He has a history that is interwoven with this new crime and even those closest to him are not sure what that is.

The story is complex with twists, some of them truly horrible, as are the ongoing crimes committed during the final race to catch the killer.

Several reviewers have commented that this was originally a rejected screenplay but surely, after the book, it will finally make the screen in one form or another. The characters are larger than life, the killings are larger than life and the final scene is something straight out of a Hollywood blockbuster. Highly recommended - cast Iron stomach required!

*Many thanks to Orion Publishing Group and Netgalley for an Advanced Review Copy of this book

Great plot, great story, great book.

Each and every character had a unique identity that was tangible and superbly portrayed. Their internal conflictions and unique compositions were clearly evident and not once do you feel they aren’t 100% believable.

I probably still don't think I like Wolf that much, or more precisely I don't think I like the way he handled the entire situation, but I can relate to or at least accept the reasoning behind those actions.

Anyway, this is a brilliantly written crime thriller that you won't regret picking up. Keeps you on the edge, yet has you laughing out loud with splashes of dark humour every now and then.

Thanks to NetGalley and Orion for a great read in exchange for an honest review.

Ragdoll

I had to get my hands on a copy of Ragdoll after seeing all the hype on social media. I'm so glad I was approved!

It's gory, gruesome and not for the faint hearted; everything I love in a great book! It's genuinely unputdownable and deserves nothing less than 5*!

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book, with thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.

A body has been found with the dismembered parts of 6 victims stitched together like a puppet. Detective William "Wolf" Fawkes is assigned to the case with his former partner Detective Emily Baxter.

The killer taunts the police by releasing a list of names and dates that he intends to murder them to the media. Can the police catch the killer before they strike again.

Wow. What a wonderful, fast paced, gory filled, well thought out plot. There is lots of curve balls in this debut novel. Once I started reading i knew I was not putting this one down until the end. And oh what an end it was. Can't wait to read more from this author.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Orion Publishing and the author Daniel Cole for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ragdoll is a gritty thriller of a book that draws you into the story of Wolf and his colleagues as they're on the trail of a serial killer after discovering a body. A body that is a number of victims that have been crudely stitched together. The killer releases a list of names to the media and the dates they will die so Wolf and his former colleague Emily Baxter race against time to try and save them.

I enjoyed this book. It was gruesome and gory in places but kept me gripped to the very end. This is the first book in the DCI William Fawkes sequence and I look forward to reading more.

Thank you to NetGalley, Orion Publishing Group and Daniel Cole for the chance to review.

Ragdoll is a British crime thriller that was a rejected television screenplay as Daniel informs the reader at the start of his debut novel. Do NOT let this put you off, as television is incredibly hard to break into, so sit back in your favourite seat and enjoy this book for what it is, a shocking crime thriller.

Ragdoll gets it’s name from the crime scene where parts of six different bodies have been stitched together to form an artwork. Then the media gets a list of six more people to be killed along with their execution dates. Ragdoll is a gruesome tale but Daniel ticks all the boxes to write a thrilling 5 star read.

Characterisation is good and the back story is proportional to the excellent plot. The pace of this novel is good and it gets you guessing as slowly more victims meet their deaths in colourful and imaginative ways. This novel is content rich and the reasons behind the murders are very clever. Hint… by coincidence it was the same motives and MO as the episode of Silent Witness that was broadcast by the BBC on Tuesday 24th January 2017. Was it an urban myth because many people do keep a pay-as-you-go mobile phones active, just in case!

Despite all the gory action and killing there is still plenty of dark, workplace humour sprinkled throughout this novel. For example…

He was growing increasingly frustrated, stubbornly refusing to admit that he had no idea how to play the CCTV footage, trapped inside the stupid little USB stick, through the television. ‘There’s a hole on the side of the telly,’ said Finlay, over fifteen years his senior, as he entered the room. ‘No, on the, down -oh, let me do it.’ Finlay removed the USB drive from an air vent on the back of the television and plugged it in.

Baxter picked up the half-empty bottle of red wine. ‘Wine?’ she offered pleasantly. ‘Depends, what kind is it?’ ‘Red.’ ‘I can see that, I meant: where is it from?’ ‘Morrisons.’ ‘No, I mean… I’ll pass’ Baxter shrugged and returned to her box.

...So I really enjoyed reading Ragdoll, it has a great balance of things that make for an entertaining read. It has that lovely mix of police procedure, crime scene, intricate plot and subtle humour that make you look forward to your next reading session. It is the same joy you get from following that excellent crime drama on Channel 4 television called No Offence starring the sexy chubby actress Joanna Scanlan.

Ragdoll clearly shows that Daniel has a great talent as an author. I am very impressed by his debut novel and feel he has the ability to write a great series of novels that should make him a household name. Well done mate, 5 stars from me! Oh and I loved that bit about computer facial recognition not always getting the right face but a list of clearly NOT the right people!

My jury is still out on this book, I wanted to like it' the plot although horrific sounded intriguing .It certainly was gruesome it made me marvel at the authors imagination.I was put off because I didn't really like the main character Wolf and didn't think his participation was very realistic, but maybe it wasn't meant to be.I wanted to whizz through this book but found it hard going probably because I wasn't liking the main character.Good idea just not for me.Thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for an ARC in return for an honest review.

It is time I added my voice to the cheerleading for Ragdoll. This thriller has been receiving rave reviews from the early readers and it is easy to see why it has gained so many fans.

Detective William Fawkes (aka Wolf) had put his heart and soul into capturing a killer. But when the jury returns its verdict, Wolf’s emotions boil over and he attacks his chief suspect beating him to within an inch of his life.

Spin forward a few years and Wolf is back in active service. His life has been turned upside down by the events in that courtroom, however, fate has conspired to give Wolf a fresh chance at salvaging his career. But Wolf cannot just shake off the baggage that he carries and someone is clearly not keen to let Wolf move on, a killer has decided to pit their skills up against that of the notorious “Wolf” Fawkes and if Wolf cannot identify a murderer then he may well become a victim too.

The cover blurb (0utlined above) gives an early indication that Daniel Cole is out to shock his readers with a dark tale of cop vs killer. I’d say he does a pretty good job too – Ragdoll should appeal to readers of Paul Finch and Katerina Diamond…you are never fully confident that anyone in the story is “untouchable” and everyone is in peril.

I have no doubt that Ragdoll will do well when it releases later this month. For readers who also enjoy tv police procedurals this is a story which you will feel is made for dramatization. And that is my only (minor) quibble with Ragdoll – as much as I enjoyed the story it felt like reading a screenplay at times. It seemed to have a very structured ebb and flow of big events: a build up to a cliff-hanger incident, resolve it, start a build up to the next one, resolve it. This is normal in all action/thriller books but in the case of Ragdoll they were very noticeable.

Style issues aside Ragdoll is a great read, I liked Fawkes who was a very engaging lead character. Daniel Cole delivers some really nasty twists and a couple of cracking “WTF” moments which had me re-reading paragraphs as I tried to get my head around what had just unexpectedly unfolded.

Be prepared to hear a lot more about Ragdoll through 2017, it’s going to be a biggie.

I have been reading a lot of publicity mentions, followed by reviews praising Ragdoll over the last few months but I managed to save my copy to read until nearer publication.
After a high-profile court case goes against Wolf and his team his life changes dramatically. His marriage is over and he has been demoted at work after being forced to take a long leave of absence. But he is regarded as a celebrity cult figure by the media and the public, when a later event proved that the verdict of the court was the wrong one. The ‘ragdoll’ is a body that has been assembled from various other body parts. All the team need to identify the victims and try and prevent further people dying. They are not entirely successful in this matter.
Some of the murders in the book are the strangest and most brutal that I have come across and I read a lot of crime fiction. If they had all been bizarre I think it would have been too much but the balance was right. There was a lot of humour. Not just a little smile, this book had me laughing out loud a few times. Mostly at the expense of Wolf.
Wolf had to be one of the most mixed up detectives that I have come across but he wasn’t the only member of the team that had their issues. Baxter’s problems were the most believable but Edmunds was the one I had the most sympathy for. He never stood a chance. The only one who seemed grounded was Finley. The media team were as usual, horrendous. Its nearly always a side of a novel that I struggle with and the ones that feature in this novel are the worst you can get.
An unexpected ending, that left me wanting a sequel. There has to be a future for Wolf and Baxter.

With thanks to the publisher for the copy via NetGalley.

A good story but quite complicated to follow. You have to concentrate to follow all the different parts of the story.