The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels - Janice Hallett

Open the safe deposit box.

Inside you will find research material for a true crime book.

You must read the documents, then make a decision.

Will you destroy them? Or will you take them to the police?

Everyone knows the sad story of the Alperton Angels: the cult who brainwashed a teenage girl and convinced her that her newborn baby was the anti-Christ. Believing they had a divine mission to kill the infant, they were only stopped when the girl came to her senses and called the police. The Angels committed suicide rather than stand trial, while mother and baby disappeared into the care system.

Nearly two decades later, true-crime author Amanda Bailey is writing a book on the Angels. The Alperton baby has turned eighteen and can finally be interviewed; if Amanda can find them, it will be the true-crime scoop of the year, and will save her flagging career. But rival author Oliver Menzies is just as smart, better connected, and is also on the baby's trail.

As Amanda and Oliver are forced to collaborate, they realise that what everyone thinks they know about the Angels is wrong. The truth is something much darker and stranger than they'd ever imagined. And the story of the Alperton Angels is far from over.

From the bestselling author of The Appeal and The Twyford Code comes a stunning new mystery for fans of Richard Osman and S.J. Bennett. The devil is in the detail... 

What did I think?

I absolutely loved Janice Hallett's debut novel, The Appeal, written in the epistolary format of letters, emails and texts so I already knew what to expect with her third novel, The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels.  It's incredibly intriguing to be presented with all the evidence and to try to work it all out for yourself, although I didn't manage to predict anything that happened in this extraordinary novel.

The Alperton Angels story has remained a mystery for 18 years.  What really happened the night the 'angels' died?  Where is the baby that narrowly escaped being sacrificed?  That's what true-crime author Amanda Bailey intends to find out.

I didn't really like the main character of Amanda, but I think it's simply because I find journalist types to be ruthless and sneaky as they will do anything to get the story.  I really liked the competition between Amanda and Oliver, who have both been tasked with writing a book on the Alperton Angels.  There is clearly some history between them which adds another layer of intrigue to the story.

I loved Ellie who is transcribing all of Amanda's recordings, often recorded surreptitiously (see what I mean about journalists being sneaky?).  Ellie can't help adding her own comments and opinions to the transcription and it often made me laugh.

There is so much information to dig through in the form of letters, emails, texts, scripts and book excerpts that you really feel as if you're part of the case.  I am completely in awe of Janice Hallett; she is an incredibly talented writer to not only write a captivating and intriguing plot but to create several styles of writing as if many different people had written the material.  

Cunning, clever and compelling, The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels is as impossible to predict as it is to put down; prepare to be up all night reading this one.  Five stars feel woefully inadequate to rate this book and I can't recommend it highly enough.

I received a gifted hardback copy for the Tandem Collective readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: The Family Lie - P L Kane

 

A scream cut through the night as they watched flames engulf the woodland. Fire ripped through the trees, leaving only charred branches behind. And then they saw it… on the ashen forest floor… was a body.

Police officer, Mitchel Prescott answered the phone with a shaking hand. It was the one call he had been dreading. It was the hospital at Green Acres… his father Thomas, had died in the night.

Returning to the small town he had been avoiding since he was a child, Mitch must lay his father to rest.

When he arrives, the close-knit residents refuse to speak about Thomas’ death, other than to explain he was found burnt to death in the woods and his dementia was the likely cause.

But when Mitch discovers traces of accelerant on his father’s body, he’s certain it wasn’t an accident. Then his childhood home is broken into, his father’s study ransacked, and a rock thrown through the window warning him to leave.

Mitch is convinced Thomas had discovered something that had got him into trouble… something that would threaten his entire family.

But what secret is worth killing for?

What did I think?

I rather enjoyed that!  The Family Lie is pretty creepy with an underlying hint of menace and the town of Green Acres is definitely somewhere I would not want to visit!  Its oddness reminded me of the setting of Royston Vasey from The League of Gentlemen but the characters in The Family Lie are more threatening in a duplicitous kind of way.

Although it has quite a gruesome and intriguing beginning, it took me a little while to get into the story as it flicks back and forth between Mitch and his sister Bella.  When their father dies, Bella refuses to return to Green Acres so Mitch is the one who goes back home to arrange his father's funeral.  Mitch has just quit his job in the police force but he sniffs out something sinister about his father's death and begins to investigate, but someone seems intent to stop him.

I loved the character of Bella and her psychic ability which added a supernatural air of mystery to the whole proceedings.  There is so much more to Bella's story than meets the eye and I loved discovering everything about her.  It's odd but I didn't really take to Mitch as much as Bella, although I loved Mitch's interactions with the cat, but I think perhaps I just found Bella to be a more interesting character. 

Chilling and intriguing with a hint of the supernatural, anything could happen in The Family Lie which makes it impossible to predict and difficult to put down.  I enjoyed it; it's an entertaining, disturbing and imaginative crime thriller.

I chose to read a digital ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

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Bad People (Tom Nolan 1) - Craig Wallwork

 

THREE MISSING CHILDREN. Over the past three years, the quiet Yorkshire village of Stormer Hill has lost three of its children. No bodies were ever discovered. No evidence found. No witnesses.

THE WRITER. Struggling to find inspiration for his new novel, celebrated crime author, and ex-police officer, Alex Palmer, believes the story of the missing children could end his writer's block, but is he prepared for the story that's about to develop?

THE DETECTIVE. Tom Nolan, a seasoned detective and loner involved in finding each missing child. Nolan is tasked with chaperoning Palmer and walking through each case. But as both men revisit the past, and dig deeper, neither are prepared for the chilling discovery to why the children were taken.

THE BRETHREN. A secret cult. Two men, and a series of brutal and unimaginable murders spanning over seven years with one intention; to show the world that death can be justified if it's for a greater good.

What did I think?

Bad People is such a dark and sinister book that is so full of shocks and surprises that it completely blew my mind.  You might think you have this one all worked out but you'd be wrong.  I love books like this that make me flick back over the pages, scratching my head while reanalysing and re-evaluating everything I missed.  Very well played, Mr Wallwork!

With three missing children in one little village, the village itself seems to cast a sinister shadow.  They are a very close knit community in Stormer Hill and they don't take kindly to an author turning up and asking questions for his new book.  The village really gave me the creeps, it virtually hums with an underlying tension that is palpable.  I would have been making a sharp exit if I found myself in Stormer Hill, that's for sure.

The plot is exceptional and I love how Craig Wallwork leads the reader in a particular direction so you think you have it all worked out until he pulls the rug out from underneath you.  The storyline is quite dark and gory in places and the writing is so vivid that you need to have a strong stomach when reading some scenes.  The vivid descriptions made the whole book play like a movie in my mind and I was so gripped that I couldn't tear my eyes away from the page, however, I might have actually been hiding behind the sofa if I was watching Bad People the movie.  

Brilliant from start to finish, Bad People is a deliciously dark and addictive thriller that takes crime writing to a new level.  Absolutely outstanding and highly recommended if you feel brave enough to read it.

Many thanks to Craig Wallwork for providing a review copy for me to read and review; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

BLOG TOUR: Say No More (Sacramento #2) - Karen Rose

Perfect for fans of James Patterson and Karin Slaughter, this is the second gripping instalment of the Sacramento series from Sunday Times bestseller Karen Rose. An explosive crime thriller, Say No More will keep you gripped until the final page.

If they ever catch you, say nothing. Admit nothing. Never tell.

Mercy Callahan never thought she'd be able to talk about her past. When she arrives in Sacramento to make peace with her brother Gideon, and to help find the brutal cult that took away her childhood, she is finally ready to talk. But when Ephraim Burton - the man who made her life a living hell - follows her there, she realises she might never be safe. 

Rafe Sokolov would do anything to have Mercy back in his life and would go to any length to protect her. But when it becomes apparent that Ephraim is more determined than ever to get Mercy back, even Rafe might not be able to stop the trail of destruction he leaves in his wake. As Ephraim draws near, it's clear it's not just Mercy who is in danger; those closest to her are firmly in his sights.

Will Mercy sacrifice herself to help bring Ephraim down? Or will he finally get what he's always wanted...

What did I think?

Karen Rose is one of those authors where you don't even read the book blurb before buying her new book as you know it's going to brilliant.  I'm guilty of that too as I didn't realise that Say No More is the second book in the Sacramento series (and I haven't yet read Say You're Sorry), but Karen Rose slips in enough recaps for new readers so you don't even notice that you've missed the first book in the series.

Say No More is a chunky read (the hardback is 583 pages) but it's so gripping that time flies when you're reading and I only reluctantly put it down to rest my weary hands.  Mercy Callahan is an unlucky lady: she escaped from a cult, escaped the clutches of a serial killer and now her cult 'husband' wants her back.  Rafe Sokolov rescued Mercy from a serial killer and provides the law enforcement love interest that you would expect in a Karen Rose book.

There is so much going on in the book that I could write about but I don't want to give any of the plot away, so I just want to highlight some major points that I enjoyed: the cult and family.  The cult story is brilliant, it's always intriguing and slightly sinister when cults are involved as they make up their own rules to suit them.  Eden has zero tolerance where escapees are concerned and the graveyard bears the crosses to prove it.  With Ephraim hunting Mercy, I was kept on the edge of my seat as he leaves a trail of dead bodies in his wake.  The Sokolov family reminded me of the Reagans in Blue Bloods as Rafe and his siblings all have some links to law enforcement and they all come together around the dinner table, especially for a slice of Irina's birds milk cake.

Filled with danger and brimming with tension, Say No More is a gripping and compelling read that will entertain and delight both new and long-standing Karen Rose fans.  

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon UK

Waterstones

Book Depository

Google Books

Hive.co.uk

About the author:

Karen Rose was introduced to suspense and horror at the tender age of eight when she accidentally read Poe’s The Pit and The Pendulum and was afraid to go to sleep for years. She now enjoys writing books that make other people afraid to go to sleep. Karen lives in Florida with her family, their cat, Bella, and two dogs, Loki and Freya. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, and her new hobby – knitting.

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KarenRoseBooks 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenRoseBooks/ 

Website: http://www.karenrosebooks.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenrosebooks/ 

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Singapore Killer (Ash Carter #5) - Murray Bailey

A helicopter crash and burned bodies.

A faceless corpse.

A mysterious town.

It's September 1953 and Ash Carter is drawn into a dark case from which there seems no escape.

What did I think?

Don't worry about picking up this Ash Carter thriller mid-series; although it's book 5, you can definitely read Singapore Killer as a standalone and not feel like you're missing something.  This is my first Ash Carter book and it definitely won't be my last; I absolutely loved it.

Singapore, even Asia, is a new literary location to me and I thoroughly enjoyed my virtual trip there.  I love how Murray Bailey brings the location to life and I felt that not just the location, but also the characters (especially Carter's receptionist, Madam Chau) were described very vividly.  I'm sure I'd get a steely glare from her for calling Madam Chau a receptionist; I certainly wouldn't like to get on the wrong side of her!  

There's a very intriguing helicopter crash at the beginning that hooked me like a greedy fish and I absolutely raced through the pages.  Main character Ash Carter reminded me of a cross between Andy McNab's Nick Stone and 24's Jack Bauer; Ash Carter is a brilliant investigator and fearless in the presence of danger.  Carter is on the trail of the mysterious BlackJack who is targeting and killing military personnel; the trail takes Carter undercover into a cult-like village where the danger levels (and my pulse) went off the scale.

I was surprised how quickly I read Singapore Killer, reading it cover to cover over a period of 24 hours; it just shows you how fast-paced and gripping the story is, without being too heavily military-based (which tends to bore me).  The book is quite unique in that it simultaneously ends on a reveal and a cliffhanger which left me not just thirsty, but positively parched for more!  While I wait for Ash Carter's story to continue, I'll content myself with catching up with Carter's past in the previous four novels.

Singapore Killer is a vivid and gripping thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to well beyond the finish, where I'll continue to perch until book 6 is released!

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

BLOG TOUR: Nothing Important Happened Today - Will Carver

Nine people arrive one night on Chelsea Bridge. They’ve never met. But, at the same time, they leap to their deaths. Each of them received a letter in the post that morning, a pre-written suicide note, and a page containing only four words: Nothing important happened today.

That is how they knew they had been chosen to become a part of The People of Choice: a mysterious suicide cult whose members have no knowledge of one another.

Thirty-two people on a train witness the event. Two of them will be next. By the morning, People of Choice are appearing around the globe. It becomes a movement. A social-media page that has lain dormant for four years suddenly has thousands of followers.

The police are under pressure to find a link between the cult members, to locate a leader who does not seem to exist …

What did I think?

Will Carver is another author who piqued my interest at Newcastle Noir 2019 so when the blog tour invitation for Nothing Important Happened Today landed in my inbox, I jumped at the chance to hop aboard.  What I didn't expect was such a crazy ride; crazy but brilliant and with so many WTF moments, I felt like my brain had been put through a blender when I finished the book.

A suicide cult is a very disturbing subject to write about but Will Carver takes this to a whole new level with a cult with no apparent leader and cult members who have never met each other before they turned up to kill themselves in a horrific mass suicide.  The only thing they all have in common is a letter they received in the post containing four words: Nothing Important Happened Today.

The whole book feels very angry and Will Carver didn't even have to use capital letters to portray this.  I felt as if the narrator was angry at the world, especially at people walking around with their heads down, glued to their phone screens and I wondered if the mass suicide spectacle was simply an attempt to make people stop and take notice of what's going on around them.  Perhaps there's a lesson to be learned there for all of us.

Shocking, original, very disturbing and slightly crazy, Nothing Important Happened Today is one of those books that's very difficult to describe; I've never read anything like it and I don't expect that I will ever read anything that even comes close to it.  

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




About the author:

Will Carver is the international bestselling author of the January David series. He spent his early years in Germany, but returned to the UK at age eleven, when his sporting career took off. He turned down a professional rugby contract to study theatre and television at King Alfred’s, Winchester, where he set up a successful theatre company. He currently runs his own fitness and nutrition company, and lives in Reading with his two children. Good Samaritans was book of the year in Guardian, Daily Telegraph and Sunday Express, and hit number one on the ebook charts.

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BLOG TOUR: The Family - Louise Jensen

ONCE YOU’RE IN, THEY’LL NEVER LET YOU LEAVE.

Laura is grieving after the sudden death of her husband. Struggling to cope emotionally and financially, Laura is grateful when a local community, Oak Leaf Organics, offer her and her 17-year-old daughter Tilly a home.

But as Laura and Tilly settle into life with their new ‘family’, sinister things begin to happen. When one of the community dies in suspicious circumstances Laura wants to leave but Tilly, enthralled by the charismatic leader, Alex, refuses to go.

Desperately searching for a way to save her daughter, Laura uncovers a horrifying secret but Alex and his family aren’t the only ones with something to hide. Just as Laura has been digging into their past, they’ve been digging into hers and she discovers the terrifying reason they invited her and Tilly in, and why they’ll never let them leave…

What did I think?

I always get excited when I see a new Louise Jensen book coming out; her books are absolutely brilliant and if you haven't read one yet, what are you waiting for?  Pick one, pick them all, you won't be disappointed.  I must warn you though, once you pick up The Family, you simply can't do anything until you finish the book.  Thank goodness for cold and wet October weekends; not that I need an excuse to stay inside to read, of course.  The Family is definitely a one-sitting kind of book, with an intriguing prologue and little cliffhangers at the end of each chapter making you read just one more after just one more.

The Family, as you would expect, is about family: Laura's flesh family (doesn't that sound creepy?) and her chosen family (which really is creepy).  Laura and her daughter, Tilly, find themselves in unimaginable circumstances when Laura's husband, Gavan, dies.  With so much turmoil surrounding Gavan's death, Laura finds herself ostracized from Gavan's family and struggling to pay the rent.  With nowhere left to turn, she is invited to join the community at Gorphwysfa (Welsh for 'resting place') and is unable to resist joining the family led by the alluring and enigmatic Alex.

The story is told from three viewpoints, that of Laura, Tilly and Alex.  The characters have been developed so wonderfully that each voice had its own individuality but what they each have in common is a heartbreaking story at their core.  Laura has never had much luck with her 'flesh' family, Tilly is suffering at school thanks to a group of mean girls and Alex just wants to look after his family...or does he?  

I think Louise Jensen is a bit of a magician; with slight of hand, she has you looking in completely the wrong direction as she plucks the ace out of her sleeve for the big reveal.  I knew there would be at least one secret struggling to remain hidden but Louise Jensen goes one better with some absolutely huge, jaw-dropping surprises in store for the reader.  Just when I thought that I'd heard it all and I could breathe again, Louise Jensen completely took the wind out of my sails and I was actually left breathless.  This is absolutely brilliant writing; Louise Jensen, I salute you!  

The Family is jaw-droppingly brilliant; it's a highly addictive read that completely took my breath away.  Clear your schedule as once you pick it up, you won't be able to put it down.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




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BLOG BLITZ: The Girl in White - John Nicholl

Harry Gilmore has no idea of the terrible danger he faces when he meets a beautiful girl in a local student bar. Drugged and abducted, Harry wakes up in a secure wooden compound deep in the Welsh countryside, where he is groomed by the leaders of a manipulative cult, run by the self-proclaimed new messiah, known as The Master.

When the true nature of the cult becomes apparent, Harry looks for any opportunity to escape. But as time passes he questions if the master’s extreme behaviour and teachings are the one true religion.

With Harry’s life hanging by a thread, a team of officers, led by Detective Inspector Laura Kesey, investigate his disappearance. But will they find him before it’s too late?

What did I think?

I've read quite a few of John Nicholl's books so I know you're always guaranteed a quality novel from him, which is exactly what you get with The Girl in White.  As with all John Nicholl's novels, The Girl in White is dark and creepy but it's slightly different in that it's not set in a domestic situation.  As always though, John Nicholl manages to make my skin crawl with his chilling storyline and mesmeric writing.

Although the police feature in this book, it's not DI Gravel this time but rather his replacement, Laura Kesey.  As much as I love the DI Gravel books, it's nice to have a change now and again and I'm looking forward to getting to know the new cop in town: DI Kesey.  Laura certainly has some big boots to fill but I really like her; she's determined and smart so I think she'll do very well.

I've always found cults very creepy and wondered how they manage to attract members when you hear so many horror stories.  I wouldn't be surprised to find that this story is very true to life as surely most sane, intelligent people don't become members of cults by their own free will.  University student, Harry, is drugged and abducted when he meets a young woman in a bar and wakes up in the compound of a cult.  Harry's story is also a good reminder about accepting drinks or leaving drinks unattended when you're out in bars as there are some psychotic people out there!  DI Kesey is on the case to find Harry but can she find him before his mind is lost to the cult?

It's quite a short book so its length and the compelling storyline make it easy to read in one sitting, which is what I did.   With the end of the book approaching, I couldn't read it fast enough but it did feel a tiny bit rushed towards the end, however, it was a very satisfying ending nonetheless and leads on nicely to another DI Kesey instalment.  

The Girl in White is another excellent book from John Nicholl; it has all the dark and creepy qualities I've come to expect from him to ensure my stomach clenched and my skin crawled but I couldn't tear my eyes from the page.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon



About the author:

John Nicholl, an ex-police officer, child protection social worker and lecturer, has written seven darkly psychological suspense thrillers, each of which has been an Amazon #1 bestseller.

John’s books are set in the UK and have a strong Welsh flavour. He began writing after leaving his job heading up child protection services for Carmarthenshire.

You can find out more about John and his books at: http://www.johnnicholl.com





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BLOG TOUR: The Last Widow (Will Trent 9) - Karin Slaughter

It begins with an abduction. The routine of a family shopping trip is shattered when Michelle Spivey is snatched as she leaves the mall with her young daughter. The police search for her, her partner pleads for her release, but in the end…they find nothing. It’s as if she disappeared into thin air.

A month later, on a sleepy Sunday afternoon, medical examiner Sara Linton is at lunch with her boyfriend Will Trent, an agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. But the serenity of the summer’s day is broken by the wail of sirens.

Sara and Will are trained to help in an emergency. Their jobs – their vocations – mean that they run towards a crisis, not away from it. But on this one terrible day that instinct betrays them both. Within hours the situation has spiralled out of control; Sara is taken prisoner; Will is forced undercover. And the fallout will lead them into the Appalachian mountains, to the terrible truth about what really happened to Michelle, and to a remote compound where a radical group has murder in mind…

What did I think?

I actually can't believe that this is my first ever Karin Slaughter book; her novels have been recommended to me many times so when an opportunity to join the blog tour for The Last Widow came up, I jumped at the chance.  

I didn't realise it was the ninth book in the Will Trent series and, with the characters of Will Trent and Sara Linton being already well established, I didn't really get any depth of feeling for them.  I think I definitely would have benefited from reading the earlier books in the series first, so I wouldn't recommend this as a standalone novel.  I'm intrigued enough about them to want to read the earlier books though; I love how Will isn't a people person, except when it's the right person of course and I can totally relate to that.

The story is quite gripping right from the start as a woman is abducted in front of her young daughter.  Michelle Spivey has disappeared without trace and the police have no leads.  When an explosion shatters the peace of a Sunday afternoon, Sara and Will head towards the scene of the incident without thinking twice.  What they discover puts them in terrible danger and Sara ends up right in the middle of something she can't escape from.  Only one man can save her but can Will hide his very strong feelings for Sara and go undercover to rescue her?

To be honest, I struggled with the book at first.  The first four chapters are told alternately from Sara and Will's viewpoint which results in whole paragraphs of speech being repeated.  I almost missed out a whole chapter, thinking I'd already read it and had put my bookmark in the wrong place.  Thankfully, Will and Sara get separated quite early on so there isn't too much repetition to contend with.  One thing that really affected my reading pace was the frequent use of very short sentences.  It's just my personal preference but I prefer a comma, semi-colon or an 'and' to keep the prose flowing rather than several very short sentences.

The talent of Karin Slaughter is very evident in The Last Widow; despite my jumping in mid-series and not knowing the characters, the story kept me intrigued and entertained.  It was quite scary at times, not just the scarily realistic storyline, but the character of the baddie in the story, Dash, being like a pot constantly on the boil that could boil over and scald you at any time.  

The Last Widow is a gripping and intriguing story and it's all too scarily realistic in this day and age where bigotry seems to be rearing its ugly head more often.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




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BLOG TOUR: False Prophet - Richard Davis

As the third book in the Saul Marshall series is imminent (yay!), I am delighted to take part in the False Prophet blog tour.  I am re-posting my review for the tour but make sure that you check out all of the other stops on the tour to read all of the great reviews.

When a rogue cult turns deadly, the authorities call on former conman Agent Saul Marshall. Drawn into a cat and mouse chase with the leader of the cult Ivan Drexler, news arrives that he has taken Marshall’s son hostage. Removed from the line of duty, Marshall must work alone, off-grid.

As the attacks intensify, Saul will stop at nothing to defeat Drexler. But people are questioning Saul’s own part in the carnage. He must work fast to save both his country and his son. 

As wave after wave of attacks break, the clock is ticking...

What did I think?

I took far too long to get around to reading False Prophet but once I started to read it, I really couldn't put it down and it turned out to be a very quick, riveting read.  Saul Marshall is such a multi-faceted character; he's a con-man turned FBI agent so he knows more than most how the criminal mind works, basically because he has a criminal mind himself. 

The prologue will not fail to hook every single reader that turns the first page of False Prophet.  Imagine sitting down to breakfast with your morning newspaper and seeing your obituary in the paper.  That's what happened to Aaron Woolf, who then received a phone call from his missing son rapidly followed by masked men entering his apartment to stage his apparent suicide.  Saul Marshall has something in common with Aaron Woolf; his son, Samuel, has gone missing too.  As Saul races to save his son, he uncovers something bigger than he could ever have imagined.

False Prophet is an absolutely stonking first thriller from Richard Davis and a fast-paced rollercoaster of a read; I think I held my breath several times during the book and almost forgot to breathe at the heart-stopping finale.  It certainly gets you thinking as the story links to the 20th anniversary of the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993 and the 40th anniversary of the 1973 failed bomb plot codenamed Tribomb.  It's a brilliant idea, and one probably very true to life, to have a false prophet using religion to 'cash in' on the jihadi mentality of willing suicide bombers.  Are these islamic militants really any different to religious cult leaders?

With a character as strong and flawed as Saul Marshall, Richard Davis is definitely on to a winner here.  I was so eager to read more of Saul's story that I immediately went on to read the next book in the series, Never Forget.

I chose to read to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon


About the author:

Richard Davis graduated from University College London in 2011 and Cambridge University in 2012.

The Saul Marshall series was born from Davis’s extensive travels around the United States and his long-standing obsession with thriller fiction.

He lives in North London, UK, with his girlfriend.

If you want to know more you can find Richard on Twitter @DickDavisDavis

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Nameless (The Hellbound Anthology) - David McCaffrey

'There is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never care for anything else thereafter.’

Ernest Hemingway

One serial killer terrified the world. Imagine what an army of them could do...

A cult member is arrested at the scene of a brutal murder. She will only speak to former crime reporter, Joe O'Connell.

Joe's obsession with Obadiah Stark a.k.a The Tally Man cost him everything. 

He is about to learn that Stark's message did not end with his death.

They believe in what The Tally Man stood for.

They believe in what The Tally Man did.

But he was one, and they are many.

Once they have you, they will never let you go...


What did I think?

I have previously read Hellbound and In Extremis by David McCaffrey, so I didn't hesitate when the opportunity arose for me to read Nameless.  All three books revolve around Obadiah Stark, so I would definitely recommend reading the first two books before embarking on this one.  You could probably read Nameless as a standalone but I think it makes a lot more sense, and is more enjoyable, when read as part of the trilogy.

Crikey!  I thought Obadiah Stark, aka The Tally Man, was creepy but now that he's dead he has been elevated to cult status and there are a group of followers who are ready to continue his work.  The apparent leader of the Branch Obadians, Lamont Etchison, has instructed Stark's followers to replicate the twenty seven murders that Stark committed, but on a much grander scale so that the world fears the name 'Obadiah Stark' once again.  

Joe O'Connell is so obsessed with Obadiah Stark that it nearly cost him his life.  As much as Joe can't help being dragged into investigating this cult, the cult is pulling him into their web and they will stop at nothing to silence Joe once and for all.

I have absolutely loved the whole Hellbound series and each instalment has oodles of shock factor to make you sit up and take notice, but Nameless feels so much more menacing.  It was quite bloodthirsty at times, and necessarily so, but I didn't find it too graphic - just enough to make my stomach clench.  There's a lot of action in such a short book, at only 154 pages, but it's so fast-paced that you could very easily read this in one sitting.

I'm definitely going to re-read the whole Hellbound Anthology.  Parts of Nameless reminded me of the TV show, The Following, and even though you might now know how it ends, it doesn't stop you watching it again.  So I will definitely be reading all of the Hellbound books again sometime, and I wouldn't be surprised if I enjoy them even more the second time around.  

Pick up Hellbound, In Extremis and Nameless if you have the guts to enter the dark and dangerous world of Obadiah Stark.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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