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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
This was a riveting read, with a multi-narrative style, similar to Into the Water by Paula Hawkins. This style can be tricky to navigate, as often in having a variety of perspectives, there's some compromising on how deep of a sense you can get for any one character in the story. This centered primarily around Helen, an architect working on a redevelopment of an abandoned, derelict psychiatric asylum in Lancaster. Her teenage daughter Zoe goes missing, and there's a race against the clock to save her before it's too late.
The atmosphere with the asylum is eerie, but could have been fleshed out further to great effect. There are simultaneous stories here: one is about a historical serial killer who imitates someone to pin their killings on that person, another is about the dark history of a serial killer who lived in the asylum after its closure, yet another is about the dark web and urban explorers investigating local murders. There are even a couple more stories: one is a journalist who is trying to uncover what happened with a string of teenage girls who disappeared, and another is the experience of a young boy whose father has disappeared from his life, and his family is keeping the truth from him about why.
It would have been great to see one or two of these plot lines fleshed out thoroughly rather than so many of them very lightly done. The book was still engrossing, but would have benefited from narrowing down its scope.
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The atmosphere with the asylum is eerie, but could have been fleshed out further to great effect. There are simultaneous stories here: one is about a historical serial killer who imitates someone to pin their killings on that person, another is about the dark history of a serial killer who lived in the asylum after its closure, yet another is about the dark web and urban explorers investigating local murders. There are even a couple more stories: one is a journalist who is trying to uncover what happened with a string of teenage girls who disappeared, and another is the experience of a young boy whose father has disappeared from his life, and his family is keeping the truth from him about why.
It would have been great to see one or two of these plot lines fleshed out thoroughly rather than so many of them very lightly done. The book was still engrossing, but would have benefited from narrowing down its scope.
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
*My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
⭐⭐⭐⭐ !
Secrets of a Serial Killer is a multi-POV adult thriller following the kidnap of seventeen-year-old Zoe told from her eyes, her young neighbors Thomas and Maggie, her mother, Helen, and the potential killer himself.
Truth be told I went back and forth between three stars and four more than once. I was not immediately gripped at the beginning, and that was probably due in part to how often the POV switched on me. It sort of blended together at first, but once they became more established and things started rolling, it was easy to breeze through this so I ultimately decided to give it a four. Especially since it utilized a trope I so love when it comes to murderers!
Despite getting a grip on the kidnapper and his MO fairly quickly, there was still plenty of room left for surprises in the last third of the book. I especially enjoyed the POV of the children, our unwitting heroes who were most definitely in the wrong place at the right time. The pieces of set up, while initially seeming disjointed, began to fall together in neat patterns that while at times predictable, were executed rather well. There was plenty of conflict and tension between characters of every POV, which granted a richness and realism that made the horror all the more real when it came time for it.
Our culprit took on many names, following old and familiar behaviors of any typical killer. Blaming/crediting his mother with "who he was", harboring a deep sense of inadequacy that he attempted to assuage with bloodlust and a constant mental rhetoric of being the most powerful being on earth. His POV hit disturbing on all cylinders. There was no room for doubt where he was concerned, and the climax hit the ground running when it all began to fall apart.
The ending, while ominous, was not as satisfying as I would have liked. I'm not sure if it was the limited knowledge of the ending POV, or the fact that I needed just—a tiny bit more. Another page, maybe, a few hundred words. I felt like I was on the cusp of leaving with a real cold fear that didn't quite get to form all the way. But I enjoyed this far more than I was expecting with how I reacted to the initial chapters and I am so glad I pressed on.
This one hits the shelves on July 17, 2020 folks! If you want a twisted, ruthless read that gets you right up in the mind of both the monster and his victim alike, you will definitely want to pick this one up!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ !
Secrets of a Serial Killer is a multi-POV adult thriller following the kidnap of seventeen-year-old Zoe told from her eyes, her young neighbors Thomas and Maggie, her mother, Helen, and the potential killer himself.
Truth be told I went back and forth between three stars and four more than once. I was not immediately gripped at the beginning, and that was probably due in part to how often the POV switched on me. It sort of blended together at first, but once they became more established and things started rolling, it was easy to breeze through this so I ultimately decided to give it a four. Especially since it utilized a trope I so love when it comes to murderers!
Despite getting a grip on the kidnapper and his MO fairly quickly, there was still plenty of room left for surprises in the last third of the book. I especially enjoyed the POV of the children, our unwitting heroes who were most definitely in the wrong place at the right time. The pieces of set up, while initially seeming disjointed, began to fall together in neat patterns that while at times predictable, were executed rather well. There was plenty of conflict and tension between characters of every POV, which granted a richness and realism that made the horror all the more real when it came time for it.
Our culprit took on many names, following old and familiar behaviors of any typical killer. Blaming/crediting his mother with "who he was", harboring a deep sense of inadequacy that he attempted to assuage with bloodlust and a constant mental rhetoric of being the most powerful being on earth. His POV hit disturbing on all cylinders. There was no room for doubt where he was concerned, and the climax hit the ground running when it all began to fall apart.
The ending, while ominous, was not as satisfying as I would have liked. I'm not sure if it was the limited knowledge of the ending POV, or the fact that I needed just—a tiny bit more. Another page, maybe, a few hundred words. I felt like I was on the cusp of leaving with a real cold fear that didn't quite get to form all the way. But I enjoyed this far more than I was expecting with how I reacted to the initial chapters and I am so glad I pressed on.
This one hits the shelves on July 17, 2020 folks! If you want a twisted, ruthless read that gets you right up in the mind of both the monster and his victim alike, you will definitely want to pick this one up!
A serial killer has been terrorising Lancaster for decades, longer than should ever have been possible. The police are baffled, eluded at every turn by the killer whose victims span generations. Speculation is rife among the true crime forums; is someone passing on their gruesome trade?
When Helen Summerton's daughter, Zoe, is kidnapped, can the mystery be solved before its too late? Told from multiple perspectives, this was a fast-paced, page-turning thriller that had me racing through it. The author absolutely has a flair for getting tension off the page and into your head. I found myself actively stressed out at multiple points.
Unfortunately, the actual details fell a lil flat for me. I enjoyed the multiple POVs but realistically there was probably a few too many. I enjoyed the majority of the facets of the story, but wanted much more detail from most of them. I feel this could have been two completely separate books, where the details get to be explored rather than just touched upon.
I will say, I think is an impressive debut and is absolutely worth a read if you fancy stressing yourself out for a couple of hours. Rosie Walker writes atmospherically and manufactures suspense excellently, I can't wait to see what she does next.
Big thanks to the author, NetGalley, and One More Chapter for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Due to be released on kindle 17/07/20.
When Helen Summerton's daughter, Zoe, is kidnapped, can the mystery be solved before its too late? Told from multiple perspectives, this was a fast-paced, page-turning thriller that had me racing through it. The author absolutely has a flair for getting tension off the page and into your head. I found myself actively stressed out at multiple points.
Unfortunately, the actual details fell a lil flat for me. I enjoyed the multiple POVs but realistically there was probably a few too many. I enjoyed the majority of the facets of the story, but wanted much more detail from most of them. I feel this could have been two completely separate books, where the details get to be explored rather than just touched upon.
I will say, I think is an impressive debut and is absolutely worth a read if you fancy stressing yourself out for a couple of hours. Rosie Walker writes atmospherically and manufactures suspense excellently, I can't wait to see what she does next.
Big thanks to the author, NetGalley, and One More Chapter for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Due to be released on kindle 17/07/20.
There’s a serial killer at large. Theres a journalist on the case. There’s a clueless police force. There’s a young boy and his cousin on the hunt for a mystery. There’s a missing seventeen year old girl. And there’s a very creepy, abandoned asylum. All the ingredients for a grizzly story and a premise that hinted at being a potential new favourite. However it didn’t quite deliver on its promise.
Multiple POVs and quick pace made this book a largely enjoyable read, but I was left wanting more from the story. A friend who also read this one said that she felt that it would have been better split into two stories and I totally agree. The serial killer POV could have been a book all to itself and I would have read it hungrily. The other aspects just felt like any other forgettable thriller unfortunately.
That said, I read it quickly and kept turning the page- my attention kept all the way through. The characters were interesting but I would have liked to spend more time with them; flitting so quickly between perspectives meant that we didn’t get to know the characters all that well. I would particularly have loved to get more insight on Abby, Zoe’s best friend. I think she could have been a really interesting character. Maybe there will be a sequel? I’d probably pick it up, as I enjoyed Walker’s writing style, her ability to build suspense and her quick pacing.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins One More Chapter for both the advance ebook and the audiobook of this one in exchange for an honest review. I did struggle to get into the print version and so was glad to the audio. Brilliantly performed by the narrators, this is one I’d suggest to get on audio if you do plan to pick it up. Secrets of a Serial Killer is out now!
Multiple POVs and quick pace made this book a largely enjoyable read, but I was left wanting more from the story. A friend who also read this one said that she felt that it would have been better split into two stories and I totally agree. The serial killer POV could have been a book all to itself and I would have read it hungrily. The other aspects just felt like any other forgettable thriller unfortunately.
That said, I read it quickly and kept turning the page- my attention kept all the way through. The characters were interesting but I would have liked to spend more time with them; flitting so quickly between perspectives meant that we didn’t get to know the characters all that well. I would particularly have loved to get more insight on Abby, Zoe’s best friend. I think she could have been a really interesting character. Maybe there will be a sequel? I’d probably pick it up, as I enjoyed Walker’s writing style, her ability to build suspense and her quick pacing.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins One More Chapter for both the advance ebook and the audiobook of this one in exchange for an honest review. I did struggle to get into the print version and so was glad to the audio. Brilliantly performed by the narrators, this is one I’d suggest to get on audio if you do plan to pick it up. Secrets of a Serial Killer is out now!
If you a fan of the show Criminal Minds, true crime podcasts then you might enjoy Rosie Walkers debut novel Secrets of a Serial Killer.
A serial killer has been hunting the town of Lancaster for decades. When 17 year old Zoe goes missing her mother and father take matters into their own hands. Will they find her in time or will the Lancaster killer walk away with another murder under his belt?
Abandoned old asylum, a serial killer, dark woods, a hidden bunker. This book has all the right ingredients for a creepy, gruesome read and it was. I found myself turning the pages so fast needing to know what was going to happen. Walker does a great job scaring the pants off you. This book will have you looking over your shoulder for sure.
Was it perfect? no. I feel it was a little unpolished in a sense. Things seemed to jump around and I just felt there were things that didn't come together nicely. Despite feeling this way I still enjoyed the book and I am already looking for a sequel (fingers crossed).
I would give this a 2.5 for unfinished feel I had while reading the book, but totally would up the start rating to a 3 maybe even 4 for the scare factor and gruesome creepiness of the book .
Thank you netgally for allowing me to read the ARC.
A serial killer has been hunting the town of Lancaster for decades. When 17 year old Zoe goes missing her mother and father take matters into their own hands. Will they find her in time or will the Lancaster killer walk away with another murder under his belt?
Abandoned old asylum, a serial killer, dark woods, a hidden bunker. This book has all the right ingredients for a creepy, gruesome read and it was. I found myself turning the pages so fast needing to know what was going to happen. Walker does a great job scaring the pants off you. This book will have you looking over your shoulder for sure.
Was it perfect? no. I feel it was a little unpolished in a sense. Things seemed to jump around and I just felt there were things that didn't come together nicely. Despite feeling this way I still enjoyed the book and I am already looking for a sequel (fingers crossed).
I would give this a 2.5 for unfinished feel I had while reading the book, but totally would up the start rating to a 3 maybe even 4 for the scare factor and gruesome creepiness of the book .
Thank you netgally for allowing me to read the ARC.