You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
This was such a great read. I loved it from beginning to end and was conflicted because I wanted to get to the end and discover the resolution but at the same time it was so good I almost didn't want it to end. I want Tilly as a new best friend. She's so adorable and awkward but at the same time strong, just what Poe needs. Washington Poe is just the perfect character, well developed throughout but still with his secrets and mysteries. I want more Poe... I need more Poe. Please don't make me wait too long for the continuation of his story
The same old story - I buy a book that advertises itself as a serial killer thriller and it ends up being a police procedural instead!
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me 342 times, shame on me!
I'm surprised at the very high rating for this one. I found it excruciatingly dull, exceedingly cliched and endlessly predictable.
The plot involves a British team of something like the British version of the FBI searching for the Immolation Man, who has been setting men in their sixties or olders alight. One of the bodies has the name Washington Poe etched into their flesh. He's a former detective, on suspension (of course) because he's a bit of a maverick (of course), and brought back onto the force despite higher ups not wanting him there (of course).
The first thought is that the victims are random. Poe isn't convinced. With the help of Tilly Bradshaw, an analyst who is presumably somewhere on the spectrum, Poe sets out to discover what links all the victims, because he's certain they were specifically targeted.
When it comes to police procedurals, this feels perhaps even more boring and laboriously paced than usual! We spend what feels like 30% of the book tracking down a watch. We spend an equal amount of time sorting through images of vehicles that could have been involved. It. Was. So. Boring. I figured out the serial killer's identity way too easily.
The friendship that develops between Poe and Tilly is reasonably endearing, even if their characters are straight out of central casting. The story is put together well, and the lead-up to the ending isn't without interest. But even there it introduces some ridiculous elements Really lazy writing there.
This took me nearly a week to read because it was so dry and lethargically paced. It's mostly boring and predictable, and offers absolutely nothing new. Immolate it!
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me 342 times, shame on me!
I'm surprised at the very high rating for this one. I found it excruciatingly dull, exceedingly cliched and endlessly predictable.
The plot involves a British team of something like the British version of the FBI searching for the Immolation Man, who has been setting men in their sixties or olders alight. One of the bodies has the name Washington Poe etched into their flesh. He's a former detective, on suspension (of course) because he's a bit of a maverick (of course), and brought back onto the force despite higher ups not wanting him there (of course).
The first thought is that the victims are random. Poe isn't convinced. With the help of Tilly Bradshaw, an analyst who is presumably somewhere on the spectrum, Poe sets out to discover what links all the victims, because he's certain they were specifically targeted.
When it comes to police procedurals, this feels perhaps even more boring and laboriously paced than usual! We spend what feels like 30% of the book tracking down a watch. We spend an equal amount of time sorting through images of vehicles that could have been involved. It. Was. So. Boring. I figured out the serial killer's identity way too easily.
The friendship that develops between Poe and Tilly is reasonably endearing, even if their characters are straight out of central casting. The story is put together well, and the lead-up to the ending isn't without interest. But even there it introduces some ridiculous elements
Spoiler
Poe learns his mother was raped, and the father he thought he knew isn't his father. He's enraged about this, yada yada yada, but his history was mentioned literally once early in the book with no indication that this was something that hung over his head...so why is it so important now?This took me nearly a week to read because it was so dry and lethargically paced. It's mostly boring and predictable, and offers absolutely nothing new. Immolate it!
challenging
dark
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
MIND BLOWN. Absolutely loved this first book. Its such an incredibly well-written piece, super clever, twisty, and just the perfect amount of character development. This might be the only murder mystery book to which I have given 5 stars.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was brilliant from start to finish. I felt the characters were all really interesting, each having very unique personalities. You could really feel for every character and the reveal at the end is so well written. While the content can be heavy at times when talking about the crimes taking place, anyone who enjoys crime thriller will enjoy this!
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Gore, Rape
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Got other things to read, may come back to it later
Burnt and mutilated corpses start appearing among stone circles in Cumbria, the police suspect the victims are random and it’s nothing but a deranged killer. Suspended detective Washington Poe, thinks otherwise. When his name is found carved into one of the victims chest, he gets the chance to prove if his theories are true. Reinstated, Poe will do anything and everything to bring a criminal to justice, no matter who he has to upset along the way.
This book didn’t get off to a brilliant start with me, with the overdone detective trope, I wasn’t looking forward to reading the conclusion of the book. I was wrong. Yes, at times extremely cliché, but also highly enjoyable. The story was incredibly dark (murder via fire, just the tip of the iceberg.) It takes some time getting into, but once you do it’s a book worth reading. A story that offers plenty of reader input, having you think alongside the police, and trying to solve the crime every step of the way, guessing what was next and reading on to see if you were right.
Washington Poe, yes another suspended detective, who has a hard time following orders and loves a sarcastic remark. Sounds familiar right? Despite being one of a million other snarky detectives, Poe does a good job of ingratiating himself gradually throughout the book, having his character grow from more than just the “snarky detective”. Other than Poe we have several other police detectives who work the case, Tilly being one, a bit more of a unique character, Tilly has an amazingly high IQ, and is incredibly detailed in her work. However, she struggles socially which means she perhaps doesn’t get the recognition her efforts deserve. The dynamic of the two adds to the story, both having an influence on one another throughout the book, growing as you read.
Overall, this book was decent. Complaints I would have would be too predictable at times, with too much cliché, but overall solid and hopefully the next in the Washington Poe series will iron out these creases.