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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
I really didn't enjoy the last Ash Henderson book so when I found out he was the lead character in this book I was unsure of whether I would like it. However, this book was much better than Birthdays For The Dead - I think this is because it focused more on the case than Ash's mob lifestyle, which is what ruined the last book for me. I thought the murder plot was good and I liked the relationships between all the characters. I still like the Logan books better than this series but I do think this book is worth reading also.
Dark, fast paced and keeps you wanting to know more. Not my typical murder mystery type, but I enjoyed it.
Her er min omtale av En sang for de døde. Linken fører til min bokblogg. https://mineboker.wordpress.com/2017/07/17/en-sang-for-de-dode-av-stuart-macbride/
I think I must be getting bored of crime thrillers. while Mcbride, with D.S. McRae has been realy enjoyable, I am increasingly finding authors of this ilk, constantly trying to outdo each other with the outrageousness of there stories and violence. I also missed the gallows homour of his previous novels which made him so addictive. While Sabir was o.k, he didn't match the acerbic wit of D.I. Steel.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It’s a great book!! There were all the twists and turns that are expected in every mystery novel. This was the first book I have read from this author. Stuart MacBride really did a great job with this story. Though I was a bit disappointed with who turned out to be the “Inside Man”.
No idea why.. but it felt weird. Overall a great book!
No idea why.. but it felt weird. Overall a great book!
A Song for the Dying by Stuart MacBride is a 2014 HarperCollins publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
The Inside Man is back. A mutilated body is found with a doll stitched inside, which was the signature of the killer that hadn't been heard from for eight years.
Ash Henderson is in prison for a crime he was set up for. When the Inside Man shows up again, he is released in order to help with the case, under strict rules of course. If he can bring down the notorious serial killer there is a chance he can gain his freedom. So, now he is working with Alice, the psychologist he worked with previously. All the previous victims that were survivors of T.I.M. as he is now dubbed ,must be interviewed again as well as the rather oddball father of a the latest victim. This dredges up all the old fears, and memories of the crimes committed eight years ago.
This case is as dark as they come. Ash needs a chance at revenge as well as a chance for redemption. The dynamic between Ash and Alice is unusual and I can't always tell what their relationship could be defined as, but they are close and do care about each other a great deal. Ash is still reeling from the demise of his family, from being framed for murder, and now being assigned to the most intense manhunt there ever was. If you have never read Stuart MacBride's novels you should be aware that he pulls no punches. Nothing is sugarcoated, nothing is watered down for public consumption. You will have to be able to read dark crime thrillers, digest graphic crime scene details and violence, uncomfortable subject matter, and yes, the author did manage to sneak a tiny amount of the black humor he is sort of famous for, but it's nothing like the Logan McRae series. Which brings me to the next point .. this is not Logan McRae. If you have read that series and then pick this one up, do not make comparisons. Both series are very dark, but polar opposites in every other respect.
This is a very well written, absorbing crime thriller as well as a psychological thriller. I can't speak highly enough of Stuart MacBride's style. I will confess to being a big fan of Logan McRae , but Ash Henderson is still a top notch read. I don't know if the author will continue to update us on Ash, but I certainly hope so.
Overall this one is an A.
The Inside Man is back. A mutilated body is found with a doll stitched inside, which was the signature of the killer that hadn't been heard from for eight years.
Ash Henderson is in prison for a crime he was set up for. When the Inside Man shows up again, he is released in order to help with the case, under strict rules of course. If he can bring down the notorious serial killer there is a chance he can gain his freedom. So, now he is working with Alice, the psychologist he worked with previously. All the previous victims that were survivors of T.I.M. as he is now dubbed ,must be interviewed again as well as the rather oddball father of a the latest victim. This dredges up all the old fears, and memories of the crimes committed eight years ago.
This case is as dark as they come. Ash needs a chance at revenge as well as a chance for redemption. The dynamic between Ash and Alice is unusual and I can't always tell what their relationship could be defined as, but they are close and do care about each other a great deal. Ash is still reeling from the demise of his family, from being framed for murder, and now being assigned to the most intense manhunt there ever was. If you have never read Stuart MacBride's novels you should be aware that he pulls no punches. Nothing is sugarcoated, nothing is watered down for public consumption. You will have to be able to read dark crime thrillers, digest graphic crime scene details and violence, uncomfortable subject matter, and yes, the author did manage to sneak a tiny amount of the black humor he is sort of famous for, but it's nothing like the Logan McRae series. Which brings me to the next point .. this is not Logan McRae. If you have read that series and then pick this one up, do not make comparisons. Both series are very dark, but polar opposites in every other respect.
This is a very well written, absorbing crime thriller as well as a psychological thriller. I can't speak highly enough of Stuart MacBride's style. I will confess to being a big fan of Logan McRae , but Ash Henderson is still a top notch read. I don't know if the author will continue to update us on Ash, but I certainly hope so.
Overall this one is an A.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Stuart MacBride has been a favourite author since I picked up Cold Granite, the first of his Logan McRae books. At present, I’m still playing catch up. Despite not being up to date, I adore the series. It has earned a place in my favourite police procedural series. Due to this, I was eager to see what else MacBride has to offer. Thus, I picked up the two Ash Henderson books that are currently on the market. I enjoyed the first one, but it was no Logan McRae novel. Nevertheless, I was excited to see where things would go. After all, that ending left me curious as to what would come next.
Personally, I enjoyed this book more than I enjoyed the first. Both books were a lot of fun, yet I was pulled into this one much quicker. I think a part of it was because I’d already come to love the characters. As fun as they are, they take a bit of getting used to. The characters in the Logan McRae series pull you in from the first moment, yet the characters in the Ash Henderson novels are not so easy to love. You come to enjoy them the more you read of them, and having already finished the first book I knew what to expect with this one.
Plus, as I said, that ending.
The first book left you with a big question of what would come next. Considering all that had happened, I wasn’t sure where things would be going in this book. As always, though, MacBride delivers. He gives us a story that ticks all the boxes: wonderful criminal aspect, fun characters, and a story that moves everything forward in a great way. I promise not to say too much about how the story moves forward, just know it was great progress for all the characters.
As always, the criminal aspect was a lot of fun. It has everything you need in a gritty crime novel. There are multiple layers to the story, with everything being interconnected in a great way. Every piece of information that is given to you plays an important part. You’re constantly left with questions, curious about motives and alibis. You think you know what is happening, who is to blame, yet something new will be thrown your way to leave you unsure as to whether or not you have worked everything out. Whilst the first Ash Henderson book wasn’t as pulled together as it could have been, this second book is back to what MacBride usually delivers. It gives us all we can ask for.
I still missed the dark humour, though.
As I said with the first book, that’s just me. I enjoy the laughter of the Logan McRae books a lot more than is probably expected of people. As the Ash Henderson books merely offer up occasional smiles, I feel as though we’re missing the usual MacBride trademark. Admittedly, there were more smiles in this book than the first, but it still missed out on all the laughter of the Logan McRae books. I said it when reviewing the first book, though: this isn’t a bad thing. It’s just different, and you grow to accept it. I know that for the real laughter I go for his Logan McRae books, whereas for the questionable main character I go for his Ash Henderson books.
As a whole, I enjoyed this one more than the first. The Logan McRae books still hold the favourite MacBride series spot, but this series is more than worth a read if you love the darker main characters.
Personally, I enjoyed this book more than I enjoyed the first. Both books were a lot of fun, yet I was pulled into this one much quicker. I think a part of it was because I’d already come to love the characters. As fun as they are, they take a bit of getting used to. The characters in the Logan McRae series pull you in from the first moment, yet the characters in the Ash Henderson novels are not so easy to love. You come to enjoy them the more you read of them, and having already finished the first book I knew what to expect with this one.
Plus, as I said, that ending.
The first book left you with a big question of what would come next. Considering all that had happened, I wasn’t sure where things would be going in this book. As always, though, MacBride delivers. He gives us a story that ticks all the boxes: wonderful criminal aspect, fun characters, and a story that moves everything forward in a great way. I promise not to say too much about how the story moves forward, just know it was great progress for all the characters.
As always, the criminal aspect was a lot of fun. It has everything you need in a gritty crime novel. There are multiple layers to the story, with everything being interconnected in a great way. Every piece of information that is given to you plays an important part. You’re constantly left with questions, curious about motives and alibis. You think you know what is happening, who is to blame, yet something new will be thrown your way to leave you unsure as to whether or not you have worked everything out. Whilst the first Ash Henderson book wasn’t as pulled together as it could have been, this second book is back to what MacBride usually delivers. It gives us all we can ask for.
I still missed the dark humour, though.
As I said with the first book, that’s just me. I enjoy the laughter of the Logan McRae books a lot more than is probably expected of people. As the Ash Henderson books merely offer up occasional smiles, I feel as though we’re missing the usual MacBride trademark. Admittedly, there were more smiles in this book than the first, but it still missed out on all the laughter of the Logan McRae books. I said it when reviewing the first book, though: this isn’t a bad thing. It’s just different, and you grow to accept it. I know that for the real laughter I go for his Logan McRae books, whereas for the questionable main character I go for his Ash Henderson books.
As a whole, I enjoyed this one more than the first. The Logan McRae books still hold the favourite MacBride series spot, but this series is more than worth a read if you love the darker main characters.
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Drug use, Pedophilia, Rape, Kidnapping