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electrical_juice's review against another edition
5.0
Some parts gave me goosebumps, some parts made me laugh, others freaked me out! This book has everything that a great thriller needs. I also enjoyed how loveable and interesting all of the Charakters were even if Wolf wasn't with them.... Or was he? .
lindzy's review against another edition
5.0
Original Review Here
Opening my bookmarks to pick a quote for this review, I realised that I had only highlighted one passage. At a grand 16% of the way through the book.
Normally, when this happens, it’s because there are no passages that stick out for me, no lines that grab my attention.
This time, however, it is because I spent the majority of the book trying to remember how to breathe, let alone bookmarking specific passages.
Hangman was such an intense, chilling and gripping read. It may only be March, but so far, this has just become the best book of the year.
It’s been over a year since the Ragdoll murders and Emily Baxter has been promoted. She regrets it though; she isn’t destined to sit behind a desk and have to do paperwork, not when she is good at her job out in the field.
I love Baxter’s character. She has the tough-cop routine down to an art when it comes to not caring about procedures: she has a job to do and she will do it, not waste time playing politics. But she also cares deeply about what she does and is affected emotionally when things go wrong. The reader is never once led to believe she is cold and detached, which would be so easy to portray given her attitude. She is an in-depth character and the reader witnesses her at her strongest, and most vulnerable, throughout the course of the book.
The secondary characters are also well-developed. Curtis is prim and proper, but is desperate to prove herself. Rouche is a complicated man, and it takes the majority of the book until both Baxter and the reader knows exactly what drives him. The mystery surrounding Rouche’s character makes him engaging and likeable.
Returning characters also made me smile, especially Edmunds. No longer in the force, he can’t help be involved when Baxter turns to him for answers. He’s good at finding the clues, and is such a likeable character that I wanted him to take centre stage the entire time.
Hangman might have some of the most chilling murder scenes I’ve ever read. One particular set up literally left me gasping in the middle of a commuter train, unable to tear my eyes from the page. It was creepy, it was chilling, and the results were so disastrous for the team that you’re left wondering if they’re ever going to get their bad guy.
The tension was high from the start, with events spiralling out of control very early on. The pacing is fast, but I was literally holding my breath throughout the last few chapters in anticipating. Terrifying murders, fantastic characters, great settings made all the more chilling by atrocious weather conditions… It’s been a while since I’ve been gripped to a book the way I was to this one.
The only thing I regretted was that it has been a while since I read Ragdoll so didn’t have the consistencies in the characterisations. Brilliant read!
Opening my bookmarks to pick a quote for this review, I realised that I had only highlighted one passage. At a grand 16% of the way through the book.
Normally, when this happens, it’s because there are no passages that stick out for me, no lines that grab my attention.
This time, however, it is because I spent the majority of the book trying to remember how to breathe, let alone bookmarking specific passages.
Hangman was such an intense, chilling and gripping read. It may only be March, but so far, this has just become the best book of the year.
It’s been over a year since the Ragdoll murders and Emily Baxter has been promoted. She regrets it though; she isn’t destined to sit behind a desk and have to do paperwork, not when she is good at her job out in the field.
I love Baxter’s character. She has the tough-cop routine down to an art when it comes to not caring about procedures: she has a job to do and she will do it, not waste time playing politics. But she also cares deeply about what she does and is affected emotionally when things go wrong. The reader is never once led to believe she is cold and detached, which would be so easy to portray given her attitude. She is an in-depth character and the reader witnesses her at her strongest, and most vulnerable, throughout the course of the book.
The secondary characters are also well-developed. Curtis is prim and proper, but is desperate to prove herself. Rouche is a complicated man, and it takes the majority of the book until both Baxter and the reader knows exactly what drives him. The mystery surrounding Rouche’s character makes him engaging and likeable.
Returning characters also made me smile, especially Edmunds. No longer in the force, he can’t help be involved when Baxter turns to him for answers. He’s good at finding the clues, and is such a likeable character that I wanted him to take centre stage the entire time.
Hangman might have some of the most chilling murder scenes I’ve ever read. One particular set up literally left me gasping in the middle of a commuter train, unable to tear my eyes from the page. It was creepy, it was chilling, and the results were so disastrous for the team that you’re left wondering if they’re ever going to get their bad guy.
The tension was high from the start, with events spiralling out of control very early on. The pacing is fast, but I was literally holding my breath throughout the last few chapters in anticipating. Terrifying murders, fantastic characters, great settings made all the more chilling by atrocious weather conditions… It’s been a while since I’ve been gripped to a book the way I was to this one.
The only thing I regretted was that it has been a while since I read Ragdoll so didn’t have the consistencies in the characterisations. Brilliant read!
jennamorrison's review against another edition
5.0
Ragdoll was such a great book, I wasn’t sure how Daniel Cole would follow this up, especially without Wolf. This book instead focuses on Emily as she works with the FBI and NYPD on a case which covers London and New York and is linked to the Ragdoll murders.
I think Emily Baker is a great central character, and we see her having to deal with the lies she had to tell regarding the Ragdoll case (you really need to have read the first book to understand what the characters are dealing with). The addition of the US agents makes an interesting dynamic and I really enjoyed their interactions.
The story is very fast paced as it jets between NYC and London. It is dark and gruesome but with humour throughout for some light relief.
I highly recommend this book, but only after you have read the brilliant first book in the series.
I think Emily Baker is a great central character, and we see her having to deal with the lies she had to tell regarding the Ragdoll case (you really need to have read the first book to understand what the characters are dealing with). The addition of the US agents makes an interesting dynamic and I really enjoyed their interactions.
The story is very fast paced as it jets between NYC and London. It is dark and gruesome but with humour throughout for some light relief.
I highly recommend this book, but only after you have read the brilliant first book in the series.
kime's review against another edition
4.0
So Bookworms, this review is going to take on a slightly different format to usual. After recently reading an article about blog posts and how many people read them, and what they like and don't like about them, I noticed that the criticisms leveled at blogs and book reviews in general were that some people find review posts long-winded, too detailed, and bordering on boring. It seems that a number of people prefer punchier, short and to the point reviews. This would allow people to get a sense of the book quickly and easily, and would allow them to decide if the book would suit them without necessarily having to read a long review which goes into detail about all aspects of the story. And you know what? I actually tend to agree with this. When I read book reviews, I actually prefer one's that are short, punchy, to the point and give me just enough detail to entice me to read (or in some cases, not to read) the novel.
With this in mind, I've decided to try a new style for a while. So here goes, my review of Hangman...
What I liked
* Although this book is the sequel to the super popular, Ragdoll, this novel can easily be read as a stand alone.
* Detective Baxter. This fierce and fiery character brought an edge to the story that I really liked. She's hard, to the point, tough, a loner and someone who tends to see the worst in people. But she's interesting, and the people around her trust her. She's complicated.
* Action packed. From the get-go this book has action and it doesn't take long to draw you in.
* Fairly large body count, lots of blood and a fair amount of violence. But note that I didn't find this book specifically gruesome, there were no scenes that made me feel sick. But it's a crime novel / crime thriller after all and it had the right about of darkness to keep me entertained.
What I didn't like
* To really enjoy this novel you need to be able to suspend your disbelief. At times this story is somewhat far fetched...but hey, it's a fiction novel after all.
* Sometimes a little difficult to read and requires your full attention. I found that this wasn't the easiest of reads, and that doesn't mean that I found it difficult per se, but more that I found that I needed to concentrate when reading this story so that I didn't get lost.
Final thoughts
I really loved this novel and would recommend it to fans of the crime thriller genre.
With this in mind, I've decided to try a new style for a while. So here goes, my review of Hangman...
What I liked
* Although this book is the sequel to the super popular, Ragdoll, this novel can easily be read as a stand alone.
* Detective Baxter. This fierce and fiery character brought an edge to the story that I really liked. She's hard, to the point, tough, a loner and someone who tends to see the worst in people. But she's interesting, and the people around her trust her. She's complicated.
* Action packed. From the get-go this book has action and it doesn't take long to draw you in.
* Fairly large body count, lots of blood and a fair amount of violence. But note that I didn't find this book specifically gruesome, there were no scenes that made me feel sick. But it's a crime novel / crime thriller after all and it had the right about of darkness to keep me entertained.
What I didn't like
* To really enjoy this novel you need to be able to suspend your disbelief. At times this story is somewhat far fetched...but hey, it's a fiction novel after all.
* Sometimes a little difficult to read and requires your full attention. I found that this wasn't the easiest of reads, and that doesn't mean that I found it difficult per se, but more that I found that I needed to concentrate when reading this story so that I didn't get lost.
Final thoughts
I really loved this novel and would recommend it to fans of the crime thriller genre.
heeltje's review against another edition
3.0
Helaas weet dit tweede deel mij niet tot het einde aan te boeien. Het begon net zo sterk als deel 1, maar het werd mij, laat in het verhaal, duidelijk dat er een anti-climax aan zat te komen. Een halfslachtige poging om de motieven een religieus symboliek te geven faalt bij mij en om eerlijk te zijn zat ik het laatste uur enkel en alleen te zuchten naar mijn telefoon... jaja, kom nu maar met dat einde, waarom ben je zo aan het rekken Cole? Omdat je weet dat dit einde eigenlijk wat te kort schiet?
Desalnietemin vermakelijke luisterboeken. Ik zit dan toch ook wel met smart te wachten op deel 3.
Desalnietemin vermakelijke luisterboeken. Ik zit dan toch ook wel met smart te wachten op deel 3.
bi_bibliophile's review against another edition
5.0
Hangman is the sequel to Ragdoll, a book which I loved when I first read it so of course I was highly anticipating reading Hangman since it was published.
Going into this book I knew that Fawkes, the main character from the previous book, wasn't going to be in it but despite that I had faith that Baxter would be able to carry the story herself. Thankfully I was right, she had some great character development and remained interesting throughout. Along with the FBI and CIA agents bringing up the rear, the characters were strong, interesting and worked well together despite their differing characteristics.
One thing I love most about these books is the humour. There is some amazing humour which is very much needed given how much gory violence and death there is in this book. The amount of death even took me by surprise but it was done well and didn't come off as overkill. This book is bizarre and brilliant, the pace never slows and the whole cult storyline never loses your attention as the story just gets wilder and more deadly.
Another brilliant Thriller from Daniel Cole and I can't wait for the third instalment to be published!
Rated: 5/5 Stars
Going into this book I knew that Fawkes, the main character from the previous book, wasn't going to be in it but despite that I had faith that Baxter would be able to carry the story herself. Thankfully I was right, she had some great character development and remained interesting throughout. Along with the FBI and CIA agents bringing up the rear, the characters were strong, interesting and worked well together despite their differing characteristics.
One thing I love most about these books is the humour. There is some amazing humour which is very much needed given how much gory violence and death there is in this book. The amount of death even took me by surprise but it was done well and didn't come off as overkill. This book is bizarre and brilliant, the pace never slows and the whole cult storyline never loses your attention as the story just gets wilder and more deadly.
Another brilliant Thriller from Daniel Cole and I can't wait for the third instalment to be published!
Rated: 5/5 Stars
1of3bookgirls's review against another edition
4.0
I should have re-read Rag Doll before I dived into this to re-familiarize myself with the case, as there is some crossover. I loved it anyway though! Good stuff, filled with great characters and even some action scenes I could appreciate.
exorcismemily's review against another edition
3.0
I adored Ragdoll, the first book in this series. I was so excited to get my hands on an early copy of Hangman, but I feel pretty let down.
Where Ragdoll was hard-hitting and fast-paced, Hangman is much more of a slow burn. Procedural novels are already not my favorite, but I've found some that I've really loved. I struggle with maintaining interest in procedural novel of it's slow.
My attention went in and out with this one, but the few scenes that interested me weren't enough to hold my focus. I am pretty sad since I had really been looking forward to Hangman.
Where Ragdoll was hard-hitting and fast-paced, Hangman is much more of a slow burn. Procedural novels are already not my favorite, but I've found some that I've really loved. I struggle with maintaining interest in procedural novel of it's slow.
My attention went in and out with this one, but the few scenes that interested me weren't enough to hold my focus. I am pretty sad since I had really been looking forward to Hangman.
canada_matt's review against another edition
3.0
Daniel Cole is back to continue his thriller series that had readers gasping at the cliffhanger ending. Riding the wave of his debut success, Cole presents this follow-up that appears to lack the intensity and grit of DS William Fawkes’ initial case. With Fawkes away and on the lam, all eyes turn to newly-promoted Detective Chief Inspector Emily Baxter. While the Ragdoll killer is safely locked away, the case lingers and everyone remains on edge. When a call come in from New York City, where a body identified as ‘William Fawkes’ has been found, Baxter agrees to travel and investigate this oddity. Before she makes it out of the country, she visits Belmarsh once more to see the Ragdoll, only to be trapped in the middle of an event that leaves him dead and Baxter significantly spooked. Upon her arrival in NYC, DCI Baxter liaises with some of the local and federal authorities as more murder scenes emerge, victims bearing ‘puppet’ and ‘bait’ inscriptions on the body. Might there be a connection to Ragdoll that’s crossed the Atlantic? Baxter is equally baffled when news from the Met reaches her that other killings of a similar style have been taking place in the UK. How can all these killers be connected without a clear threat to bind them? As Baxter continues to investigate, she follows a lead that turns the case on its head, but media outlets have chosen to broadcast it before it can be properly analysed. Might there be a central leader who has ordered these murders, as odd and unrelated as they seem? Witnesses have recounted that the killers seem almost detached from the events, leading many to wonder about some form of mind control. Religious symbolism and the talk of cultish behaviour begin to flood Baxter’s investigation, forcing her to come to terms with the fact that this might be more than just tracking down a killer, but someone who holds a handful of strings and can make followers dance on command. Cole surely has devised an interesting way to ‘string along’ the reader, though to substance of the story is not as strong as I would have hoped. Fans of the debut will likely want to take the plunge, if only to discover what Cole has planned, but all the hype this book has received is lost on me.
It is disappointing to find a writer dedicate so much of their time to a debut that skyrockets, only to find the follow-up limp along. I was captivated by Cole’s first piece and could not wait to get my hands on this one (which had been getting some great reviews), but found it fell short of the mark. The story had potential, as did the characters, but delivery of both seems to have been rushed or not cultivated enough to pique my interest. With DS Fawkes gone (spoiler alert?), the narrative pulls DCI Emily Baxter into the spotlight. She has strong ties to Fawkes, but is also trying to make a name for herself in the Met, where women are still rapping on the glass ceiling. Her energetic attitude and interest in getting dirt under her nails is unequally balanced by her desire to fill shoes that do not fit. I found myself constantly trying to like Baxter as a character and investigator, but nothing stuck for me, either in her personal or professional life. This is unfortunate, as the protagonist is the one who leads the reader along through the case at hand. A smattering of other characters on both sides of the ledger also lacked the complexity that I felt this book needed, especially with the set of crimes being offered up to the reader. I needed to feel angst and confusion as well as determination to let nothing stop justice from making its mark. Instead, I felt things kept circling the drain, hoping to find some action or sicko moment that would spring the narrative to life. Cole had all the ingredients for success, but the mix did not work for me. Others will surely agree and I can defer to them. The story had much possibility, especially utilising two venues, but fell flat and left me wanting more and needing to feel a stronger connection. Even the central mastermind became beige, leaving me wishing I had known this before rushing to seek enjoyment with this second novel. Perhaps I needed to let Ragdoll ferment before rushing into this one, but whatever it was, this did not work and I am sorry. A third novel in the series is surely a while off, so I will have time to gather my thoughts before then.
Kudos, Mr. Cole, for attempting to keep things running effectively. If you had to have a less impactful novel, thankfully it was this second, as your debut is the net that will catch you many fans. As I know your potential, I’lol likely come back for another read and hope for better things.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
It is disappointing to find a writer dedicate so much of their time to a debut that skyrockets, only to find the follow-up limp along. I was captivated by Cole’s first piece and could not wait to get my hands on this one (which had been getting some great reviews), but found it fell short of the mark. The story had potential, as did the characters, but delivery of both seems to have been rushed or not cultivated enough to pique my interest. With DS Fawkes gone (spoiler alert?), the narrative pulls DCI Emily Baxter into the spotlight. She has strong ties to Fawkes, but is also trying to make a name for herself in the Met, where women are still rapping on the glass ceiling. Her energetic attitude and interest in getting dirt under her nails is unequally balanced by her desire to fill shoes that do not fit. I found myself constantly trying to like Baxter as a character and investigator, but nothing stuck for me, either in her personal or professional life. This is unfortunate, as the protagonist is the one who leads the reader along through the case at hand. A smattering of other characters on both sides of the ledger also lacked the complexity that I felt this book needed, especially with the set of crimes being offered up to the reader. I needed to feel angst and confusion as well as determination to let nothing stop justice from making its mark. Instead, I felt things kept circling the drain, hoping to find some action or sicko moment that would spring the narrative to life. Cole had all the ingredients for success, but the mix did not work for me. Others will surely agree and I can defer to them. The story had much possibility, especially utilising two venues, but fell flat and left me wanting more and needing to feel a stronger connection. Even the central mastermind became beige, leaving me wishing I had known this before rushing to seek enjoyment with this second novel. Perhaps I needed to let Ragdoll ferment before rushing into this one, but whatever it was, this did not work and I am sorry. A third novel in the series is surely a while off, so I will have time to gather my thoughts before then.
Kudos, Mr. Cole, for attempting to keep things running effectively. If you had to have a less impactful novel, thankfully it was this second, as your debut is the net that will catch you many fans. As I know your potential, I’lol likely come back for another read and hope for better things.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
keeperofpages's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars - Hangman is the second book in the Detective William Fawkes series, it’s set eighteen months after the first book, Ragdoll, and this time, it’s DCI Emily Baxter’s turn in the spotlight. And by spotlight, I mean tasked with solving the case.
Hangman truly is a novel for fans of thrilling police procedurals – it’s fast-paced and exciting! The murders are brutal, as gory as they are, you’re hooked in a fascinated horror kind of way, and you have to keep reading, to know who is responsible for the carnage, and if Baxter and her team can solve the case. Forget all notions of hangman being the fun game you played when you were young, it’s now a body found hanging with the words BAIT carved into its chest!
With murders in London and New York, the plot is complex and gripping in nature. Spanning to New York allows us an introduction to Rouche, a CIA agent, who was a brilliant character, carrying the trait I love – haunted by past events. Whether you like or dislike the characters in this novel, they are all well-developed and really bring this story to life.
DCI Emily Baxter deserves all the glory when it comes to my favourite character in this book. She’s my favourite kind of detective, flawed, funny and fierce! A great character that I could happily read about over and over again. And, as some of you already know, I love thrillers laced with dark humour, and Baxter’s witty humour was second to none:
“‘Long story short: I was only acting commissioner.’
‘Well,’ said Baxter, checking her watch, ‘I was only acting interested.’”
There is a lot happening in this novel, but it’s organised chaos, a plot that’s complex yet easy to follow, a plot that you invest in, characters to love, and villains to despise – Hangman deserves to be on the big screen!
And, Mr Cole, that little surprise at the end, of course, now I’m desperate to read book three!
*My thanks to the publisher for granting me access to a digital copy of this title via Netgalley*
Hangman truly is a novel for fans of thrilling police procedurals – it’s fast-paced and exciting! The murders are brutal, as gory as they are, you’re hooked in a fascinated horror kind of way, and you have to keep reading, to know who is responsible for the carnage, and if Baxter and her team can solve the case. Forget all notions of hangman being the fun game you played when you were young, it’s now a body found hanging with the words BAIT carved into its chest!
With murders in London and New York, the plot is complex and gripping in nature. Spanning to New York allows us an introduction to Rouche, a CIA agent, who was a brilliant character, carrying the trait I love – haunted by past events. Whether you like or dislike the characters in this novel, they are all well-developed and really bring this story to life.
DCI Emily Baxter deserves all the glory when it comes to my favourite character in this book. She’s my favourite kind of detective, flawed, funny and fierce! A great character that I could happily read about over and over again. And, as some of you already know, I love thrillers laced with dark humour, and Baxter’s witty humour was second to none:
“‘Long story short: I was only acting commissioner.’
‘Well,’ said Baxter, checking her watch, ‘I was only acting interested.’”
There is a lot happening in this novel, but it’s organised chaos, a plot that’s complex yet easy to follow, a plot that you invest in, characters to love, and villains to despise – Hangman deserves to be on the big screen!
And, Mr Cole, that little surprise at the end, of course, now I’m desperate to read book three!
*My thanks to the publisher for granting me access to a digital copy of this title via Netgalley*