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barbtrek's review
5.0
Definitely some gruesome parts in this book but it was so nice to revisit these characters.
kellyvandamme's review
4.0
Hi and welcome to my review of Snakes and Ladders! This is the third novel in the Ziba MacKenzie series, but I assure you it can be read as a standalone and I know that because I did. For reasons I can’t even begin to understand, I completely missed the first two books and to add insult to injury, I hadn’t even heard of Victoria Selman (gasp!). Then Snakes and Ladders started popping up all over my Twitter timeline and I stumbled across it on NetGalley. When I spotted that tagline (Psycho meets The Silence of the Lambs) I didn’t bother looking up the book nor the author, I just requested it and it was only when I was approved and went to add it on Goodreads that I noticed it was part of a series. Regulars here will know I like to read books in the right order but I didn’t think I’d have the time to squeeze in two more books before this one so I decided to give it a whirl and see what happened (living on the edge ?). I’m happy to report I didn’t feel like I was missing anything, I connected with Ziba immediately, despite having missed her first outings, and there’s enough background information to just step into the series without a hitch.
Ziba MacKenzie is a freelance profiler. At the beginning of the book, she’s giving a lecture in Quantico to FBI agents in training when she’s called away to London: Scotland Yard needs her help with the Pink Rose Killer, a serial killer whose MO is to remove a body part from his victim and leave a pink rose at the scene. Funnily enough, the PRK is not the main serial killer in Snakes and Ladders: the star serial killer is Vernon – The Butcher – Sange, who was apprehended a while ago thanks to Ziba, and who has contacted the police saying he has intel on the PRK but he’ll only tell Ziba.
Now, Ziba is a great protagonist. She’s smart, she’s both strong and vulnerable, she has the kind of humour that I love, rather dark and very sarcastic, and she’s always at odds with the DCI with whom she has to work the case and I loved her little retorts, even if she keeps them to herself. But my favourite character, without a doubt, was Dr Sange, a cunning man, far more charming than Hannibal Lecter ever was, messing with Ziba’s head the way Lecter did with Clarice, and then some. Move over Hannibal Lecter, move over Anson Bishop, there’s a new serial killer in town! (For the record: I’m not a serial killer groupie, I only like the fictional kind!)
By now I think I must have read an entire library of crime and psychological thrillers and quite a large subsection of serial killer thrillers at that, so I think it’s fair to say I’ve become a little jaded and the things that used to work for me don’t always cut it anymore. Snakes and Ladders made me a very happy reader because it felt unique by focusing on the behavioural science behind the attempts to apprehend a serial killer, to pre-empt him, to predict his next move, while also zooming in on the behavioural analysis of convicted killers, and why that is important. I’ve read other books featuring a profiler, but none that go this far into the actual science. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a text book in any way, but I felt like I was learning a lot while simultaneously being entertained. I find the whole profiling thing absolutely fascinating so I paid extra attention (part of me wonders whether I should have read Psychology in uni instead of Translation Studies) but even if you don’t care about behavioural analysis that much, I’m sure you can enjoy this novel too.
This is an intriguing, suspenseful read, and although I figured out who the PRK was from the start and it turned out I was right not to trust one of the other characters either, it doesn’t even matter, not even a little bit, because to me Snakes and Ladders is not a whodunnit, it’s not about revealing the who, it’s about revealing the why, it’s less about the destination and more about the journey to find out the truth and you’d better believe it’s left me hungry ravenous for more! If you’re not into open endings, don’t worry, the PRK case is neatly wrapped up, but let’s just say another character has kicked the door to the next Ziba instalment wide open, and ending the way it does, I literally CANNOT WAIT for the next Ziba MacKenzie!
Recommended, and if Mindhunter is your favourite Netflix show then this is a must read!
Ziba MacKenzie is a freelance profiler. At the beginning of the book, she’s giving a lecture in Quantico to FBI agents in training when she’s called away to London: Scotland Yard needs her help with the Pink Rose Killer, a serial killer whose MO is to remove a body part from his victim and leave a pink rose at the scene. Funnily enough, the PRK is not the main serial killer in Snakes and Ladders: the star serial killer is Vernon – The Butcher – Sange, who was apprehended a while ago thanks to Ziba, and who has contacted the police saying he has intel on the PRK but he’ll only tell Ziba.
Now, Ziba is a great protagonist. She’s smart, she’s both strong and vulnerable, she has the kind of humour that I love, rather dark and very sarcastic, and she’s always at odds with the DCI with whom she has to work the case and I loved her little retorts, even if she keeps them to herself. But my favourite character, without a doubt, was Dr Sange, a cunning man, far more charming than Hannibal Lecter ever was, messing with Ziba’s head the way Lecter did with Clarice, and then some. Move over Hannibal Lecter, move over Anson Bishop, there’s a new serial killer in town! (For the record: I’m not a serial killer groupie, I only like the fictional kind!)
By now I think I must have read an entire library of crime and psychological thrillers and quite a large subsection of serial killer thrillers at that, so I think it’s fair to say I’ve become a little jaded and the things that used to work for me don’t always cut it anymore. Snakes and Ladders made me a very happy reader because it felt unique by focusing on the behavioural science behind the attempts to apprehend a serial killer, to pre-empt him, to predict his next move, while also zooming in on the behavioural analysis of convicted killers, and why that is important. I’ve read other books featuring a profiler, but none that go this far into the actual science. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a text book in any way, but I felt like I was learning a lot while simultaneously being entertained. I find the whole profiling thing absolutely fascinating so I paid extra attention (part of me wonders whether I should have read Psychology in uni instead of Translation Studies) but even if you don’t care about behavioural analysis that much, I’m sure you can enjoy this novel too.
This is an intriguing, suspenseful read, and although I figured out who the PRK was from the start and it turned out I was right not to trust one of the other characters either, it doesn’t even matter, not even a little bit, because to me Snakes and Ladders is not a whodunnit, it’s not about revealing the who, it’s about revealing the why, it’s less about the destination and more about the journey to find out the truth and you’d better believe it’s left me hungry ravenous for more! If you’re not into open endings, don’t worry, the PRK case is neatly wrapped up, but let’s just say another character has kicked the door to the next Ziba instalment wide open, and ending the way it does, I literally CANNOT WAIT for the next Ziba MacKenzie!
Recommended, and if Mindhunter is your favourite Netflix show then this is a must read!
peachani's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Gaslighting
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Sexism, Violence, Child abuse, Death of parent, Murder, Body horror, and Physical abuse
Minor: Alcohol, Animal death, Kidnapping, Death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Self harm, Suicide, Misogyny, Ableism, Gore, Blood, Classism, and Confinement
the_coycaterpillar_reads's review against another edition
5.0
Wow…Snakes and Ladders was the dog’s testicles for sure! Billed as psycho meets Silence of the lambs, never was I going to refuse a match up like that! Although this book is one that you should go completely blind into. It was very Silence of the lambs, but it far exceeded my expectations. Do you want a book that will give you blunt force trauma by its sheer brilliant narrative and its impending threat that just constantly lurks around every corner. If you only read one crime series this year, make it this one!
Victoria Selman translates such equivocal storytelling onto the page with such ease. She gives the reader a snapshot of her powerful imagination. Snakes and Ladders is essentially a power to be reckoned with. She pushes us to our emotional limits, squeezes us to accept humanities flaws and highlights society’s cracks.
Snakes and Ladders will hook you immediately. The setting, the storytelling and the characterisation will do a blinder on you! I do love a good crime fiction novel but very few have been able to suck me into the storyline quite like this. Add in the intensity of two serial killers and the flawed character of a highly successful criminal profiler and it eagerly ticks all the boxes for a hugely addictive crime novel. All it takes is one taste of the story buried underneath and you will be gone.
Snakes and Ladders is one of those books that are so incredibly difficult to review. The story is so intelligent and compelling, but I don’t want to give anything away that may spoil the story. Ziba Mackenzie is an extremely strong protagonist. I think ultimately this is the reason I loved the story so much. The flowed around her, she strengthened it, but she had her flaws and for that, she was relatable – we can all see parts of ourselves within her character. Her personality felt like an echo resonating out with the pages. Her role within the investigation was as a freelance criminal profiler. I enjoyed this angle and it made an intriguing change from the usual detective or police viewpoint. She delved into the investigation with vigour and I was intrigued about the personal connection she seemed to have with one of the serial killers, Vernon Sange. He’s still behind bars but somehow, he’s still able to pull the shots. He’s intimidating and creepily intelligent. He’s for sure a dead ringer for Hannibal Lector. He gave me chills!
Our other serial killer, The Pink Rose Killer is the focus of this investigation, but it is no less devastating. How does Vernon Sange know so much about him? Are they in contact? Will he give a name? can they stop him before he claims his next victim? We get insight into the killers past with flashback chapters and it really nails home just how much the past can have a firm grip on our present and future.
Snakes and Ladders has cemented Victoria Selman as an exciting crime writer to watch. Twist follows twist at such a breakneck speed. Cancel all your plans. Turn your phone off, lock the doors and get comfy…you won’t be going anywhere until the final page is closed.
Victoria Selman translates such equivocal storytelling onto the page with such ease. She gives the reader a snapshot of her powerful imagination. Snakes and Ladders is essentially a power to be reckoned with. She pushes us to our emotional limits, squeezes us to accept humanities flaws and highlights society’s cracks.
Snakes and Ladders will hook you immediately. The setting, the storytelling and the characterisation will do a blinder on you! I do love a good crime fiction novel but very few have been able to suck me into the storyline quite like this. Add in the intensity of two serial killers and the flawed character of a highly successful criminal profiler and it eagerly ticks all the boxes for a hugely addictive crime novel. All it takes is one taste of the story buried underneath and you will be gone.
Snakes and Ladders is one of those books that are so incredibly difficult to review. The story is so intelligent and compelling, but I don’t want to give anything away that may spoil the story. Ziba Mackenzie is an extremely strong protagonist. I think ultimately this is the reason I loved the story so much. The flowed around her, she strengthened it, but she had her flaws and for that, she was relatable – we can all see parts of ourselves within her character. Her personality felt like an echo resonating out with the pages. Her role within the investigation was as a freelance criminal profiler. I enjoyed this angle and it made an intriguing change from the usual detective or police viewpoint. She delved into the investigation with vigour and I was intrigued about the personal connection she seemed to have with one of the serial killers, Vernon Sange. He’s still behind bars but somehow, he’s still able to pull the shots. He’s intimidating and creepily intelligent. He’s for sure a dead ringer for Hannibal Lector. He gave me chills!
Our other serial killer, The Pink Rose Killer is the focus of this investigation, but it is no less devastating. How does Vernon Sange know so much about him? Are they in contact? Will he give a name? can they stop him before he claims his next victim? We get insight into the killers past with flashback chapters and it really nails home just how much the past can have a firm grip on our present and future.
Snakes and Ladders has cemented Victoria Selman as an exciting crime writer to watch. Twist follows twist at such a breakneck speed. Cancel all your plans. Turn your phone off, lock the doors and get comfy…you won’t be going anywhere until the final page is closed.
noveldeelights's review against another edition
3.0
2.5* --> 3*
As someone who reads a lot of crime fiction, I think I’m getting to that point where I’m being far too picky about the books I pick up.
Case in point, Snakes and Ladders. This is the third instalment in the Ziba MacKenzie series, a fact I was completely unaware of at the time of requesting a review copy. For the most part, I think I got away with that as the author offers up quite a bit of information from the previous books to come to grips with Ziba’s character overall. And yet, not enough for me to get a good feel for her, to even warm to her or root for her. I didn’t particularly like her, even though I couldn’t quite put my finger on the why.
Dubbed as “Psycho meets The Silence of the Lambs”, the bar of expectations was raised to a level I don’t think this book ever achieved. Not by a long shot. For that the serial killers (yes, there are two) weren’t nearly terrifying enough. Or at all. Sure one of them manages to get into Ziba’s head but really, kind of been there, done that and the mind games failed to enthral me.
It’s obvious Ziba is distracted. It’s mentioned enough times too. She’s making it incredibly easy for Sange to manipulate her. Quite frankly, she should probably have removed herself from this investigation but okay, it’s fiction. Still, for some big renowned profiler, I thought she was often incredibly naive and stupid. It seems to me that there are things happening right under her nose that she doesn’t pick up on at all and it really started to annoy me. Also annoying, Ziba’s constant inner snark about a colleague.
It’s not all bad. There’s a nice pace to the story, the writing is good. I thought I knew quite early on who the active serial killer was but turns out I was wrong. I don’t know if there’s another addition to the series but there’s definitely enough there to do so. Some loose threads that need tying up. I’m sure the readers who were with this series from the start will enjoy this one a whole lot more than I did. From ratings I’ve seen I’m definitely in the minority with my opinion. But like I said at the start, I’m very picky and I personally think there are far more better crime fiction series out there. Entertaining, yes. But for me not really compelling, not suspenseful enough and definitely missing the thrill.
As someone who reads a lot of crime fiction, I think I’m getting to that point where I’m being far too picky about the books I pick up.
Case in point, Snakes and Ladders. This is the third instalment in the Ziba MacKenzie series, a fact I was completely unaware of at the time of requesting a review copy. For the most part, I think I got away with that as the author offers up quite a bit of information from the previous books to come to grips with Ziba’s character overall. And yet, not enough for me to get a good feel for her, to even warm to her or root for her. I didn’t particularly like her, even though I couldn’t quite put my finger on the why.
Dubbed as “Psycho meets The Silence of the Lambs”, the bar of expectations was raised to a level I don’t think this book ever achieved. Not by a long shot. For that the serial killers (yes, there are two) weren’t nearly terrifying enough. Or at all. Sure one of them manages to get into Ziba’s head but really, kind of been there, done that and the mind games failed to enthral me.
It’s obvious Ziba is distracted. It’s mentioned enough times too. She’s making it incredibly easy for Sange to manipulate her. Quite frankly, she should probably have removed herself from this investigation but okay, it’s fiction. Still, for some big renowned profiler, I thought she was often incredibly naive and stupid. It seems to me that there are things happening right under her nose that she doesn’t pick up on at all and it really started to annoy me. Also annoying, Ziba’s constant inner snark about a colleague.
It’s not all bad. There’s a nice pace to the story, the writing is good. I thought I knew quite early on who the active serial killer was but turns out I was wrong. I don’t know if there’s another addition to the series but there’s definitely enough there to do so. Some loose threads that need tying up. I’m sure the readers who were with this series from the start will enjoy this one a whole lot more than I did. From ratings I’ve seen I’m definitely in the minority with my opinion. But like I said at the start, I’m very picky and I personally think there are far more better crime fiction series out there. Entertaining, yes. But for me not really compelling, not suspenseful enough and definitely missing the thrill.
ashleejuanita's review against another edition
3.0
Fun story, waiting to hear when the next book is coming out
yvo_about_books's review
4.5
Finished reading: December 13th 2019
"Caring makes you human. It's the one thing that differentiates us from the monsters we hunt."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
As soon as I read the first line of the blurb on Netgalley I was sold. I mean: Psycho meets The Silence Of The Lambs... How on earth would I be able to resist that?! Add the promise of a serial killer and profiler angle, and I just HAD to add it to my shelves. I confess I wasn't aware that Snakes And Ladders was actually the third book of a series when I requested a copy, but thankfully it turns out that this story works really well as a stand-alone as well. A fair warning though: it is most likely that you will end up adding the first two books to your wishlist anyway afterwards, as you will be left wanting for more!
So, Snakes And Ladders. Of course, thanks to my mistake, I didn't have the background of the main characters and past cases when I started reading, but despite this lack of knowledge I was able to dive straight in anyway. I'm not lying when I say that I was hooked after only a couple of pages! This is one of those thrillers that will draw you right in and won't let you go until the very end. Snakes And Ladders has it all: intriguing main characters, not one but TWO disturbing serial killers, a fascinating case, a profiler angle, lots of suspense and plot twists, solid writing and plot development... Oh yes, there is a lot to love in this third book and it was definitely a huge success for me.
Ziba MacKenzie is without doubt a very strong lead and one of the reasons this story worked so well for me. Even though I missed some of her background information, I was still able to warm up to her almost instantly and I'm definitely a fan. I love how she is a profiler and gives us a slightly different angle on the typical murder investigation in detective thrillers. The profiling and psychological aspect in Snakes And Ladders is without doubt fascinating and definitely gives this story its unique touch! Likewise, I loved the fact that we had not one, but TWO serial killer characters involved. Vernon Sange is of course behind bars, but not less dangerous and he makes a fantastic villain. The Pink Rose Killer on the other hand is of course the main focus of this story, identity unknown and his case active. The flashback chapters give us some insight in his past and how he became the person he is today... But is he in contact with Vernon Sange? Why does he kill? And who is he? You will find yourself going round and round as cleverly designed plot twists keep misleading you.
Vernon Sange's angle gave the plot more dept and added a whole different layer of danger both for Ziba and those close to her. It also gave us not one, but TWO riddles to unravel: who is the PRK and what is Vernon up to? Both riddles made me keep turning those pages and I managed to finish Snakes And Ladders in record time. And that ending! My eyes couldn't believe what they had just read; while I saw some twists and reveals coming, that cliffhanger ending definitely was a true shocker. I'll be waiting impatiently for book four to discover what will happen next, but not before I catch up with the first two books of course! Fans of darker, complex and twisted serial killer thrillers who love a profiler and psychological angle will have a great time with Snakes And Ladders.
syren1532's review against another edition
5.0
Ziba McKenzie is recalled from Quantico to assist with a case in London. Young vulnerable women are being killed and the killer is taking a souvenir from their bodies. Vernon Sange, a convicted killer incarcerated in Wakefield prison claims to have information about he killer but will only speak to Ziba. Can Ziba get him to talk without letting him into her head and can she keep those cares about safe.
Fantastic read from start to finish - love this series.
Thanks to Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer and Victoria Selman for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
Fantastic read from start to finish - love this series.
Thanks to Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer and Victoria Selman for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
birminghambooks's review against another edition
2.0
I didnt know that this book was the 3rd in a series.
You can tell there is one or 2 before it as jts a constant theme throughout the book.
I was excited to read this. However i found it very long and to be honest a bit boring. It all seemed a bit stagnant. Never moving forward.
I had no idea where snakes and ladders fits in to this.
Not for me unfortunately
You can tell there is one or 2 before it as jts a constant theme throughout the book.
I was excited to read this. However i found it very long and to be honest a bit boring. It all seemed a bit stagnant. Never moving forward.
I had no idea where snakes and ladders fits in to this.
Not for me unfortunately
faysieh's review against another edition
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller. It got me up twice in the middle of the night to read on which is usually a sure sign a reader is hooked!
I hadn't read the two books in the series prior to this offering and although I will now want to read the other books, it did not prevent me from enjoying the efforts of Ziba MacKenzie as a standalone story.
Yet again this female protagonist is a tough woman, a profiler working for Scotland Yard who has lost her husband to a shooting and now is wary about getting too close to Jack Wolf, a newspaper journalist. But as a profiler she doesn't work quite the same way as the Police do and it is fascinating how she pieces together information about the Pink Rose Killer using behavioural analysis.
The plot was sinister, chilling but not too gruesome. Initially I thought this book would be too scary to read, but it really isn't!
There are so many characters whose motives seem suspicious and as a consequence the reader is left desperately trying to guess who the perpetrator is and what further mind games Dr Vernon Sange, a notorious serial killer currently residing in a high security prison, is going to play next.
Some of the 'clues' in terms of the literary references went a bit over my head and I am not sure I would have ever suddenly made the leap Ziba did into knowing who the killer was and their connection to Sange, but nevertheless this is a thriller I thoroughly enjoyed.
With no neat ending I am hoping there will be a fourth book in this series!
I hadn't read the two books in the series prior to this offering and although I will now want to read the other books, it did not prevent me from enjoying the efforts of Ziba MacKenzie as a standalone story.
Yet again this female protagonist is a tough woman, a profiler working for Scotland Yard who has lost her husband to a shooting and now is wary about getting too close to Jack Wolf, a newspaper journalist. But as a profiler she doesn't work quite the same way as the Police do and it is fascinating how she pieces together information about the Pink Rose Killer using behavioural analysis.
The plot was sinister, chilling but not too gruesome. Initially I thought this book would be too scary to read, but it really isn't!
There are so many characters whose motives seem suspicious and as a consequence the reader is left desperately trying to guess who the perpetrator is and what further mind games Dr Vernon Sange, a notorious serial killer currently residing in a high security prison, is going to play next.
Some of the 'clues' in terms of the literary references went a bit over my head and I am not sure I would have ever suddenly made the leap Ziba did into knowing who the killer was and their connection to Sange, but nevertheless this is a thriller I thoroughly enjoyed.
With no neat ending I am hoping there will be a fourth book in this series!