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avey_sienna's review
5.0
Bought this book at my local charity shop, never heard of this series or author before,however, I am now obsessed and can’t wait to read the full series. The Harvest Man is full of suspense, gore, and such unique and developed characters. Parts had me so tense and I could not put it down.
gawronma's review against another edition
4.0
Another very good entry in Murder Squad stories. Can't wait until the next book in the series.
bookbitereviews's review against another edition
4.0
I doubt I would have ever picked this up on my own, but I'm glad I was asked to. While this isn't my new favorite book it was definitely an enjoyable experience. Glad I stepped outside of my norm for this.
jaclynder's review against another edition
3.0
After the explosive Devil’s Workshop I was quite excited to return to the adventures of Inspector Walter Day and his sidekick, Nevil Hammersmith. While I did enjoy The Harvest Man, it did not have the same suspenseful momentum as the previous book. That said, The Harvest Man ends on a high note, setting the stage perfectly for the next book in the series. I can only imagine that there will be many developments in this mystery series; it has gone in a direction I did not expect.
The Harvest Man picks up shortly after the events in The Devil’s Workshop. Day has returned to the job, but he’s on desk duty. Due to his reckless behaviour Nevil has been let go from the Yard, but he is determined to prove that Jack the Ripper is still at large and catch the man at any cost.
While Day is riding a desk, there’s another serial murderer at large: the Harvest Man. The Harvest Man enters a couple’s home, lies in wait, and then sets to work trying to unveil the “true” identity of his mother and father, only to be disappointed each time.
The murderer’s attempts to find his family are grotesque, graphic and creepy and because readers are given the Harvest Man’s perspective, you understand his motivations for murder. While understanding the motivations does not work to garner sympathy for the murderer, it does serve to make for the crimes to be understandable and all the more disturbing.
What is done very well in The Harvest Man, as well as the previous books in the series, is the human element to the murder. Not only do readers encounter rich primary characters with Day and Hammersmith, but they also get to see into the minds of the murderers and their victims. At times, it’s disturbing to be in the mind of the victim, yet it adds a layer of suspense and drama that makes for a strong mystery read.
While the villains are drawn very well in The Harvest Man, Grecian does not neglect his primary characters. Readers are taken into the struggles of both Day and Hammersmith. Day is a new father and he’s also the survivor of a brutal attack from the Ripper; it’s certainly playing havoc with his behaviour. Likewise, Hammersmith is struggling with the fact that he’s no longer a copper and trying to figure out what’s next for him as he’ll eventually have to find some sort of income. It’s these characters of Day and Hammersmith that keep me coming back. Both Day and Hammersmith are so ordinary. They’re not really super sleuths, and the practicality of their skills just makes them both very strong main characters to read about. Personally, I continue to feel compelled to learn more about their lives and to see their interactions with other characters.
While I still enjoyed The Harvest Man, I do have to admit that I wasn’t as invested in this installment as I was the previous one. The Devil’s Workshop was so suspenseful, I couldn’t put it down; with The Harvest Man, I wasn’t nearly as engrossed. Yet, The Harvest Man does serve an important purpose in the series: it sets the stage. Day and Hammersmith are at a crossroads in their careers and that does subdue the plot in The Harvest Man. But by the end of the novel, readers are thrown for a loop and taken in a direction that I wasn’t expecting. Both Day and Hammersmith are propelled forward and I can’t wait to see how that unravels in the next book in the series.
The Harvest Man is a solid addition to Grecian’s The Murder Squad Series. Grecian continues to build on his very human characters of Day and Hammersmith, while offering readers a spine tingling mystery. While not as suspenseful as the previous book, The Harvest Man sets the stage for future books in the series in an effective and compelling manner.
Originally reviewed at The Book Adventures.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via Edelweiss.
The Harvest Man picks up shortly after the events in The Devil’s Workshop. Day has returned to the job, but he’s on desk duty. Due to his reckless behaviour Nevil has been let go from the Yard, but he is determined to prove that Jack the Ripper is still at large and catch the man at any cost.
While Day is riding a desk, there’s another serial murderer at large: the Harvest Man. The Harvest Man enters a couple’s home, lies in wait, and then sets to work trying to unveil the “true” identity of his mother and father, only to be disappointed each time.
A killer had escaped from prison with three other men and had used the ensuing confusion to evade police. He was still at large. He had no known name, and his records had been lost, but he had been called the Harvest Man by other inmates. The Harvest Man broke into people's homes while they were out during the day and hid in their attics, waiting until the household was asleep before emerging. He somehow made them groggy and unable to react while he methodically cut away their faces, a piece at a time (p. 39).
The murderer’s attempts to find his family are grotesque, graphic and creepy and because readers are given the Harvest Man’s perspective, you understand his motivations for murder. While understanding the motivations does not work to garner sympathy for the murderer, it does serve to make for the crimes to be understandable and all the more disturbing.
What is done very well in The Harvest Man, as well as the previous books in the series, is the human element to the murder. Not only do readers encounter rich primary characters with Day and Hammersmith, but they also get to see into the minds of the murderers and their victims. At times, it’s disturbing to be in the mind of the victim, yet it adds a layer of suspense and drama that makes for a strong mystery read.
While the villains are drawn very well in The Harvest Man, Grecian does not neglect his primary characters. Readers are taken into the struggles of both Day and Hammersmith. Day is a new father and he’s also the survivor of a brutal attack from the Ripper; it’s certainly playing havoc with his behaviour. Likewise, Hammersmith is struggling with the fact that he’s no longer a copper and trying to figure out what’s next for him as he’ll eventually have to find some sort of income. It’s these characters of Day and Hammersmith that keep me coming back. Both Day and Hammersmith are so ordinary. They’re not really super sleuths, and the practicality of their skills just makes them both very strong main characters to read about. Personally, I continue to feel compelled to learn more about their lives and to see their interactions with other characters.
While I still enjoyed The Harvest Man, I do have to admit that I wasn’t as invested in this installment as I was the previous one. The Devil’s Workshop was so suspenseful, I couldn’t put it down; with The Harvest Man, I wasn’t nearly as engrossed. Yet, The Harvest Man does serve an important purpose in the series: it sets the stage. Day and Hammersmith are at a crossroads in their careers and that does subdue the plot in The Harvest Man. But by the end of the novel, readers are thrown for a loop and taken in a direction that I wasn’t expecting. Both Day and Hammersmith are propelled forward and I can’t wait to see how that unravels in the next book in the series.
The Harvest Man is a solid addition to Grecian’s The Murder Squad Series. Grecian continues to build on his very human characters of Day and Hammersmith, while offering readers a spine tingling mystery. While not as suspenseful as the previous book, The Harvest Man sets the stage for future books in the series in an effective and compelling manner.
Originally reviewed at The Book Adventures.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via Edelweiss.
aditurbo's review against another edition
5.0
Wonderful tension throughout the series, great characters and a few storylines that hold your interest from one book to another. This one ends with such a cliffhanger that I moved on immediately to the next one in the series. Simply a fantastic read.
smellbelle's review
4.0
Each time I read one of Grecian's Murder Squad books I devour it so quickly I'm sad it's over. With this one, and the Devil's Workshop, the third in the series, I was sad to see them end because they were so grotesque, and not at all full of happy endings.
I desperately want to know what happens next because our beloved hero Walter Day has been taken by the Ripper himself. I felt sick when I finished this, not knowing what has happened to him and thinking of his twin girls at home. I'll be waiting with baited breath for the next instalment, Grecian has well made sure of that.
However, I miss the tone that this series first had. My favourite of the series remains The Black Country. Everything was right with that book, and unfortunately, for me, Grecian hasn't been able to keep that same tone and feeling with the next two. Involving the Ripper was I think, both a masterstroke and a disaster. Grecian's desire to make the Ripper truly frightening and deranged has seen it take over the series, he was the subject of The Devil's Workshop, The Harvest Man and now the next instalment. I fear that when this issue is resolved, so much of what we love about these books will no longer be present.
To give credit where it is due, Grecian's Ripper is horrifying. Every time he appears in a scene my stomach twists in knots. Grecian's writing is magnificent, truly awesome in its descriptions and the scenes he creates are so vivid and fantastic. This is the reason it gets 4 stars from me, even though I have to admit that reading it wasn't a pleasant experience.
I will mourn for the characters I thought Day and Hammersmith were and I will wait, worried and anxious for Walter. Do hurry up Mr. Grecian, do hurry up indeed.
I desperately want to know what happens next because our beloved hero Walter Day has been taken by the Ripper himself. I felt sick when I finished this, not knowing what has happened to him and thinking of his twin girls at home. I'll be waiting with baited breath for the next instalment, Grecian has well made sure of that.
However, I miss the tone that this series first had. My favourite of the series remains The Black Country. Everything was right with that book, and unfortunately, for me, Grecian hasn't been able to keep that same tone and feeling with the next two. Involving the Ripper was I think, both a masterstroke and a disaster. Grecian's desire to make the Ripper truly frightening and deranged has seen it take over the series, he was the subject of The Devil's Workshop, The Harvest Man and now the next instalment. I fear that when this issue is resolved, so much of what we love about these books will no longer be present.
To give credit where it is due, Grecian's Ripper is horrifying. Every time he appears in a scene my stomach twists in knots. Grecian's writing is magnificent, truly awesome in its descriptions and the scenes he creates are so vivid and fantastic. This is the reason it gets 4 stars from me, even though I have to admit that reading it wasn't a pleasant experience.
I will mourn for the characters I thought Day and Hammersmith were and I will wait, worried and anxious for Walter. Do hurry up Mr. Grecian, do hurry up indeed.
booksuperpower's review against another edition
4.0
This story is not, I repeat, is not, for the faint of heart. There is very graphic violence and super intense situations that could cause sweating of the palms or cause you to have a few restless nights.
I do have one complaint, and I hate to bring it up, but…. There is not a tidy, all wrapped up neatly with a bow on top, ending. In fact, some may view it as borderline cliffhanger territory. Ordinarily, this would annoy me to the nth degree, and I was slightly irritated , but the author handles this very well, even though I know there will be a wait period before I can see how everything gets worked out, I was able to close the book with a definite sigh of relief.
Overall, this a solid historical crime thriller, well written, featuring finely drawn, complex characters, and a riveting plot. I recommend this book to those who enjoy dark, atmospheric thrillers, historical mysteries, or serial killer tropes.
This review is the copyrighted property of Night Owl Reviews. To read the review in full go to: https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Reviews/Gpangel-reviews-The-Harvest-Man-by-Alex-Grecian
I do have one complaint, and I hate to bring it up, but…. There is not a tidy, all wrapped up neatly with a bow on top, ending. In fact, some may view it as borderline cliffhanger territory. Ordinarily, this would annoy me to the nth degree, and I was slightly irritated , but the author handles this very well, even though I know there will be a wait period before I can see how everything gets worked out, I was able to close the book with a definite sigh of relief.
Overall, this a solid historical crime thriller, well written, featuring finely drawn, complex characters, and a riveting plot. I recommend this book to those who enjoy dark, atmospheric thrillers, historical mysteries, or serial killer tropes.
This review is the copyrighted property of Night Owl Reviews. To read the review in full go to: https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Reviews/Gpangel-reviews-The-Harvest-Man-by-Alex-Grecian
si0bhan's review
4.0
Since reading The Devil’s Workshop last year I was excited for this Murder Squad book. With everything that happened in the third book in the series you knew great things were to come.
Sadly, despite how much I enjoyed this one, it wasn’t quite to the level of the other books in the series. For me, this book focused far too much on the personal lives of the characters and overlooked the thing I was really interested in – the complex crime that came about following the events in the last book.
It is wonderful build up for what is to come – the events that took place in the last fifty or so pages suggest the series is going to take a truly interesting turn and I cannot wait to see how things are resolved – but as a whole it felt, in part, like a filler book. I simply wish there had been more to it than the focus upon the personal lives (whilst I’m at it, I should probably point out that I felt as though things could have been made more extreme in that regard as well, as people seemed to brush the details of the prior book aside a bit more than I would have liked).
As a whole, it’s not my favourite book in the series yet it has left me more than curious about what is to come next.
Sadly, despite how much I enjoyed this one, it wasn’t quite to the level of the other books in the series. For me, this book focused far too much on the personal lives of the characters and overlooked the thing I was really interested in – the complex crime that came about following the events in the last book.
It is wonderful build up for what is to come – the events that took place in the last fifty or so pages suggest the series is going to take a truly interesting turn and I cannot wait to see how things are resolved – but as a whole it felt, in part, like a filler book. I simply wish there had been more to it than the focus upon the personal lives (whilst I’m at it, I should probably point out that I felt as though things could have been made more extreme in that regard as well, as people seemed to brush the details of the prior book aside a bit more than I would have liked).
As a whole, it’s not my favourite book in the series yet it has left me more than curious about what is to come next.
beckmank's review against another edition
5.0
For those unfamiliar with this series, we are transported back in time to 1890, London. Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad has their hands full; Jack the Ripper may have disappeared into thin air, but the dawn of the random serial killer has now arrived.
There are three investigative subplots occurring in The Harvest Man: the search for the Harvest Man, an unofficial search for Jack the Ripper, and a mystery of several Ripper-like murders which have turned up. The latter two plots flow in and out nicely around the hunt for the Harvest Man.
The Murder Squad series features a terrific cast of regular characters. Detective Inspector Walter Day is our main character, the center of this large cast. While the mysteries are the great piece of the books, the personal lives of the characters play just as an important role.
Mr. Grecian had a terrific buildup going throughout the novel. The ending was fantastic – but it just leaves you wanting more. When does the next book come out?
For my full review, please visit Hidden Staircase.
Thanks to First to Read for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
There are three investigative subplots occurring in The Harvest Man: the search for the Harvest Man, an unofficial search for Jack the Ripper, and a mystery of several Ripper-like murders which have turned up. The latter two plots flow in and out nicely around the hunt for the Harvest Man.
The Murder Squad series features a terrific cast of regular characters. Detective Inspector Walter Day is our main character, the center of this large cast. While the mysteries are the great piece of the books, the personal lives of the characters play just as an important role.
Mr. Grecian had a terrific buildup going throughout the novel. The ending was fantastic – but it just leaves you wanting more. When does the next book come out?
For my full review, please visit Hidden Staircase.
Thanks to First to Read for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.