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4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
Darling baby lamb Matthew Corbett is innocent no more. Since becoming the talk of the town after what went down in "Queen of Bedlam", he has turned into a dandy whose morals are slipping. Due to a spectacularly bad decision, motivated by greed, all hell breaks loose as he allows a deranged killer to escape. I think it's safe to say he'll have learnt his lesson in time for the next book. There was no mystery to solve this time, just a hunt, and as action-packed as it was, I missed the sleuthing and hope to get more of that in The Providence Rider. And damn it, Matthew, get back to being the moral beacon we need you to be!
“Mister Slaughter” is the 3rd book in “Matthew Corbett” series by Robert Maccamon.
It’s hard to describe the plot without spoilers for the first books. Still I’d like to give it a go.
The main character Matthew Corbett works as a “problem solver” in New York in 1870s. He’s a fairly simple, intelligent, eager to help, not so much of a fighter, but he’s getting there. Basically, Matthew’s personality is being shaped before our eyes. He’s changing, growing and learning on his own mistakes. Well-written character with clear motives. Unfortunately, he’d faced danger before, was on a brink of life and death, solved a few cases and became somewhat a celebrity. This time his task is to escort a cold-bloooded murderer to be transferred to England. How successful that was is for the readers to judge.
All books are connected and entangled with one another. Matthew recalls some of his past adventures, meets people mentioned in the previous books which makes the story much more realistic. No character is left behind, one way ot the other we find out what happened to them. You eventually get used to Matthew’s life, his friends and enemies, to the places he visits. You become a part of his life and it’s hard not to get emotional when the action starts happening. I love that everything is explained, you have a chance to make your own guesses until the truth is revealed and that made me feel like a real detective. Every little thing falls on its place.
The setting of New York is amazing. Although I was reading an e-book, I still could feel the smells of taverns, sounds of the bustling streets, imagine myself in the town soon to be the city everyone would dream to visit. History is mixed with a made up story. I actually had to Google a few things and found out that not everything in this book is fiction.
There’s one thing that differs this book from the first two: violence. Mr Slaughter is truly a villain that made my blood freeze. I didn’t expect some bloody or disgusting scenes there. It’s something to keep in mind before getting to read this book. I sighed and gasped with surprise which I don’t do that often while reading.
Overall, there are first two books to check out before Mister Slaughter comes to stage. And I’m pretty sure that since you get a grasp of the story, it’s going to be hard to let go.
It’s hard to describe the plot without spoilers for the first books. Still I’d like to give it a go.
The main character Matthew Corbett works as a “problem solver” in New York in 1870s. He’s a fairly simple, intelligent, eager to help, not so much of a fighter, but he’s getting there. Basically, Matthew’s personality is being shaped before our eyes. He’s changing, growing and learning on his own mistakes. Well-written character with clear motives. Unfortunately, he’d faced danger before, was on a brink of life and death, solved a few cases and became somewhat a celebrity. This time his task is to escort a cold-bloooded murderer to be transferred to England. How successful that was is for the readers to judge.
All books are connected and entangled with one another. Matthew recalls some of his past adventures, meets people mentioned in the previous books which makes the story much more realistic. No character is left behind, one way ot the other we find out what happened to them. You eventually get used to Matthew’s life, his friends and enemies, to the places he visits. You become a part of his life and it’s hard not to get emotional when the action starts happening. I love that everything is explained, you have a chance to make your own guesses until the truth is revealed and that made me feel like a real detective. Every little thing falls on its place.
The setting of New York is amazing. Although I was reading an e-book, I still could feel the smells of taverns, sounds of the bustling streets, imagine myself in the town soon to be the city everyone would dream to visit. History is mixed with a made up story. I actually had to Google a few things and found out that not everything in this book is fiction.
There’s one thing that differs this book from the first two: violence. Mr Slaughter is truly a villain that made my blood freeze. I didn’t expect some bloody or disgusting scenes there. It’s something to keep in mind before getting to read this book. I sighed and gasped with surprise which I don’t do that often while reading.
Overall, there are first two books to check out before Mister Slaughter comes to stage. And I’m pretty sure that since you get a grasp of the story, it’s going to be hard to let go.
adventurous
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:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
medium-paced
"But in this world, it's the Devil teaches you the lessons you never forget" (page 183)
Mister Slaughter is the third instalment of the Matthew Corbett series by the incredible Robert Mccammon and possibly his best outing yet!
It's 1702 and Matthew Corbett and his colleague, Hudson Greathouse have been hired with escorting the maniacal murderer, Tyranthus Slaughter from an asylum in Philadelphia to the docks of New York where he is to be sent back to England to be hung. Mister Slaughter is as cunning as he is dangerous and makes them an offer in exchange for his freedom. Things escalate quickly and horrifically resulting in the killer escaping and having to be hunted down and stopped.
This is a serial killer, suspense thriller that continues its series tradition of being steeped in history. This book also has its roots firmly set in Mccammon's horror background and delivers some truly gruesome scenes.
Mccammon has long been one of my favourite authors and I honestly don't know how he can paint such a detailed and vivid world like he does. Every character he writes is intriguing and has depth. Every place is just so beautifully sketched out in the mind that at times my temperature changed along with the setting. He is a master of his craft.
I can't wait to continue the series and I hope it just gets better and better like this one has proven to be.
Mister Slaughter is the third instalment of the Matthew Corbett series by the incredible Robert Mccammon and possibly his best outing yet!
It's 1702 and Matthew Corbett and his colleague, Hudson Greathouse have been hired with escorting the maniacal murderer, Tyranthus Slaughter from an asylum in Philadelphia to the docks of New York where he is to be sent back to England to be hung. Mister Slaughter is as cunning as he is dangerous and makes them an offer in exchange for his freedom. Things escalate quickly and horrifically resulting in the killer escaping and having to be hunted down and stopped.
This is a serial killer, suspense thriller that continues its series tradition of being steeped in history. This book also has its roots firmly set in Mccammon's horror background and delivers some truly gruesome scenes.
Mccammon has long been one of my favourite authors and I honestly don't know how he can paint such a detailed and vivid world like he does. Every character he writes is intriguing and has depth. Every place is just so beautifully sketched out in the mind that at times my temperature changed along with the setting. He is a master of his craft.
I can't wait to continue the series and I hope it just gets better and better like this one has proven to be.
This series is only getting better as it progresses. Not only is it excellent for its detailed historical reconstitution (with a few avowed cheats here and there) but it is above all else a really great mystery and adventure story, with a clever yet not-quite-flawless young protagonist who's absolutely endearing and easy to root for.
Where Mister Slaughter and the previous entries of this series truly shine is with the expanding gallery of secondary characters, colourful and truculent, who come to life on the page under the pen of an immensely talented story teller. Berry and her broadsheet owner grandfather, Hudson Greathouse, Lillehorn, Tom Bond, Zed, Walker, John Five, Mrs. Herrald, McCaggers, Polly Blossom.. they're all more fun to read about than the next. And then there are the villains, each more twisted, evil, vicious, unique than the other, and as colourful iconic and bigger than life than the Milady of Dumas, Moriarty, James Bond or Dick Tracy villains (if you like them full of ambiguity and shades of gray, this may not be the right series for you).
McCammon manages to tell a tale that feels both really old fashioned in some respect but is resolutely modern in other aspects of his approach. He recalls sometime the historical adventures novels of Alexandre Dumas, with a ounce of Conan Doyle (and even more Mark Frost's novels inspired by Sherlock Holmes) or the lush and descriptive southern prose of the best novels of a Robert Jordan (minus the epic fantasy setting, keeping just the 18th century world and way of life that was a major inspiration). But there's also all the plot twists and manner of more modern thrillers and mysteries, transposed to the past in a really successful way. And McCammon's career as an horror writer isn't completely left behind, with plenty of blood curdling murders, a good dose of chills and nail biting suspense.
For a series that started as a stand alone project (with a first novel that's excellent and now forms a sort of prologue to the series) McCammon managed to turn it in a gripping tale that so far gets more exciting and interesting with each entry, with a world and story arc that gets larger and larger, plenty of secrets, conspiracies and intrigue around all the action.
Where Mister Slaughter and the previous entries of this series truly shine is with the expanding gallery of secondary characters, colourful and truculent, who come to life on the page under the pen of an immensely talented story teller. Berry and her broadsheet owner grandfather, Hudson Greathouse, Lillehorn, Tom Bond, Zed, Walker, John Five, Mrs. Herrald, McCaggers, Polly Blossom.. they're all more fun to read about than the next. And then there are the villains, each more twisted, evil, vicious, unique than the other, and as colourful iconic and bigger than life than the Milady of Dumas, Moriarty, James Bond or Dick Tracy villains (if you like them full of ambiguity and shades of gray, this may not be the right series for you).
McCammon manages to tell a tale that feels both really old fashioned in some respect but is resolutely modern in other aspects of his approach. He recalls sometime the historical adventures novels of Alexandre Dumas, with a ounce of Conan Doyle (and even more Mark Frost's novels inspired by Sherlock Holmes) or the lush and descriptive southern prose of the best novels of a Robert Jordan (minus the epic fantasy setting, keeping just the 18th century world and way of life that was a major inspiration). But there's also all the plot twists and manner of more modern thrillers and mysteries, transposed to the past in a really successful way. And McCammon's career as an horror writer isn't completely left behind, with plenty of blood curdling murders, a good dose of chills and nail biting suspense.
For a series that started as a stand alone project (with a first novel that's excellent and now forms a sort of prologue to the series) McCammon managed to turn it in a gripping tale that so far gets more exciting and interesting with each entry, with a world and story arc that gets larger and larger, plenty of secrets, conspiracies and intrigue around all the action.
Another Great Entry In The Corbett Series
Robert McCammon who has written two of my favorite books of all time in Boy's Life and Swan Song continues to hit homeruns with his historical fiction mystery series with his character, Matthew Corbett. For me each book has been better than the last and Mister Slaughter ranks only behind the 2 previously mentioned masterpieces in my McCammon rankings.
This entry has the best villain yet in the series who is incredibly multilayered and interesting on a Robin Hobb-esque scale. At the same time he is frightening and violent. There are parts of this book where there was so much coming dread and shock it felt akin to a horror novel. While it was less mystery focused than the previous two books, there are mysteries and revelations here that start to really expand this universe and series. I'm very excited to continue.
Robert McCammon who has written two of my favorite books of all time in Boy's Life and Swan Song continues to hit homeruns with his historical fiction mystery series with his character, Matthew Corbett. For me each book has been better than the last and Mister Slaughter ranks only behind the 2 previously mentioned masterpieces in my McCammon rankings.
This entry has the best villain yet in the series who is incredibly multilayered and interesting on a Robin Hobb-esque scale. At the same time he is frightening and violent. There are parts of this book where there was so much coming dread and shock it felt akin to a horror novel. While it was less mystery focused than the previous two books, there are mysteries and revelations here that start to really expand this universe and series. I'm very excited to continue.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was different than the author's previous two in the series. More action adventure. Since the villain is introduced in the beginning there is very little actual "problem solving" needed for Corbett to do. While I would have enjoyed more detecting and investigating, this installment still was a great read. The ending has a big reveal that keeps us in suspense.