As a young policeman, Matt Ballard had one case involving the murder of three young boys that was never solved. Now, with retirement in sight, Matt plans to continue the investigation on his own. Then a photo arrives that shows the crime scene of one of the murders--before the murder, a tangle of taunting letters are sent to members of Ballard's team, and another young boy goes missing.
While this stand-alone (or first in a new series) is another intriguing police procedural from Ellis, I did not enjoy it nearly as much as her previous novels.
The characters don't feel as genuine as those in her other books and the emphasis on sex felt like the book was trying to reach another audience. Perhaps if the book had come from another author, I wouldn't have focused on the fact that I didn't relate to the characters, but the depth of characterization in her previous novels set a high standard. I didn't really like any of the characters much.
I will stick to Ellis' DI Nikki Galena and her DI Jackman series.
NetGalley/Joffe Books
Crime/Police Procedural. December 19, 2017. Print length: 369 pages.
But I haven't read her other series yet! She can't start a new one. ;D
ReplyDeleteI love her other two series!
DeleteI wonder if she's trying to go for very different characters in case she does turn this into a series. I still need to read her other series because I know you really enjoy those.
ReplyDeleteA lot of people really liked this one, but it didn't suit me as well as the Nikki Galena or the DI Jackman books. :)
DeleteI have meant to try some of her books, partly based on your recommendations. One day, I'm sure. Hope you have a happy new year tomorrow! I'll be back to blogging beginning tomorrow. :-)
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