After the vicious murder of his wife and daughter, Charlie Parker is pursuing the killer. He ends up in Arkansas where young black girls have been brutally murdered, wondering if the same killer was at work. Even after deciding the murders were not by the same man who killed his wife and daughter, Charlie decides to help when the Police Chief asks.
This is a more straight forward murder investigation without some of the supernatural elements in most of the novels, but the book is every bit as engrossing as Charlie reveals the depth of corruption of a powerful family.
Connolly's writing is always haunting and suspenseful, and I enjoyed this glimpse into the way Charlie Parker moves from the hunt for the man who killed his family to using his skills as a former NYPD detective to solve other murders.
Recently, I found this:
Should you read John Connolly’s Charlie Parker novels? For me, the answer is an unqualified “yes”. They are intriguing, entertaining and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny. A complete list is here. My only tip would be that although the first book, Every Dead Thing, was a big hit, I found it hard to get into, with an immense amount going on and multiple plot lines. The second book, Dark Hollow, worked better for me; and the third, The Killing Kind, kept me up late to find out what happened next. So if you are a Charlie Parker novice, you may want to consider not starting with the first book in the series. Indeed, if you read Every Dead Thing later, once you’ve become familiar with the protagonist, it will give you the dubious pleasure of learning exactly what ghastly fate befell Parker’s wife and child in the opening chapters of the series. (Source)
The prologue of the first novel almost made me put the book down. I think the idea of beginning with any of the other novels in the series would be better. The evil in the Charlie Parker novels is papable, and it is the supernatural that makes them bearable, giving the reader and out, the evil isn't real. (The Dirty South is a departure in the lack of the supernatural.)
In 2014, I read The Wolf in Winter, for the R.I.P. Challenge and then went back and picked up all that I'd missed. Now, I'm always on the lookout for more.
If you are planning on Carl's R.I.P. Challenge this year, try Dark Hollow or any of the later novels in the series, but buckle your seat belt--good vs evil is a frightening experience.
Read in June. Blog review scheduled for Sept. 10.
NetGalley/Atria Books
Police Procedural/Thriller. Oct. 20, 2020. print length: 448 pages.
Another author I hope to read this year! :)
ReplyDeleteBe prepared. They can be intense! :O
DeleteI haven't read Connolly in a long time, but I remember being surprised at how much I enjoyed his storytelling even though, on the surface, his books never sounded like something I would like. The surprise, I guess, was how easily I got into the spirit of his plots.
ReplyDeleteGood vs evil, some supernatural, and some humor with Louis and Angel. Once you get involved, they are difficult to quit.
DeleteI think I've only read one book by this author (The Book of Lost Things) but that's a long time ago. This one sounds like an intriguing read even without the supernatural elements.
ReplyDeleteThe Book of Lost Things was really good. I read it for Carl's Once Upon a Time challenge years ago. It is about a twelve-year-old boy--a beautifully written coming-of-age story, a fairy tale within a fairy tale world. Charlie Parker books are mysteries/thrillers/supernatural/good vs evil.
DeleteI didn't know Connolly wrote a detective series. That is interesting, the tip to start with the second book. I think I would be inclined to follow it, though normally I am a real stickler about reading books in publication order.
ReplyDeleteThe books are spooky, border on horror, and are often brutal, but Connolly's prose is excellent.
DeleteI'm going to get some of these for my husband and myself. I'll skip the first in the series and come back to it later, once I'm hooked. Thanks for the rec!
ReplyDeleteThe books are violent, but fascinating. Connolly personifies evil with characters who are truly frightening.
DeleteThis was my first Connolly book and I can’t imagine how the supernatural plays into the series.
ReplyDeleteOh, believe me, it does. And it is frightening!
DeleteI was just eyeing the first book in this series and thinking how much I've been wanting to try it. I have only read one a novella by him, which I thought was really good.
ReplyDeleteI have not read his Charlie Parker novels but definitely curious. Thank you for the tip about the first couple in the series. I'm wondering if I have any on my shelf. You've definitely got me interested given that there is a supernatural element to them. Perfect for the season!
ReplyDelete