Category: Reviews

Woah! What. A. Book. Literally speechless, it’s that good. I was only a few chapters in when I realized that this book is honestly so good. It hooks you in from the beginning. Some chapters give an intimate look into the life of the unforgiving, horrific serial killer known as the ‘Four Monkey Killer’, or the 4MK. I found these chapters particularly interesting because they were written from the killer’s perspective and were truly frightening, as they scared me to the core. It’s the kind of novel in which you honestly have no clue what the ending is going to be. Usually, when I read crime thrillers, I have a pretty good idea of what the ending will hold, but honestly I had no clue what was going to happen and I’m not complaining. If you’re a fan of cliff-hangers at the end of chapters, as I am, this one is for you.

The Four Monkey Killer has been killing people for the past five years. Not one person can identify who the killer is, not even the investigators. However, there’s a break in the case when a man is killed by a bus. He was carrying a black box tied with a white ribbon, which is the Four Monkey Killer’s signature. Additionally, in his pocket, a diary is found and in this diary, a psychopath’s life can be unravelled.

Sam Porter, the lead investigator on the 4MK case, begins to read this twisted journal and the reader also gets a glimpse into the diary entries. The chapters alternate between the investigator’s perspectives, the victim’s perspectives as well as the journal entries. I believe that having the journal entries as separate chapters made the book all the more interesting. These entries were chilling, sick and included many twists and turns.

In fact, the whole book was full of twists and turns, and the ending will seriously leave you speechless. I feel like I say that for a lot of books that I read, but one thing is for certain. This has been the creepiest, most intriguing page-turner I have ever read! This novel is definitely for adults and not for the faint-hearted, as it’s quite brutal!

I had a strong liking for Sam Porter, the lead detective. He’s an intelligent, fast-thinking individual who has a good sense of humour. Although he is battling his own demons throughout the novel, he is strong and hardworking. He is always focussed on the end goal and will do whatever it takes to get there!

Also, I really loved how there was a huge focus on the journey to finding the killer, rather than the procedural police work. This kept me hooked on the book, and I found myself not being able to part from the book until I finished the last page. I had a lot of trouble writing a review for this novel because I didn’t want to spoil the book for anyone, but nonetheless, I hope you enjoyed it. Leave a comment below if you’ve read this book already or if you’re going to add it to your TBR list. Happy reading!

This was quite an interesting read. What drew me to read this novel was its cover. I thought it looked quite eerie, yet very intriguing. I have also heard many good things about this novel, along with Claire Douglas’ first novel, namely The Sisters, which I have yet to read. I saw Local Girl Missing on the ‘fast-lane’ shelf at my local library, so I thought that I might as well give it a go. I read it in less than two days, mostly because I didn’t really have anything else to do during that time. I enjoyed it, but found myself getting REALLY annoyed at some parts. I’ll get more into that in a bit. 

Sophie Collier vanished many years ago, yet no one truly knows what happened to her. Her family and friends have never had any closure. Until remains are found near an old pier of her small town. Her brother, Daniel, informs Sophie’s best friend, Frankie, of these remains that have been found. He tells Frankie that he believes that someone killed Sophie all these years ago, and he wants Frankie’s help in getting to the bottom of his sister’s disappearance. Although reluctant to go back to her hometown, since it holds so many bad memories, Frankie decides to head back to the town in which she grew up to finally put her mind at ease and figure out what happened to her best friend.

Once she’s there, she has many out of the ordinary experiences. First off, she feels incredibly isolated yet she also feels as though she’s being watched. Who could it be? Why would someone be watching her? Frankie, with a propensity to compartmentalize, realizes that her comfy, luxurious lifestyle might be at risk now that she has step foot back into her hometown.  

Secrets. Secrets. Trust. Secrets. Jealousy. Oh, and even more secrets. That’s basically what this book is FULL of. The chapters alternate between Frankie’s perspective and Sophie’s diary entries. I liked that this book showed both perspectives because I feel as though the reader gets to see that there are always two sides to a story. I found myself getting VERY annoyed by Frankie. She just seems SO pretentious at times, and needy. The reason as to why I gave this book 3/5 stars is solely because of how annoying Frankie was. Now, I realize that her character was made to seem this way for a reason, but I couldn’t help but cringe at Frankie’s constant whining and I honestly felt like putting the book down on more than one occasion. 

Other than that, there were many fantastic twists and turns, which are very important in a good thriller / mystery novel. I felt satisfied when I put the book down in the end as it met my expectations, but definitely did not exceed them. Until next time….Happy reading friends!

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I have heard many great things about this author, and as this was my first Meg Gardiner book, I was definitely not disappointed! Unsub was intense and frightening. The vivid descriptions made this novel beyond terrifying. It is so well-written that I was at the edge of my seat the entire time. The book was detailed, yet it got to the point and exceeded my expectations. 

Caitlin Hendrix has been haunted by the Prophet since her childhood. The Prophet is a relentless serial killer who ruined Caitlin’s father’s life, who was the main investigator on the Prophet case in the 1990s. The Prophet was never found at the time, and soon disappeared from the Bay area. The Prophet is an UNSUB, which means he’s an unidentified subject. He is an intelligent, clever individual who leaves distinct messages behind at the crime scenes. He leaves written notes, as well as the Mercury sign (as seen on the cover of the novel). 

Now 20 years later, the Prophet has reemerged, and Caitlin is part of the investigation team of this case. The Prophet leaves behind a string of brutal murders. Is the real Prophet from 20 years ago back? Or is it a copycat?

Caitlin must race against the clock to capture the serial killer before he strikes again. Will the Prophet ruin Caitlin’s life, just like he ruined her father’s? Who is the Prophet? 

There’s just something about this book that is so realistic. The descriptions, the relationship between the characters may explain how realistic it is. This novel reminded me of a few crime thriller shows that I have watched. If you’re into these kinds of shows, the book will definitely be of interest to you! 

This novel was fabulous, and it was suspenseful until the last page. It’s a wild ride all the way to an outstanding conclusion. I give it a solid 5/5 stars! This is definitely not my last Gardiner book!

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About the Author

Meg Gardiner is an award-winning author, and her writing focuses on crime. She attended Stanford University where she received a BA in Economics, and she later studied Law at Stanford University. She practiced law, and later began writing thrillers. Her Evan Daley books are her best-known novels. For more information about Meg Gardiner, check out the Official Website of author Meg Gardiner.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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