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Jessica Balzano & Kevin Byrne #3
Broken Angels
When the first body is found, mutilated and strangled on the riverbank, homicide detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano suspect yet another random case of urban violence. Until it happens again. And again. One by one, women are lured to the old Schuylkill River, their violent and increasingly staged deaths the only clues to the killer's twisted imagination. All are wearing oddly old-fashioned dresses, holding a prop of some kind. And each one seems to have a story to tell, speaking of nightmares that are not just the stuff of fairy tales ...Desperately, Byrne and Balzano try to uncover the fragile link between the murders, until they realise they are up against two different kinds of evil. A ruthless killer is preying upon the citizens of Philadelphia. And someone else is killing the suspects.
Hardcover
First published August 7, 2007
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June 20, 2024
I've been away from author Richard Montanari for too long and this series is just so awesome I don't understand how that can be. In fact I have been pushing how great Cris Carter's Robert Hunter series is as well as Tania Carver's (Brennan and Esposito) series is but you can add this one right up there with those two and it is one hell of a trifecta!!
Jessica Balzano is one of two female detectives on the Philadelphia Police force. Her partner Kevin Byrne was a child prodigee and majored in criminal psychology. He also has a special gift where he can see things in his mind relating to the crimes he is investigating. This is not overdone and done way less than the first book in the series. In fact it hardly happens here and when it does it is very peripheral.
I don't know why but I have always been drawn to the city of Philadelphia though I have never even been there. Growing up I was a Sixers fan, Flyers fan and Phillies fan and still am to this day. Oddly I am not an eagles fan though I love eagles and have one tattooed on my left pec. It's just that I got into football a bit later and was drawn to my Broncos. Anyway Montanari really gets into the Philadelphia city as well as its surrounding country and it is so neat to see, at least for me. It makes me want to go there so bad. One of these days.
So having read Tania Carver's The Creeper a few books ago my review pointed out that it was difficult to read as the Creeper was clearly mentally ill. Well in this story a person who goes by the persona The Moon is clearly more mentally ill than the Creeper but thankfully his pov chapters are quite short with enough clues as to what he is up to. It is clear that this fellow has real issues. His fits victim is found by the river posed and in a rare late 1800's dress. And oh, she has had both feet amputated.
The book opens with a Moon chapter and you are like wtf. It then moves on to Kevin Byrne sitting in a diner when he recognizes a person who is wanted for a serious crime. Byrne gets made and the perp takes a hostage putting a knife to her throat. Things do not end well with the hostage having her throat slashed. She dies and the husband is not happy at all with how Byrne handled the situation feeling Byrne could have shot and killed the suspect and if he did so his wife would be alive. This chapter sets up a parallel story within our story showing what happens to the husband who is now raising two kids alone. He spirals out of control and has a huge beef with Byrne. Montanari does a great job using this as a back filler to the main story and outlining how a vicious crime like this can impact a person in such a terrible way.
It is after this chapter that we find our first serial killer's body and the body counts start to add up. The crimes do not always involve amputations and the such but are clearly related as the bodies are always found near the water and always female and posed in these old style dresses.
As always the police procedural aspect of the book is fantastic. Montanari credits many of his Philadelphia police contacts in his books and he must have been taking extensive notes and really understanding and getting a grasp of things. The procedural aspect of this series is just so good.
There are just so many twists and turns along the way and a bit of confusion too because The Moon is clearly mentally ill and Montanari does a great job of illustrating this, making it a bit confusing as it naturally would be but keeping it clean enough that you can still track what is going on. I have to admit that if your killer really was mentally ill than this is the way it would come across in writing.
Other things that are going on is the fact that in 1995 two young girls were found murdered in a forest. One was a copper's kid. The other we learn had a twin brother whose older brother ends up being a pastor. He is not the kindest of pastor's as he seeks out those who commits violent crimes especially against kids and makes them pay for said crimes. He does this a few times in the book and it is great. His victims do not survive.
In relation to those two girls being murdered and abused the police have never solved the crime. Yet a retiring detective tells Byrne that he is becoming a PI and his mission is to solve the crime. Yet that very night after his retirement party while going back to the scene of the two girls murder he ends up dead. When an officer dies it really sets a police force in motion and again Montanari really illustrates this in a very good way.
Due to this detective's murder Balzano gets pulled off of The Moon's case and is assigned to the detective murder with the other female detective on the force. There are just so many things going on in this book. Like maybe 4/5 but they are all excellent and easy to keep track of. It was just such an engaging read.
As we move to the end I found (just like I did in Tania Carver's The Creeper) that as things unfold there is more of an explanation for the mentally ill ravings of The Moon. Things started to piece together and you understand why he thinks and talks the way he does and why he is committing the crimes in the way that he does.
The ending is fantastic and so many of the ongoing story lines all come together. It is just great and it leaves you hanging as to whether a police officer, the one whose daughter was killed, in fact killed someone himself in a very wrongful but maybe just way :)
I highly recommend this series. This book was just over 400 pages and I ate up the pages finishing it in four days which is very unlike me. An easy five stars and I have the next two in the series on my shelves and I will guarantee it will not take as long to get to them. Enjoy!!
Jessica Balzano is one of two female detectives on the Philadelphia Police force. Her partner Kevin Byrne was a child prodigee and majored in criminal psychology. He also has a special gift where he can see things in his mind relating to the crimes he is investigating. This is not overdone and done way less than the first book in the series. In fact it hardly happens here and when it does it is very peripheral.
I don't know why but I have always been drawn to the city of Philadelphia though I have never even been there. Growing up I was a Sixers fan, Flyers fan and Phillies fan and still am to this day. Oddly I am not an eagles fan though I love eagles and have one tattooed on my left pec. It's just that I got into football a bit later and was drawn to my Broncos. Anyway Montanari really gets into the Philadelphia city as well as its surrounding country and it is so neat to see, at least for me. It makes me want to go there so bad. One of these days.
So having read Tania Carver's The Creeper a few books ago my review pointed out that it was difficult to read as the Creeper was clearly mentally ill. Well in this story a person who goes by the persona The Moon is clearly more mentally ill than the Creeper but thankfully his pov chapters are quite short with enough clues as to what he is up to. It is clear that this fellow has real issues. His fits victim is found by the river posed and in a rare late 1800's dress. And oh, she has had both feet amputated.
The book opens with a Moon chapter and you are like wtf. It then moves on to Kevin Byrne sitting in a diner when he recognizes a person who is wanted for a serious crime. Byrne gets made and the perp takes a hostage putting a knife to her throat. Things do not end well with the hostage having her throat slashed. She dies and the husband is not happy at all with how Byrne handled the situation feeling Byrne could have shot and killed the suspect and if he did so his wife would be alive. This chapter sets up a parallel story within our story showing what happens to the husband who is now raising two kids alone. He spirals out of control and has a huge beef with Byrne. Montanari does a great job using this as a back filler to the main story and outlining how a vicious crime like this can impact a person in such a terrible way.
It is after this chapter that we find our first serial killer's body and the body counts start to add up. The crimes do not always involve amputations and the such but are clearly related as the bodies are always found near the water and always female and posed in these old style dresses.
As always the police procedural aspect of the book is fantastic. Montanari credits many of his Philadelphia police contacts in his books and he must have been taking extensive notes and really understanding and getting a grasp of things. The procedural aspect of this series is just so good.
There are just so many twists and turns along the way and a bit of confusion too because The Moon is clearly mentally ill and Montanari does a great job of illustrating this, making it a bit confusing as it naturally would be but keeping it clean enough that you can still track what is going on. I have to admit that if your killer really was mentally ill than this is the way it would come across in writing.
Other things that are going on is the fact that in 1995 two young girls were found murdered in a forest. One was a copper's kid. The other we learn had a twin brother whose older brother ends up being a pastor. He is not the kindest of pastor's as he seeks out those who commits violent crimes especially against kids and makes them pay for said crimes. He does this a few times in the book and it is great. His victims do not survive.
In relation to those two girls being murdered and abused the police have never solved the crime. Yet a retiring detective tells Byrne that he is becoming a PI and his mission is to solve the crime. Yet that very night after his retirement party while going back to the scene of the two girls murder he ends up dead. When an officer dies it really sets a police force in motion and again Montanari really illustrates this in a very good way.
Due to this detective's murder Balzano gets pulled off of The Moon's case and is assigned to the detective murder with the other female detective on the force. There are just so many things going on in this book. Like maybe 4/5 but they are all excellent and easy to keep track of. It was just such an engaging read.
As we move to the end I found (just like I did in Tania Carver's The Creeper) that as things unfold there is more of an explanation for the mentally ill ravings of The Moon. Things started to piece together and you understand why he thinks and talks the way he does and why he is committing the crimes in the way that he does.
The ending is fantastic and so many of the ongoing story lines all come together. It is just great and it leaves you hanging as to whether a police officer, the one whose daughter was killed, in fact killed someone himself in a very wrongful but maybe just way :)
I highly recommend this series. This book was just over 400 pages and I ate up the pages finishing it in four days which is very unlike me. An easy five stars and I have the next two in the series on my shelves and I will guarantee it will not take as long to get to them. Enjoy!!
July 9, 2025
MERCILESS [2007] By Richard Montanari
My Review 4.5 Stars****
This is the third installment of the author’s Jessica Balzano & Kevin Byrne book series, following “THE SKIN GODS” (2006). I was glad I opted to go ahead and read the next book because it pulled me in at the outset and I read to the 70% mark the first night I opened it.
By the 33% mark in this third outing, there are multiple fascinating threads that are being unspooled by the author. There is the Cold Case Homicide of two 9-year-old girls (one the daughter of a veteran homicide detective) dating back to 1995. We are introduced to Walt Brigham, still on the force and who is still haunted by the double murder. Balzano and Byrne are confronted by perhaps the most bizarre homicide of their careers (and that is saying a lot if you have read the first two books in the series). A young woman has been murdered, mutilated, and a signature left behind unlike any that has been documented in the serial killer literature to date. An intriguing third thread has two devoutly religious brothers who run their own church which has an impressive and dedicated congregation composed of the victims of violent crime. The respected leaders of the flock are dedicated to bringing down God’s holy wrath on the human monsters of the world. Oh, and then there is still another subplot involving an off-duty Byrne who spots a stone-cold killer while he is in a diner. The fugitive recognizes Kevin and puts a knife to the throat of a female hostage as Byrne draws his service weapon. The woman’s husband sets frozen and horrified in the restaurant booth as Byrne attempts to diffuse the situation and the SWAT Team gradually approaches from the hall to neutralize the threat. Let it suffice to say that bloody hell results from the confrontation, and it unleashes a storm of pain and rage that will trail Byrne as the narrative continues to unfold.
In this complex plot line, the author does spend some time and strategy on allowing the reader to see into the serial killer’s psyche. It is admittedly cryptic and leads the reader to the conclusion that the murderer must be delusional (psychotic). It is around the 70% mark that the police investigation reveals that the killer is following fairy tales spun by Hans Christian Anderson. As a big fan of the former TV Series Grimm, I am all too familiar with the horrific underpinnings of many of the world’s most well-known “fairy tales”. Our killer (“Moon”) is travelling down a dark river of terror in his depictions of the story he feels defines him. I finished this one in record time and overall was pretty satisfied with the conclusion. The serial killer was a peripheral character but he was genuinely delusional and certifiable. It was not another implausible tale of twisted vengeance and neither Sophie nor Colleen ended up in the crosshairs of the killer. I have to say I liked this novel more than the two preceding it, which includes the debut outing “The Rosary Girls”.
MY FAVORITE BOOK THUS FAR FROM THE AUTHOR’S “PHILADELPHIA” SERIES
My Review 4.5 Stars****
This is the third installment of the author’s Jessica Balzano & Kevin Byrne book series, following “THE SKIN GODS” (2006). I was glad I opted to go ahead and read the next book because it pulled me in at the outset and I read to the 70% mark the first night I opened it.
By the 33% mark in this third outing, there are multiple fascinating threads that are being unspooled by the author. There is the Cold Case Homicide of two 9-year-old girls (one the daughter of a veteran homicide detective) dating back to 1995. We are introduced to Walt Brigham, still on the force and who is still haunted by the double murder. Balzano and Byrne are confronted by perhaps the most bizarre homicide of their careers (and that is saying a lot if you have read the first two books in the series). A young woman has been murdered, mutilated, and a signature left behind unlike any that has been documented in the serial killer literature to date. An intriguing third thread has two devoutly religious brothers who run their own church which has an impressive and dedicated congregation composed of the victims of violent crime. The respected leaders of the flock are dedicated to bringing down God’s holy wrath on the human monsters of the world. Oh, and then there is still another subplot involving an off-duty Byrne who spots a stone-cold killer while he is in a diner. The fugitive recognizes Kevin and puts a knife to the throat of a female hostage as Byrne draws his service weapon. The woman’s husband sets frozen and horrified in the restaurant booth as Byrne attempts to diffuse the situation and the SWAT Team gradually approaches from the hall to neutralize the threat. Let it suffice to say that bloody hell results from the confrontation, and it unleashes a storm of pain and rage that will trail Byrne as the narrative continues to unfold.
In this complex plot line, the author does spend some time and strategy on allowing the reader to see into the serial killer’s psyche. It is admittedly cryptic and leads the reader to the conclusion that the murderer must be delusional (psychotic). It is around the 70% mark that the police investigation reveals that the killer is following fairy tales spun by Hans Christian Anderson. As a big fan of the former TV Series Grimm, I am all too familiar with the horrific underpinnings of many of the world’s most well-known “fairy tales”. Our killer (“Moon”) is travelling down a dark river of terror in his depictions of the story he feels defines him. I finished this one in record time and overall was pretty satisfied with the conclusion. The serial killer was a peripheral character but he was genuinely delusional and certifiable. It was not another implausible tale of twisted vengeance and neither Sophie nor Colleen ended up in the crosshairs of the killer. I have to say I liked this novel more than the two preceding it, which includes the debut outing “The Rosary Girls”.
MY FAVORITE BOOK THUS FAR FROM THE AUTHOR’S “PHILADELPHIA” SERIES
March 30, 2019
A new favorite writer, a new fav. series.
Detectives Balzano and Byrne are on the hunt for a killer who poses his victims in situations/scenarios taken from a series of fairy tales written by Hans Christian Anderson. (And yes, there will be a reason for this!)
Now this is a grisly read - yet not ghoulish. Get the difference? Montanari spares no details in what happens to the victims, and he does allow space for the murderer's (brief) thoughts without revealing who he/she is. However, he does not DWELL on this. It happens; it's documented by the police, ME, forensics and then they move on. There are red herrings, clues which are in-your-face but you'll miss them, and scenes of Philadelphia and the rural areas of Pennsylvania. (I had never read a crime series set in this area so I love that part of it. It's all new to me.) There aren't as many references to Balzano and Byrne's personal lives, but it's enough. For this book it's the pursuit of a terrible killer that's the main thrust.
Anyhow, read it in two days and it's not a short read. The writing is fast, succinct, extremely well done to the point you barely notice it. Things just happen, move; the dialogue is never dull, the situations never less than interesting.
Love this series, love this writer.
Five stars.
Detectives Balzano and Byrne are on the hunt for a killer who poses his victims in situations/scenarios taken from a series of fairy tales written by Hans Christian Anderson. (And yes, there will be a reason for this!)
Now this is a grisly read - yet not ghoulish. Get the difference? Montanari spares no details in what happens to the victims, and he does allow space for the murderer's (brief) thoughts without revealing who he/she is. However, he does not DWELL on this. It happens; it's documented by the police, ME, forensics and then they move on. There are red herrings, clues which are in-your-face but you'll miss them, and scenes of Philadelphia and the rural areas of Pennsylvania. (I had never read a crime series set in this area so I love that part of it. It's all new to me.) There aren't as many references to Balzano and Byrne's personal lives, but it's enough. For this book it's the pursuit of a terrible killer that's the main thrust.
Anyhow, read it in two days and it's not a short read. The writing is fast, succinct, extremely well done to the point you barely notice it. Things just happen, move; the dialogue is never dull, the situations never less than interesting.
Love this series, love this writer.
Five stars.
October 17, 2018
Πολύ ωραίο,με ένταση,αγωνία και τις ανατροπές στα σωστά σημεία,καθώς ο εφιαλτικος κόσμος των παραμυθιών,ξεδιπλώνεται με μεγάλη μαεστρία.5⭐
November 2, 2017
Well that was some rollercoaster ride & boy what a thrill ride it was too. This book was quite the page turner, loved it from start to finish. Great story plot & amazing characters. Edge of seat with anticipation of what will happen next. What more could u want. It truly was a fantastic read.
I am literally addictive to this series.
I am literally addictive to this series.
August 19, 2024
Πολύ παραμύθι για αστυνομικό
September 3, 2020
Ετούτη τη φορά ,πριν το πιάσω,ανασηκωσα τα μανίκια και μονολογησα : "Όχι,αυτήν την φορά θα καταλάβω τον δολοφόνο". Και το φεγγάρι γέλασε. Γιατί το φεγγάρι ξέρει.
"Το Φεγγάρι πιστεύει στο όμορφο κορίτσι που αγαπάει το χορό."
Και κάπως έτσι μας συστήνεται με το καλλιτεχνικό του ο δράστης αυτού εδώ του πονήματος.
"Κοίτα τα όμορφα μικρά κορίτσια
Που στην αύρα του καλοκαιριού χορεύουν
Σαν δυο ροδες που στροβιλίζονται
Τα ωραία κορίτσια χορεύουν και χάνονται"
Ένα νανούρισμα που άκουγε μικρό το Φεγγάρι και έμελλε να στοιχειώσει εμάς.
Την Τζέσικα την αγάπησα λίγο παραπάνω,γιατί μας βγήκε βιβλιοφιλη.
Τον Μονταναρι πάλι,ήθελα να τον χαστουκισω. Γιατί ρε χρυσές μου άνθρωπε πρέπει να έχουν όλοι κρίση ηλικίας στα 30? Δεν θέλουμε λέμε και είμαστε ήδη στα mid thirties.
Φόνοι βγαλμένοι σαν από παραμύθια.
Μια εκκλησία της Θεϊκής Φλόγας με έναν ιδιαίτερο παπά και ακόμα πιο ιδιαίτερο διακο εμφανίζεται να περιπλέκει το πράμα,αφού από πίσω κρύβεται κάτι σκοτεινότερο.
Μια άλυτη δολοφονία από τα παλιά.
Οι ντετέκτιβ συνεχίζουν τον αγώνα με τους προσωπικούς τους δαίμονες.
Εγώ πότε θα γίνω μάνα?
Παρακλάδια σμίγουν και χωρίζουν πριν σφιχτοπλεχτουν,καταλήγοντας σε ένα σώμα.
Και αυτό το κοκτέιλ δεν είναι ικανό να σε κάνει να μαντέψεις τι έπεται παρακάτω. Και ας καις φύλλα δάφνης σαν μισοτρελη Πυθία.
Η άκρη του κουβαριου σου εμφανίζεται πάλι στις τελευταίες εκατό παρά κάτι σελίδες και συ μαζεύεις τα σαγόνια από το πάτωμα. Περαστικά σου για ακόμα μια φορά. Σιγά μην σε προιδεαζε.
Το τρίτο στην σειρά αστυνομικό που δεν σε αφήνει σε χλωρό κλαρί και σαν εθισμένος θες την επόμενη δοση.
"Το Φεγγάρι πιστεύει στο όμορφο κορίτσι που αγαπάει το χορό."
Και κάπως έτσι μας συστήνεται με το καλλιτεχνικό του ο δράστης αυτού εδώ του πονήματος.
"Κοίτα τα όμορφα μικρά κορίτσια
Που στην αύρα του καλοκαιριού χορεύουν
Σαν δυο ροδες που στροβιλίζονται
Τα ωραία κορίτσια χορεύουν και χάνονται"
Ένα νανούρισμα που άκουγε μικρό το Φεγγάρι και έμελλε να στοιχειώσει εμάς.
Την Τζέσικα την αγάπησα λίγο παραπάνω,γιατί μας βγήκε βιβλιοφιλη.
Τον Μονταναρι πάλι,ήθελα να τον χαστουκισω. Γιατί ρε χρυσές μου άνθρωπε πρέπει να έχουν όλοι κρίση ηλικίας στα 30? Δεν θέλουμε λέμε και είμαστε ήδη στα mid thirties.
Φόνοι βγαλμένοι σαν από παραμύθια.
Μια εκκλησία της Θεϊκής Φλόγας με έναν ιδιαίτερο παπά και ακόμα πιο ιδιαίτερο διακο εμφανίζεται να περιπλέκει το πράμα,αφού από πίσω κρύβεται κάτι σκοτεινότερο.
Μια άλυτη δολοφονία από τα παλιά.
Οι ντετέκτιβ συνεχίζουν τον αγώνα με τους προσωπικούς τους δαίμονες.
Εγώ πότε θα γίνω μάνα?
Παρακλάδια σμίγουν και χωρίζουν πριν σφιχτοπλεχτουν,καταλήγοντας σε ένα σώμα.
Και αυτό το κοκτέιλ δεν είναι ικανό να σε κάνει να μαντέψεις τι έπεται παρακάτω. Και ας καις φύλλα δάφνης σαν μισοτρελη Πυθία.
Η άκρη του κουβαριου σου εμφανίζεται πάλι στις τελευταίες εκατό παρά κάτι σελίδες και συ μαζεύεις τα σαγόνια από το πάτωμα. Περαστικά σου για ακόμα μια φορά. Σιγά μην σε προιδεαζε.
Το τρίτο στην σειρά αστυνομικό που δεν σε αφήνει σε χλωρό κλαρί και σαν εθισμένος θες την επόμενη δοση.
July 18, 2024
As someone very familiar with the Pennsylvania Dutch, I loved this.
May 12, 2025
Ich habe mal ein Buch vom SuB befreit, es lag da auch schon wieder echt lange. Die ersten beiden Bände der Reihe haben mich sehr begeistern können. So auch dieser Band.
Die Story ist spannend und voller unerwarteter Wendungen, am Ende ist alles ganz anders als erwartet. Der Schreibstil lässt sich sehr gut lesen und es gibt einen roten Faden im Buch. Insgesamt sind es mehrere Teile im Buch, woraus sich nach und nach die Story entwickelt.
Mir haben die Charaktere auch sehr gut gefallen, sehr vielsichtig und immer für Überraschungen gut.
Zusammenfassend bekommt die mörderische Reise durchs Märchenland 5 von 5 Sterne und eine Leseempfehlung. Ein Buch was mich von Anfang an begeistern konnte.
Die Story ist spannend und voller unerwarteter Wendungen, am Ende ist alles ganz anders als erwartet. Der Schreibstil lässt sich sehr gut lesen und es gibt einen roten Faden im Buch. Insgesamt sind es mehrere Teile im Buch, woraus sich nach und nach die Story entwickelt.
Mir haben die Charaktere auch sehr gut gefallen, sehr vielsichtig und immer für Überraschungen gut.
Zusammenfassend bekommt die mörderische Reise durchs Märchenland 5 von 5 Sterne und eine Leseempfehlung. Ein Buch was mich von Anfang an begeistern konnte.
April 21, 2009
This author keeps getting better. It carries on the story of the characters Byrne and Jessica but you don't have to have read previous books. It challenges the mind which is the best part of these books.
Want to read
April 26, 2017REVIEW OF AUDIOBOOK; MARCH 26, 2017
Narrator: Scott Brick
I wasn't as enamored of this as many have been. It's intricate and the plot is solid yet I did not enjoy it as much as I have lesser books in the subgenre. Even Brick's narration did not help but perhaps that's because the characters weren't suited for Brick's talent with snark.
I KIV'd this series because I had read so many good reviews but my own experience hasn't quite borne that out. It was heavy and plodding through much of the book with insufficient suspenseful moments to lift it out. It will be awhile before I attempt the third book.
Narrator: Scott Brick
I wasn't as enamored of this as many have been. It's intricate and the plot is solid yet I did not enjoy it as much as I have lesser books in the subgenre. Even Brick's narration did not help but perhaps that's because the characters weren't suited for Brick's talent with snark.
I KIV'd this series because I had read so many good reviews but my own experience hasn't quite borne that out. It was heavy and plodding through much of the book with insufficient suspenseful moments to lift it out. It will be awhile before I attempt the third book.
September 27, 2020
Από τις σαειρές που με έκαναν να κολλήσω με το που διάβασα το πρώτο βιβλίο! Ανθρώπινοι ήρωες με κάτι από μεταφυσικό στην ικανότητα του Κέβιν να διαισθάνεται πράγματα που οι άλλοι δεν βλέπουν, φρικιστικά εγκλήματα που γίνονται δίπλα μας και θα μπορούσαν να συμβούν στον καθένα, πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα ψυχολογική διερεύνηση των ηρώων και των κακών αντιηρώων, πολύ καλή περιγραφή της Φιλαδέλφεια και εξαιρετική γραφή.
October 15, 2021
Το τρίτο βιβλίο της σειράς είναι και το καλύτερο. Βέβαια, και εδώ έχουμε το ίδιο σχήμα: οι δύο καλοί ήρωες αστυνομικοί και ο άγνωστος ψυχοπαθής μανιακός δολοφόνος. Για το είδος του ( βιβλίο αστυνομικό μυστηρίου) διαβάζεται γρήγορα και δεν κάνει κοιλιές και είναι πιο καλοδουλεμένο από τα δύο πρώτα.
January 10, 2019
Insgesamt ein sehr gutes Buch mit einer packenden Geschichte und einem Pilot den man nicht direkt durchschaut. Leider fand ich die vielen Sichtwechsel manchmal verwirrend und unangenehm.
August 6, 2017
3rd book in the series! They just keep getting better and better! I highly recommend this series. Can't wait to read more!!
May 5, 2025
Nice storyline, easy read. if I had one comment it's that the summaries in the front of the ebooks undersell the actual stories!
March 25, 2013
I have to tell you something, I like New England clam chowder. Now as far as canned chowder goes Progresso brand makes a decent chowder. One year, many moons ago, my wife and I were taking some time off of work in Long Beach California. We happened to stop in for dinner one evening at this restaurant, the name lost to the ravages of time that tear at our memories, and I had a bowl of chowder that, no matter how much time passes, I shall always remember. I am sure that the atmosphere and company had a lot to add to the bowl, however, the taste of this New England clam chowder was absolutely wonderful.
Now, what the hell does that all have to do with this book? Well this book when compared to other mystery novels is like that Long Beach chowder. The others may be Progresso, and pretty darn good at that, but this is so damn good. If you can find this guys books, I have found them somewhat difficult to find, grab them. For fans of police/mystery novels Montanari is really a great author and writes a very enjoyable book.
Now I find myself very hungry after writing this review. Guess I'll go open a can of Progresso. Until next time raise a spoon and read a Montanari!
Now, what the hell does that all have to do with this book? Well this book when compared to other mystery novels is like that Long Beach chowder. The others may be Progresso, and pretty darn good at that, but this is so damn good. If you can find this guys books, I have found them somewhat difficult to find, grab them. For fans of police/mystery novels Montanari is really a great author and writes a very enjoyable book.
Now I find myself very hungry after writing this review. Guess I'll go open a can of Progresso. Until next time raise a spoon and read a Montanari!
September 27, 2009
Normally, I don't read this type of mystery novel, but it was recommended to me by someone at a garage sale and I thought I'd give it a try. I can say it was good, but not a favorite. It's harder than the cozy mysteries I tend to read, which is to be expected, but I think it contributed to why I wasn't in love with it. I really enjoyed the fairy tale angle and would like to see that theme more often. I recently ordered a Grimm's Fairy Tale book because they are amazing to read as an adult, especially in a more pure form than say Disney would allow. The descriptions of the area were really good and I thought the plot was strong. I think if I venture into harder mysteries in the future, I will look this author up and see what else he has to offer. :)
April 15, 2009
Another brilliant Montanari thriller, the plot twists keep you guessing right until the very end and the characters are well written with their own back stories occasionally coming through making them all the more real. The use of the Anderson fairy tales makes this book even more chilling as it takes something from your more innocent childhood days and twists it into something hideous and terrifying. A brilliant fast paced page turner of a thriller
September 27, 2007
This is practically a perfect suspense novel, with intriguing murders, three-dimensional characters, brilliant writing, and twists that even I didn't see coming (and that's not easy to do!).
August 29, 2024
I was very impressed with “The Rosary Girls”, the opening novel in Richard Montanari’s Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne series, as it had a great plot and avoided many of the genre cliches. I was less impressed with the second, “The Skin Gods”, which by contrast contained too many of them, which was particularly disappointing as I already knew he was better than that. But as I already had the third novel in the series “Broken Angels” (released as Merciless” in the United States, I could see which way the next one would turn.
On a cold night in December, a body of a woman is found on the banks of Philadelphia’s Schuylkill River. She has been strangled and, given that her skin has a sheen of ice, she has clearly been there for a little while. But there is no question that she got there on her own, as she is dressed in vintage clothing and has had her feet cut off. She is not the first person who will be found dead, but very deliberately posed on the banks of the river, but there is no obvious link between them.
The Philadelphia Police are distracted by the death of a recently retired detective, who was hoping to obtain their licence in retirement to finally catch the killer of a colleague’s daughter and close the case that has haunted him for years. He’s not the only one who has never forgotten the murder of the two young girls as relatives of the other have also been looking to find the person who killed their loved ones, but without the restrictions of the law.
I was split on “Broken Angels”, as there were some parts which were excellent and others which felt a little wrong. The basic idea behind the murders and the plot was the best part and although the sub-plots did get in the way a little bit, the methods and victim selection and the clues and links left behind were very well thought out. The false flags that were put into the plot and hindered the investigation were also very well placed and the depiction of the protagonist’s mental state is well written.
What was less effective was the writing of the characters, which was excellent in the first novel, but hasn’t maintained the same level since. Kevin Byrne has personal issues on his mind, but they pop up only occasionally and almost as an afterthought and the relationship between Jessica and her husband is equally skimmed over. The new detectives who come alongside them are only described in very basic strokes and you don’t get a feel for them and the same is true of the minor characters, some of whom blend into each other.
The pacing also felt very unbalanced, which is the first time I’ve noticed this in Montanari’s writing. It is a very readable novel, so the pace is generally quite high, but even so it seemed to end in a bit of a rush and some of the sub-plots felt like they had been forced into place to fit the story and characters appeared from nowhere or from some place Montanari had stashed them to become useful just at the right moment. Given how well constructed the motivations and the murders had been, to have the novel end that way felt particularly disappointing.
Sadly, this is ultimately another standard novel from Richard Montanari, which has failed to scale the heights achieved by his debut. His subsequent novels have been very good and always high-paced and readable, but it often feels as if he peaked too soon and whereas he got his start by being a better writer of his characters in the opening novel, he has felt the need to focus on other aspects for later novels and as a result has become a good, if fairly generic, crime thriller writer, rather than the excellent one he looked like he could have been.
On a cold night in December, a body of a woman is found on the banks of Philadelphia’s Schuylkill River. She has been strangled and, given that her skin has a sheen of ice, she has clearly been there for a little while. But there is no question that she got there on her own, as she is dressed in vintage clothing and has had her feet cut off. She is not the first person who will be found dead, but very deliberately posed on the banks of the river, but there is no obvious link between them.
The Philadelphia Police are distracted by the death of a recently retired detective, who was hoping to obtain their licence in retirement to finally catch the killer of a colleague’s daughter and close the case that has haunted him for years. He’s not the only one who has never forgotten the murder of the two young girls as relatives of the other have also been looking to find the person who killed their loved ones, but without the restrictions of the law.
I was split on “Broken Angels”, as there were some parts which were excellent and others which felt a little wrong. The basic idea behind the murders and the plot was the best part and although the sub-plots did get in the way a little bit, the methods and victim selection and the clues and links left behind were very well thought out. The false flags that were put into the plot and hindered the investigation were also very well placed and the depiction of the protagonist’s mental state is well written.
What was less effective was the writing of the characters, which was excellent in the first novel, but hasn’t maintained the same level since. Kevin Byrne has personal issues on his mind, but they pop up only occasionally and almost as an afterthought and the relationship between Jessica and her husband is equally skimmed over. The new detectives who come alongside them are only described in very basic strokes and you don’t get a feel for them and the same is true of the minor characters, some of whom blend into each other.
The pacing also felt very unbalanced, which is the first time I’ve noticed this in Montanari’s writing. It is a very readable novel, so the pace is generally quite high, but even so it seemed to end in a bit of a rush and some of the sub-plots felt like they had been forced into place to fit the story and characters appeared from nowhere or from some place Montanari had stashed them to become useful just at the right moment. Given how well constructed the motivations and the murders had been, to have the novel end that way felt particularly disappointing.
Sadly, this is ultimately another standard novel from Richard Montanari, which has failed to scale the heights achieved by his debut. His subsequent novels have been very good and always high-paced and readable, but it often feels as if he peaked too soon and whereas he got his start by being a better writer of his characters in the opening novel, he has felt the need to focus on other aspects for later novels and as a result has become a good, if fairly generic, crime thriller writer, rather than the excellent one he looked like he could have been.
March 14, 2017
It is rare that I pick up a murder mystery book of my own choosing; I usually stick with fantasy, sci-fi or biographies. I'm not a big fan of gore and blood so will do my utmost best to avoid genre's which are likely to hand it to me on a plate; unfortunately many murder mysteries do as authors abandon detailed and interesting plot times in favour of overwhelming the reader with gruesome accounts of the death and corpses of the victims of the novel. So this was an odd one for me to pick out, and the first time I read it remember being distinctly under-enthralled by it, but somehow on re-reading recently it has grown on me.
===Plot===
The book is set in Philadelphia and when the first victim is found washed up on the side of the riverbank it is assumed to be a random occurrence of human violence. Particularly obscene yes, but nothing to write home about. So the homicide detectives Kevin Bryne and Jessica Balzano take on the case expecting to find a particularly psychotic boyfriend or lover. The problems start to arise when it happens again, and again, and again. And the murders just keep on getting weirder with each victim, usually in their early twenties being carefully dressed and posed as if to tell a story that the murderer is playing out.
Kevin and Jessica struggle to find a way to make any sense at all of the killers gruesome imagination and quite obviously psychotic world view but then they come across a collection of faerie tales written by Hans Anderson and things start to make a little more sense. But now it's a race against time to anticipate the madman's next move before another victim is found, and as the body count rises the two detectives begin to wonder whether they will ever manage to catch this psychopathic murderer.
===Characters===
A main flaw that I find with many of the murder mysteries that I stumble across is that characterization takes a back line to the horror and gore that seems to take centre stage. Richard Montanari on the other hand hasn't fallen into this trap and put a lot of effort into ensuring that the characters that you meet are not portrayed as cardboard cut outs but even the smaller characters who only come into play a couple of times are still given characters and emotions. The relatives of the victims aren't simply a two dimensional representation of grief or anguish, but instead Richard Montanari actually manages to put them across as real people with real lives.
But it is in the characters of Kevin and Jessica where he really does shine as he successfully shows a couple of homicide cops with families and lives trying to balance the pressures of work and home. Particularly in the character of Jessica he successfully shows the real fear that a working cop can feel knowing that she has a child with two parents working the beat. Both of them are all too aware of the danger their job puts them into whether it's from the murderer at the time, a lasting vengence that could come back to haunt them later or even on occasions from relatives of the victims. The idea that the crimes they deal with in their professional life will also have an impact on their private life is also well written and you get a real feeling for the feeling of the impact that the one who got away has.
Richard Montanari has managed to put a group of characters together in such a way that you feel for them, you feel like you understand them and you care for them. You can empathise with their confusion and growing frustration as a psychopath seems to be getting the better of them, but at the same time you are given snippets into the murderer's mind through the stories that he's using. Rather than relying on the blood and gore to make the story, the author more relies on the relationship between the two detectives and the psychological creeps the psychopaths actions and motives give you. At the same time he has managed to add a next to innocent copper in the form of the Amish detective, Josh Bontager who kind of adds an incongruous but quite appealing light to what turns not only into a detective mystery novel but also into quite a dark psychological thriller.
===Style===
Because the author doesn't rely on the blood, gore and obscenities to make up for poor narrative gifts the book is actually highly readable. I don't actually know why I found it such a poor read first time round, perhaps I simply wasn't paying enough attention the first time round or perhaps I missed the creepy edge to it by skipping the sections narrated by the pyschopath. Throughout the entire novel second time round I found myself completely engrossed both by the main murder mystery and by the relationships of both of the detectives with each other and their home life.
The novel is told entirely from a third person perspective by an omnipotent narrator aside from the periodic sections written by the murderer which come across more in a kind of fairytale diary. It flips between following the two main detectives and periodically flipping to the murderer capturing his latest victim and it keeps you gripped throughout because whilst you have more of an understanding of the killer than the detectives who are desperately trying to find him, the author still manages to keep you in suspense throughout as to who the actual killer is. There are also interludes about a vigilante twosome who are going out of their way to find and kill suspected child abusers. So you actually get to follow two seperate lines of murder throughout the book.
===Opinion===
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this on my second run through the book; luckily I have an atrocious memory for what has occurred in a book meaning that I actually couldn't remember who was the murderer. It really did read like a psychological thriller as much as a detective novel and Richard Montanari has managed to straddle the two genres perfectly. The fact that it isn't heavy on blood, gore and other grotesque details of the victims might be disappointing to some, but it made it ten times more readable for me and because the author gave enough detail to leave it to your imagination without making it too vivid this worked perfectly.
The fact that Richard Montanari has managed to include two completely separate but at the same time distinctly linked lines of murder makes the book that little bit more interesting. This is particularly true when you consider the fact that it is obvious that both of them are psychopathic but the faerieland murderer gets no sympathy whatsoever, whilst there is a certain amount of empathy with the child abuse murderer. It adds a level of depth to the book which I find is often missing in many murder mysteries because you can't help but see where the latter of the two is coming from, and might even have wished to have done the same. The book also relates an interesting although perhaps understandable issue in the police interest in the two separate crimes; the killing of young women is a headline piece which attracts major attention, the killing of suspected if not proven child molesters less so.
Overall the author keeps the book building right until the end and doesn't let the reader down with his final chapters. It's suspenseful, slightly creepy and artfully written to link the lives of his very different characters in some very clever loops that always seem to keep you looking in the wrong direction. The murders are intricate and well described, but never in such language that might make you wonder whether it was a good idea to have that sandwich for lunch and the entire thing just came out as a well crafted and highly readable book.
===Conclusion===
Much against what I had previously thought I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It moved at a fast enough pace to keep me hooked throughout wondering what would happen next and what form the next murder would take, but it dwelt long enough of the individual motives and relationships between characters into consideration and flesh it out into a thoroughly enjoyable read.
"If you were married to a police officer, you were afraid every day. You were afraid of the telephone, the knock on the door, the sound of a car pulling into your driveway. You were afraid every time there was a 'special report' on the television. Then one day the unthinkable happened, and there was no longer anything to fear. you suddenly realised that, all that time, all those years, fear had been your friend. Fear meant that there was life. Fear was _hope_."
===Plot===
The book is set in Philadelphia and when the first victim is found washed up on the side of the riverbank it is assumed to be a random occurrence of human violence. Particularly obscene yes, but nothing to write home about. So the homicide detectives Kevin Bryne and Jessica Balzano take on the case expecting to find a particularly psychotic boyfriend or lover. The problems start to arise when it happens again, and again, and again. And the murders just keep on getting weirder with each victim, usually in their early twenties being carefully dressed and posed as if to tell a story that the murderer is playing out.
Kevin and Jessica struggle to find a way to make any sense at all of the killers gruesome imagination and quite obviously psychotic world view but then they come across a collection of faerie tales written by Hans Anderson and things start to make a little more sense. But now it's a race against time to anticipate the madman's next move before another victim is found, and as the body count rises the two detectives begin to wonder whether they will ever manage to catch this psychopathic murderer.
===Characters===
A main flaw that I find with many of the murder mysteries that I stumble across is that characterization takes a back line to the horror and gore that seems to take centre stage. Richard Montanari on the other hand hasn't fallen into this trap and put a lot of effort into ensuring that the characters that you meet are not portrayed as cardboard cut outs but even the smaller characters who only come into play a couple of times are still given characters and emotions. The relatives of the victims aren't simply a two dimensional representation of grief or anguish, but instead Richard Montanari actually manages to put them across as real people with real lives.
But it is in the characters of Kevin and Jessica where he really does shine as he successfully shows a couple of homicide cops with families and lives trying to balance the pressures of work and home. Particularly in the character of Jessica he successfully shows the real fear that a working cop can feel knowing that she has a child with two parents working the beat. Both of them are all too aware of the danger their job puts them into whether it's from the murderer at the time, a lasting vengence that could come back to haunt them later or even on occasions from relatives of the victims. The idea that the crimes they deal with in their professional life will also have an impact on their private life is also well written and you get a real feeling for the feeling of the impact that the one who got away has.
Richard Montanari has managed to put a group of characters together in such a way that you feel for them, you feel like you understand them and you care for them. You can empathise with their confusion and growing frustration as a psychopath seems to be getting the better of them, but at the same time you are given snippets into the murderer's mind through the stories that he's using. Rather than relying on the blood and gore to make the story, the author more relies on the relationship between the two detectives and the psychological creeps the psychopaths actions and motives give you. At the same time he has managed to add a next to innocent copper in the form of the Amish detective, Josh Bontager who kind of adds an incongruous but quite appealing light to what turns not only into a detective mystery novel but also into quite a dark psychological thriller.
===Style===
Because the author doesn't rely on the blood, gore and obscenities to make up for poor narrative gifts the book is actually highly readable. I don't actually know why I found it such a poor read first time round, perhaps I simply wasn't paying enough attention the first time round or perhaps I missed the creepy edge to it by skipping the sections narrated by the pyschopath. Throughout the entire novel second time round I found myself completely engrossed both by the main murder mystery and by the relationships of both of the detectives with each other and their home life.
The novel is told entirely from a third person perspective by an omnipotent narrator aside from the periodic sections written by the murderer which come across more in a kind of fairytale diary. It flips between following the two main detectives and periodically flipping to the murderer capturing his latest victim and it keeps you gripped throughout because whilst you have more of an understanding of the killer than the detectives who are desperately trying to find him, the author still manages to keep you in suspense throughout as to who the actual killer is. There are also interludes about a vigilante twosome who are going out of their way to find and kill suspected child abusers. So you actually get to follow two seperate lines of murder throughout the book.
===Opinion===
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this on my second run through the book; luckily I have an atrocious memory for what has occurred in a book meaning that I actually couldn't remember who was the murderer. It really did read like a psychological thriller as much as a detective novel and Richard Montanari has managed to straddle the two genres perfectly. The fact that it isn't heavy on blood, gore and other grotesque details of the victims might be disappointing to some, but it made it ten times more readable for me and because the author gave enough detail to leave it to your imagination without making it too vivid this worked perfectly.
The fact that Richard Montanari has managed to include two completely separate but at the same time distinctly linked lines of murder makes the book that little bit more interesting. This is particularly true when you consider the fact that it is obvious that both of them are psychopathic but the faerieland murderer gets no sympathy whatsoever, whilst there is a certain amount of empathy with the child abuse murderer. It adds a level of depth to the book which I find is often missing in many murder mysteries because you can't help but see where the latter of the two is coming from, and might even have wished to have done the same. The book also relates an interesting although perhaps understandable issue in the police interest in the two separate crimes; the killing of young women is a headline piece which attracts major attention, the killing of suspected if not proven child molesters less so.
Overall the author keeps the book building right until the end and doesn't let the reader down with his final chapters. It's suspenseful, slightly creepy and artfully written to link the lives of his very different characters in some very clever loops that always seem to keep you looking in the wrong direction. The murders are intricate and well described, but never in such language that might make you wonder whether it was a good idea to have that sandwich for lunch and the entire thing just came out as a well crafted and highly readable book.
===Conclusion===
Much against what I had previously thought I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It moved at a fast enough pace to keep me hooked throughout wondering what would happen next and what form the next murder would take, but it dwelt long enough of the individual motives and relationships between characters into consideration and flesh it out into a thoroughly enjoyable read.
"If you were married to a police officer, you were afraid every day. You were afraid of the telephone, the knock on the door, the sound of a car pulling into your driveway. You were afraid every time there was a 'special report' on the television. Then one day the unthinkable happened, and there was no longer anything to fear. you suddenly realised that, all that time, all those years, fear had been your friend. Fear meant that there was life. Fear was _hope_."
July 18, 2017
I've read quite a few of the Byrne/Balzano novels now, though completely out of order so half the time I'm not sure what has happened and what will happen, regardless, I've enjoyed them. Unfortunately I wasn't overly enthused about 'Broken Angels'. While it progressed the personal development of both Byrne and Balzano, I felt that the criminal investigation was rather lacking.
This was quite a lengthy novel, and while there were a number of murders throughout - the murders themselves were unique and interesting - there was very little investigation and progression between. For example, there was never an 'A ha!' moment. The big clue that split the case open and changed its direction. There weren't many solid suspects at all either, no one that was suspicious enough to pull the case one way, only to be a red herring. There just seemed to be this directionless description between victim finds.
There was a theme of the Police being understaffed, yet they sent one officer to every music store in the city to see if anyone remembered selling a Savage Garden CD. What are the actual chances of that 'investigation' leading anywhere? Not only with online purchases and the sheer amount of store that sell CDs, but also someone may just have had the disc since it first came out…
The investigative elements to me just seemed to be a way to interweave the plots, not to really add depth or direction. The same can be said to Jessica going to all the vintage stores in the city and happening on the one that both Samantha and the priest worked at. It didn't progress the plot at all, it just pulled subplots together. The ending was a culmination of the plots, but even this wasn't tied up satisfactorily.
I'd rather have seen the team investigate the seemingly minor characters. The priest who watched Kristina on tape wistfully, the worker who happened to be in the area of the first killing and pointed out key information… why weren't these investigations the logical progression rather than CD hunting?
I loved the personal progression of Byrne and Balzano in this novel. The Byrne subplot was full of tension and unexpectedness, totally at contrast with the main plot. You didn't know how the grief-stricken widower would react and how Byrne would be affected.
I was hoping for more interest in this novel, a little more detective work; suspects, twists, red herrings. Though I loved the personal developments, the book did need a little more detail to keep interest.
This was quite a lengthy novel, and while there were a number of murders throughout - the murders themselves were unique and interesting - there was very little investigation and progression between. For example, there was never an 'A ha!' moment. The big clue that split the case open and changed its direction. There weren't many solid suspects at all either, no one that was suspicious enough to pull the case one way, only to be a red herring. There just seemed to be this directionless description between victim finds.
There was a theme of the Police being understaffed, yet they sent one officer to every music store in the city to see if anyone remembered selling a Savage Garden CD. What are the actual chances of that 'investigation' leading anywhere? Not only with online purchases and the sheer amount of store that sell CDs, but also someone may just have had the disc since it first came out…
The investigative elements to me just seemed to be a way to interweave the plots, not to really add depth or direction. The same can be said to Jessica going to all the vintage stores in the city and happening on the one that both Samantha and the priest worked at. It didn't progress the plot at all, it just pulled subplots together. The ending was a culmination of the plots, but even this wasn't tied up satisfactorily.
I'd rather have seen the team investigate the seemingly minor characters. The priest who watched Kristina on tape wistfully, the worker who happened to be in the area of the first killing and pointed out key information… why weren't these investigations the logical progression rather than CD hunting?
I loved the personal progression of Byrne and Balzano in this novel. The Byrne subplot was full of tension and unexpectedness, totally at contrast with the main plot. You didn't know how the grief-stricken widower would react and how Byrne would be affected.
I was hoping for more interest in this novel, a little more detective work; suspects, twists, red herrings. Though I loved the personal developments, the book did need a little more detail to keep interest.
June 25, 2018
As with the first two books in the Balzano/Byrne series, Richard Montinari makes Philadelphia itself as much a character as any of his human creations, but in Merciless, he narrows in on the Schuylkill River and follows it out of the city and into the surrouding counties. The book follows the same pattern as each of the first two in the series - serial killer, check; increasingly bizarre murder scenes, check; lack of commonality among the victims, making the investigation difficult, check; narrative of the story alternates with chapters told from the POV of the killer, check; at least one subplot that eventually merges with the main story (in this case, there are two), check; the eventual realization that the crime is tied to events of the past, check. When another serial killer strikes and leaves his victims along the river’s edge, the nature of the crimes is so bizarre that rather than the usual “rely on the profiler to figure out the pattern so we can stop the killer before he/she strikes again” the team must instead investigate every aspect of every crime, in hopes that something will break the case. Naturally, they are rewarded, but there are still multiple red herrings which lead the detectives off on a few tangents, convinced that they have identified the killer, but proving to be wrong. There are two subplots, one dealing with two men who act as a team in hunting down and dispatching accused pedophiles, and another involving a PPD detective who is burned to death on the night of his retirement party. All of these elements come together at the end. As with the first two books, the killer is a character who has made a previous appearance, whose motivation is so bizarre and esoteric (it involves the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen) that it has to be explained. While the book held my interest, that may have been largely because of the two subplots and the way they connected with the serial crime; the book also introduces a new member of the homicide team, Det. Josh Bontrager, who was raised as a member of the Berks Co. Amish community, and who despite some rookie naivete, proves that he is a worthy addition.
October 2, 2020
My Nan left this book with me after her last visit with us. I don’t read a lot of crime/thriller books and had never heard of Richard Montanari but Nan said it was worth a read. As I understand it, this is the third book in a series following these characters but this can be read as a stand-alone thriller, which was how I approached it.
The story follows two detectives, Jessica Balzano and Richard Byrne, who are on the hunt for a killer who poses his victims in situations/scenarios taken from a series of fairy tales written by Hans Christian Anderson. Balzano and Byrne a couple of clichéd characters;. Jessica Balzano is the tough cookie female cop, whilst Kevin Byrne is the brooding male cop with demons to deal with.
I don’t know if I missed something but I really didn’t like this book as much as the other reviewers seem to have. I found the characters really stereotypical and predictable. It was also really annoying that Byrne was constantly referred to using his surname but Balzano was always referred to using her first name - weird but confusing to me. The plot seemed good (but uninspiring) and the pace flowed well but I lost interest about half way through, I didn’t care about the characters (maybe because the book assumes you have already read the first 2 in the series) and the eventual final scene came up all of a sudden and then the whole thing was over in a flash. There was also a weird sub-story about Byrne’s psychic abilities at crime scenes which just painted the whole thing as totally unbelievable to me.
I think maybe if you like Montanari’s books and have read the previous two in the series, you would like this more but as a stand-alone read it wasn’t interesting enough to make me read more by this author or the previous books in the series. An average read.
The story follows two detectives, Jessica Balzano and Richard Byrne, who are on the hunt for a killer who poses his victims in situations/scenarios taken from a series of fairy tales written by Hans Christian Anderson. Balzano and Byrne a couple of clichéd characters;. Jessica Balzano is the tough cookie female cop, whilst Kevin Byrne is the brooding male cop with demons to deal with.
I don’t know if I missed something but I really didn’t like this book as much as the other reviewers seem to have. I found the characters really stereotypical and predictable. It was also really annoying that Byrne was constantly referred to using his surname but Balzano was always referred to using her first name - weird but confusing to me. The plot seemed good (but uninspiring) and the pace flowed well but I lost interest about half way through, I didn’t care about the characters (maybe because the book assumes you have already read the first 2 in the series) and the eventual final scene came up all of a sudden and then the whole thing was over in a flash. There was also a weird sub-story about Byrne’s psychic abilities at crime scenes which just painted the whole thing as totally unbelievable to me.
I think maybe if you like Montanari’s books and have read the previous two in the series, you would like this more but as a stand-alone read it wasn’t interesting enough to make me read more by this author or the previous books in the series. An average read.
November 16, 2020
This suspense novel is different from the other books I have been reading this year. This first-person narration is not an action-packed story with bodies piling up along the way. Instead, it is a relaxed tale that carries you off to a small Irish village and wraps you in local farming custom and gossip. I found myself entwined in this story from the very first chapter, it was a rather quick read (it took me five days) yet it felt like I was wrapped up in it for a lot longer. This story stayed with me throughout the day, even when not reading my thoughts wandered back to the book. The question of how we decide what’s right and wrong staying foremost in your mind all the time.
This was the first Tana French book I have read. Her writing style is very descriptive, she draws out the scenery so beautifully I could picture the Irish village and Cal’s fixer-upper. Her characterisation is rich and wonderfully colourful. This book introduced me to Irish farmers, their habits, and their lingo. Tana French did such a good job with this book I am left itching to visit Ireland.
Read more at fhttps://featzreviews.com/merciless-bo...
This was the first Tana French book I have read. Her writing style is very descriptive, she draws out the scenery so beautifully I could picture the Irish village and Cal’s fixer-upper. Her characterisation is rich and wonderfully colourful. This book introduced me to Irish farmers, their habits, and their lingo. Tana French did such a good job with this book I am left itching to visit Ireland.
Read more at fhttps://featzreviews.com/merciless-bo...
November 24, 2017
Three mysteries in one story.
Richard Montanari is honing his craft! This story is dynamite!
Hans Christian Anderson tales related to murdered women.
A vigilante going after pedophiles.
A retired cop is murdered. Burnt alive.
Each and every book so far in the Byrne and Balzano series is on the edge of your seat listening. Twists and turns around every corner. Then you have all this to the third power and it is difficult to shut Mr. Brick down for the evening and get some shut eye.
Of course the narrator can take a could be dry biography, such as Washington: A life, and make it a wonderfully entertaining listen. Cut Scott Brick loose on a mystery and hang on to your hat. Perhaps even him reading the telephone directory would be a good listen.
How can all the above mysteries be connected? Sorry. No spoilers here. Listen to the book. You will never regret it!
Richard Montanari is honing his craft! This story is dynamite!
Hans Christian Anderson tales related to murdered women.
A vigilante going after pedophiles.
A retired cop is murdered. Burnt alive.
Each and every book so far in the Byrne and Balzano series is on the edge of your seat listening. Twists and turns around every corner. Then you have all this to the third power and it is difficult to shut Mr. Brick down for the evening and get some shut eye.
Of course the narrator can take a could be dry biography, such as Washington: A life, and make it a wonderfully entertaining listen. Cut Scott Brick loose on a mystery and hang on to your hat. Perhaps even him reading the telephone directory would be a good listen.
How can all the above mysteries be connected? Sorry. No spoilers here. Listen to the book. You will never regret it!
May 4, 2023
Merciless is the third book of the Jessica Balzano & Kevin Byrne series. This book did not fall short at all. I loved this novel as I loved the other two books of the series. Richard Montanari knows how to create a wonderful suspense thriller that definitely keeps you engage until the case is closed. Merciless is an terrific police procedural, hard case with great characters throughout the tale. Including all of the gory, freaky & brutality in this story that sent chills in my spine. The effect was very good in the book & audio too. Excellent writing indeed Mr.Montanari.
If you are a reader that enjoys a crime mystery & suspenseful thriller genre? Then I'd recommend you to read this book after reading the two other novels from the series. I give this book two thumbs & top five stars.
If you are a reader that enjoys a crime mystery & suspenseful thriller genre? Then I'd recommend you to read this book after reading the two other novels from the series. I give this book two thumbs & top five stars.
December 4, 2025
A a very gritty thriller by Richard Montanari.
Again the partnership of detective Kevin Byrne and Detective Jessica Balzano is a joy to read about as they are such a good team. I think the fact that this is based on a fragile link to old fairytales. It's quite dark and twisted imagination by the author and it made the book a very intriguing read.
The death of the people that serial killer has adopted and killed. We're not the most pleasant so it's one that if you have a imagination that's not quite into horrific situations unlike me then you might find it a bit chilling.
Unfortunate for me I found out the mad man at the end motivation wasn't that great for me , about why he killed and one of the main characters was in trouble. It wasn't suspenseful enough for me so this book is getting four stars as it was still a good read but needed a little bit more for me to give it five stars .
Again the partnership of detective Kevin Byrne and Detective Jessica Balzano is a joy to read about as they are such a good team. I think the fact that this is based on a fragile link to old fairytales. It's quite dark and twisted imagination by the author and it made the book a very intriguing read.
The death of the people that serial killer has adopted and killed. We're not the most pleasant so it's one that if you have a imagination that's not quite into horrific situations unlike me then you might find it a bit chilling.
Unfortunate for me I found out the mad man at the end motivation wasn't that great for me , about why he killed and one of the main characters was in trouble. It wasn't suspenseful enough for me so this book is getting four stars as it was still a good read but needed a little bit more for me to give it five stars .
May 9, 2017
It was really good, I liked it better than the previous one.
The set is awesome and I really liked the background story, I would have loved to read more about it.
The only thing that bothered me was the "baby-panic" of Jessica and her obsession with her age. With her not at all old age. I mean I'm sure that some women act all worked up about their second child and about how they are now above thirty, but for me it was ridiculous and annoying.
The set is awesome and I really liked the background story, I would have loved to read more about it.
The only thing that bothered me was the "baby-panic" of Jessica and her obsession with her age. With her not at all old age. I mean I'm sure that some women act all worked up about their second child and about how they are now above thirty, but for me it was ridiculous and annoying.
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