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Jessica Balzano & Kevin Byrne #4
Play Dead
In each soul, a secret ...
Philadelphia homicide detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano's first assignment from the Cold Case files is the brutal murder of a young runaway. The lifeless body of Caitlin O'Riordan was found carefully posed in a glass display case in the desolate Philadelphia Badlands but, as Byrne and Balzano rapidly discover, she was just the first pawn in the killer's twisted game ...
A mysterious phone call leads them on a scavenger hunt for a second victim. This time a young girl has been dismembered, her body parts left in three boxes in the basement of a deserted house. More clues lead to other victims and, as the body count rises, it becomes clear that there is a serial killer on the loose, hell-bent on completing the 'performance' of a lifetime.
As more runaways vanish, Byrne and Balzano come to realize that the homicidal mastermind plans to complete seven depraved tricks in his dark and dangerous magic act. With Balzano increasingly obsessed by a case that haunts her, and Byrne struggling with a loss of his own, the stakes are mounting. But this is one game they can't afford to lose ...
Philadelphia homicide detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano's first assignment from the Cold Case files is the brutal murder of a young runaway. The lifeless body of Caitlin O'Riordan was found carefully posed in a glass display case in the desolate Philadelphia Badlands but, as Byrne and Balzano rapidly discover, she was just the first pawn in the killer's twisted game ...
A mysterious phone call leads them on a scavenger hunt for a second victim. This time a young girl has been dismembered, her body parts left in three boxes in the basement of a deserted house. More clues lead to other victims and, as the body count rises, it becomes clear that there is a serial killer on the loose, hell-bent on completing the 'performance' of a lifetime.
As more runaways vanish, Byrne and Balzano come to realize that the homicidal mastermind plans to complete seven depraved tricks in his dark and dangerous magic act. With Balzano increasingly obsessed by a case that haunts her, and Byrne struggling with a loss of his own, the stakes are mounting. But this is one game they can't afford to lose ...
405 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2008
155 people are currently reading
1592 people want to read
About the author
Richard Montanari
25 books882 followersRichard Montanari is the Top Ten Sunday Times bestselling author of The Rosary Girls, The Killing Room, The Stolen Ones and the upcoming thriller, The Doll Maker.
Series:
* Jack Paris
* Jessica Balzano & Kevin Byrne
Series:
* Jack Paris
* Jessica Balzano & Kevin Byrne
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews
December 1, 2011
Let me begin with two points:
1. A lot of modern American thrillers read like a film script rendered into prose. The chapters are short, so that they cut quickly from one place of action to another, much as a movie would do. Furthermore, chapters tend to be very image and motivation focused, there’s no real depth to them – much like an individual scene played out on the big screen. Now I like books that are like books. It’s a very different medium from cinema, one in which you can create much more substance and explore an internal life in a way no film would touch without reams of voiceover. As such, if a book is just aping the cinema, then I can’t help thinking it’ll be easier to wait until the DVD comes out.
2. American serial killer novels – certainly since ‘The Silence of the Lambs’. – greatly enjoy the serial killer as ‘Genius’. (I guess there's less scope for huge dramatic tension in the local handyman who kills opportunistically and relies on quite a bit of luck to not get caught.) The modern fictional serial killer has a grand plan, wants to make himself world famous and until the very end leaves diligent, bright cops – who are hunting him remorselessly throughout – trailing in his wake. But I find, entertaining as it can be, that it just requires a greater deal of suspending disbelief. How is this man supporting himself through all of this? Do his neighbours never notice there’s something odd there? Why – if he’s such a strange loner – does the whole world seem to bend so much to his will? All very odd.
A serial killer, dubbed ‘The Collector’, is kidnapping young female runaways and has a grand – and magical – scheme in mind. A male and female detective combo are swiftly on his trail, ‘Play Dead’ (a title so generic as to be instantly forgettable) suffers from the faults above, but it’s not a bad way to waste some time if you’re willing to let the whole ridiculous thing wash over you.
1. A lot of modern American thrillers read like a film script rendered into prose. The chapters are short, so that they cut quickly from one place of action to another, much as a movie would do. Furthermore, chapters tend to be very image and motivation focused, there’s no real depth to them – much like an individual scene played out on the big screen. Now I like books that are like books. It’s a very different medium from cinema, one in which you can create much more substance and explore an internal life in a way no film would touch without reams of voiceover. As such, if a book is just aping the cinema, then I can’t help thinking it’ll be easier to wait until the DVD comes out.
2. American serial killer novels – certainly since ‘The Silence of the Lambs’. – greatly enjoy the serial killer as ‘Genius’. (I guess there's less scope for huge dramatic tension in the local handyman who kills opportunistically and relies on quite a bit of luck to not get caught.) The modern fictional serial killer has a grand plan, wants to make himself world famous and until the very end leaves diligent, bright cops – who are hunting him remorselessly throughout – trailing in his wake. But I find, entertaining as it can be, that it just requires a greater deal of suspending disbelief. How is this man supporting himself through all of this? Do his neighbours never notice there’s something odd there? Why – if he’s such a strange loner – does the whole world seem to bend so much to his will? All very odd.
A serial killer, dubbed ‘The Collector’, is kidnapping young female runaways and has a grand – and magical – scheme in mind. A male and female detective combo are swiftly on his trail, ‘Play Dead’ (a title so generic as to be instantly forgettable) suffers from the faults above, but it’s not a bad way to waste some time if you’re willing to let the whole ridiculous thing wash over you.
April 7, 2019
First off, I read this book under its original title, Badlands.
Second, this book, though engaging, well-written, and filled with 'stuff' going on, is very similar to the first three books written by Mr. Montanari, in that...
Philadelphia detectives Balzano and Byrne, partnered together again, are in search of a serial killer, who, after killing his victims poses them in various ways. In this case the victims are put into position according to a series of magic tricks. Yes, the killer is the son of a famous magician.
This is no spoiler, happens early on, and we are treated - once again! - to the brief thoughts and musings of the killer himself.
Now I know this is a novel and it needs to be interesting, engaging, filled with strings of evidence which take us here and there; however, there is a formula at work here - serial killers who go to elaborate lengths to stage their victims in a certain way - and I'm getting just a little bit tired of it. Maybe I'm reading too many of Mr. Montanari's books in a row? I need breathing space, a different writer, a different scenario, etc.? Yeah, just maybe.
So I'll give this writer a bit of a break, but I'm not giving up on him, because his stories, descriptions, settings, characters are just so RICH with detail and so life-like, despite the formula. I also understand why, when something works, why spoil it?
So once again four stars for a great read. I'll come back to this series again in a few months.
Second, this book, though engaging, well-written, and filled with 'stuff' going on, is very similar to the first three books written by Mr. Montanari, in that...
Philadelphia detectives Balzano and Byrne, partnered together again, are in search of a serial killer, who, after killing his victims poses them in various ways. In this case the victims are put into position according to a series of magic tricks. Yes, the killer is the son of a famous magician.
This is no spoiler, happens early on, and we are treated - once again! - to the brief thoughts and musings of the killer himself.
Now I know this is a novel and it needs to be interesting, engaging, filled with strings of evidence which take us here and there; however, there is a formula at work here - serial killers who go to elaborate lengths to stage their victims in a certain way - and I'm getting just a little bit tired of it. Maybe I'm reading too many of Mr. Montanari's books in a row? I need breathing space, a different writer, a different scenario, etc.? Yeah, just maybe.
So I'll give this writer a bit of a break, but I'm not giving up on him, because his stories, descriptions, settings, characters are just so RICH with detail and so life-like, despite the formula. I also understand why, when something works, why spoil it?
So once again four stars for a great read. I'll come back to this series again in a few months.
June 17, 2023
I found this book to be really good for the first 80%. The cat and mouse game with the serial killer, who is the son of a magician, was really intriguing. He kills young runaways in creepy ways, inspired by his father's 'magic'. The book is full of puzzles and illusions, making it a fun and thrilling read. I was on the edge of my seat throughout most of the book. The build-up was great, but unfortunately, the last 20% was underwhelming. The clues and chase to catch the killer were a perfect storyline in itself and the plot twist was average and maybe unnecessary. I felt like it didn't add much to the story. However, the serial killer was unique and interesting, and I loved how the author incorporated his father's magic into the killer's MO. It was a really interesting concept that made the book stand out from other thrillers. I just wish the ending was a bit more satisfying. Despite that, I would still recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good thriller. The book is well-written, and the story is engaging and suspenseful. It's definitely worth a read!
July 4, 2019
Κάθε φορά που τελειώνω ένα βιβλίο του,καταφέρνει να με αφήνει χωρίς λόγια.Πολύ καλός για άλλη μια φορά,από τους συγγραφείς που δεν σε απογοητεύουν ποτέ.5⭐
July 27, 2024
Alright, so this just needed to marinate and I was still thinking about it, about an hour after I finished it.
I actually loved this, just like the others. Catching serial killer books is like a part of my personality now. Thank you. 😅
I actually loved this, just like the others. Catching serial killer books is like a part of my personality now. Thank you. 😅
November 28, 2011
An excellent police procedural involving sleight-of-hand magic and games. The setting is familiar to me, so that was fun. The killer is the son of a magician who lives in an old mansion where he maintains a passion for puzzles and murder. (All of the clues point to a puzzle maniac.) An expert in disguise, he preys on runaway girls whom he lures into the hidden passageways of the old house where he fails to understand why they don’t appreciate his ministrations before he kills (sacrifices, really) them as part of his Seven Wonders.
Detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balazano are competent and what begins as the investigation of a cold case turns into a very hot one indeed. The gradual uncovering of geographical clues and fitting them together into a tangram was clever. The partners work well together even with their own demons, and it was refreshing to have partners of the opposite sex who didn’t feel it necessary to tangle in the sheets. Not that I have anything against that, it’s just hard to make it realistic and solve crimes at the same time.
It was also fun to recognize Philadelphia landmarks where I went to school. The first nine-tenths of the book were really quite good, but much like chess where the endgame is usually the most difficult, the denouement left me slightly unsatisfied and felt rushed. Everything is tied together too neatly and unnecessarily in the last few pages.
Nevertheless, I stayed up too late to finish this book.
Whether I give 3 or 4 stars to a book I like often depends more on what time of day it is, if I have papers to grade, if the sun is shining, the outside temperature, if I've just eaten, etc., so let's consider this 3.567498 stars which I will round up to four.
Detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balazano are competent and what begins as the investigation of a cold case turns into a very hot one indeed. The gradual uncovering of geographical clues and fitting them together into a tangram was clever. The partners work well together even with their own demons, and it was refreshing to have partners of the opposite sex who didn’t feel it necessary to tangle in the sheets. Not that I have anything against that, it’s just hard to make it realistic and solve crimes at the same time.
It was also fun to recognize Philadelphia landmarks where I went to school. The first nine-tenths of the book were really quite good, but much like chess where the endgame is usually the most difficult, the denouement left me slightly unsatisfied and felt rushed. Everything is tied together too neatly and unnecessarily in the last few pages.
Nevertheless, I stayed up too late to finish this book.
Whether I give 3 or 4 stars to a book I like often depends more on what time of day it is, if I have papers to grade, if the sun is shining, the outside temperature, if I've just eaten, etc., so let's consider this 3.567498 stars which I will round up to four.
May 14, 2017
A really interesting and clever book. Based on a magician and his warped son. The devices used to murder were interesting and well thought out and the characters interacted well. I enjoyed this book.
August 23, 2016
Ευχάριστη έκπληξη!!!!!!!! καλογραμμένο και κλιμακωτά αγωνιώδες μου άρεσε αρκετα
July 9, 2011
I'm having a hard time deciding whether to give this book 3 or four stars. It had a great story line, a terrific buildup, but the climax was weak.
The story concerns two cops, Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne, who are struggling to solve a series of riddles posed by a serial killer who is murdering young runaway teenagers. We know the identity of the perpetrator from the beginning of the book, he is someone unknown to the cops, and we get quite a bit of his back story as the novel progresses. He is a terrific villain -- creepy and incredibly clever. He always seemed to be a step ahead of the detectives. He was such a good villain I actually was rooting for him for part of the story, half wanting him to get away with it. He was just the coolest character. Of course, what he was doing was horrible -- murdering young girls by forcing them to play the part of assistant in a series of "magic tricks" each with a fatal outcome. I really enjoyed the cat and mouse game between the detectives and the killer and the many little surprises that the author threw in during the chase. the plot went through many twists and turns that were intriguing to follow.
The weakness of the story was that the climax was not as well done as it could've been. The buildup was huge, and then the actual key struggle seems to have been offstage. We're left wondering exactly what happened, and although later events bring some clarity, I would've liked more detail at the crucial moment. Also, the climax relies too heavily on serendipity and coincidence. Making it a bit unbelievable.
Overall though, this is a book worth reading. It has some obvious weaknesses, which prevented from being a terrific read, but this author shows promise I hope to read more of his books in the future.
The story concerns two cops, Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne, who are struggling to solve a series of riddles posed by a serial killer who is murdering young runaway teenagers. We know the identity of the perpetrator from the beginning of the book, he is someone unknown to the cops, and we get quite a bit of his back story as the novel progresses. He is a terrific villain -- creepy and incredibly clever. He always seemed to be a step ahead of the detectives. He was such a good villain I actually was rooting for him for part of the story, half wanting him to get away with it. He was just the coolest character. Of course, what he was doing was horrible -- murdering young girls by forcing them to play the part of assistant in a series of "magic tricks" each with a fatal outcome. I really enjoyed the cat and mouse game between the detectives and the killer and the many little surprises that the author threw in during the chase. the plot went through many twists and turns that were intriguing to follow.
The weakness of the story was that the climax was not as well done as it could've been. The buildup was huge, and then the actual key struggle seems to have been offstage. We're left wondering exactly what happened, and although later events bring some clarity, I would've liked more detail at the crucial moment. Also, the climax relies too heavily on serendipity and coincidence. Making it a bit unbelievable.
Overall though, this is a book worth reading. It has some obvious weaknesses, which prevented from being a terrific read, but this author shows promise I hope to read more of his books in the future.
May 26, 2017
I like Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano. In fact I think that of all the old cliché male (senior in rank and age) and female (sexy and feisty) cop teams these are the best. Add to that Richard Montanari's gruesome writing and I'm in heaven in reading terms.
The duo are working cold cases and are assigned to the case of a girl sitting on a chair dead in a drinks can fridge, the sought that you buy your can of coke from in the local newsagent's. The weird (weirder) part is there is no water on the premises and the cause of death was drowning.
As often is the case with this author's books you know who the killer is right up front and here with have the son of a magician who is preying on young runaway girls. He sets puzzles for the police to solve after initially calling them to confess to the murder.
A series of twists (one early twist is superb and had me saying out loud "Wow I never saw that coming) follows as the killer is dubbed The Collector by the media. The puzzles continue and the body count rises all to the target of the seven magical stages. The race is on.
My one gripe with the story is tangram puzzle the murders are based upon and the cops pretty quickly identify this as the key and way they will solve the case. Personally I don't think anyone would have thought of this in a million years and because of this it's really a 4½ star book for me that I've rounded up because, hey I love this pair!
Definitely buy it and read it, I'm sure that like me you'll love it.
The duo are working cold cases and are assigned to the case of a girl sitting on a chair dead in a drinks can fridge, the sought that you buy your can of coke from in the local newsagent's. The weird (weirder) part is there is no water on the premises and the cause of death was drowning.
As often is the case with this author's books you know who the killer is right up front and here with have the son of a magician who is preying on young runaway girls. He sets puzzles for the police to solve after initially calling them to confess to the murder.
A series of twists (one early twist is superb and had me saying out loud "Wow I never saw that coming) follows as the killer is dubbed The Collector by the media. The puzzles continue and the body count rises all to the target of the seven magical stages. The race is on.
My one gripe with the story is tangram puzzle the murders are based upon and the cops pretty quickly identify this as the key and way they will solve the case. Personally I don't think anyone would have thought of this in a million years and because of this it's really a 4½ star book for me that I've rounded up because, hey I love this pair!
Definitely buy it and read it, I'm sure that like me you'll love it.
September 16, 2010
This book is definitely a thriller/crime story worth reading. The whole book is filled with lots of twists, turns and action. This book is about a serial killer who is abducting teenage runaway girls and copying his father's magic tricks to kill the girls. One reason why this book is exciting is because it goes from the point of view of the detectives trying to solve the case to the serial killer himself. So overall you read how the detectives are trying to catch the killer and how the killer is killing his victims.
You get a good image in your mind of what you think could have happened to the teenage girls in this story. Another reason why the book was exciting was because it was broken it 109 parts/chapters. Some of these were really short (1-2 pages) and some were quite long (5-12 pages). Although there was only 398 pages. Overall, this story was gripping, exciting, filled with suspense, action, murder and twists n' turns. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who lives a good crime novel.
You get a good image in your mind of what you think could have happened to the teenage girls in this story. Another reason why the book was exciting was because it was broken it 109 parts/chapters. Some of these were really short (1-2 pages) and some were quite long (5-12 pages). Although there was only 398 pages. Overall, this story was gripping, exciting, filled with suspense, action, murder and twists n' turns. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who lives a good crime novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2012
This is my second Richard Montanari novel, but the fourth in the series. The Rosary Girls I enjoyed, but I didn't particularly warm to Kevin Byrne, but after this one I have changed my opinion of him.
The story is an interesting one, about Ludo and his magician's tricks and the lives of seven teenage runaways.
It's a clever idea, one of the more original ones I've come across, but I still feel like they didn't use it to maximum effect. Montanari describes this fantastic house with rooms that move and secret hatches. It's a brilliant opportunity for the characters to get lost inside with the victim and the murderer but nothing like that happened, instead the house got burnt down!
At the start of the novel, I found it annoying that the author constantly mentioned how hot it was and what it was like in Philly, which although was interesting, got irritating pretty quickly.
Montanari never fails to provide a quick, exciting read, but doesn't retain in the memory very long.
The story is an interesting one, about Ludo and his magician's tricks and the lives of seven teenage runaways.
It's a clever idea, one of the more original ones I've come across, but I still feel like they didn't use it to maximum effect. Montanari describes this fantastic house with rooms that move and secret hatches. It's a brilliant opportunity for the characters to get lost inside with the victim and the murderer but nothing like that happened, instead the house got burnt down!
At the start of the novel, I found it annoying that the author constantly mentioned how hot it was and what it was like in Philly, which although was interesting, got irritating pretty quickly.
Montanari never fails to provide a quick, exciting read, but doesn't retain in the memory very long.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2012
This was the first Montanari book I had ever read, so I didn't really know what to expect when I went into it but I was pleasantly surprised. Not only did I fall madly in love (as I am sure a lot women do) with Byrne I was also content that Balzano was not completely unpalatable as most female detectives usually are wrought with angst at the injustice of sexual discrimination. Instead what Montanari gave me was two very real and very likeable characters in a fantastically twisted and depraved setting that I found myself quite at home in. The details of this story of what make it so memorable and jaw dropping, slight images that once read in Montanari's masterful prose flicker in the back of your mind from time to time and prove that there are some things that are just too real to forget. An excellent book that made me a Montanari fan.
October 16, 2021
Μια από τα ίδια από τον Ρίτσαρντ Μοντανάρι. Τέταρτο βιβλίο της σειράς με τους ντετέκτιβ Κέβιν Μπερν και Τζέσικα Μπαλζάνο. Πάλι έχουν να αντιμετωπίσουν έναν ψυχοπαθή μανιακό δολοφόνο. Πάλι τα θύματα είναι νεαρές κοπέλες. Πάλι ο μανιακός δολοφόνος έχει μια ψύχωση. Την πρώτη φορά ήταν η θρησκεία, την δεύτερη οι κινηματογραφικές ταινίες τρόμου, την τρίτη τα παραμύθια. Τώρα είναι τα ταχυδακτυλουργικά κόλπα και τα παζλ. Η μόνη διαφορά είναι ότι αυτήν τη φορά γνωρίζουμε όλοι την ταυτότητα του μανιακού από την αρχή σχεδόν του βιβλίου. Κατά τα άλλα, διαβάζεται γρήγορα και χωρίς ιδιαίτερους προβληματισμούς. Απλά η επανάληψη κούρασε.
March 7, 2024
Αμείωτη ένταση, δεν μπορείς να το αφήσεις από τα χέρια σου !
May 29, 2017
Fourth book in the series because I wanted a fast and easy read. There are another four books in the series but this is probably the last one for me. They are all pretty much the same if you exchange the shtick of serial killer. This one has a fetish for magic tricks. There isn't much explanation for his psychopathy, the interactions between the two detectives is laconic and the string of coincidences is laughable. I'm just not enjoying the brain dead fun as much as I should. Part of it is that it is difficult to turn off my critical brain even with the lighter fare which feels less like a Caesar salad and more like low hanging fruit. I even thought of a better ending which the author might have gone with but it was executed better in the Prestige or Koontz's Whispers. At any rate, I don't want to bag on a book that gave me a nice reprieve from a string of kind of depressing books but I will have to endeavor to find a better balance that entertains yet provokes thought.
April 9, 2024
Καλό μυθιστόρημα με ωραία ενδιαφέρουσα πλοκή χωρίς πολλά μπλα μπλα και μεγάλες περιγραφές.
Εύκολο ανάγνωσμα καθόλου βαρετό το απόλαυσα
Εύκολο ανάγνωσμα καθόλου βαρετό το απόλαυσα
May 24, 2010
PROTAGONISTS: Detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano
SETTING: Philadelphia
RATING: 4.0
One of the trends of the past several years has been a focus on the serial killer as the villain in crime fiction offerings. At first unique, the device has become overdone and frequently ineffective. It's almost the easy way out for an author to create a despicable character who does horrendous things and call that a mystery. As a result, I've become pretty turned off by the whole serial killer thing. Therefore, you can imagine my dismay when I picked up Badlands and found the Prologue to be told from the point of view of a serial killer. Not a very promising start for me—but I'm pleased to say that my initial negative reaction was quickly overcome once the narrative progressed. Yes, there is a serial killer; but he has a rather interesting background. There is no psycho mother at play here; well, there is the father….
Philadelphia police detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano have a new assignment, the cold case squad. Their first case is a real puzzler. Two years earlier, a runaway named Caitlin O'Riordan was found in the basement of a tenement. The cause of death was drowning, but there was no water nearby. It seems destined to remain a cold case until a tip comes in on the police hotline; suddenly, the team is engulfed in a group of cases involving teenaged runaways killed in bizarre ways.
The reader learns about the murderer long before the police do. Joseph Swann is a man who is obsessed with puzzles. His father, Karl, was a magician who ended his career in disgrace. Swann is attempting to perform a feat known as the "Seven Wonders". Essentially, that is a series of seven magic tricks each of which end in the death of his hand-chosen assistant. Thankfully, the gore is implied and off stage. Swann has a knack for disguising himself and acting in ways that gain the trust of his victims. He even fools Jessica. His big mistake is in choosing a victim who has more to her than his usual choices.
Although some parts of the book were a little over the top, most notably the layout of the home where Swann lived and the ease with which he killed his victims, the plot was quite believable. I did find it overly fortuitious that a member of the police investigative unit found a site where videos of the murders were posted—that felt like a cheat to me. The best part of the book was not dealing with the crimes or the ultimate resolution; it was the portrayal of the professional relationship between Byrne and Balzano. In addition to being partners, they are caring friends.
Although not perfect, I did enjoy the book. Part police procedural and part thriller, it kept me turning the pages.
SETTING: Philadelphia
RATING: 4.0
One of the trends of the past several years has been a focus on the serial killer as the villain in crime fiction offerings. At first unique, the device has become overdone and frequently ineffective. It's almost the easy way out for an author to create a despicable character who does horrendous things and call that a mystery. As a result, I've become pretty turned off by the whole serial killer thing. Therefore, you can imagine my dismay when I picked up Badlands and found the Prologue to be told from the point of view of a serial killer. Not a very promising start for me—but I'm pleased to say that my initial negative reaction was quickly overcome once the narrative progressed. Yes, there is a serial killer; but he has a rather interesting background. There is no psycho mother at play here; well, there is the father….
Philadelphia police detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano have a new assignment, the cold case squad. Their first case is a real puzzler. Two years earlier, a runaway named Caitlin O'Riordan was found in the basement of a tenement. The cause of death was drowning, but there was no water nearby. It seems destined to remain a cold case until a tip comes in on the police hotline; suddenly, the team is engulfed in a group of cases involving teenaged runaways killed in bizarre ways.
The reader learns about the murderer long before the police do. Joseph Swann is a man who is obsessed with puzzles. His father, Karl, was a magician who ended his career in disgrace. Swann is attempting to perform a feat known as the "Seven Wonders". Essentially, that is a series of seven magic tricks each of which end in the death of his hand-chosen assistant. Thankfully, the gore is implied and off stage. Swann has a knack for disguising himself and acting in ways that gain the trust of his victims. He even fools Jessica. His big mistake is in choosing a victim who has more to her than his usual choices.
Although some parts of the book were a little over the top, most notably the layout of the home where Swann lived and the ease with which he killed his victims, the plot was quite believable. I did find it overly fortuitious that a member of the police investigative unit found a site where videos of the murders were posted—that felt like a cheat to me. The best part of the book was not dealing with the crimes or the ultimate resolution; it was the portrayal of the professional relationship between Byrne and Balzano. In addition to being partners, they are caring friends.
Although not perfect, I did enjoy the book. Part police procedural and part thriller, it kept me turning the pages.
May 13, 2017
It rarely happens that a writer gives up his usual recipe for a crime series, but here it is! I liked that we knew who the killer was pretty soon, that the end was not solved by the heroes and that the main characters and their families were left out of the endgame. I only missed Victoria from the previous books, I liked her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2014
"Badlands" by Richard Montanari is the fourth installment featuring the detective team of Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano. "Badlands" refers to the portion of the city, north Philadelphia, which has been a blight for decades. Byrne and Balzano catch the case of teenage runaways girls who turn up dead. The newspapers have dubbed this madman, "The Collector". The Collector has kidnapped several runaways and one by one they turn up being murdered in a gruesome manner. Byrne and Balzano soon discover the Collector is creating a puzzle within the badlands leaving his victims as clues to his horrific scheme. With each girl turning up violently murdered, more cops get added onto the case. This is a very intense and suspenseful story line to say the least. Having worked in the badlands for several years myself, the graphic crimes and locations really hit home for me. Author Montanari has put together a very good detective team with Byrne and Balzano. With each passing book they are becoming like one very good detective that has skills of each. The chemistry is so much more evident here in the fourth book. Some very good dialog, especially from the Collector really adds a strong plus for this story line. I've really enjoyed all four of these books in the series so far. Mr. Montanari has really captured the flavor and idiosyncrasy of Philadelphia's neighborhoods. This is a 5 star out of a possible 5 stars for sure. It's a very good mystery/ thriller that delivers quite a punch to the gut. I'd highly recommend not only this book, but this series to all fans of the mystery/ thriller genre. Pick up this series, you surely will not be sorry. Especially if you live or grew up in the Philadelphia area.
July 31, 2016
Play Dead by Richard Montanari is the fourth book in the Byrne and Balzano series of crime novels but is the first that I have had the privilege of reading.
The body of a missing teenager, 17-year-old Caitlin Alice O’Riordan, is found displayed in a glass case in the Badlands of Philadelphia with no sign of injury. With no leads or suspects this is the first case assigned to SIU (Special Investigations Unit) detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano who investigate cold cases. When a man calls and confesses to police of the murder of the missing teenager a bizarre game is about to begin. This leads them to a second missing teenage murder victim who has been dismembered and her remains left in three boxes. A bizarre serial killer is on the loose who not only has a taste for murder but games, puzzles, magic and illusion who wants to put on a show that the world will remember!
The killer, dubbed The Collector, has planned 7 depraved murders to complete his performance and time is running out fast for the Philadelphia police department.
Overall. I loved Play Dead. It is fast paced, exciting and different. Rather than just another serial killer on the loose the killer is recreating old magic tricks with a couple of exceptions to the originals, the “assistant” (teenage runaways) does not escape the trick alive and the 7 murders will create a larger puzzle in themselves based on a tangram puzzle using the city buildings as puzzle pieces!
I had never read any of Montanari’s work previously but I will certainly be going back to read more.
Play Dead is a well-written, engrossing story filled with great characters, plots twists, suspense and full of energy. A superb and fascinating story with a great twist on the usual serial killer novels.
The body of a missing teenager, 17-year-old Caitlin Alice O’Riordan, is found displayed in a glass case in the Badlands of Philadelphia with no sign of injury. With no leads or suspects this is the first case assigned to SIU (Special Investigations Unit) detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano who investigate cold cases. When a man calls and confesses to police of the murder of the missing teenager a bizarre game is about to begin. This leads them to a second missing teenage murder victim who has been dismembered and her remains left in three boxes. A bizarre serial killer is on the loose who not only has a taste for murder but games, puzzles, magic and illusion who wants to put on a show that the world will remember!
The killer, dubbed The Collector, has planned 7 depraved murders to complete his performance and time is running out fast for the Philadelphia police department.
Overall. I loved Play Dead. It is fast paced, exciting and different. Rather than just another serial killer on the loose the killer is recreating old magic tricks with a couple of exceptions to the originals, the “assistant” (teenage runaways) does not escape the trick alive and the 7 murders will create a larger puzzle in themselves based on a tangram puzzle using the city buildings as puzzle pieces!
I had never read any of Montanari’s work previously but I will certainly be going back to read more.
Play Dead is a well-written, engrossing story filled with great characters, plots twists, suspense and full of energy. A superb and fascinating story with a great twist on the usual serial killer novels.
January 17, 2015
JA, han gjorde det sørme igen :P
Jeg slår fast med det samme, at Montenari hører til i den absolutte krimi-forfatter-elite :)
Denne 4. bog i serien om Jessica og Kevin, lever FULDT op til de forgående – på alle måder.
Også denne er herlig velskrevet, sproget flyder og siderne vender sig selv. Dialogerne er levende, ditto er Philadelphia.
Igen er vi inde under huden på både vores hovedpersoner, og de vigtige i persongalleriet, det er som vanligt en sand fornøjelse. At hans verden så udspiller sig i et ualmindeligt sygt sind, gør den både grum og nærværende.
Plottet holder som vanligt hele vejen, denne gang synes jeg dog, at han har opfundet et trin højere på uhygge stigen, men til gengæld skruet lidt ned for de hæsblæsende gys. Det gør som sådan ikke det store, men som ivrig læser af de forgående, savnede jeg det en smule i slutningen.
Igen er opklarings-delen og politiarbejdet super godt, realistisk og med ganske få episoder af: alt ligger tilfældigvis til højrebenet – Og det er i min optik en meget stor force. Dét er hovedessensen i en super krimi, Montenari mestrer denne øvelse som få.
Alt i alt: Endnu en perle fra hans hånd, lad dem endelig flyde i lind strøm, det er garanti for fantastisk underholdning når han er bag- Håber der ikke går for længe før der kommer en 5. bog :D
Jeg slår fast med det samme, at Montenari hører til i den absolutte krimi-forfatter-elite :)
Denne 4. bog i serien om Jessica og Kevin, lever FULDT op til de forgående – på alle måder.
Også denne er herlig velskrevet, sproget flyder og siderne vender sig selv. Dialogerne er levende, ditto er Philadelphia.
Igen er vi inde under huden på både vores hovedpersoner, og de vigtige i persongalleriet, det er som vanligt en sand fornøjelse. At hans verden så udspiller sig i et ualmindeligt sygt sind, gør den både grum og nærværende.
Plottet holder som vanligt hele vejen, denne gang synes jeg dog, at han har opfundet et trin højere på uhygge stigen, men til gengæld skruet lidt ned for de hæsblæsende gys. Det gør som sådan ikke det store, men som ivrig læser af de forgående, savnede jeg det en smule i slutningen.
Igen er opklarings-delen og politiarbejdet super godt, realistisk og med ganske få episoder af: alt ligger tilfældigvis til højrebenet – Og det er i min optik en meget stor force. Dét er hovedessensen i en super krimi, Montenari mestrer denne øvelse som få.
Alt i alt: Endnu en perle fra hans hånd, lad dem endelig flyde i lind strøm, det er garanti for fantastisk underholdning når han er bag- Håber der ikke går for længe før der kommer en 5. bog :D
Read
October 26, 2009Badlands, by Richard Montanari, B-plus, narrated by Scott Brick, produced by Books on Tape, downloaded from audible.com.
This is the third in the Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano series. The plot has become formulaic-a young girl’s body is found staged in some obscene and bizarre way, and it’s clear a serial murderer is at work. I’m tired of serial murders in general, and in this book we get too much information about what the murderer is thinking at various times. Scott Brick does his best to dramatize the book, and his best is very good but doesn’t save the book in my opinion. The writing is still very good, and I like the characters of Jessica and Kevin and their families, particularly Colene, Kevin’s daughter who is deaf, so I gave this book a b-plus. But I won’t be reading more of this series-if there is more to read. Philadelphia, the scene of these books, will get a bad name as having nothing but serial murders-kind of like Jessica Fletcher’s small town, Cabot Cove, Maine.
This is the third in the Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano series. The plot has become formulaic-a young girl’s body is found staged in some obscene and bizarre way, and it’s clear a serial murderer is at work. I’m tired of serial murders in general, and in this book we get too much information about what the murderer is thinking at various times. Scott Brick does his best to dramatize the book, and his best is very good but doesn’t save the book in my opinion. The writing is still very good, and I like the characters of Jessica and Kevin and their families, particularly Colene, Kevin’s daughter who is deaf, so I gave this book a b-plus. But I won’t be reading more of this series-if there is more to read. Philadelphia, the scene of these books, will get a bad name as having nothing but serial murders-kind of like Jessica Fletcher’s small town, Cabot Cove, Maine.
June 26, 2011
Man, I was really hoping for a good one here and I was left unsatisfied. Being that I live approximately 30 mins from the Badlands, I was really intrigued obviously from the title alone, and was hooked even further when I saw what the premise was. I certainly enjoy cop thrillers and this sounded like a good one, but after only reading the first few pages I knew I was just not there. I felt I barely knew the 2 main characters and just felt the book did not roll along nicely at all. It was one of those where I found myself pissy when I had to read again, cause I despise starting a book without finishing it, but the thought certainly crossed my mind a couple times. The only reason I didnt give it one star was because there were some occasional promising moments and mainly for the knowledge of the Philly Badlands. I only wish it were with my time as I see he has some other books and I was hoping for a new great author that was based in my area to begin following, but I am afraid that definitely is not going to be happening. Trust me, do not waste your time
May 20, 2012
Ok, here's what I think. Sometimes a writer is under contract, or is riding high off of the critical and commercial success of previous books,and has to or wants to continue on. However, the initial highly fueled and ignited inspiration which originally brought success has waned. This to me would be a natural occurance, given the ebb and flow of high creativity in any artist's life. However, when a book is written and released under this kind of operating energy, the result is a lot like Badlands (among many others). Here is an author who has great skill, and has tapped into the genre of serial killer/crime, character driven stories, and is skilled with the craft of writing. However, in this book, the inspiration is simply not there. It is a well written failing- to- grasp- interest book. I wish I could say otherwise. Again, Monatanari is so good that I don't want to give up on him. I will try others because he has always delivered the reading goods before.
July 27, 2016
Endlich mal wieder ein Thriller, der durch Originalität überzeugt. Hier geht es nicht nur um einen psychopathischen Killer, genannnt "der Sammler", welcher Ausreißerinnen in Philadelphia tötet, sondern in erster Linie um dessen Motive, geprägt von Zauberei und Spielewahn. Und so liefert auch ein altes Spiel namens Tangram die entscheidenden Hinweise zur Lösung dieses aufreibenden Falles. Auch wenn der Leser von bereits früh erfährt, wer der Mörder ist, fiebert er doch von Seite zu Seite mit, wie und ob es dem sympathischen Ermittlerduo Balzano/Byrne gelingt, dem Täter auf die Spur zu kommen und dingfest zu machen.
Ein hervorragend ausgearbeiteter Plot von RICHARD MONTANARI erzeugt Hochspannung pur und man wird dieses Buch nicht nur einmal lesen wollen. Geschickt wechselt er die Perspektiven und führt den Leser in einen Wettlauf mit der Zeit. Spritzige Dialoge runden die ganze Story ab.
Ein hervorragend ausgearbeiteter Plot von RICHARD MONTANARI erzeugt Hochspannung pur und man wird dieses Buch nicht nur einmal lesen wollen. Geschickt wechselt er die Perspektiven und führt den Leser in einen Wettlauf mit der Zeit. Spritzige Dialoge runden die ganze Story ab.
June 26, 2014
I really liked the plot outline of the book and was expecting much more than what it was as the brief description is thrilling so this could have been a really really great book but i thought it lacked details and there is quite a bit of jumping from one thing to another in a way that doesnt quite make sense, this is a crime book but i felt (even tho this is a fiction book) that there was really lacking in police skills and the way they carry out the investigation and looking at evidence, there is little that really goes on in the beginning and everything gets off towards the end of the book and the final end of the book the author leaves out a really big 'how did that happen' thing that really annoyed me. But because i thought the basic idea and plot line is fab i give it 3 stars
August 14, 2013
First of all: I finished this book within two days. It was that good! I loved both of the main characters and the storyline was really well thought through. It kept me guessing and I could just not put it down. I would have loved to give this book 5 stars, but there was just one major issue for me. I didn’t like the ending at all. It seemed like the author just wanted to finish the book as fast as possible. I was really disappointed about that, because the book was SO good up until the last 15-10 pages. However, I will definitely read more of his books (I would even say: all of them!) and just hope that they end more credible than this one.
July 25, 2011
I think it is impossible for Richard Montanari to write a bad book. Badlands is another excellent book to add to his resume. It is a fantastic police procedural novel with cliffhanger suspense throughout. I have enjoyed his character development of Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne, they are two fictional cops worth reading about. The psychopath in this book is one of the best you'll ever encounter in fiction. Badlands is a superb read from a superb author. I can't wait for the next installment in the series.
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