Let the Devil Sleep

Dave Gurney #3

by John Verdon

In this latest novel from bestselling author John Verdon, ingenious puzzle solver Dave Gurney puts under the magnifying glass a notorious serial murder  – one whose motives have been enshrined as law-enforcement dogma - and discovers that everyone has it wrong.
 
The most decorated homicide detective in NYPD history, Dave Gurney is still trying to adjust to his life of quasi-retirement in upstate New York when a young woman who is producing a documentary on a notorious murder spree seeks his counsel.  Soon after, Gurney begins feeling threatened: a razor-sharp hunting arrow lands in his yard, and he narrowly escapes serious injury in a booby-trapped basement.  As things grow more bizarre, he finds himself reexamining the case of The Good Shepherd, which ten years before involved a series of roadside shootings and a rage-against-the-rich manifesto.  The killings ceased, and a cult of analysis grew up around the case with a consensus opinion that no one would dream of challenging  -- no one, that is, but Dave Gurney. 
 
Mocked even by some who’d been his supporters in previous investigations, Dave realizes that the killer is too clever to ever be found.  The only gambit that may make sense is also the most dangerous – to make himself a target and get the killer to come to him.
 
To survive, Gurney must rely on three allies: his beloved wife Madeleine, impressively intuitive and a beacon of light in the gathering darkness; his de-facto investigative “partner” Jack Hardwick, always ready to spit in authority’s face but wily when it counts; and his son Kyle, who has come back into Gurney’s life with surprising force, love and loyalty.
 
Displaying all the hallmarks for which the Dave Gurney series is lauded -- well-etched characters, deft black humor, and ingenious deduction that ends in a climactic showdown – Let the Devil Sleep is something more: a reminder of the power of self-belief in a world that contains too little of it.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Crime, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Detective

449 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

JOHN VERDON has held several executive positions with Manhattan advertising firms, but like his protagonist, he recently relocated with his wife to rural upstate New York.

Reviews

[Andrew Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve grown really attached to Dave Gurney. I like his slightly grumpy manner, his total lack of a sense of humour, but mostly I appreciate his logical thinking; he loves a puzzle, and he’s good at solving them. In this episode he’s recovering from injuries and the trauma brought on by his last ‘puzzle’ when he’s asked by an old acquaintance to help her daughter out with some career advice – oh, and there’s also a small issue with a persistent ex-boyfriend, if he could just chat to her about this too.

Of course, this all quickly turns out to be a more significant endeavour than he’d expected, and soon he’s exploring the case of a serial killer who preyed on rich drivers of Mercedes cars. The so called Good Shepherd was never caught, but it’s been some years since he’s struck. As he delves deeper into the detail, it becomes clear that perhaps the killer is operational again. In addition, the ex-boyfriend issue may be developing into a significant case of harassment. Dave's now really got his hands full.

As always, with this series, events are well layered (this happened because that happened, this event begat that event), and this structure works very well. The strained relationship between Dave and his wife Madeleine is again an interesting background issue and carry-over character, detective Jack Hardwick is, as ever, good value. My issue, though, is that the whole thing gets big quite quickly, and as more bodies pile up, the response from the police/FBI doesn’t seem to be of the scale one would expect. Now I know that this allows Dave to do his stuff pretty much unimpeded, but I’m not sure it all adds up to anything remotely believable.

I think this kind of thing can happen sometimes when an author has written a book or two and is looking to follow up his or her success – there’s a sense that the writer is trying to make the latest story in some way ‘bigger’. Unfortunately, in my experience, bigger doesn’t usually mean better, and such is the case here. I’ll certainly pick up another Verdon book as I really do like the way he writes, the characters he draws, and the way he gets them to interact, but this book isn’t his best.

[Harry · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's 9PM and I'm thinking: "I'll lay in bed for a bit, read and call it a night. Gotta get up early, wake my daughter up, fix her lunch, get breakfast ready and then take her to school." The book I'm reading is John Verdon's latest: Let the Devil Sleep. The plate that sits on top of the chimney on the roof sends the sound of rain - like soft staccato bullets - down the chimney chute into the bedroom. I hit the power switch on my Kindle and focus on the page before me.

After reading a few hundred detective novels the authors, titles, and reviews sort of all blend together and honestly, if it weren't for my Kindle I wouldn't remember which ones I've read and which ones I haven't. That's not to say that the books are forgettable, it's just the conscious mind can only hold that much info and I suck at pulling stuff out of my subconscious at will. But, I can always remember a character that refuses to disappear into my subconscious. When finishing a book, I always remember Dave Gurney. He doggedly pops into my head as I search for another novel and I think: "I wish there were another like-Dave-Gurney series I could start on." Or, "I wonder if Verdon's completed his next book yet?". And then I search Goodreads to no avail. Sucks right, the waiting?

Verdon isn't a prolific writer in the sense of say...John Locke who pushes out novels every couple of months (some not so great, some that are). Verdon's only got 3 novels I'm aware of and I'm reading his third.

Shocked, I glance up from my book as the soft platter on the chimney has turned into what sounds like an AK-47 ripping apart my house. Who said we can't travel between worlds, right? One moment it's deep into the night and I'm watching Gurney's red barn burn down as he wonders which of his investigations would cause an arsonist to lose sleep over his inquiries, and the next I'm reaching over in bed to turn on my iPhone only to realize it's friggin' 2;30AM! Crap.

That happens a lot with Verdon. You just can't put the damned story down.

In Verdon's words; 'Detective stories are essentially moral in their orientation — not just because the good guy wins, but because the structure of the form tends to value objectivity above convenience and truth above personal gain. This isn't just a fine polished quote delivered for convenience to satiate an inquiry from the press. John Verdon is a pro at translating lessons from his own life into stories that'll cause some serious introspecting of your own. Verdon, in fact, is the master of deception. Living is about discovery; so are his thrillers. Mystery novels mirror the complexity of relationships; Dave Gurney holds complex relationships. He is a man with secrets, never completely truthful with himself and others. He is constantly conflicted by his own self deceptions even as he struggles to minimize the consequences that result in his isolation. Dave Gurney is singular.

In mystery novels, the mystery comes in the form of deception, just as our personal lives harbor deception: we tell ourselves little lies, little rationalizations so that we can feel better and sometimes we come to believe the lies as truth. Villains experience the same, they come to believe their deceptions as the truth and then act on that truth. Gurney destroys deceptions, is after truth...and he does not leave himself exempt from this process. As Verndon says: "I lie to have more, and end up being less."

What makes Verdon different in this genre is his grasp of characterization, of motivation, and of the nature of the relationship between foreground and background.. In the foreground we have our mystery, the crime, and the consequences of that on the architecture and inhabitants of the hidden city, the agenda and the detective pursuing that agenda. In the background we have the life of Gurney: his son, his enigmatic wife Madeleine, his parental responsibility, his guilt, his isolation driven by truth (in spite of being married), his eternal struggle between empathy and objectivity. I know of no other author who has such a grasp of the complexity of the mind. Both cerebral and inordinantly violent, the Gurney series stand out well above most other authors.

I read the damned book until it was done and accepted the consequences of it the next day.

If you've read this review of the Dave Gurney series, than you've read 'em all.

[Katerina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story but could be shorter if not for the many descriptions that weren't always necessary. My favorite character remains Jack Hardwick and I wish he could be more present throughout the story. I can't remember if I liked Kim in my first reading of the story but I definitely didn't like her in my second. I liked Kyle Gurney's son though and I think he would make an excellent detective like his father.

[Valeriu Gherghel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Am scris despre toate cărțile lui Verdon (despre cele traduse în română mai bine sau mai rău, cum a dat Domnul) și nu am apucat să spun aproape nimic despre viața particulară a fostului detectiv Dave Gurney. S-a pensionat la 47 de ani (ca judecătorii din România), are din ce trăi (o pensie specială, probabil) și o casă imensă, în stil rustic-colonial, la Walnut Crossing, lîngă un heleșteu, nu departe de metropolă, dar nici la țară.

Are și soție, pe Madeleine. Dave o iubește așa cum numai un bărbat hotărît și onest își poate iubi soția. Sigur, Madeleine l-ar vrea fermier, deși înțelege (cu acea intuiție rară proprie femeilor superioare), că nu va face niciodată din el un fermier veritabil (și nici măcar un apicultor), fiindcă Gurney a fost și a rămas un polițist înrăit, un detectiv care, în absența enigmelor, ar muri de plictiseală. Pur și simplu, Dave Gurney nu poate fi altceva, pictor în nici un caz. Oricum, Madeleine e o ființă rară nu numai pentru că e frumoasă și deșteaptă, ci și pentru că îl lasă pe Gurney să fie ceea ce este și ceea ce a fost: un polițist priceput.

Și pentru că a rămas polițist, nu duce lipsă de solicitări. Iar solicitările vin îndeosebi de la femei fatale, între 40 și 50, de o frumusețe agresivă, toxică. De data asta e sunat de ziarista Connie Clarke, care îi dedicase cu 6 ani în urmă un articol elogios - unde era numit „super-polițistul de la NYPD” -, articol care contribuise consistent la notorietatea lui Dave. Connie îl roagă s-o ajute pe fiica ei, Kim Corazon (23 de anișori), să-și facă o carieră de reporter de investigație la o televiziune de scandal.

Kim și-a propus să cerceteze ce s-a întîmplat cu descendenții victimelor Bunului Păstor. Cu 10 ani în urmă, Bunul Păstor (nu-i știm încă numele adevărat) ucisese după un tipar recognoscibil 6 persoane. Odată cu ultima crimă dispăruse în neant. Luați cu altele, polițiștii au uitat de el. I-au închis dosarul. În chip firesc, investigația lui Kim nu face decît să-l scoată din amorțire. Bunul Păstor revine. Kim Corazon e în primejdie de moarte. Va reuși Gurney s-o protejeze?

După prima emisiune, seria de crime reîncepe. Cineva și-a propus s-o sperie de moarte pe Kim. I-a instalat microfoane în casă, îi umblă prin cameră. Siguranțele ard brusc, becurile se sting și fata rămîne înspăimîntată pe întuneric. E nevoie, așadar, de istețimea și bravura lui Dave.

Ceea ce mă intrigă în această poveste e că, la sfîrșit, Gurney știe exact unde va fi asasinul, dar nu știe precis cine este. (15.07.25, marți)

[Aitor Castrillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Los dos primeros libros de Verdon me gustaron tanto, que comencé a leer Deja en paz al diablo con las expectativas en su máximo apogeo. La novela me la devoré, pero quizá le falta ese puntito extra de intensidad que sí percibí en Sé lo que estás pensando y No abras los ojos.

De todos modos me pareció un buen thriller.

[Kristina Writes Wrongs · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is very disappointing. I'm so glad I didn't buy it. I was tempted to a few times when I saw it at B&N, but eventually borrowed it from the library. I'm beginning to think that the third book in a series is the make-it or break-it book. So many series I've read recently go really bad with the third book and unfortunately this seems to have happened with Dave Gurney, retired NYPD detective extraordinaire.

Dave is recovering from the near-fatal gunshot wound he received at the end of the second book (Shut Your Eyes Tight), and he's not his normal calm, analytic self. A past acquaintance, a journalist, calls him and tells him that her daughter (a journalism major) is working on a news story and would like his help interviewing family members whose lives were disrupted by murder. Dave agrees to do this and finds himself being drawn into the details of the Good Shepherd murder spree that happened more than a decade ago; a murder investigation that he feels was mishandled by the FBI.

This book is very different from the other two. I understand that Dave is recovering from a gunshot to the head and may be experiencing (as is suggested by a thoroughly unlikeable psychotherapist) PTSD, so the fact that he is portrayed as being angrier and more aggressive is okay. What I found annoying was all the Dave musings about human nature and the cloyingly sentimental passages that pop up repeatedly throughout the book--in fact the novel ends with a lot of nonsensical statements that sound meaningful, but are total crap. John Verdon's talents as a writer aren't in his ability to write great dialogue or meaningful, emotional prose. He crafts detailed plots and his novels are paced well. Usually. One of the best things about Dave Gurney was his lack of introspection. He knew he wasn't always the most attentive husband and father, but he put that aside to concentrate on solving the puzzle of murder before him. That's what was appealing--Dave didn't spend a lot of time bemoaning his feelings and his past, he just soldiered on. However, this Dave unfortunately is not only in touch with his feelings, he's also reminiscing a lot about his past with his emotionally distant father. Too many flashbacks slow the pace of the novel.

The plot of this book is sloppy and not compelling at all. There's no active police investigation into a current murder, just Dave poking around. Kim Corazon, the young intrepid reporter, is annoying. She's whiny, cries a lot, freaks out, seems unable to make a damn decision on her own, and I dislike her intensely. She exclaims several times, "Dave, what should I do?" Dave, tell her to go to hell. However, this new touchy-feely Dave (who also is seemingly angrier) enfolds the little dipshit in his arms and tells her it will be alright. Gag.

There are a lot of loopholes in this plot, lots of things that don't make a whole lot of sense to me but I didn't enjoy the book enough to get too upset about it. In the beginning, when the author completely forgets that Kim is supposed to have a cat, I knew it didn't bode well for the rest of the novel. RAM-TV is mentioned way too much in the book. So much so that I suspect the author despises FOX News (on which RAM-TV is clearly modeled) and his dislike/disgust is expressed so thoroughly through the mouths of several characters (and also in the way Rudy Getz, the slimy production executive at RAM, is portrayed)that it becomes intrusive and distracting. Descriptions of the countryside and the dinner menu are also excessive. Readers always know what the Gurneys are eating for dinner and I wouldn't have been surprised to see the recipes for these dishes in an appendix. It was exasperating and distracting. I think the author spent more time planning their evening meals than the plot.

Kyle, his son from his first marriage, has returned to his life and they are bonding. Unfortunately, Kyle is such a one-dimensional character with no impact on the story (except to make Dave weepy) I don't care if he's there and prefer him to disappear. Madeleine, Dave's wife, has never been a favorite of mine. I've never liked her and I didn't like her in this book. For different reasons. In this book, she's a different Madeleine--more patient with her husband, more willing to overlook his absentmindedness, and she also seems to have discovered a sense of humor. She's a totally different character and I find that disconcerting. She's different from the bitchy woman in the first two books who was constantly being passive-aggressive about her displeasure in Dave's inability to enjoy living the country life, but that doesn't mean I liked her more. Again, her character is so flat that she's not worth paying attention to.

If Verdon writes another book in the series I will probably read it, but this book was so incredibly sub-par I won't be surprised if the next one is bad too.

[Dana Moison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Retired NYPD detective Dave Gurney returns with a new mystery to solve. For years and years no one has revealed the true identity of “The Good Shepherd”, the notorious serial Killer who chooses his victims well and wealthy. After ten years of silences, he returns to kill the victims’ families, supposedly because a television special about him was aired, driving him mad and ready to avenge.
Gurney thinks that there’s more than meets the eye about this case, and objects to the psychological profile assembled by the senior investigators who handled this case. This of course makes the hostility toward Gurney grow and prevents him from gaining access to relevant information about the case.
I love Jack Hardwick’s character! His conversations with Gurney seem to be a witty and comic relief, which brings out Gurney’s more pleasant side. Another character worth mentioning is Max Clinter: his chase after The Good Shepherd had ruined his career and life and made him abandon civilized life and move to a remote cabin – what can I say, I love these crazy folks (those who read my books already know – mischievous emoji).
This book reveals before us Gurney’s inner world. His contemplations and regrets pour from his thoughts to his actions. Dave Gurney is a complex character and it is intriguing to read the story through his point of view.
As a suspense author myself, who loves reading and interlacing in her books surprises and twists up to the very last page, I salute Verdon for making the obvious solution seem impossible and vice versa. As usual, he surprises with the simplicity of the solution. However, this is a long and detailed book and so it had occurred that I, a bookworm in nature, who finishes an average book in a few days, read this book over months, consuming other books while still reading this one. Maybe if I had read the whole story at once, I would have been less surprised from the thrilling discovery (Still, it took me some time to recall who was killed and why – apologetic emoji).
Nevertheless, I must commend Verdon’s writing, which made me climb back into the story with interest, even after a long break, and also for the fast pace of this twisted plot. This may not be Verdon’s best book so far, but it’s a good thriller that Dave Gurney fans will sure appreciate.

[Γιώργος Δάμτσιος · Rating 4 out of 5]

Εν αντιθέσει με τους περισσότερους, βρήκα το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο πολύ καλό. Θα έλεγα ότι το think of a number εξακολουθεί και είναι το αγαπημένο μου, αλλά αυτό το βάζω ψηλότερα από το shut your eyes tight. Ναι, η πλοκή κινείται αργά, αλλά προσωπικά μου άρεσε πολύ το όλο της στήσιμο. Οδηγεί προς την επίλυση του μυστηρίου με έναν πολύ αληθινό τρόπο, βήμα το βήμα κάπως. Το φινάλε δεν θα το έλεγε κανείς και τόσο εντυπωσιακό, (είναι και λίγο πιο κινηματογραφικό σε σχέση με το υπόλοιπο βιβλίο), αλλά εξακολουθεί και μου αρέσει. Εκεί ωστόσο υπάρχουν και κάποια πραγματακιά που δεν πείθουν εντελώς, αλλά συμβιβάζομαι με το ότι "έστω και παρατραβηγμενα, θα μπορούσαν".
Έχω ακούσει ότι στο επόμενο βιβλίο η ποιότητα πέφτει πολύ, αλλά στο επόμενο φεστιβάλ βιβλίου (πολύ θα ήθελα να ξέρω πότε θα είναι αυτό), θα το τιμήσω.

[Elina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Και πάνω που η ιστορία έχει στηθεί και είναι έτοιμη για απογείωση..... έρχονται και οι τελευταίες σελίδες που περιμένεις κάτι δυνατό, αλλά δυστυχώς αντί για πύραυλος έρχεται ένα αποκριάτικο πιστολάκι....τα αστέρια είναι για το στήσιμο της ιστορίας μέχρι τέλους.

[Теодор Панов · Rating 5 out of 5]

С всяка следваща книга става все по-интересно.

[Sonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tal vez tiene mucho que ver con la predisposición. Quizá si empiezas a leer sabiendo de antemano que te gustará, entonces te gustará, pero sé que no funciona así, entonces no es mi culpa.

Me gustó muchísimo. Es cierto que tardamos un poco en llegar al quid del asunto, pero eso no quitó que disfrutara cada sospecha, cada amenaza, cada pensamiento que generaba la impresionante mente de Gurney, eso añadido a la parte muy humana de él que surgió aquí y que tanto se esmeraba en dejar de lado de una manera, extrañamente, madura e infantil a la vez, porque a pesar de que reconocía estos sentimientos y los identificaba como todo adulto debería hacer, también sabía que eran cosas de su pasado que no había resuelto del todo. En fin.

El caso: muy interesante. A estas alturas creo que es difícil impresionar a una amante del thriller, pero Verdon sabe cómo retener el misterio con fórmulas maestras. Me gusta mucho cómo mezcla tantos asuntos y pone al lector a pensar si podrían estar relacionados o si todo explotará independientemente al final. Y creo que esto es lo que hace al autor brillante. Gurney pasa de pronto de ser un detective retirado a ser el héroe de la historia y tú inmediatamente te lo crees porque te lo cuentan de una forma que es bastante verosímil, ¿y saben por qué? Porque no omite los errores del protagonista, y ese es algo muy común en autores que intentan construir al personaje perfecto. Verdon lo tiene todo muy claro y lo ejecuta lo mejor que puede y entonces tenemos esto: una obra muy bien lograda con personajes increíbles y una trama sólida.

Tenemos a otros personajes maravillosos (Jack, mi queridísimo Jack; Bullard y Madeleine -cuya relación con Gurney es muy bonita pese a todo) y a otros espectacularmente insufribles (pero muy bien hechos, como todos): Trout.

[Dimitris Passas (TapTheLine) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Στο τρίτο βιβλίο της σειράς με πρωταγωνιστή τον Dave Gurney, ο John Verdon φαίνεται να χάνει την καινοτόμο φαντασία του και τις πρωτότυπες πλοκές στις οποίες μας είχε συνηθίσει, με το τελικό αποτέλεσμα να είναι -τουλάχιστον- μέτριο. Μετά το ιδιοφυές ''Τhink of a number'', και την εξαιρετική συνέχεια με το ''Shut your eyes tight'', η ιστορία και η πλοκή του εν λόγω βιβλίου φαντάζει τετριμμένη και, σε αρκετά σημεία, καταντά σχεδόν αδιάφορη. Επιπλέον, αρκετά ερωτήματα που απασχολούν τον αναγνώστη κατά την εξέλιξη της ιστορίας μένουν αναπάντητα στο χλιαρό και ανέμπνευστο φινάλε. Δεν υποστηρίζω ότι το ''Let the Devil Sleep'' δεν διαβάζεται, αλλά ο Verdon έχει δώσει εξαιρετικά δείγματα γραφής και αυτή τη φορά με απογοήτευσε, καθώς περίμενα κάτι πιο δυνατό. Ίσως ο πήχυς που είχε θέσει στο παρελθόν ήταν υπερβολικά ψηλός και αδύνατον να επιτυγχάνεται σε κάθε του πρόσπάθεια, ωστόσο όταν ολοκλήρωσα την ανάγνωση του βιβλίου, η διάθεσή μου ήταν μάλλον αρνητική. Βέβαια, και σε αυτό το βιβλίο υπάρχουν κάποιες καλές στιγμές, ο Gurney εξακολουθεί να είναι ο ρασιοναλιστής, επίμονος και ακοινώνητος ντετέκτιβ που γνωρίσαμε και αγαπήσαμε στα πρώτα βιβλία ενώ γνωρίζουμε, για πρώτη φορά, τον γιό του Kyle, ο οποίος συμμετέχει και αυτός στο κυνήγι του ''Καλού ποιμένα'', του serial killer και ανταγωνιστή της ιστορίας που επαναδραστηριοποιείται μετά από 10 χρόνια σιγής.
Εάν είστε πιστοί fans του Verdon, μην το χάσετε, εάν όμως δεν είστε εξοικειωμένοι με το έργο του τότε καλύτερα να το παραβλέψετε και να διαβάσετε το πρώτο και καλύτερο βιβλίο της σειράς, με τίτλο, ''Think of a number''.

[Franco Santos · Rating 4 out of 5]

El tercer libro de la saga de David Gurney (mi serie de intriga favorita).

Me gustó mucho. Me pareció mejor que el primero pero peor que los restantes. ¿Por qué? La razón principal es el mero hecho de que el caso no llamó mi atención tanto como los otros. Sin embargo, quitando eso, sigue habiendo un misterio pétreo, implacable y, a su vez, con una brillantez absoluta.

El final es lo mejor de la novela. Es un espectáculo extraordinario.

[Carmun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tercera entrega de Dave Gurney finalizada, y solo puedo decir que me deja con ganas de más. No entiendo cómo me ha llevado tanto tiempo finalizar esta lectura porque es el libro cuyo crimen más me ha llamado la atención y más me ha despistado de los leídos. ¿Mi veredicto? Totalmente recomendable.

[Viencienta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pues aquí estoy por 3a vez, y sí, este me ha gustado un poquito más, y me ha tenido pendiente hasta el final, me imagino que es porque aquí el malo es más accesible, menos lunático perdido, que lo está ojo. Me ha interesado, aunque sigo sin ver la mente maravillosa del prota. Ayuda que haya más actores en escena.
Verdon escribe bien, es 'pesao' pero asumible.

[Sibel Gandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 / 5
3 kitaptır aynı şeyi yapiyor yazar. Giriş, gelişmede kurgu cok iyi, heyecanlı, finalde katilin bulunuşu ise hep aynı şekilde ki bu da hoşuma gitmedi 🙄 (spoiler olmasin diye yazamiyorum).

[Χρύσα Βασιλείου · Rating 3 out of 5]

Κάπως διαφορετικό από τα 2 προηγούμενα,τίποτα ιδιαίτερα συναρπαστικό,αλλά διαβάζεται ευχάριστα...
Στο "Άσε το διάβολο ήσυχο" ο Ντέιβ Γκάρνεϊ κινείται περισσότερο αυτόνομα και εμπλέκεται έμμεσα,αρχικά τουλάχιστον,στην υπόθεση. Δεν συνεργάζεται με το ΓΕΕ και δεν βλέπουμε όλους τους ήρωες που είχαμε συναντήσει στα 2 πρώτα βιβλία του (όχι ότι μου έλειψε κανείς τους! :P )
Όταν λοιπόν η κόρη μιας δημοσιογράφου-γνωστής του Γκάρνεϊ του ζητάει να τη βοηθήσει με την επαγγελματική του εμπειρία στο 'στήσιμο' ενός ντοκιμαντέρ για τους εν ζωή συγγενείς των θυμάτων ενός serial killer με την ονομασία "Καλός Ποιμένας",ο Γκάρνεϊ αρχικά δέχεται απρόθυμα να τη συμβουλεύσει ως προς το πώς πρέπει να χειριστεί το αρκετά επώδυνο και άβολο θέμα της προσέγγισής τους. Σιγά σιγά όμως ο πρώην αστυνομικός συνειδητοποιεί πως στην υπόθεση έχουν γίνει αρκετά λάθη,η αρχική έρευνα ήταν αρκετά απρόσεκτη και πιθανότατα τα πράγματα δεν είναι όπως φαίνονται. Τότε αποφασίζει να αναμειχθεί ενεργά και να αποκαλύψει τα όσα προσπαθεί να κρύψει το FBI,αλλά και την ταυτότητα του δολοφόνου που επί 10 χρόνια παραμένει ασύλληπτος.

Όπως και στα υπόλοιπα βιβλία του υπήρχαν ορισμένα σημεία που ο συγγραφέας πλατείαζε,αλλά σε γενικές γραμμές δεν μπορώ να πω πως αυτό με ενόχλησε. Δεν υπήρξε δηλαδή κάποιο σημείο όπου θα ευχόμουν να μπορώ να 'πηδήσω' μερικές παραγράφους. :P Αρκετά καλή η σκιαγράφηση του πορτραίτου του δολοφόνου και η τελική ανατροπή,που απέδειξε και το κίνητρό του. Το οποίο είναι κάτι που δεν το βλέπουμε τόσο συχνά σε παρόμοια βιβλία και ήταν αρκετά καλό μέσα στην απλότητά του. Ο συγγραφέας το είχε στήσει και δικαιολογήσει επαρκώς και δεν ξένιζε τον αναγνώστη. Ικανοποιητικό και το τέλος,κατ'εμέ. ΠΟΛΥ ικανοποιητικό.
Αυτό που δεν μου άρεσε καθόλου -μάλλον αποτελώ μειοψηφία και είναι προσωπική μου παραξενιά,αλλά θα το πω ούτως ή άλλως- ήταν ο χαρακτήρας της Κιμ Κοραζόν. Τη θεωρώ από τις πιο ηλίθιες,απλοϊκές και κακομαθημένες ηρωίδες βιβλίων που έχω διαβάσει το τελευταίο διάστημα. Ναι μεν ήταν αυτή που "έμπασε" τον Γκάρνεϊ στην υπόθεση και ναι μεν είχε καλή πρόθεση,αλλά αυτή η επίπλαστη αθωότητα εμένα με ενόχλησε. Με το "Αχ Θεέ μου,Αχ Θεέ μου" δεν κάνεις δουλειά,κοπελιά! Λες και δεν ήξερε με τι πήγαινε να μπλέξει. Επιπλέον,σε όλο το βιβλίο ήθελε να περάσει το δικό της και σκεφτόμουν πως,αν γνώριζα ένα τέτοιο άτομο και είχε παρόμοιες απαιτήσεις από μένα όντας ουσιαστικά άγνωστοι,θα την είχα διαολοστείλει από καιρό. :Ρ Δεν ξέρω αν θα συνεχίσουμε να τη βλέπουμε και στα επόμενα βιβλία,λόγω της σχέσης της με τον γιο του Γκάρνεϊ,αλλά πραγματικά ελπίζω πως όχι.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t recall Gurney being like this. I remember him as stronger. Then again, I don’t recall much about the two prior books - just that I enjoyed them. I didn’t like who the murderer turned out to be. I had higher expectations on the whodunit part. All this being said, I loved most of the characters and found it fairly fast paced for 460+ pages.

[Ana M. Román · Rating 3 out of 5]

No es ninguna sorpresa que me encanta Dave, el personaje que ha creado John Verdon.

Es un personaje con una fría lógica que domina cada aspecto de su vida, incluido el personal. Me fascina su forma de ser tan increíblemente racional, no importa en qué aspecto de su vida se centre. Para él todo es lógica y los sentimientos, aunque los tiene, es algo que casi que le dan urticaria. Lo que no significa que quiera menos que el resto o que sienta menos que el resto, sino que es menos capaz en ese ámbito de lo que lo son la mayoría de personas.

Por eso, Dave hace tan buena pareja con su esposa. Ella es el contrapunto perfecto para él, con sus ropas de colores que es casi como si se las hubiera combinado un daltónico y su manera de ser mucho más sentimental.

Y si te estás preguntado por qué en un libro de suspense me refiero antes al personaje que al propio en caso en sí la respuesta es sencilla. Porque este libro aunque vaya del misterio de los asesinatos en serie creo que va más del personaje, en cómo se enfrenta a las secuelas que le dejó el caso anterior, que del propio caso en sí.

El caso de este libro, y a pesar de la premisa de un asesino en serie que siempre tienen algo que fascinan (o a lo mejor soy solo yo la que ve un libro de misterio de asesinos en serie y quiere leerlo y lo mismo debo hacérmelo mirar) la verdad es que es un caso bastante más pobremente elaborado que el de los dos libros anteriores.

De hecho, conforme se acerca el final la cosa va bajando hasta que llega el apoteósico desenlace más propio de una película serie B de los domingos por la tarde que de lo que nos ha venido acostumbrando John Verdon en sus dos libros anteriores.

Aún así, al tratarse de una serie no es un libro que haya que saltarse y tampoco un libro que me haya arrepentido de leer.

[Gică Andreica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chiar îmi pare rău să spun asta, dar John Verdon m-a dezamăgit crunt. Mă aşteptam ca seria cu detectivul Dave Gurney să ajungă un monument al literaturii poliţiste contemporane, însă se pare că autorul a preferat să continue povestea cu două volume foarte slabe. Şi când spun slabe, mă refer la toate aspectele posibile: cărţi stufoase şi lipsite de tensiune – de multe ori chiar simţi că povestea stagnează – scene de groază care încearcă să-ţi dea fiori, dar nu prea reuşesc, şi un fost poliţist pensionat prea devreme care ia în calcul toate pistele posibile, dar care ratează aspectele esenţiale, ajungând, în final, să fie la fel de surprins ca un cititor de duzină.

Recenzia:
http://www.cartilemele.ro/2021/10/rec...

[JanB · Rating 3 out of 5]

This third installment of the Dave Gurney series follows the same formula as the first two. Dave is once again brought in on a seemingly unsolvable case, but unfortunately, the plot lacks the suspense of the first 2 books and the story didn't warrant >400 pages. Also, for being such a Supercop legend Dave does some amazingly stupid things and he never actually solves the case (the same device was used in the first 2 books). Instead there is a climactic scene where Dave gets in a bind, his life is threatened, and the killer is revealed before reinforcements arrive to save the day. Dave was surprised at the identity of the killer and so was I, but not in a good way. in fact, the killer was such a minor character I barely remembered him.

I do like the main characters and I liked that there seems to be some character growth with his wife Madeleine and his son Kyle. Verdon writes well and is very creative, but I'd like to see tighter plotting and a different type of ending in the next book.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gurney novels are my fav for this particular genre of series in the thriller category. At least for all of those novels which have come out in the last 10 years. Despite the Nordic invasion.

His tension is really crisp and intact from the get-go and you just have to keep reading to see what happens next.

These are pretty graphic for most peoples' tastes, but without being occult or pure horror at all- he has still got that menacing chill factor foundation. And Dave fits into that slot (the reaction to it), perfectly too. And #3 is just as good as #2. Always waiting for the other shoe to drop in these novels. Brisk language too- quick and to the bone. Should be at least 3.5 stars if there was a half star system.

[Μαρία Γεωργοπούλου · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Well, I am going to be honest here... Although I really liked the plot and I read it quickly because I was anxious to find the truth, I had a huge problem with the main character.. I didn't like the way he acted with his wife and with his son... Actually, I didn't like the way he treated almost everyone... He is always acting distant... I don't dislike him, I am intrigued by him and his mind but I wanted him more... human...

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me the story did not grab me at all could not pick this up to keep reading might be me i don't know took to long to get into the story

[Jaksen · Rating 4 out of 5]

All through this book I intended to give it a full five stars. I loved the locale - upstate New York; I adore the MC and his long-suffering wife - retired homicide detective Dave Gurney and the book-reading, forever-cooking Madeleine; and the plot is great - Dave agrees to help a young woman starting out on a journalistic career.

(Her idea: interview families who've lost a member to a serial killer. It's an idea being turned into a reality-TV program. But little problem here: the crimes were never solved; the killer might still be out there.)

This was ALL GREAT. The buildup, the clues, the confusion, the fact that everything is seen from Dave and Dave alone so the reader really feels right THERE, with Dave. (Yeah, I'm using too many capitals, but it demonstrates my enthusiasm.) There are red herrings, misfires, problems with authority figures, because let's face it, Dave is RETIRED.

(Non-retired people have this idea that when a person retires their brain just fizzles out and dies, and that what your interest and passions were when non-retired should kind of like ... fade ... into the sunset. Sorry, doesn't happen. Wait 'til YOU retire.)

Anyhow, Dave goes along with the situation with some reluctance. He wants to help the girl, but of course, all hell suddenly breaks loose and Dave is on a killer ride with a serial killer.

The problem is the ending. I felt let down. Okay, I didn't solve this one. (I seldom do ahead of the MC.) But I felt a little deflated...

Despite that, this is a great book. Mystery and thriller combined. I love John Verdon lately, but he's only written a few books so I need to spread him out a bit.

Four stars.

[Nevena Zaharieva · Rating 5 out of 5]

"За може би стотен път през живота си Гърни се замисли как емоцията създава своя собствена логика, как гневът неизменно ражда увереност. Това със сигурност беше една от най-големите иронии на човешката природа - когато сме най-объркани от своите страсти, сме най-убедени, че виждаме ясно.
- Били сте полицай - продължи Рьоткер. - Значи знаете за какво говоря. Живеем в свят, в който външният блясък е скъп, а животът е евтин."

[Θανάσης · Rating 4 out of 5]

Γίνεται σας παρακαλώ κύριε Βερντόν, σε κάποιο από τα επόμενα βιβλία σας, να πιάνει ένας δολοφόνος την γυναίκα του Γκάρνεϊ, να την βασανίζει, να την διαμελίζει και μετά να την τρώει; Αν δεν ξέρετε πως, ζητήστε βοήθεια από την κυρία Poppy Z. Brite. Σας ευχαριστώ.
Κατα τα άλλα, καλό βιβλίο, ίσως το πιο "αδύναμο" μέχρι στιγμής, αλλά και πάλι στέκεται σε καλό επίπεδο. Εξού και τα 4 αστέρια. Και μπορεί να είναι και 8,5/10.

[J Jahir · Rating 4 out of 5]

guau, sin duda un libro que sorprende. Mis hipótesis sobre quién pudiera ser el culpable me fallaron, y eso me gusta. Hay detalles que me quedaron algo en el aire, pero por lo demás estuvo muy bien, entendido el objetivo del buen Pastor y todo, quién diría que iba a ser por herencia . a por el siguiente.

[Bandit · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the longest (so far) and the least impressive (so far) of Verdon's books. Mind you, he's set the bar pretty high with the two previous Dave Gurney, retired detective extraordinaire, series, meaning that even a lackluster entry into his world would still be pretty decent, but it did lack a lot of the things that made books one and two so, so good. The character writing is still top notch, Gurney, his oddly balanced, yet very functional marriage (although by now one might start to question the sanity of a woman, who is willing to put up with that much, especially when Gurney seems to drag home with him the muck he's forced to plow through in his investigations), even his relationship with his son is finally being given some attention. The plot, though, the mystery itself just really fell short, wasn't nearly as creative, original and...well, mysterious, as one might have hoped for. Either Gurney is slipping or the toll of the violent ending of book two is showing...or maybe it was Verdon's one off. Remains to see. Inexplicably each audio book in the series is read by a new person and this one, consistently with the contents, actually is the most inferior so far. George Newbern did great with the first one and Scott Brick with the second one, like the pro that he is, this one was average, the female voices particularly odd. Still plenty entertaining, but not on par with its predecessors. Such can be the inconsistent delights of reading a series.

[Serkan · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Verdon "Aklından Bir Sayı Tut" ile tesadüfi bir başarı kazanmadığını bence devamında yazdığı 2 romanla da gösteriyor. Bilge dedektifimiz Gurney yine çözülmesi çok güç bir seri cinayetler vakasını aydınlatıyor. Bu romana 4 yıldız veriyorum, çünkü olayların nasıl gelişeceği kitabın ortalarında biraz kendini belli ediyordu. Çok fazla sürpriz yoktu belki ama yine de çok çok iyi yazılmış bir roman. Sayfaların nasıl aktığını hissetmeyeceksiniz.