Mo Hayder 2-Book Bundle: Birdman / The Treatment

by Mo Hayder

Mo Hayder introduces Detective Jack Caffery in Birdman and he returns in The Treatment. Download both ebooks for a special low price. Birdman Five bodies, all young women, all ritualistically murdered and dumped near the Millennium Dome in southeast London. A post-mortem examination tells the police they’re dealing with a sexual serial killer. Detective Inspector Jack Caffery knows he has only limited time before the sadistic killer strikes again. The Treatment In a residential neighbourhood in south London, a husband and wife are found tied up and imprisoned in their house. Their young son is missing. Detective Jack Caffery is called in to investigate. When the child’s body is found, he attempts to unravel the motive and sequence of events, especially when he discovers that a tragedy in his own past is indirectly connected to the murder.

Genres: Fiction

896 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 31, 2012

About the author

Mo Hayder left school at fifteen. She worked as a barmaid, security guard, film-maker, hostess in a Tokyo club, educational administrator and teacher of English as a foreign language in Asia. She had an MA in film from The American University in Washington DC and an MA in creative writing from Bath Spa University UK.

Mo lived in Bath with her daughter Lotte-Genevieve. She was also the actress Candy Davis, who was most known as the blonde secretary on “ Are You Being Served?”

Series:
* Jack Caffery

Reviews

[Colin Murtagh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talking in work the other day about books, and I mentioned I prefer my crime books dark. There were a couple of names thrown around but one I got told I *had* to read was Mo Hayder. I picked up this omnibus of the first two novels and settled down to read. When I say it took me 3 days to finish them,it should give you some idea of just how gripping they are.
The books deal with a D.I. Jack Caffery based in London. He's a rising star in the Met, working out the major crimes unit. Naturally however, he must have a back story. In this case it's a dead brother, probably killed by a paedophile who still lives close by and a particularly controlling girlfriend. I've known girls like this and, as with most the characters in the book, this one is entirely believable.
The first novel revolves around a stash of dead prostitutes found in a scrap yard. This is not a whodunit. The author identifies who and why they are doing what they have and that's the disturbing bit. This is not a book for the faint hearted. There is rape, murder, torture and necrophilia all laid out. It never feels prurient though. Everything that's done has a reason, however twisted it may be, and conforms to the logic of the book. The story gallops along at a fair pace, and if times Jack seems like a less than sympathetic character, the position he's put in makes it understandable. Still didn't see the ending coming though.
I was wondering how she would top that, so the second novel swiftly proved it was possible. A family is kept prisoner for a weekend in their own home. When the intruder leaves, he does so with their 8 year old son. This time we are dealing with murder, paedophilia and incest. Not exactly light reading. Unlike the first book, there is less of being inside the culprits head, and more of the investigation. This does make it slightly less psychological than the first book, but does leave more room for some interesting twists and turns. Given the subject matter, Jack's dead brother becomes a large part of the secondary storyline. The only thing I didn't particularly like was that virtually the entire supporting cast changed.
Both books are incredibly well written, and incredibly dark. I absolutely adored them. I get the feeling I will have all 7 books in the series read in fairly short order. After all I was halfway through the first one when I picked up the rest.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spectacular Psychological Thriller! - very tense, but well-paced and thrilling. If you want a detective mystery full of deductions, human pathos and characters you can identify with (except the killer) - you're in for an exceptional roller-coaster with this book!

[Calum Mackenzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Review of ‘Birdman’) A bit too dark for my taste - necrophilia, rape, mutilation, heroin use > all described in vivid detail.

The book uses a few cliches with its lead Protagonist’Cafferey’ > whiskey drinker, dysfunctional relationships.

I’ll try ‘the treatment’ before deciding if I’ll read any more Hayder- for now, I still think Rankin, Nesbo + Robinson do this better.

[Michelle Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a roller coaster of bad and worse. A Paedophile on the loose, doing unspeakable things. It was a very complicated story intertwined in both books. Don’t know how I finished them, in the end letting Ewin dye of starvation was just as well. Jack Caffery was twisted enough didn’t need to know.

[D.F. Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

These two books kick off the Jack Caffery series. All are worth a read. They are so well written and gripping.

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well written but subject matter too dark and disturbing for my taste.

[Lori Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was good, held my attention the whole way. I just need to get used to the jumping around from character to character.

[Siobhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was always tentative about jumping on the Jack Caffery bandwagon. For some reason, I had it in my head that I wasn’t going to enjoy Mo Hayder’s work.

Honestly, those thoughts were completely unfounded!

With ease, Hayder jumped onto my list of favourite authors through her Jack Caffery stories. He is such a wonderful character, and her storylines are all gripping.

If you’re a fan of crime fiction, I suggest giving Hayder a try.

[Yasmeen · Rating 5 out of 5]

gripping yet very disturbing