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Lincoln Munroe #1
A Dream of Death
Ontario Provincial Police Detective Lincoln Munroe is coming up empty. As a serial killer terrorizes the area surrounding London, Ontario, Canada, Lincoln finds himself at a standstill waiting for the perfect killer to make his first mistake. While the body count rises without any leads, Lincoln finds himself haunted by dreams of discovering skeletal remains in the forest beneath a bloody knife. The dreams seem to come true when Lincoln is called to Algonquin Park to assist an old colleague. There he is tasked with overseeing the excavation of human remains buried more than twenty-five years earlier; remains that will bring to the surface cold cases, a painful past and memories Lincoln had long since forgotten. 'A Dream of Death' is the first in a series of character-driven police procedurals written by a Canadian police officer.
208 pages, Paperback
First published February 13, 2012
217 people are currently reading
1097 people want to read
About the author
Harrison Drake
7 books28 followersHarrison Drake is the pseudonym of a Canadian writer and career police officer who has chosen anonymity in order to protect a safe, secure and quiet lifestyle for his family.
If he can't be found at home playing with his children or sitting in his lonely writer's garret, he'll be outside gazing up at the night sky and searching for answers.
Art comes in many forms, every piece different in its own way, and Drake believes it is necessary to challenge oneself, to never allow that art to grow stagnant. As such, Drake finds himself bound by no one specific genre and writes freely that which his mind creates.
It is for this reason that Drake has chosen to enter the world of the independent author. Art is an entity that needs room to breathe, space to grow, and the freedom to take its own shape.
Harrison Drake is the author of the 'Detective Lincoln Munroe' series of police procedurals, with A Dream Of Death and Blue Rubicon currently published in the series.
Additionally, Drake has written a novella, My Life In Darkness, that tells, through a series of letters, the story of one man's tragic life and secret love as he travels the world seeking out solar eclipses. Only in the darkness an eclipse brings can he find the light.
What does the future hold? A four-part apocalypse series, a three-part (more?) sci-fi/fantasy vampire series that will (or so he hopes) breathe new life into the genre, further crime novels and novellas, and science fiction in all shapes and sizes - from hard sci-fi (i.e., Battlestar Galactica or Stargate) to the sci-fi tinged (such as Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife) and everything in between.
If he can't be found at home playing with his children or sitting in his lonely writer's garret, he'll be outside gazing up at the night sky and searching for answers.
Art comes in many forms, every piece different in its own way, and Drake believes it is necessary to challenge oneself, to never allow that art to grow stagnant. As such, Drake finds himself bound by no one specific genre and writes freely that which his mind creates.
It is for this reason that Drake has chosen to enter the world of the independent author. Art is an entity that needs room to breathe, space to grow, and the freedom to take its own shape.
Harrison Drake is the author of the 'Detective Lincoln Munroe' series of police procedurals, with A Dream Of Death and Blue Rubicon currently published in the series.
Additionally, Drake has written a novella, My Life In Darkness, that tells, through a series of letters, the story of one man's tragic life and secret love as he travels the world seeking out solar eclipses. Only in the darkness an eclipse brings can he find the light.
What does the future hold? A four-part apocalypse series, a three-part (more?) sci-fi/fantasy vampire series that will (or so he hopes) breathe new life into the genre, further crime novels and novellas, and science fiction in all shapes and sizes - from hard sci-fi (i.e., Battlestar Galactica or Stargate) to the sci-fi tinged (such as Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife) and everything in between.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
December 2, 2012
Lots of potential, but a flop. Predictable police procedural fare. The angst-ridden detective is getting a little old, isn't it? I could not bring myself to like the main character - Detective Lincoln Munroe - very much, even if his personal history is interesting (great-great-grandson of a slave, all the firstborn sons named Lincoln, after the President). He just seemed to be a very weak person overall, and I suppose that's a reflection of the author's intent to make him 'real' and 'flawed'. Well, he was a little too flawed for my taste, from his bursting into tears every couple of pages to predictably cheating on his wife with the young female partner. Another little peeve of mine is the way characters who are parents will go on and on about their kids. I know every parent is in love with his/her own kids, but that really should go unsaid because hello, EVERYBODY'S kid is the smartest / prettiest / most talented, don't you know?
The author tried to weave two very separate plots into one narrative, and it didn't work. The primary plot, about a serial killer targeting women whose husbands or boyfriends work a night shift so that the woman will be found when the spouse comes home, could have been really good, but the author completely dropped the ball, almost as if he'd changed his mind about what was really driving this story. Although you find out a little bit about the psychology of the killer, it's given very little time. The entire book should have been about this storyline, giving us more insight about the killer and his motives. There were many ways to achieve this, but instead, the killer was identified and found so easily that it was almost an afterthought. It seemed obvious that the author wanted to pay more attention to his other narrative, about the detective being plagued by dreams that seem to be a memory of something from his childhood - a camping trip with his father gone terribly wrong when a child predator happens to be in the same place at the same time. This storyline too had terrific potential, and should have been an entirely different novel on its own.
Again - fairly professional, skilled writing, two excellent plot ideas, but poor execution + an unlikable main character = a disappointment overall.
The author tried to weave two very separate plots into one narrative, and it didn't work. The primary plot, about a serial killer targeting women whose husbands or boyfriends work a night shift so that the woman will be found when the spouse comes home, could have been really good, but the author completely dropped the ball, almost as if he'd changed his mind about what was really driving this story. Although you find out a little bit about the psychology of the killer, it's given very little time. The entire book should have been about this storyline, giving us more insight about the killer and his motives. There were many ways to achieve this, but instead, the killer was identified and found so easily that it was almost an afterthought. It seemed obvious that the author wanted to pay more attention to his other narrative, about the detective being plagued by dreams that seem to be a memory of something from his childhood - a camping trip with his father gone terribly wrong when a child predator happens to be in the same place at the same time. This storyline too had terrific potential, and should have been an entirely different novel on its own.
Again - fairly professional, skilled writing, two excellent plot ideas, but poor execution + an unlikable main character = a disappointment overall.
July 26, 2015
This was such a boring, dull, dead, dragging out kind of story. There was no action whatsoever. There were several grammatical errors throughout. Nothing too major though, thankfully.
I wasn't a fan of any of the characters in the story.
When Lincoln's wife kicks him, "I only had one place to go." Yes, that's to his partners motel room. Because he had no other friends, no other guys that he could have stayed with. It was obvious he wanted to work things out with his wife. Yup, by sleeping with his partner.
His wife annoyed me with the 'you won't be any better than him' routine. She didn't want Lincoln to kill the serial killer...yes, because it was better for him to just continue killing women, rather than Lincoln shoot him when he got the chance.
Kara didn't do it for me either. She didn't sound like a very good cop. The fact that she was crying all the time, when she should have been more professional...then she goes on about how she doesn't want to break up Lincolns family but will be waiting for him. Then she says how "You want me as a friend, I can't be that to you right now. I'm not ready to go back to that."
I found it strange that the author acted as though Kara and Lincoln had a really close relationship. Besides at the end when they 'get together', I never got that impression whatsoever. She was only mentioned a little here, a little there. And in the end, how did he fall in love with her exactly? Either way, I wasn't surprised when he cheated on his wife.
Questions/Comments:
What made Lincoln think the killer did his killing in the dark? Obviously, the killer left the message for the one lady because he hadn't known she was pregnant. But that didn't mean anything to him working in the dark, since pregnancy test was in the drawer.
What made Lincoln think that Derek, the one lady's husband, would kill himself? Just because someone owns a bible doesn't necessarily mean anything. It's not like religious people have never killed themselves.
Kara is doing an interview with Derek. Why was she crying? Wouldn't that be considered unprofessional? Cops are suppose to be distancing themselves from the case, not crying as though you know the victim. Or when Lincoln says something along the line of how 'no one could survive that interview.' Huh? Why not? Yes, it was sad the lady/baby died, but it's not like Derek was there to see her being killed or anything. It's not like she was cut up really bad....
Is it hard to swallow tea? I ask because at one point, Kara and Lincoln are talking and he ends up choking because he says 'good' with a mouth full of tea.
I get when you're handling a case, you want to know everything about the victim. But when Lincoln is telling his old partner about it, it mentions where the victim was born and the birth date. Rather than just saying were they lived and their age.
The fact he left the sweaty, stained sheets on the bed. Disgusting!
Lincoln's wife is a few inches shorter than him. Yet, when she wears heels, he has to RISE ON HIS TIP TOES to kiss her?
His wife finds him starring at her and finds it creepy?
How do you get bruises on your finger tips after strangling something?
One thing that really annoyed me throughout the story was the fact we seemed to keep going between London and Canada. Are they that close to where it's easy to be traveling back and forth all the time?
I found it funny how after Lincoln got his stitches, he was able to have sex right afterwards, basically. The only time Kara brings them up is days later when he's driving or plans on running.
After Kara was attacked and Lincoln stabbed, how exactly were they still on the case? Wouldn't they normally have been removed? Given they had a personal interest in it now? Especially Kara?
Given that Lincoln is a cop, how could he not have an idea as what would happen to his father, considering his father killed someone? He has Alzheimer...they wouldn't do anything to him.
More info about his wife and partner would have made the story better, they seemed more like an afterthought really. Just giving the reader a vague description of them.
I wasn't a fan of any of the characters in the story.
When Lincoln's wife kicks him, "I only had one place to go." Yes, that's to his partners motel room. Because he had no other friends, no other guys that he could have stayed with. It was obvious he wanted to work things out with his wife. Yup, by sleeping with his partner.
His wife annoyed me with the 'you won't be any better than him' routine. She didn't want Lincoln to kill the serial killer...yes, because it was better for him to just continue killing women, rather than Lincoln shoot him when he got the chance.
Kara didn't do it for me either. She didn't sound like a very good cop. The fact that she was crying all the time, when she should have been more professional...then she goes on about how she doesn't want to break up Lincolns family but will be waiting for him. Then she says how "You want me as a friend, I can't be that to you right now. I'm not ready to go back to that."
I found it strange that the author acted as though Kara and Lincoln had a really close relationship. Besides at the end when they 'get together', I never got that impression whatsoever. She was only mentioned a little here, a little there. And in the end, how did he fall in love with her exactly? Either way, I wasn't surprised when he cheated on his wife.
Questions/Comments:
What made Lincoln think the killer did his killing in the dark? Obviously, the killer left the message for the one lady because he hadn't known she was pregnant. But that didn't mean anything to him working in the dark, since pregnancy test was in the drawer.
What made Lincoln think that Derek, the one lady's husband, would kill himself? Just because someone owns a bible doesn't necessarily mean anything. It's not like religious people have never killed themselves.
Kara is doing an interview with Derek. Why was she crying? Wouldn't that be considered unprofessional? Cops are suppose to be distancing themselves from the case, not crying as though you know the victim. Or when Lincoln says something along the line of how 'no one could survive that interview.' Huh? Why not? Yes, it was sad the lady/baby died, but it's not like Derek was there to see her being killed or anything. It's not like she was cut up really bad....
Is it hard to swallow tea? I ask because at one point, Kara and Lincoln are talking and he ends up choking because he says 'good' with a mouth full of tea.
I get when you're handling a case, you want to know everything about the victim. But when Lincoln is telling his old partner about it, it mentions where the victim was born and the birth date. Rather than just saying were they lived and their age.
The fact he left the sweaty, stained sheets on the bed. Disgusting!
Lincoln's wife is a few inches shorter than him. Yet, when she wears heels, he has to RISE ON HIS TIP TOES to kiss her?
His wife finds him starring at her and finds it creepy?
How do you get bruises on your finger tips after strangling something?
One thing that really annoyed me throughout the story was the fact we seemed to keep going between London and Canada. Are they that close to where it's easy to be traveling back and forth all the time?
I found it funny how after Lincoln got his stitches, he was able to have sex right afterwards, basically. The only time Kara brings them up is days later when he's driving or plans on running.
After Kara was attacked and Lincoln stabbed, how exactly were they still on the case? Wouldn't they normally have been removed? Given they had a personal interest in it now? Especially Kara?
Given that Lincoln is a cop, how could he not have an idea as what would happen to his father, considering his father killed someone? He has Alzheimer...they wouldn't do anything to him.
More info about his wife and partner would have made the story better, they seemed more like an afterthought really. Just giving the reader a vague description of them.
January 16, 2014
(Note: I read this on my Kindle. See if you can figure out why I felt the need to mention that.)
Overall, this book is fine. The title of the book suggests that the main mystery isn't the one with the serial killer that Lincoln is tasked to solve for his job, but the one that he dreams about at night. Unfortunately, that one is presented as backstory and/or repressed memories for the first 59% of the book, and is only really explored in earnest after the serial killer has been found (61% of the way in). The last 39% of the book unravels the repressed memories and deals with the fall out in Lincoln's personal & professional life from catching the serial killer.
As a result, the last third of the book reads like a long exercise in character development, not the exciting conclusion of a thriller.
I thought that could have been handled better. If I'd had my way, the author would have unraveled both mysteries over roughly the same timeframe, not spun them out one after another in an essentially serial fashion. The tight pacing of the first 59% of the book is betrayed by the slower pace of the final third. The book does end on a lovely cliffhanger, but I was so tired of reading about Lincoln's personal life by the time it happened, that I really don't know if I'll bother picking up the next one.
Overall, this book is fine. The title of the book suggests that the main mystery isn't the one with the serial killer that Lincoln is tasked to solve for his job, but the one that he dreams about at night. Unfortunately, that one is presented as backstory and/or repressed memories for the first 59% of the book, and is only really explored in earnest after the serial killer has been found (61% of the way in). The last 39% of the book unravels the repressed memories and deals with the fall out in Lincoln's personal & professional life from catching the serial killer.
As a result, the last third of the book reads like a long exercise in character development, not the exciting conclusion of a thriller.
I thought that could have been handled better. If I'd had my way, the author would have unraveled both mysteries over roughly the same timeframe, not spun them out one after another in an essentially serial fashion. The tight pacing of the first 59% of the book is betrayed by the slower pace of the final third. The book does end on a lovely cliffhanger, but I was so tired of reading about Lincoln's personal life by the time it happened, that I really don't know if I'll bother picking up the next one.
May 14, 2013
This is one of the best fresh new authors I've found. His main character, Lincoln Monroe is so human that I felt I was right there with him. The main plot of this book turns out to be a secondary plot. The stress from the case he is working has made him start having dreams so real that he is not sure sometimes whether he is dreaming or hallucinating. Something horrible happened to him as a child and that's where his nightmares are coming from. He has apparently been dealing with Post Traumatic Stress, with delayed onset, since the new case has started but doesn't understand what's happening to him.
I really like the book. It was fast paced and kept me turning pages and I was sorry to say goodbye to the characters at the end. When I realized there were more books with these characters, I was delighted and can't wait to read more by this author.
I really like the book. It was fast paced and kept me turning pages and I was sorry to say goodbye to the characters at the end. When I realized there were more books with these characters, I was delighted and can't wait to read more by this author.
November 19, 2013
Canadian Detective Lincoln Charles Monroe and his partner, Kara Jameson, are looking for a serial killer. The victims are women whose husbands work at night. The murder scenes are somewhat gruesome, especially at the beginning. A slight change in the method results in the murders happening more rapidly. The case is absorbing most of Monroe’s time and is creating a problem in his marriage. He was determined to find the killer. “Serial killers often got to the point where they wanted to be caught, if only to finally get the recognition of having their name attached to their crimes.”
Meanwhile, Monroe, who has a degree in archeology, has begun having nightmares which give him a premonition in a case being pursued by his college friend, Chen, following of the discovery of a skull which had been buried for at least twenty years. At that site, Link finds a wristwatch which belonged to his father who is in a retirement home suffering from Alzheimer’s.
On the whole, the story lines are all right and generally flow well. However, the characters didn’t seem genuine. For an experienced detective, Monroe seems to be falling apart. The initial case is getting to him much more than one would expect and he frequently reacts physically to it. His wife should be used to him devoting so much time to cases and not become so upset about this one. When we learn who the murderer is, his motive doesn’t seem to fit the crimes.
At one point, Monroe complains about someone’s grammatical error, using “seen” instead of “saw.” However, he frequently misuses the first person singular subjective pronoun “I” when the objective “me” is required.
This book was a free Amazon download.
Meanwhile, Monroe, who has a degree in archeology, has begun having nightmares which give him a premonition in a case being pursued by his college friend, Chen, following of the discovery of a skull which had been buried for at least twenty years. At that site, Link finds a wristwatch which belonged to his father who is in a retirement home suffering from Alzheimer’s.
On the whole, the story lines are all right and generally flow well. However, the characters didn’t seem genuine. For an experienced detective, Monroe seems to be falling apart. The initial case is getting to him much more than one would expect and he frequently reacts physically to it. His wife should be used to him devoting so much time to cases and not become so upset about this one. When we learn who the murderer is, his motive doesn’t seem to fit the crimes.
At one point, Monroe complains about someone’s grammatical error, using “seen” instead of “saw.” However, he frequently misuses the first person singular subjective pronoun “I” when the objective “me” is required.
This book was a free Amazon download.
April 1, 2013
Great beginning and middle. To me the true ending should have been when his first case was solved, after that it dragged for me a bit. Did not like the wife playing a hard nose Christian. Her reaction was ridiculous. No Christian I know would call him a murderer for doing his job. A true Christian wife should be proud and stand by her man.
I did like the part of the father in the end. My father passed away from Alzheimer's and I saw those moments of clarity and him remembering events from 30 yrs ago like it was yesterday. I also like the twist of his father's scar. I think both cases should have carried to the end and been solved simultaneously. It reminded me of the LOTR movie where you thought it was over but then they tacked on another close.
Overall I did enjoy it but the end frustrated me a bit.
I did like the part of the father in the end. My father passed away from Alzheimer's and I saw those moments of clarity and him remembering events from 30 yrs ago like it was yesterday. I also like the twist of his father's scar. I think both cases should have carried to the end and been solved simultaneously. It reminded me of the LOTR movie where you thought it was over but then they tacked on another close.
Overall I did enjoy it but the end frustrated me a bit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2013
What I enjoyed most about this story was the setting. Having spent two years in London, Ontario getting my MBA at the University of Western Ontario, it was refreshing to see familiar surroundings in a murder mystery. I could identify with the towns, streets and buildings described in the story.
Although I would prefer less time spent on trivial detail, such as someone’s appearance, and clothing in every scene, I really enjoyed the storyline, which kept me wanting to read on.
What would have been the climax in most stories was just the end to one of the many storylines moving simultaneously. The real ending had a slight surprise twist.
Although maybe not a classic, it was a very entertaining and enjoyable book to read. I’m inclined to try more in the series.
Although I would prefer less time spent on trivial detail, such as someone’s appearance, and clothing in every scene, I really enjoyed the storyline, which kept me wanting to read on.
What would have been the climax in most stories was just the end to one of the many storylines moving simultaneously. The real ending had a slight surprise twist.
Although maybe not a classic, it was a very entertaining and enjoyable book to read. I’m inclined to try more in the series.
February 15, 2014
It started as a good book but the deal breaker for me was when Lincoln cheated on his wife. Why must the cliche of a detective cheating on his wife with his partner be popular? Lincoln was a poor excuse for a man and Kara was a selfish, home wrecker b*tch. I was glad that Kat figured it out and I do hope she moves on. Another problem with this book is the two plots that are trying to be solved simultaneously. It felt like Lincoln's personal life was the major plot line of the book so I did not understand why the author felt the need to include a separate murder investigation. It was too much and by the end of the book I was over Lincoln's personal situation.
October 31, 2018
Twists & Turns - good all the same. Go ahead, read it, I dare you
I chose this book because anything crime, mystery related interests me, especially if it is something that makes sense, something that actually happened or could happen; this book did not let me down. I kept wanting to read and to be honest, when I got to the very, very end, I was a little disappointed, because I wanted to read more.
This book is full of tests and turns, however, I was not exactly surprised by a lot of them. I am looking forward to reading the second novel in this series and more should there be any. Thank you Mr Drake for this interesting read.
I chose this book because anything crime, mystery related interests me, especially if it is something that makes sense, something that actually happened or could happen; this book did not let me down. I kept wanting to read and to be honest, when I got to the very, very end, I was a little disappointed, because I wanted to read more.
This book is full of tests and turns, however, I was not exactly surprised by a lot of them. I am looking forward to reading the second novel in this series and more should there be any. Thank you Mr Drake for this interesting read.
December 4, 2019
This was a pretty good police procedural set in Ontario. I liked that the main character had a historical background that said a lot about his state of mind, especially as his weird dreams got worse. The author built up his wonderful love for his wife and the great family, then dashed it all. I didn't like that sort of intrusion that led me to feel the character didn't have much of a moral compass. The killer and the outcome of the case was well-done and thorough. The character of his dad with Alzheimer's was sensitively portrayed. Over all I liked the book.
June 9, 2018
This was a great read. I didn't want it to end. Things start to fall apart for Lincoln while on the hunt for a serial killer. They only get worse as time goes by. He starts having realistic dreams and hallucinations. His best friend calls him out to a grave deep in a forest, there has been a human skull found. Lincoln is tied to these remains but he's not really sure how. I am looking forward to reading more of this authors work.
September 26, 2019
A Dream of Death by Harrison Drake
This is a good book. It has a terrific story line and is well written. The characters are strong and solid. Although the deeper plot is apparent from nearly the beginning, it is fun to watch it unfold. It is just really well done.
*I dropped a star for editing. It was enough to stop me in my tracks a couple times, but did not detract from the tale at all.
This is a good book. It has a terrific story line and is well written. The characters are strong and solid. Although the deeper plot is apparent from nearly the beginning, it is fun to watch it unfold. It is just really well done.
*I dropped a star for editing. It was enough to stop me in my tracks a couple times, but did not detract from the tale at all.
July 10, 2020
I really enjoyed this book, a real find on my kindle.
Lincoln Munroe is a detective in London, Canada. A serial killer is killing women whose husband's work the night shift. He has a very distinctive M O. The style of writing made this such an easy book to read.
The book is a good mix of professional and personal goings on.
Lincoln Munroe is a detective in London, Canada. A serial killer is killing women whose husband's work the night shift. He has a very distinctive M O. The style of writing made this such an easy book to read.
The book is a good mix of professional and personal goings on.
September 22, 2020
This mystery hits some of my favorite reading material: Scotland, a mystery in the past which has effects on the present, and a sensible heroine. I discovered this book because a fellow reader on Goodreads liked it. I'm glad I followed her recommendation. I'm already on the hunt for the second book in the series and see that book #3 releases in June 2021.
October 26, 2017
Well written story by a new author for me. Good story, caught my attention immediately and kept it throughout the book.. I will read more books by Harrison Drake as soon as I find them. I read this book in one setting.
July 18, 2018
A must read
First book I have read by this author, started to really enjoy this book then the chapter about the dream sequence came and that really got me confused but after continuing to read the book it all fell into place . Really enjoyable read would recommend.
First book I have read by this author, started to really enjoy this book then the chapter about the dream sequence came and that really got me confused but after continuing to read the book it all fell into place . Really enjoyable read would recommend.
May 20, 2017
Very good
This is a very good book with a number of twists along the way had to keep reading to the end
This is a very good book with a number of twists along the way had to keep reading to the end
July 10, 2018
3.5
Well written but not totally original. It still offers suspenseful moments!
Well written but not totally original. It still offers suspenseful moments!
January 8, 2020
I enjoyed this book and will be reading the rest of the series.
Read
June 15, 2020its okay, a different twist to a generic detective thriller.
November 7, 2022
Enjoyable but more of a “cozy” mystery. I waffle between books being too snoozy and too scarily real. This one is pretty good for almost being a sleeper.
January 2, 2023
I love this book.
I can't wait for more.
I will be leaving reviews on AMAZON & GOODREADS!
And letting everyone know about it.
So I gave it FIVE STARS!
I can't wait for more.
I will be leaving reviews on AMAZON & GOODREADS!
And letting everyone know about it.
So I gave it FIVE STARS!
February 10, 2024
Detective Lincoln Munroe is having bad dreams, but then they start to overlap with reality and affect his behaviour. Crime mystery with a clever plot.
December 28, 2012
Harrison Drake's debut police procedural is both unconventional and thrilling. There is a serial killer (a strangler) on the loose in the Canadian province of Ontario and the story's protagonist, Lincoln Munroe, is charged with the task of finding said killer, with the help of his young yet promising partner Kara Jameson. Munroe's personal and professional world get turned upside down when he starts seeing visions of a cold case unrelated to the strangler, but not unrelated to Munroe. At the outset, these visions give the reader the impression that this story is delving into the paranormal realm.
For those who like their detectives to ride in on a stallion, white knight-style, this book isn't for you. Munroe is flawed and this adds to the drama of the story's primary subplot. Some may view Munroe as unlikeable due to some of the decisions he makes but all he proves is that even our real-life heroes can be majorly flawed...they are human, after all. If anything, I found some of the characters around him, those that are supposed to be his staunchest supporters to be the most "dislikeable." That's not to say that some of their feelings aren't justified, nor does their "annoying" behavior detract from the story.
As a police story, this story does the job, particularly in its second act. When Munroe and Jameson were hot on the killer's trail, I found myself unable to put the book down, even reading it on my Kindle app on my phone while waiting in line at the post office.
The reason this story gets four stars instead of five from me, however, is that after a stellar second act, the third act seemed to lose steam. Perhaps that's more of a comment on how good the second act was and not so much an indictment on the third act. I don't know. But for me, the search for the killer came to an end much too soon, leaving the uncovering of the meaning behind Munroe's visions to cover the remaining twenty percent of the book. This would be okay if the visions' resolution hadn't come about thanks to a lightly sweetened sentimentality as opposed to true detective work. And to compound things, when the visions' final twist presents itself to Munroe and to the reader, the book ends very soon thereafter, leaving Drake's characters virtually no time to reflect and capitalize on that sentimentality.
Overall, if you're looking for a good serial killer story full of ups and emotional downs, a sense of verisimilitude as it pertains to detective work and a protagonist with depth, this book is definitely worth your time and could stand on its own if you choose not to read its sequel, Blue Rubicon.
For those who like their detectives to ride in on a stallion, white knight-style, this book isn't for you. Munroe is flawed and this adds to the drama of the story's primary subplot. Some may view Munroe as unlikeable due to some of the decisions he makes but all he proves is that even our real-life heroes can be majorly flawed...they are human, after all. If anything, I found some of the characters around him, those that are supposed to be his staunchest supporters to be the most "dislikeable." That's not to say that some of their feelings aren't justified, nor does their "annoying" behavior detract from the story.
As a police story, this story does the job, particularly in its second act. When Munroe and Jameson were hot on the killer's trail, I found myself unable to put the book down, even reading it on my Kindle app on my phone while waiting in line at the post office.
The reason this story gets four stars instead of five from me, however, is that after a stellar second act, the third act seemed to lose steam. Perhaps that's more of a comment on how good the second act was and not so much an indictment on the third act. I don't know. But for me, the search for the killer came to an end much too soon, leaving the uncovering of the meaning behind Munroe's visions to cover the remaining twenty percent of the book. This would be okay if the visions' resolution hadn't come about thanks to a lightly sweetened sentimentality as opposed to true detective work. And to compound things, when the visions' final twist presents itself to Munroe and to the reader, the book ends very soon thereafter, leaving Drake's characters virtually no time to reflect and capitalize on that sentimentality.
Overall, if you're looking for a good serial killer story full of ups and emotional downs, a sense of verisimilitude as it pertains to detective work and a protagonist with depth, this book is definitely worth your time and could stand on its own if you choose not to read its sequel, Blue Rubicon.
October 7, 2016
(spoiler alert)
What a load of rubbish. To start off with I was bored within the first few minutes of picking this thing up. The beginning consisted of dry, boring dialogue, a detective walking around a police station looking at pictures of dead people and doing nothing else. There was nothing interesting about this detective, just that he seemed to be the main character for some reason. There was no tension in any of the earlier scenes between any of the characters. Tension between characters, especially in a crime novel, is a writer's best tool - nothing to grab my attention.
The rest of the story was bland, predictable, full of dry references to policing - I'm not reading a novel to know how to solve a murder case here, I'm reading it because I'm emotionally involved in the story and most importantly the characters, and what characters! They were awful! There wasn't a single redeeming feature in any of them. I felt no empathy, I felt no connection to them, just plain annoyance over a heck of a lot of poorly spoken lines of dialogue, that a child could cobble together if they had half a brain.
This story was also confusing and left me feeling unfulfilled in every sense of the word. As a finished overall item simply didn't work. It had two convoluted plot lines, which simply didn't tie in together. One was about a murderer who was targeting women by making their spouses come home and finding them dead. The other was about Munroe's dreams and some weird event that happened in his childhood on a camping trip, that had absolutely no relevance to the murder story at all. Its like the author wanted to write two books, but either one on its own wasn't enough to warrant "a whole book" so he shoved them both into this one. I found myself skipping over the story about the dreams to the bits about the murderer, only once again I was unfulfilled and disappointed. The author didn't give nearly as much attention to the murder story as he should have done. The murderer was wheedled out and caught so easily it was a complete waste to have bothered coming up with a story for him at all - a pointless waste of an impressive story title.
Even the so-called "climax" was disappointing. I waited the whole damn book for something to blow my socks off, only to stand in a puddle on my bathroom floor. Terrible writing. Do not read this book if you value your time.
What a load of rubbish. To start off with I was bored within the first few minutes of picking this thing up. The beginning consisted of dry, boring dialogue, a detective walking around a police station looking at pictures of dead people and doing nothing else. There was nothing interesting about this detective, just that he seemed to be the main character for some reason. There was no tension in any of the earlier scenes between any of the characters. Tension between characters, especially in a crime novel, is a writer's best tool - nothing to grab my attention.
The rest of the story was bland, predictable, full of dry references to policing - I'm not reading a novel to know how to solve a murder case here, I'm reading it because I'm emotionally involved in the story and most importantly the characters, and what characters! They were awful! There wasn't a single redeeming feature in any of them. I felt no empathy, I felt no connection to them, just plain annoyance over a heck of a lot of poorly spoken lines of dialogue, that a child could cobble together if they had half a brain.
This story was also confusing and left me feeling unfulfilled in every sense of the word. As a finished overall item simply didn't work. It had two convoluted plot lines, which simply didn't tie in together. One was about a murderer who was targeting women by making their spouses come home and finding them dead. The other was about Munroe's dreams and some weird event that happened in his childhood on a camping trip, that had absolutely no relevance to the murder story at all. Its like the author wanted to write two books, but either one on its own wasn't enough to warrant "a whole book" so he shoved them both into this one. I found myself skipping over the story about the dreams to the bits about the murderer, only once again I was unfulfilled and disappointed. The author didn't give nearly as much attention to the murder story as he should have done. The murderer was wheedled out and caught so easily it was a complete waste to have bothered coming up with a story for him at all - a pointless waste of an impressive story title.
Even the so-called "climax" was disappointing. I waited the whole damn book for something to blow my socks off, only to stand in a puddle on my bathroom floor. Terrible writing. Do not read this book if you value your time.
August 19, 2012
A Dream of Death is the first in the Detective Lincoln Munroe series by Harrison Drake. Throughout the story, it is clear that this was written by a writer with personal police experience. This provided great insight into the everyday workings of a case, as well as the toll such a job can take on one's life outside of work. It is a fast paced suspenseful read with a likeable protagonist.
As the story progresses, Lincoln has incredibly real dreams that lead to daytime hallucinations; they seem to be flashbacks, but this is not clear right away, adding to the suspense. One of the strongest points of the story is that there are two separate plot pieces, both intriguing. One deals with Lincoln's past, and the other involves a current serial killer case in his hometown. Drake portrays Lincoln's emotions really well. The reader never forgets that he is an experienced detective, but at the same time realizes that he is just as human as anyone else.
There are some major editorial mistakes, the biggest one being that an entire chapter was printed twice. This unfortunately can hurt the flow of the story. It would be nice to see other characters such as Kara, Lincoln's partner, developed more fully in later novels in the series. In addition, sometimes the explanations of police procedure is a little tedious. However, this is a thrilling and creative piece, and leaves the reader looking forward to the next book in the series.
**I Received This Book In A FirstReads Giveaway**
As the story progresses, Lincoln has incredibly real dreams that lead to daytime hallucinations; they seem to be flashbacks, but this is not clear right away, adding to the suspense. One of the strongest points of the story is that there are two separate plot pieces, both intriguing. One deals with Lincoln's past, and the other involves a current serial killer case in his hometown. Drake portrays Lincoln's emotions really well. The reader never forgets that he is an experienced detective, but at the same time realizes that he is just as human as anyone else.
There are some major editorial mistakes, the biggest one being that an entire chapter was printed twice. This unfortunately can hurt the flow of the story. It would be nice to see other characters such as Kara, Lincoln's partner, developed more fully in later novels in the series. In addition, sometimes the explanations of police procedure is a little tedious. However, this is a thrilling and creative piece, and leaves the reader looking forward to the next book in the series.
**I Received This Book In A FirstReads Giveaway**
January 25, 2013
This was a very very good Canadian police procedural with a main character who is emotionally overwrought through most of the book. Lincoln Munroe, is a biracial police detective for the London, Ontario department. He is a happily married man who is good at his job. and seems to have a good life. But soon his life is thrown topsy turvy when a serial killer strikes at a startling rapid pace, and he begins to have dreams and flashbacks of another crime that may have involved himself.
What makes the book so good is that it is pretty fast paced and a quick read. But mostly it is Link, himself, telling the story in his own weary and wary, emotional tone. He falls apart trying to solve both cases. He is constantly weepy and crying but for me that made him more human and real, and added a lot of vulnerability to his character. Yes, some of his problems are of his own making, but some aren't. I coudn't wait to see how both cases would be solved. And how he would respond.
A wonderful book that I highly recommend. People who like super alpha males as detectives may be in for a surprise with Link. He is a crybaby with some real deep problems, but a crybaby worth reading about.
What makes the book so good is that it is pretty fast paced and a quick read. But mostly it is Link, himself, telling the story in his own weary and wary, emotional tone. He falls apart trying to solve both cases. He is constantly weepy and crying but for me that made him more human and real, and added a lot of vulnerability to his character. Yes, some of his problems are of his own making, but some aren't. I coudn't wait to see how both cases would be solved. And how he would respond.
A wonderful book that I highly recommend. People who like super alpha males as detectives may be in for a surprise with Link. He is a crybaby with some real deep problems, but a crybaby worth reading about.
September 21, 2013
Lincolin Munroe is a homicide detective who is investigating murders of women that have been targeted by a serial killer. The killer looks for women whose husbands or boyfriends work a night shift so that the woman will be found when they come home. Munroe was also haunted by dreams of a murder which ties in with a body that has been recently found.
I found the dream scenes to be very confusing and couldn't figure out what they had to do with the story.
The main character seemed to be a pretty good police officer except for the flashbacks to the dreams while at work. His personal life was a mess though. I could not accept that he was so in love with his wife but jumped into bed with his partner at the first opportunity. I would have liked to know more about his wife and partner. They seemed to just be in the story because he needed a wife and the partner (female) was there for the affair.
Basically, having the two story lines seemed to be too much for this book. Sticking with one would have been better. There was too much going on with the flashbacks, murders and personal stuff so I didn't enjoy this book.
I found the dream scenes to be very confusing and couldn't figure out what they had to do with the story.
The main character seemed to be a pretty good police officer except for the flashbacks to the dreams while at work. His personal life was a mess though. I could not accept that he was so in love with his wife but jumped into bed with his partner at the first opportunity. I would have liked to know more about his wife and partner. They seemed to just be in the story because he needed a wife and the partner (female) was there for the affair.
Basically, having the two story lines seemed to be too much for this book. Sticking with one would have been better. There was too much going on with the flashbacks, murders and personal stuff so I didn't enjoy this book.
September 10, 2015
What can I tell you about this book...? **some itty bitty spoilers that you'll see coming anyhow**
It's a police/detective story. The main character (Lincoln) is involved (in one form or another) in 2 different cases. Both cases have so much potential to be REALLY interesting. The cases themselves are not the issue. The way police procedure is explained and worked into the story is not an issue. I think there could have been so much more done with the investigations in the story. So many more twists, turns and insight available. But of course...
After an emotionally charged near death experience Lincoln falls into bed with his partner. Because it's a shock (not really, you could see it on the horizon from the very beginning) and we've never seen it happen before (except in almost EVERY police movie ever made) *sigh* The other problem I had was 'the man crying.' I felt like every other page he was breaking down, there were tears rolling down his face etc etc etc. And while he was propped up by some seriously tough women I just couldn't take all the man sobbing.
Not a bad book. I don't regret having read it but I see there's a second book and I'm not sure I'm in for that.
It's a police/detective story. The main character (Lincoln) is involved (in one form or another) in 2 different cases. Both cases have so much potential to be REALLY interesting. The cases themselves are not the issue. The way police procedure is explained and worked into the story is not an issue. I think there could have been so much more done with the investigations in the story. So many more twists, turns and insight available. But of course...
After an emotionally charged near death experience Lincoln falls into bed with his partner. Because it's a shock (not really, you could see it on the horizon from the very beginning) and we've never seen it happen before (except in almost EVERY police movie ever made) *sigh* The other problem I had was 'the man crying.' I felt like every other page he was breaking down, there were tears rolling down his face etc etc etc. And while he was propped up by some seriously tough women I just couldn't take all the man sobbing.
Not a bad book. I don't regret having read it but I see there's a second book and I'm not sure I'm in for that.
August 17, 2012
Would be very cool to win a copy of this. I would very much enjoy reading a novel like this based in my home city.
Thank you Harrison for a wonderful book. I very much enjoyed it and am looking forward to further installments in the Lincoln Munroe series.
This was not a long book but one that told two tales none the less. One story is about a serial killer in the London, ON area. His victims are all women killed and left to be discovered by their night shift working husbands. Gotta admit that was a little freaky seeing as I work nights! The other story is about our hero (or anti-hero is more likely) Lincoln Munroe IV and a long buried memory that can and will affect his life in the present. Both stories are well presented and I felt I was starting to get to know a new friend by the end. I will be reading the sequel "Blue Rubicon" and also looking to acquire Drake's other work "My Life In Darkness".
Thank you Harrison for a wonderful book. I very much enjoyed it and am looking forward to further installments in the Lincoln Munroe series.
This was not a long book but one that told two tales none the less. One story is about a serial killer in the London, ON area. His victims are all women killed and left to be discovered by their night shift working husbands. Gotta admit that was a little freaky seeing as I work nights! The other story is about our hero (or anti-hero is more likely) Lincoln Munroe IV and a long buried memory that can and will affect his life in the present. Both stories are well presented and I felt I was starting to get to know a new friend by the end. I will be reading the sequel "Blue Rubicon" and also looking to acquire Drake's other work "My Life In Darkness".
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