What do you think?
Rate this book
The Guilty
THE FIRST EXPLOSION KILLS THE TOYMAKER.
THE SECOND BOMB TAKES DOWN THE CITY'S MOST SUCCESSFUL REALTOR.
TWO ARE DEAD, ONE IS WOUNDED. BUT STILL NO SUSPECT.
It's clear to Homicide Detective Jacob Striker and his partner Felicia Santos that the two incidents are linked. But with no demands being made by the bomber, and no known connection between the victims, uncovering the motive seems impossible.
When Detective Harry Eckhart disappears, taking with him the lone survivor. His actions make no sense, and they force Striker to redirect his focus onto his fellow cops. It is an investigation Striker would prefer to avoid,but cannot - For the bomber is about to strike again.
And this time, it's much closer to home...
THE SECOND BOMB TAKES DOWN THE CITY'S MOST SUCCESSFUL REALTOR.
TWO ARE DEAD, ONE IS WOUNDED. BUT STILL NO SUSPECT.
It's clear to Homicide Detective Jacob Striker and his partner Felicia Santos that the two incidents are linked. But with no demands being made by the bomber, and no known connection between the victims, uncovering the motive seems impossible.
When Detective Harry Eckhart disappears, taking with him the lone survivor. His actions make no sense, and they force Striker to redirect his focus onto his fellow cops. It is an investigation Striker would prefer to avoid,but cannot - For the bomber is about to strike again.
And this time, it's much closer to home...
582 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
3 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
About the author
Sean Slater
15 books47 followersSean Slater is the pseudonym for Vancouver Police Officer Sean Sommerville. As a police officer, Sommerville works in Canada's poorest slum, the Downtown East Side - an area rife with poverty, mental illness, drug use, prostitution, and gang warfare. He has investigated everything from frauds and extortions to homicides. Sommerville has written numerous columns and editorials for the city newspaper. His work has been nominated for the Rupert Hughes Prose Award, and he was the grand-prize winner of the Sunday Serial Thriller contest, which was co-written by Daniel Kalla and published in the Vancouver Province. When not patrolling the 'Skids', Sommerville is working hard writing.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 29, 2014
I knew when I saw a new release, "The Guilty" by Sean Slater, I had to get it...and I was not disappointed. I was so impressed by one of his other books, "Snakes and Ladders", I told everyone about it. Sean Slater is the pseudonym for Vancouver Police Officer Sean Sommerville. As a police officer, Sommerville works in Canada's poorest slum, afflicted with poverty, mental illness, drug use, prostitution, and gang warfare. He has investigated everything from frauds and extortions to homicides. It is evident in his writing.
A Mad Bomber was blowing up the city! The result was at two explosion scenes, there were two dead women, both black, cousins, also one injured ex-husband of the second victim. But what was the connection and reason for the bombing?
When Homicide Detective Jacob Striker comes across a torture chamber in a steel barn down by the river, he is the lead detective assigned to the investigation. What followed were more bombs and more deaths. What was the motive? Someone was leaving a Toy Duck, dressed in a policeman's uniform, with a Red number on the front torso of the doll, at each bombing scene...to count off his victims. Striker soon realizes that these are not random acts...but acts of a psychopath. He needed to figures out this puzzle, to put an end to these horrendous acts.
This was a fast-paced long thriller novel, that played close attention to both the intrinsic plot and gripping characters. Impossible to put this novel down. Well worth the read.
A Mad Bomber was blowing up the city! The result was at two explosion scenes, there were two dead women, both black, cousins, also one injured ex-husband of the second victim. But what was the connection and reason for the bombing?
When Homicide Detective Jacob Striker comes across a torture chamber in a steel barn down by the river, he is the lead detective assigned to the investigation. What followed were more bombs and more deaths. What was the motive? Someone was leaving a Toy Duck, dressed in a policeman's uniform, with a Red number on the front torso of the doll, at each bombing scene...to count off his victims. Striker soon realizes that these are not random acts...but acts of a psychopath. He needed to figures out this puzzle, to put an end to these horrendous acts.
This was a fast-paced long thriller novel, that played close attention to both the intrinsic plot and gripping characters. Impossible to put this novel down. Well worth the read.
March 25, 2013
I loved " The Guilty". Having read the first two books, I was already familiar with the main characters and dove right in to this pager turner. If you want an action-packed thriller that keeps you guessing to the end, I highly recommend this book.
JB
JB
June 25, 2017
This is a brilliant novel with twists and turns, action packed from beginning to end. My wife and I really enjoyed this as the pace is weighted perfectly. It features Jacob Striker and Felicity Santos as two Vancouver detectives on the trail of a serial bomber who, it initially seems is randomly killing. It soon becomes apparent that this is not the case as more people become his victims. We both found this book unputdownable and superbly written. Love your work, Sean, keep it up.
May 5, 2019
A good continuation of the Jacob Striker series, which can serve as an excellent thorough stand-alone, or a continuation of Jacob's experiences as detective.
April 24, 2013
3.5
Sean Slater is an exciting new voice in the world of crime fiction, giving the reader a glimpse into Vancouver’s underworld and the experiences of the courageous police officers fighting a daily battle against crime in the city’s most troubled neighbourhoods.
After receiving a 911 call of a distressed young woman near an abandoned factory in one of Vancouver’s industrial areas, Jacob Striker and his partner Felicia Santos discover an improvised torture chamber where moments before a woman had been held hostage. Despite swift action by Striker, the perpetrator manages to escape with his victim. Through the victim’s unusual bracelet left behind at the scene, Striker manages to trace the name of the abducted woman – Dr Sharise Owens, a well respected trauma surgeon who has been missing from work for days.
Later that same day, Striker and Felicia get called to the site of an explosion which has destroyed a toy shop in central Vancouver, killing the owner in the blast. Thoughts of an accidental gas explosion are soon dismissed when Striker discovers that the toymaker was Sharise Owen’s cousin. As more explosions follow, the detectives must race against time to find a link between the victims which would give them clues to find the perpetrator before more lives are lost. Things become infinitely more complicated when it involves some of their own ….
The author, who is a real-life police officer in one of the toughest neighbourhoods in Vancouver, clearly draws on his own experience to create an atmosphere of action and suspense and create believable characters. Personally for me, one of the most satisfying aspects of a good police procedural is the background information, the how-to’s of the investigative process as well as an insight into procedural guidelines and forensics. As a police officer Slater has had first hand experience in these details and generously shares information with the reader which adds an element of authenticity and credibility to the novel.
When I first started reading Slater’s latest novel I was unaware that The Guilty is the third book in the Jacob Striker series, and heavily builds on previous novels in terms of character development. Although the story can be read as a stand-alone novel, I often felt that there were important details I was missing, for example to understand the somewhat complicated relationship between Striker and his partner Felicia Santos. It took me some time to work out the group dynamics and characters’ histories the book builds on, which created some distance between myself and the characters. I could never quite work out Felicia Santos, and admit I did not warm to her at all. Striker himself is a likeable hero in the mould of other famous crime novel protagonists such as Lee Child’s Jack Reacher or Dennis Lehane’s Patrick Kenzie – a bit of a loner, a man fighting for justice, not afraid to take action and even step out of line every now and then to achieve his means. The action itself involves Vancouver’s underworld, exploring the dark and sinister elements of the city.
The Guilty will appeal to readers who enjoy action packed police procedurals and are not afraid of a large cast of characters and a plot which changes direction many times throughout the book’s 579 pages, keeping an element of surprise to the very end of the story. However, if I had my time over again, I would definitely start with the first of the series, and read them in order to get a better understanding of the characters’ backgrounds.
Sean Slater is an exciting new voice in the world of crime fiction, giving the reader a glimpse into Vancouver’s underworld and the experiences of the courageous police officers fighting a daily battle against crime in the city’s most troubled neighbourhoods.
After receiving a 911 call of a distressed young woman near an abandoned factory in one of Vancouver’s industrial areas, Jacob Striker and his partner Felicia Santos discover an improvised torture chamber where moments before a woman had been held hostage. Despite swift action by Striker, the perpetrator manages to escape with his victim. Through the victim’s unusual bracelet left behind at the scene, Striker manages to trace the name of the abducted woman – Dr Sharise Owens, a well respected trauma surgeon who has been missing from work for days.
Later that same day, Striker and Felicia get called to the site of an explosion which has destroyed a toy shop in central Vancouver, killing the owner in the blast. Thoughts of an accidental gas explosion are soon dismissed when Striker discovers that the toymaker was Sharise Owen’s cousin. As more explosions follow, the detectives must race against time to find a link between the victims which would give them clues to find the perpetrator before more lives are lost. Things become infinitely more complicated when it involves some of their own ….
The author, who is a real-life police officer in one of the toughest neighbourhoods in Vancouver, clearly draws on his own experience to create an atmosphere of action and suspense and create believable characters. Personally for me, one of the most satisfying aspects of a good police procedural is the background information, the how-to’s of the investigative process as well as an insight into procedural guidelines and forensics. As a police officer Slater has had first hand experience in these details and generously shares information with the reader which adds an element of authenticity and credibility to the novel.
When I first started reading Slater’s latest novel I was unaware that The Guilty is the third book in the Jacob Striker series, and heavily builds on previous novels in terms of character development. Although the story can be read as a stand-alone novel, I often felt that there were important details I was missing, for example to understand the somewhat complicated relationship between Striker and his partner Felicia Santos. It took me some time to work out the group dynamics and characters’ histories the book builds on, which created some distance between myself and the characters. I could never quite work out Felicia Santos, and admit I did not warm to her at all. Striker himself is a likeable hero in the mould of other famous crime novel protagonists such as Lee Child’s Jack Reacher or Dennis Lehane’s Patrick Kenzie – a bit of a loner, a man fighting for justice, not afraid to take action and even step out of line every now and then to achieve his means. The action itself involves Vancouver’s underworld, exploring the dark and sinister elements of the city.
The Guilty will appeal to readers who enjoy action packed police procedurals and are not afraid of a large cast of characters and a plot which changes direction many times throughout the book’s 579 pages, keeping an element of surprise to the very end of the story. However, if I had my time over again, I would definitely start with the first of the series, and read them in order to get a better understanding of the characters’ backgrounds.
July 8, 2013
An authentic voice in crime police procedural novels, Sean Slater is the pseudonym for Sean Sommerville, a police officer in the Province of British Columbia, Canada.
This is the third book in the Jacob Striker series but can easily be read as a standalone. I intend to look up the earlier books in this series; such is Slater’s writing skill! This is a brilliantly thought out, well executed police procedural – full of explosive moments (literally), fast paced action, subtle humour and great contemporary dialogue.
I loved the rapport between the two main characters – Striker and Santos and thought the portrayal of their work and personal relationship was realistic and valid. The dialogue between them and the cast of characters in the novel was smooth, effortless and natural.
Slater creates a unique and visual sense of place and time in this book. We experience firsthand the gritty and grungy view of contemporary down side British Colombia; the dirty smoke belching industrial chimney stacks, industrial concrete waste lands, abandoned warehouses, run down public housing, drug users and sellers, motor cycle gangs and the everyday hard working citizens (which includes the police force) juxtaposed against the wealth and opulence of the English Bay area.
The topics of post traumatic stress – particularly relating to service in the armed forces and the recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, are one of the major issues discussed in this novel; this rhyme is constant feature in the book and highlights the state of mind the bomber is in.
Tommy Atkins went to war
And he came back a man no more.
Went to Baghdad and Sar-e.
He died, that man who looked like me.
Corruption in the police force is another topic this book tackles. Don’t be discouraged this is not a novel that is about shouting in your face causes or politics though they do play a part in the narrative; this is a story about modern life, about death – be it from illness, accident, crime and war and the affects death has on the living, it is about choices we make, about the things we chose to believe in and the positions we take and how the past can return to haunt us. This story has an edginess that is disturbing – it concerns how issues can become black and white and not grey – positions where the truth is skewed and no one wins. But above all this is a superb police procedural with empathetic characters, a fantastic story line, plenty of action, drama and a sense of realness that is unsettling. I am a fan!
This is the third book in the Jacob Striker series but can easily be read as a standalone. I intend to look up the earlier books in this series; such is Slater’s writing skill! This is a brilliantly thought out, well executed police procedural – full of explosive moments (literally), fast paced action, subtle humour and great contemporary dialogue.
I loved the rapport between the two main characters – Striker and Santos and thought the portrayal of their work and personal relationship was realistic and valid. The dialogue between them and the cast of characters in the novel was smooth, effortless and natural.
Slater creates a unique and visual sense of place and time in this book. We experience firsthand the gritty and grungy view of contemporary down side British Colombia; the dirty smoke belching industrial chimney stacks, industrial concrete waste lands, abandoned warehouses, run down public housing, drug users and sellers, motor cycle gangs and the everyday hard working citizens (which includes the police force) juxtaposed against the wealth and opulence of the English Bay area.
The topics of post traumatic stress – particularly relating to service in the armed forces and the recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, are one of the major issues discussed in this novel; this rhyme is constant feature in the book and highlights the state of mind the bomber is in.
Tommy Atkins went to war
And he came back a man no more.
Went to Baghdad and Sar-e.
He died, that man who looked like me.
Corruption in the police force is another topic this book tackles. Don’t be discouraged this is not a novel that is about shouting in your face causes or politics though they do play a part in the narrative; this is a story about modern life, about death – be it from illness, accident, crime and war and the affects death has on the living, it is about choices we make, about the things we chose to believe in and the positions we take and how the past can return to haunt us. This story has an edginess that is disturbing – it concerns how issues can become black and white and not grey – positions where the truth is skewed and no one wins. But above all this is a superb police procedural with empathetic characters, a fantastic story line, plenty of action, drama and a sense of realness that is unsettling. I am a fan!
March 23, 2013
Are you a fan of murder novels ? Love the fast-paced action packed ones rather than the slow murder mysteries that divulge too deep into the forensics side of things ? For me, when it comes to my murder mysteries I need them to be gripping otherwise it's like BOORRING. I need to be kept entertained throughout the whole novel.
Sean Slater is one of those authors that though his books may be chunky, he has managed to pull of a fast-paced and gripping serial killer tale. All of his book are based around the main detective called Jacob Striker and his police homicide team.
In The Guilty, they are sent to a scene of an abandoned building and a bomb site . Interrupted the killer has escaped along with the victim , has the victim been killed or has the killer got something else in mind for her ? Soon not one, but two people have been killed in a bombing incident , are the two cases different or is somebody trying to send a message to the police ? What will happen when it is discovered that the killer is hunting down ex and current police officers of a unit that existed fifteen years ago ? What has triggered this attack and why now ? Who has been holding onto a grudge for this long and why ?
The Guilty is a novel that will have you gripped as we delve deeper into the reason of the case and read as Striker and his partner both at work and in bed Felicia unearth a police conspiracy that has laid dormant for all these years ?
The Guilty by Sean Slater , if you love mystery novels and want to be held captive to the work of crime is the book for you and while you are at it. Check out his previous two novels The Survivor and Snakes & Ladders.
Sean Slater is one of those authors that though his books may be chunky, he has managed to pull of a fast-paced and gripping serial killer tale. All of his book are based around the main detective called Jacob Striker and his police homicide team.
In The Guilty, they are sent to a scene of an abandoned building and a bomb site . Interrupted the killer has escaped along with the victim , has the victim been killed or has the killer got something else in mind for her ? Soon not one, but two people have been killed in a bombing incident , are the two cases different or is somebody trying to send a message to the police ? What will happen when it is discovered that the killer is hunting down ex and current police officers of a unit that existed fifteen years ago ? What has triggered this attack and why now ? Who has been holding onto a grudge for this long and why ?
The Guilty is a novel that will have you gripped as we delve deeper into the reason of the case and read as Striker and his partner both at work and in bed Felicia unearth a police conspiracy that has laid dormant for all these years ?
The Guilty by Sean Slater , if you love mystery novels and want to be held captive to the work of crime is the book for you and while you are at it. Check out his previous two novels The Survivor and Snakes & Ladders.
September 15, 2013
This is a great read, it caught my attention and held it through out the whole story. The author's familiarity with the city of Vancouver and how the police work there is obvious. He has the knack of describing the location while at the same time moving the characters and story along which is not found that often these days. Although this is the third book in the series it definitely stood alone. I have not read the earlier books yet and had no difficulty with any of the characters. After reading this book, I downloaded the other books to read.
The main character is a homicide detective who stumbles across a torture chamber when he and his partner go to a 911 call because they are the closest car. Then suddenly there are bombs going off and people being shot for no reason at all it seems. The case leads to motor cycle gangs, old cops, famous business people, and a former English war hero. Trying to join all the different clues together and keep his close police friend, his girlfriend, and himself alive all lead to a fast paced thrill tingling read by a fairly new Canadian writer.
The main character is a homicide detective who stumbles across a torture chamber when he and his partner go to a 911 call because they are the closest car. Then suddenly there are bombs going off and people being shot for no reason at all it seems. The case leads to motor cycle gangs, old cops, famous business people, and a former English war hero. Trying to join all the different clues together and keep his close police friend, his girlfriend, and himself alive all lead to a fast paced thrill tingling read by a fairly new Canadian writer.
December 8, 2013
I actually quite liked this novel though I felt that it was entirely too long. There was always plot progression so it can't be said that the plot itself was boring, but it was so long that I was bored with the whole thing after about 300 pages and ready to start skipping pages by 400/450.
I enjoyed the intricacies of the novel though I did find myself confusing people after a while as more and more characters were introduced.
Also, it annoyed me that every analyst or investigator or techie or whoever, was named and their history given, and Striker liked them all! There wasn't one he didn't like, even when they turned out to be criminals.
I enjoyed the intricacies of the novel though I did find myself confusing people after a while as more and more characters were introduced.
Also, it annoyed me that every analyst or investigator or techie or whoever, was named and their history given, and Striker liked them all! There wasn't one he didn't like, even when they turned out to be criminals.
October 2, 2013
Picked this up based on the suggestion that Michael Connolly fans would like it! Not sure I liked it because I like Connolly, feels very different and thought it stood up for itself. Have not read the previous books, but will look forward to doing so. Enjoyed the way the plot led you to think you knew what was coming next only to find yourself going down a dead end. Having said that those teasing moments occurred so early and frequently in the book that you knew something else needed to happen because there was still 200 pages to go! Well worth reading though.
February 17, 2014
This wasn't too bad overall, it could have maybe done with being 100 pages shorter, which could have been achieved if the author stopped sending the characters out for coffee..
A toy maker and her store are blown to bits, a leading estate agent survives a similar attack. Jacob Striker soon realises that the cases are linked but there is no connection between the two victims. When Harry Eckhart, a fellow officer disappears with the survivor. Striker and Santos have to unwillingly focus their investigation on a fellow cop before the bomber strikes again.
A toy maker and her store are blown to bits, a leading estate agent survives a similar attack. Jacob Striker soon realises that the cases are linked but there is no connection between the two victims. When Harry Eckhart, a fellow officer disappears with the survivor. Striker and Santos have to unwillingly focus their investigation on a fellow cop before the bomber strikes again.
October 2, 2016
I am a lover of crime novels and I do enjoy the different lead detectives developed by the different authors. I did love Jacob Striker but in this book I fear his character has remained static and not moved on at all. I found the whole book dated (which it chronolocally isn't) and slightly unbelievable. It could just be that we have been inundated in the real world in unimaginable atrocities in real trouble struck areas that Vancouver as a setting made everything seem slightly unrealistic. Not Slater at his best sadly
August 31, 2016
The plot was a little improbable and the characterisation was a little weak - I didn't really get into the main (or alternate) characters, nor, at the end, did I particularly care about them. I would rate this as a run-of-the-mill thriller.
Read
February 8, 2016Convoluted and (I hope) far-fetched, but Striker and Santos are worth getting to know better. When they eventually put all the evidence together and figure out what is going on, one of them remarks that it would make a hell of a good novel....made me laugh!
March 4, 2014
Good story. its a shame that the product placement slips in, but it's not too often to be a real pain.
August 18, 2015
It was exciting, suspenseful, and intriguing. I couldn't put this book down. It's fully packed short chapters made it an easy read, which I appreciated. Love locally based stories as well.
April 28, 2017
Got to love a great police procedural thriller!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews