DI Matt Barnes has recovered from serious injuries sustained in the line of duty. He is now in a relationship with Dr Beth Holder, a criminal psychologist who consulted on a case involving a homicidal sociopath.
Now, the thirteen year old daughter of Detective Superintendent Ray Preston has been abducted, and Matt and Beth once more pool resources in an attempt track down the unknown suspect, who they believe holds a grudge against Ray Preston, and has specifically targeted his daughter to get back at him.
The perpetrator has an agenda: a need to avenge a perceived travesty of justice. His lethal intent is to both psychologically and then physically destroy all those that he considers guilty for his own loss and subsequent sense of wretchedness.
Matt, his team on the Special Crimes Unit, and Beth are looking for someone that has covered his tracks and can adapt to stay ahead in what he considers to be the ultimate game. He is the police’s worst nightmare; an opponent who does not conform to any pattern, and who, when cornered, will turn on his pursuers, not run from them.
As the body count rises, Matt and Beth stalk the faceless killer, only to find that they themselves are being hunted by him.
I write the type of original, action-packed, violent crime thrillers that I know I would enjoy reading if they were written by such authors as: Lee Child, David Baldacci, Harlan Coben, Michael Connelly and their ilk. Over twenty years in the Prison Service proved great research into the minds of criminals, and especially into the dark world that serial killers - of who I have met quite a few - frequent.
I live in a cottage a mile from the nearest main road in the Yorkshire Wolds, enjoy photography, the wildlife, and of course creating new characters to place in dilemmas that my mind dreams up.
What makes a good read? Believable protagonists that you care about, set in a story that stirs all of your emotions.
If you like crime fiction, then I believe that 'Deadly Reprisal' and 'A Reacher Kind of Guy - Aftermath' will push all the right buttons for you.
I must have enjoyed the first book in this series (which I read quite a while ago) as I had made a note to read on, but I won't be reading any more after this one. I enjoy the 'whodunnit' aspect to crime novels, and I like psychological thrillers, but this one just contained way too much graphic detail of the crimes for my taste.
A trip into hell with Matt Barnes. Michael Kerr’s imagination has no limits to the evil and gruesome nature of his villains and it makes for a breathtaking rollercoaster of a great story. Read it if you dare.
This is quite possibly the most violent book I have ever read. The only other book that has ever made me cringe this much was Tess Gerritsens The Mephisto Club. Now, I am not normally into hard hitting violent crime. Yet strangely I couldn't put it down. Michael Kerr has an amazing knack of being able to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout and just when you think you know what is coming he throw's you a curve ball. Not an unrealistic twist but just enough to make you raise your eyebrows and read on.
As with his first book the psychology in this book is written in amazing detail and you are left with no doubt what makes the perp 'tick' so to speak.
If you can handle a bit (actually a lot) of violent crime I recommend you give this a go. I don't think you will regret it.
This is probably the most graphic and gruesome book I have ever read. It is not for the faint hearted or squeamish. One of the things that annoyed me about this book is the amount of referencing and explanation of the first book. I know this is a sequel but I thought the majority of it was unnecessary. I will probably read the sequels, however this novel has not particularly spurned me on to do so in a hurry.
I did enjoy the book but did find it a bit gruesome. Certainly made me think about the author and how he came up with some of the ideas. I have purchased the next one so we'll see what happens next.
Like one of those films that you have too look away from because the violence is so unbelievably real but have too look back after a second be cause you have to know what happens one word brilliant