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DI Sean Corrigan #3
The Toy Taker
The third novel in the DI Sean Corrigan series—authentic and terrifying crime fiction with a psychological edge, by an ex-Met detective. Perfect for fans of Mark Billingham, Peter James and Stuart MacBride.
Your child has been taken...
Snatched in the dead of night from the safety of the family home. There’s no sign of forced entry, no one heard or saw a thing.
DI Sean Corrigan investigates.
He needs to find four-year-old George Bridgeman before abduction becomes murder. But his ability to see into dark minds, to think like those he hunts, has deserted him—just when he needs it most.
Another child vanishes.
What kind of monster is Corrigan hunting? And will he work it out in time to save the children?
Your child has been taken...
Snatched in the dead of night from the safety of the family home. There’s no sign of forced entry, no one heard or saw a thing.
DI Sean Corrigan investigates.
He needs to find four-year-old George Bridgeman before abduction becomes murder. But his ability to see into dark minds, to think like those he hunts, has deserted him—just when he needs it most.
Another child vanishes.
What kind of monster is Corrigan hunting? And will he work it out in time to save the children?
448 pages, Hardcover
First published February 13, 2014
58 people are currently reading
923 people want to read
About the author
Luke Delaney
39 books290 followersLuke Delaney joined the Metropolitan Police Service in the late 1980s and his first posting was to an inner city area of South East London notorious for high levels of crime and extreme violence. He later joined CID where he investigated murders ranging from those committed by fledgling serial killers to gangland assassinations.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
June 30, 2016
As with the previous two books by this author, this book was just too long and repetitive! Four children are abducted, with the third one accidentally suffocated. It isn't until the fourth that DI Sean Corrigan finds how the abductor gets each child to cooperate. After each abduction, Corrigan asks himself the same questions, orders his team to investigate the same things, and his superiors pressure him and threaten to remove him from the case.
Excluding the 0.5, 0.6, and 0.7 short stories, Luke Delaney has one more book in the Corrigan series and a new stand alone. However, I think I'm done with this author.
Excluding the 0.5, 0.6, and 0.7 short stories, Luke Delaney has one more book in the Corrigan series and a new stand alone. However, I think I'm done with this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2015
I really wish I had have read the previous books before reading this. However I was still able to enjoy this book as a standalone. I'll certainly be adding the previous books in my wish list.
DI Sean Corrigan has moved to New Scotland Yard to run the Special Investigations Unit with two DCs Donnelly and Sally.
Their first case is a child abduction. Just when they thought they had the abductor another child goes missing. I found this to be an edge of the seat read wondering who is taking the kids.
If your looking for a well written fast paced crime thriller then I certainly recommend this story and this author. Looking forward to reading more from him.
DI Sean Corrigan has moved to New Scotland Yard to run the Special Investigations Unit with two DCs Donnelly and Sally.
Their first case is a child abduction. Just when they thought they had the abductor another child goes missing. I found this to be an edge of the seat read wondering who is taking the kids.
If your looking for a well written fast paced crime thriller then I certainly recommend this story and this author. Looking forward to reading more from him.
January 30, 2014
since the Publishers sent me the first book (which I didn’t even get around to reading for at least 10 months) I was blown away by Luke Delaney. As soon as I had finished his debut novel featuring DI Sean Corrigan (entitled **), I had to read the second one almost immediately. With the third release due out February 2014. I was absolutely itching to get my hands on it. Luckily for me the Publishers sent me an early review copy (YAY).
The book starts out as the previous two have by throwing you headfirst into DI Corrigans world. He, along with his colleagues Dave Donnelly and Sally Jones are being relocated to Scotland Yard to become part of the newly formed Special Investigations Unit. As such they get landed with the worst crimes, which involve the disappearance of children. The thing I love about these books is not only the characters but the writing style too. I would say under normal circumstances that this author has clearly done his research. However, Luke Delaney (not his real name) was in the Met Police, followed by the CID. It is clear that Mr D clearly gets the experience and realism from his old day job!
Sean Corrigan is a character who is so interesting. He has a dark side which enables him to have remarkable insight. No, not in the sense of being psychic, just an inner strength to see things from the perspective of the killers he chases. In this latest instalment Sean’s life is topsy-turvy and the pressures of every day life are making him lose this ability. This gives the edge back to the book as the one thing that makes him better than the rest is ‘his edge’. Once again Delaney has crafted a magnificent book, which had my toes curling in fear as I almost felt like I was in the killers mind. We also get to see Sean’s personal life a little more in this book. His world is rocked with the pressures of his working and home life and we see him make some hasty decisions!
I think the first two books slightly held the edge over this one, but just in terms of story. The first two I seemed to hold my breath a lot more! :-) I still stand by what I previously said; Luke Delaney is one to watch. I have a feeling this guy will in a few years be up there with the long time best sellers like Lee Child, Harlan Coben and Peter James! I absolutely love this series and cannot wait for the next one. The fact that LD uses a Pseudonym makes me even more curious than usual about the author, but I guess with his past job its just something he cant do (Damn it!). Trust me on this, if you haven’t read one of his books I think you should make sure you add this to your must read list
The book starts out as the previous two have by throwing you headfirst into DI Corrigans world. He, along with his colleagues Dave Donnelly and Sally Jones are being relocated to Scotland Yard to become part of the newly formed Special Investigations Unit. As such they get landed with the worst crimes, which involve the disappearance of children. The thing I love about these books is not only the characters but the writing style too. I would say under normal circumstances that this author has clearly done his research. However, Luke Delaney (not his real name) was in the Met Police, followed by the CID. It is clear that Mr D clearly gets the experience and realism from his old day job!
Sean Corrigan is a character who is so interesting. He has a dark side which enables him to have remarkable insight. No, not in the sense of being psychic, just an inner strength to see things from the perspective of the killers he chases. In this latest instalment Sean’s life is topsy-turvy and the pressures of every day life are making him lose this ability. This gives the edge back to the book as the one thing that makes him better than the rest is ‘his edge’. Once again Delaney has crafted a magnificent book, which had my toes curling in fear as I almost felt like I was in the killers mind. We also get to see Sean’s personal life a little more in this book. His world is rocked with the pressures of his working and home life and we see him make some hasty decisions!
I think the first two books slightly held the edge over this one, but just in terms of story. The first two I seemed to hold my breath a lot more! :-) I still stand by what I previously said; Luke Delaney is one to watch. I have a feeling this guy will in a few years be up there with the long time best sellers like Lee Child, Harlan Coben and Peter James! I absolutely love this series and cannot wait for the next one. The fact that LD uses a Pseudonym makes me even more curious than usual about the author, but I guess with his past job its just something he cant do (Damn it!). Trust me on this, if you haven’t read one of his books I think you should make sure you add this to your must read list
March 25, 2014
This is good, very very good.
My hero, DI Sean Corrigan is back with his trusty team of DC's, Sally and Donnelly. The team are moved to New Scotland Yard with a new title, Special Investigations Unit, and their first case is a child abduction from a wealthy London suburb. There is no evidence of a break in and all the windows are locked. We know the perpetrators thoughts and actions but we don't know who it is, only, from his perspective, why he is doing it.
Along the way Sean is met with lots of problems, not least the dreadful ACC Addis who is wanting a quick result to further his own career.
Another child goes missing and there comes a race against time to find who is doing this and where the children are. Sean, ever the maverick and very insightful cop, does things his way; sometimes he gets it wrong but he is always right in the end.
I absolutely couldn't put this book down until I had finished it. The pace never lets up, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, as I have done the previous two books and the two novellas.
The writing is just brilliant and I cannot wait for the next Luke Delaney book with the brilliant Sean Corrigan.
I now need to go and calm my racing heart and get my breathing back to normal,
Brilliant.
My hero, DI Sean Corrigan is back with his trusty team of DC's, Sally and Donnelly. The team are moved to New Scotland Yard with a new title, Special Investigations Unit, and their first case is a child abduction from a wealthy London suburb. There is no evidence of a break in and all the windows are locked. We know the perpetrators thoughts and actions but we don't know who it is, only, from his perspective, why he is doing it.
Along the way Sean is met with lots of problems, not least the dreadful ACC Addis who is wanting a quick result to further his own career.
Another child goes missing and there comes a race against time to find who is doing this and where the children are. Sean, ever the maverick and very insightful cop, does things his way; sometimes he gets it wrong but he is always right in the end.
I absolutely couldn't put this book down until I had finished it. The pace never lets up, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, as I have done the previous two books and the two novellas.
The writing is just brilliant and I cannot wait for the next Luke Delaney book with the brilliant Sean Corrigan.
I now need to go and calm my racing heart and get my breathing back to normal,
Brilliant.
October 9, 2015
Another run of the mill detective story, where the detective has a dark or troubled past and his wife/spouse doesn't like his job and thinks he should be spending more time at home. And he has trouble with authority/his bosses. Hasn't this sort of cliche run its course by now?
And hasn't this author or publisher heard of chapter breaks?
The book was over 400 pages and there were about only 13 or 14 chapters in the whole thing. It made it seem much longer without chapter breaks.
And I didn't like that we got to see who the culprit was before the detective did. It felt like the reader was cheated out of the denouement. I know I certainly felt cheated. Not a good feeling to end the book on.
And hasn't this author or publisher heard of chapter breaks?
The book was over 400 pages and there were about only 13 or 14 chapters in the whole thing. It made it seem much longer without chapter breaks.
And I didn't like that we got to see who the culprit was before the detective did. It felt like the reader was cheated out of the denouement. I know I certainly felt cheated. Not a good feeling to end the book on.
February 5, 2014
The Return of the Brilliant DI Corrigan
Luke Delaney has written another brilliant crime thriller in the DI Sean Corrigan series and takes him to yet another level and more importantly leave the reader guessing all the way to the end of the book. With all crime novels we always get the who, what and the why, in this novel you have to discover whether those are answered fully and only you can make that decision.
The Toy Taker is six months on for DI Sean Corrigan from his previous outing in The Keeper and his team have not had any real action for those six months, still based in Peckham his team are happy but in serious need of some action and more importantly some overtime to help with the cost of London living. That is until Assistant Commissioner Addis decides they need to move to Scotland Yard and become his Special Investigations Unit, and he hands them a case that looks like a missing persons case and applies the pressure for the case to be solved quickly and quietly as possible, not everything goes towards Addis’ plan.
Someone is breaking in to houses at night, by being able to pick locks avoid alarms walk through the house and take a child, lock up behind and leave no trace of him being there. This someone is taking children from the rich and affluent of Hampstead and Primrose Hill and leaving nothing for Corrigan to use his skills to crack the case. With every missing child the pressure is cranked up on Corrigan even more so when one child turns up dead on the grave of a former Met Police Officer and VC hero.
Will Corrigan be able to crack the case from what little he has? What is clear that it is driving him to distraction he cannot focus and he cannot see any link between the abductions. He needs a lucky break and whether he can get it depends on what he can read from all the crime scenes and he is worried that he just cannot see what is in front of him.
This book is an excellent crime thriller which really keeps you on the edge of the seat and turning pages because you want to know who will succeed Corrigan or The Toy Taker. It is touch and go all the way to the end of the book and only then do you discover the answer, whether you are satisfied with that answer is a different matter.
Luke Delaney has written another brilliant crime thriller in the DI Sean Corrigan series and takes him to yet another level and more importantly leave the reader guessing all the way to the end of the book. With all crime novels we always get the who, what and the why, in this novel you have to discover whether those are answered fully and only you can make that decision.
The Toy Taker is six months on for DI Sean Corrigan from his previous outing in The Keeper and his team have not had any real action for those six months, still based in Peckham his team are happy but in serious need of some action and more importantly some overtime to help with the cost of London living. That is until Assistant Commissioner Addis decides they need to move to Scotland Yard and become his Special Investigations Unit, and he hands them a case that looks like a missing persons case and applies the pressure for the case to be solved quickly and quietly as possible, not everything goes towards Addis’ plan.
Someone is breaking in to houses at night, by being able to pick locks avoid alarms walk through the house and take a child, lock up behind and leave no trace of him being there. This someone is taking children from the rich and affluent of Hampstead and Primrose Hill and leaving nothing for Corrigan to use his skills to crack the case. With every missing child the pressure is cranked up on Corrigan even more so when one child turns up dead on the grave of a former Met Police Officer and VC hero.
Will Corrigan be able to crack the case from what little he has? What is clear that it is driving him to distraction he cannot focus and he cannot see any link between the abductions. He needs a lucky break and whether he can get it depends on what he can read from all the crime scenes and he is worried that he just cannot see what is in front of him.
This book is an excellent crime thriller which really keeps you on the edge of the seat and turning pages because you want to know who will succeed Corrigan or The Toy Taker. It is touch and go all the way to the end of the book and only then do you discover the answer, whether you are satisfied with that answer is a different matter.
March 14, 2014
DI Sean Corrigan is having a bad time, he is recovering from a wounded shoulder, there have been no new cases for some time and his officers are getting restless. Out of the blue he is asked to move to Scotland Yard to form a Special Investigation Unit, designed to get results on the more unusual cases. No sooner have Corrigan and his team put all their belongings into boxes for the move from Peckham to Victoria than George Bridgeman, just four years old, is taken from his bed.
Now child abduction is a tricky subject to write about, after all someone that can come into your home and steal your child while you sleep is every parent’s worst nightmare, but Luke Delaney handles the subject in a far more sensitive way than I had expected.
As Corrigan sets about his investigation he considers the reason why someone would want a child. However when as time goes by he worries that he has lost his powers of intuition that have guided him in the past.
The book is well-paced I kept turning the pages to see if the likeable DI Corrigan could find the link that will give him his culprit. Dave Donnelly and Sally Jones are distinct characters with depth, although the story’s focus is Corrigan they are well-rounded with nuanced interactions with the their boss, and the rest of the team. The Toy Taker certainly has an authentic feel, it is quite a reflective book for a crime novel and gives the reader an insider’s view of a team of officers trying to beat the clock to get the result they need. Modern policing means using the media to get results and here ‘the brass’ hold press conferences in a bid to find The Toy Taker both for a platform for public assistance as well as warding off criticism from the public for not saving this angelic looking child.
If you want a meaty crime thriller I’d recommend this author, although I would suggest starting at the beginning of the series.
I received a copy of this book from Amazon Vine in return for my honest review.
Now child abduction is a tricky subject to write about, after all someone that can come into your home and steal your child while you sleep is every parent’s worst nightmare, but Luke Delaney handles the subject in a far more sensitive way than I had expected.
As Corrigan sets about his investigation he considers the reason why someone would want a child. However when as time goes by he worries that he has lost his powers of intuition that have guided him in the past.
The book is well-paced I kept turning the pages to see if the likeable DI Corrigan could find the link that will give him his culprit. Dave Donnelly and Sally Jones are distinct characters with depth, although the story’s focus is Corrigan they are well-rounded with nuanced interactions with the their boss, and the rest of the team. The Toy Taker certainly has an authentic feel, it is quite a reflective book for a crime novel and gives the reader an insider’s view of a team of officers trying to beat the clock to get the result they need. Modern policing means using the media to get results and here ‘the brass’ hold press conferences in a bid to find The Toy Taker both for a platform for public assistance as well as warding off criticism from the public for not saving this angelic looking child.
If you want a meaty crime thriller I’d recommend this author, although I would suggest starting at the beginning of the series.
I received a copy of this book from Amazon Vine in return for my honest review.
August 12, 2015
Very good read. Turning into a very good series.
September 26, 2017
This is the first book I've read in this series and, although it is actually the third in the series and there are a few references to, what I presume, were previous cases, this in no way diminishes the gripping nature of the narrative.
The author is a former London policeman (Met and CID) so, understandably, the storyline focuses as much on the anatomy of the investigation as the crimes themselves. In some ways it reminded me of another series written by a former police officer:
Jørn Lier Horst's William Wisting series
D.I. Sean Corrigan and his team are forcibly relocated from their offices in Peckham, South London to New Scotland Yard in order to solve the abductions of children in and around the prosperous enclaves of Hampstead, North London. As well as having to deal with distraught parents, Sean is constantly in contention with the political machinations of Deputy Commissioner Robert Addis - a character I found even more loathsome than the, eventually revealed, child-abductor.
All in all this was an extremely well-written and engaging novel and it's heart was always in the right place. I hope to find some time in the near future to read more of what promises to be a very enjoyable series.
The author is a former London policeman (Met and CID) so, understandably, the storyline focuses as much on the anatomy of the investigation as the crimes themselves. In some ways it reminded me of another series written by a former police officer:
Jørn Lier Horst's William Wisting series
D.I. Sean Corrigan and his team are forcibly relocated from their offices in Peckham, South London to New Scotland Yard in order to solve the abductions of children in and around the prosperous enclaves of Hampstead, North London. As well as having to deal with distraught parents, Sean is constantly in contention with the political machinations of Deputy Commissioner Robert Addis - a character I found even more loathsome than the, eventually revealed, child-abductor.
All in all this was an extremely well-written and engaging novel and it's heart was always in the right place. I hope to find some time in the near future to read more of what promises to be a very enjoyable series.
January 21, 2015
I have had this book sitting on my Kindle for almost a year, and after finishing it I'm actually kicking myself for not reading it sooner, especially after I read and loved Luke's first two books, Cold Killing and The Keeper. Those two books were good, but I'd say The Toy Taker is in another league, and Luke is clearly an author that is only going to improve with each book that he releases, which I think is very exciting. Never again will I leave one of his books lying on my Kindle unread (and if you have one of his on your TBR, I would advise you to read it straightaway)!
Sean Corrigan is one of the more intriguing police officers I have read about, given that he has this unique ability to see into the mind of a killer, to put himself in their shoes and completely understand their thought processes, using it to hunt killers down. Usually, I'd hate something like this, an ability that turns him into some sort of Supercop that can handle everything, yet Sean isn't perfect. He's human with the same fears and flaws that everybody else has, but yes he does have this ability that makes him fascinating to read about, and gives Luke's books their psychological edge, which I love. This time around though Sean's ability has deserted him, at the worst possible time as he is on the hunt for a missing child and he isn't long into the investigation before another goes missing, can Sean capture the monster and save the children? Well.. I'm certainly not going to answer that question, I'm just going to tell you to read this book! I've read hundreds of crime novels, but very few have gripped me as much as this one.
Sean and his team are on the move, from Peckham to New Scotland Yard, and his team are not happy about that. Sean is going to be heading up the Special Investigations Unit, a unit that will handle the absolute worst cases a police officer can ever investigate. But Sean's bosses know that there's nobody more suited to head up this team than him, and deep down Sean knows it too. Straightaway I got caught up in the politics that make up Sean's world. He has demands from every corner of his life, his bosses want the child found ASAP, his colleagues want to know why they are being uprooted and his home life is in disarray as his wife is far from happy as the move means Sean will be spending even more time away from home. Sean and the team haven't even unpacked their things when they are on the case of the missing four-year-old. With a suspect lined-up who fits the bill perfectly (perhaps too perfectly for him to be anything other than a red herring?) it could just be an open and shut case, but with certain family members being a bit iffy, everything isn't as it seems and I spent the book going back and forth, changing my mind constantly and completely on edge knowing that the twists could come at any time (and believe me, they do).
The pacing of these books is perfect, they are long reads but absolutely worth the time invested in them. What I also love is the procedural element which at times reminded me a little of Lynda La Plante's books. Following the team gathering evidence, interviewing suspects, and the everyday banter amongst them. The secondary characters are all well developed also, all having their roles to play and having their own individual stories within the book. Sally is a particular favourite of mine, having lived through some rather traumatic experiences in the previous books she's a character I am really able to root for. Donnelly is also an interesting character, and one that I've never been one hundred percent sure I can trust and as for Sean Corrigan, I said he was intriguing but that doesn't even cut it. Even after three books there's still so much we don't know about him, and he's fast becoming one of my favourite fictional detectives (I say this a lot, how many can I have?!). As for the villains, Luke never fails to create villains that are truly despicable, and that you feel genuine hatred for. It really is just crime fiction done perfectly.
I don't want to say too much more as Luke's next book, The Jackdaw is out very soon and as I think it'll be a fantastic read I'll probably only be repeating myself when I review it. Luke Delaney is definitely underrated in my eyes, writing some of the best crime fiction books in recent years, for crime fans yet to pick up one of his books, you would be well advised to get your hands on Cold Killing. The comparisons to various crime authors are more than deserved, but if it's quality rather than popularity that you go for, I think you'll read Luke's books and agree that they are better than some of their latest efforts. Crime fiction this good doesn't come along often, but when it does it deserves to be read.
Sean Corrigan is one of the more intriguing police officers I have read about, given that he has this unique ability to see into the mind of a killer, to put himself in their shoes and completely understand their thought processes, using it to hunt killers down. Usually, I'd hate something like this, an ability that turns him into some sort of Supercop that can handle everything, yet Sean isn't perfect. He's human with the same fears and flaws that everybody else has, but yes he does have this ability that makes him fascinating to read about, and gives Luke's books their psychological edge, which I love. This time around though Sean's ability has deserted him, at the worst possible time as he is on the hunt for a missing child and he isn't long into the investigation before another goes missing, can Sean capture the monster and save the children? Well.. I'm certainly not going to answer that question, I'm just going to tell you to read this book! I've read hundreds of crime novels, but very few have gripped me as much as this one.
Sean and his team are on the move, from Peckham to New Scotland Yard, and his team are not happy about that. Sean is going to be heading up the Special Investigations Unit, a unit that will handle the absolute worst cases a police officer can ever investigate. But Sean's bosses know that there's nobody more suited to head up this team than him, and deep down Sean knows it too. Straightaway I got caught up in the politics that make up Sean's world. He has demands from every corner of his life, his bosses want the child found ASAP, his colleagues want to know why they are being uprooted and his home life is in disarray as his wife is far from happy as the move means Sean will be spending even more time away from home. Sean and the team haven't even unpacked their things when they are on the case of the missing four-year-old. With a suspect lined-up who fits the bill perfectly (perhaps too perfectly for him to be anything other than a red herring?) it could just be an open and shut case, but with certain family members being a bit iffy, everything isn't as it seems and I spent the book going back and forth, changing my mind constantly and completely on edge knowing that the twists could come at any time (and believe me, they do).
The pacing of these books is perfect, they are long reads but absolutely worth the time invested in them. What I also love is the procedural element which at times reminded me a little of Lynda La Plante's books. Following the team gathering evidence, interviewing suspects, and the everyday banter amongst them. The secondary characters are all well developed also, all having their roles to play and having their own individual stories within the book. Sally is a particular favourite of mine, having lived through some rather traumatic experiences in the previous books she's a character I am really able to root for. Donnelly is also an interesting character, and one that I've never been one hundred percent sure I can trust and as for Sean Corrigan, I said he was intriguing but that doesn't even cut it. Even after three books there's still so much we don't know about him, and he's fast becoming one of my favourite fictional detectives (I say this a lot, how many can I have?!). As for the villains, Luke never fails to create villains that are truly despicable, and that you feel genuine hatred for. It really is just crime fiction done perfectly.
I don't want to say too much more as Luke's next book, The Jackdaw is out very soon and as I think it'll be a fantastic read I'll probably only be repeating myself when I review it. Luke Delaney is definitely underrated in my eyes, writing some of the best crime fiction books in recent years, for crime fans yet to pick up one of his books, you would be well advised to get your hands on Cold Killing. The comparisons to various crime authors are more than deserved, but if it's quality rather than popularity that you go for, I think you'll read Luke's books and agree that they are better than some of their latest efforts. Crime fiction this good doesn't come along often, but when it does it deserves to be read.
February 13, 2014
Having established himself on the British crime scene with Cold Killing and The Keeper , Luke Delaney once again delights and chills with the new outing for the wonderfully tortured Sean Corrigan in The Toy Taker…
Although on the surface, both in The Keeper and The Toy Taker, Delaney takes quite well-trodden themes of female and child abduction, he lifts his books out of the ordinary with the power and mesmerising interest created by his central character DI Sean Corrigan. In The Toy Taker, small children are being abducted from their homes, and with his team woefully under-employed, Corrigan and his team are redeployed at Scotland Yard as a Special Investigation Unit as the abductions increase. This is a great move by Delaney in the development of the characters in Corrigan’s team, as nothing winds up your average copper more than being in the full glare of the top brass, and the demands they place upon the team’s success. Delaney captures this tension beautifully throughout as we see Corrigan returning to mental and physical fitness after the events of The Keeper, and the tensions that arise through his recovery and the impact on the psychology of his team. Once again, we are immersed in the darkest imaginings of the incomparable Corrigan as he seeks to channel the thoughts and motivations of the abductor, and the personal mental anguish this produces in him. Thus the plot is punctured throughout with these glorious streams of consciousness by Corrigan, trying to think like and outwit this cruel and unusual abductor. On the road to discovery, there is a brilliant game of cat and mouse with a particularly insidious pervert, giving Delaney the chance to portray the frustrations so prevalent for the police in investigations of this kind. Again thanks to Delaney’s personal experience within the police, the feeling of authenticity and realism in this book is always resonant, making the whole premise of the investigation that much more vital and chilling, to the genuinely tense conclusion.
There is always the fear that as a writer becomes more established, that sometimes the quality of their writing, particularly within the demands of producing serial novels, can become diminished with the deadlines placed upon them. I am more than happy to report that Delaney is genuinely going from strength to strength, both in the compulsive attraction of his central protagonist, but also by the fleshing out of others within Corrigan’s team. As I said in the opening, child abduction is an all too common motif of crime thriller writing, but Delaney really does ascend the other pedestrian portrayals of this type of crime, with the day to day angst of, and the demands placed upon police officers, as the clock ticks against them. Through the ruminations and analytical mind of Sean Corrigan, who shows no compunction at fully entering the mind of the perpetrator, there is always an increased level of interest for the reader, that I’ve seldom seen bettered in the police procedural/serial killer genre. Delaney has produced another winner, begging the question- just what will he come up with next? A great read.
Although on the surface, both in The Keeper and The Toy Taker, Delaney takes quite well-trodden themes of female and child abduction, he lifts his books out of the ordinary with the power and mesmerising interest created by his central character DI Sean Corrigan. In The Toy Taker, small children are being abducted from their homes, and with his team woefully under-employed, Corrigan and his team are redeployed at Scotland Yard as a Special Investigation Unit as the abductions increase. This is a great move by Delaney in the development of the characters in Corrigan’s team, as nothing winds up your average copper more than being in the full glare of the top brass, and the demands they place upon the team’s success. Delaney captures this tension beautifully throughout as we see Corrigan returning to mental and physical fitness after the events of The Keeper, and the tensions that arise through his recovery and the impact on the psychology of his team. Once again, we are immersed in the darkest imaginings of the incomparable Corrigan as he seeks to channel the thoughts and motivations of the abductor, and the personal mental anguish this produces in him. Thus the plot is punctured throughout with these glorious streams of consciousness by Corrigan, trying to think like and outwit this cruel and unusual abductor. On the road to discovery, there is a brilliant game of cat and mouse with a particularly insidious pervert, giving Delaney the chance to portray the frustrations so prevalent for the police in investigations of this kind. Again thanks to Delaney’s personal experience within the police, the feeling of authenticity and realism in this book is always resonant, making the whole premise of the investigation that much more vital and chilling, to the genuinely tense conclusion.
There is always the fear that as a writer becomes more established, that sometimes the quality of their writing, particularly within the demands of producing serial novels, can become diminished with the deadlines placed upon them. I am more than happy to report that Delaney is genuinely going from strength to strength, both in the compulsive attraction of his central protagonist, but also by the fleshing out of others within Corrigan’s team. As I said in the opening, child abduction is an all too common motif of crime thriller writing, but Delaney really does ascend the other pedestrian portrayals of this type of crime, with the day to day angst of, and the demands placed upon police officers, as the clock ticks against them. Through the ruminations and analytical mind of Sean Corrigan, who shows no compunction at fully entering the mind of the perpetrator, there is always an increased level of interest for the reader, that I’ve seldom seen bettered in the police procedural/serial killer genre. Delaney has produced another winner, begging the question- just what will he come up with next? A great read.
December 23, 2013
Coming Febuary 2014
Thank you for the advance copy Kate!
Your child has been taken…
Snatched in the dead of night from the safety of the family home. There’s no sign of forced entry, no one heard or saw a thing.
DI Sean Corrigan investigates.
He needs to find four-year-old George Bridgeman before abduction becomes murder. But his ability to see into dark minds, to think like those he hunts, has deserted him – just when he needs it most.
Another child vanishes.
What kind of monster is Corrigan hunting? And will he work it out in time to save the children?
So here we are at the third Sean Corrigan book by Luke Delaney and honestly these just get better and better. In this instalment Sean has to deal with a missing child, a change of location and the interference of politically motivated superior officers…all the while fighting his own inner demons.
Perfectly paced, with plenty of edge of the seat excitement tempered with more thoughtful and contemplative moments this is a top notch example of what good Crime Fiction should be. Sean Corrigan, our main protagonist has many sides, not all of them loveable..and one of the things I have been enjoying most about this particular series is the character development, not only of Sean but of those surrounding him. It is extremely well done here, the after effects of what has gone before in previous novels echoes through this latest tale with realism and emotional resonance.
The mystery element here is just as good if not better than has gone before. I also love how this author fleshes out his victims and peripheral characters – occasionally in Crime Fiction this can feel “slap dash” as if they are unimportant because its unlikely you will meet them again further down the line – but that is absolutely not the case here. Some of the threads of this and previous books in the series covers some quite emotive subjects and Luke Delaney manages to be sympathetic and yet absolutely authentic in his handling of them.
Some clever little twists and turns make this intriguing and fascinating – now of course the problem for me is, lucky as I am to be able to read these early thanks to the super Kate from Harper Collins, I now have a long long wait until I can have more. Which displeases me. This chronic impatience of mine can be a problem.
If you love Crime Fiction and want it to be real yet escapist, beautifully written and clever, then these books are definitely for you.
Happy Reading Folks!
Thank you for the advance copy Kate!
Your child has been taken…
Snatched in the dead of night from the safety of the family home. There’s no sign of forced entry, no one heard or saw a thing.
DI Sean Corrigan investigates.
He needs to find four-year-old George Bridgeman before abduction becomes murder. But his ability to see into dark minds, to think like those he hunts, has deserted him – just when he needs it most.
Another child vanishes.
What kind of monster is Corrigan hunting? And will he work it out in time to save the children?
So here we are at the third Sean Corrigan book by Luke Delaney and honestly these just get better and better. In this instalment Sean has to deal with a missing child, a change of location and the interference of politically motivated superior officers…all the while fighting his own inner demons.
Perfectly paced, with plenty of edge of the seat excitement tempered with more thoughtful and contemplative moments this is a top notch example of what good Crime Fiction should be. Sean Corrigan, our main protagonist has many sides, not all of them loveable..and one of the things I have been enjoying most about this particular series is the character development, not only of Sean but of those surrounding him. It is extremely well done here, the after effects of what has gone before in previous novels echoes through this latest tale with realism and emotional resonance.
The mystery element here is just as good if not better than has gone before. I also love how this author fleshes out his victims and peripheral characters – occasionally in Crime Fiction this can feel “slap dash” as if they are unimportant because its unlikely you will meet them again further down the line – but that is absolutely not the case here. Some of the threads of this and previous books in the series covers some quite emotive subjects and Luke Delaney manages to be sympathetic and yet absolutely authentic in his handling of them.
Some clever little twists and turns make this intriguing and fascinating – now of course the problem for me is, lucky as I am to be able to read these early thanks to the super Kate from Harper Collins, I now have a long long wait until I can have more. Which displeases me. This chronic impatience of mine can be a problem.
If you love Crime Fiction and want it to be real yet escapist, beautifully written and clever, then these books are definitely for you.
Happy Reading Folks!
October 16, 2016
Firstly, it is apparent reading The Toy Taker, that it would have been beneficial to read the previous books in this series before reading this one, however it isn't crucial, just would have helped.
For me, The Toy Taker suffers from quite a lot of padding material, and some very bad editing. There are a lot of references to a particularly nasty previous case which obviously affected main character D.I. Sean Corrigan, and offsider Sgt Sally Jones - this also leads briefly to the re-introduction of a previous character, psychiatrist and criminologist Dr Anna Ravenni-Ceron. This re-introduction is one of the books many filler moments, with a ridiculous and totally pointless suggestion of a pending illicit affair that involves a bit of breast fondling and Anna pressing her buttocks against Sean's groin, making his naughty bits get all excited - then everyone quickly comes to their senses and goes home!!! Okey-dokey then.....
Apparently Sean supposedly has a gift of being able to get insights into the criminal mind when he is investigating a case - these supposed gifts see him promoted to Scotland Yard for this book, and a case involving child abductions. Well I'm sorry....but if repeatedly asking aloud "How did you feel when you stood at the doorway", "How did you feel when you reached the top of the staircase" etc etc, then I think every reader can apply for their detective badge right now because I would imagine 90% of us would have solved the case in half the time it took for Sean to have his light bulb and penny-drops moments.
Now the editing - there were a number of sentences that had words entirely missing, and then there was the peculiar use of different spellings of the same word - the first half of the book talked about the gaoler, the second used the spelling jailer. It sounds as though it was maybe written first for the UK market, then changed for the US, and someone forgot it appeared twice. I know it's not a big thing, but it just stood out to me.
Despite its many faults, I still kind of enjoyed it and will probably get around to reading the previous books, or maybe I feel like that because I am housesitting and this is what I brought to read, lol. I'm giving it a generous 3 stars.
For me, The Toy Taker suffers from quite a lot of padding material, and some very bad editing. There are a lot of references to a particularly nasty previous case which obviously affected main character D.I. Sean Corrigan, and offsider Sgt Sally Jones - this also leads briefly to the re-introduction of a previous character, psychiatrist and criminologist Dr Anna Ravenni-Ceron. This re-introduction is one of the books many filler moments, with a ridiculous and totally pointless suggestion of a pending illicit affair that involves a bit of breast fondling and Anna pressing her buttocks against Sean's groin, making his naughty bits get all excited - then everyone quickly comes to their senses and goes home!!! Okey-dokey then.....
Apparently Sean supposedly has a gift of being able to get insights into the criminal mind when he is investigating a case - these supposed gifts see him promoted to Scotland Yard for this book, and a case involving child abductions. Well I'm sorry....but if repeatedly asking aloud "How did you feel when you stood at the doorway", "How did you feel when you reached the top of the staircase" etc etc, then I think every reader can apply for their detective badge right now because I would imagine 90% of us would have solved the case in half the time it took for Sean to have his light bulb and penny-drops moments.
Now the editing - there were a number of sentences that had words entirely missing, and then there was the peculiar use of different spellings of the same word - the first half of the book talked about the gaoler, the second used the spelling jailer. It sounds as though it was maybe written first for the UK market, then changed for the US, and someone forgot it appeared twice. I know it's not a big thing, but it just stood out to me.
Despite its many faults, I still kind of enjoyed it and will probably get around to reading the previous books, or maybe I feel like that because I am housesitting and this is what I brought to read, lol. I'm giving it a generous 3 stars.
August 11, 2015
I received this book to give an honest review.
The cover is what drew me into the book now this is book three and I didn't know that at the time of reading it which is okay. I think the book is good as a standalone even though some of D.I. Corrigan's past gets brought in from time to time, it just makes you wonder who exactly this character is.
Corrigan ends up getting moved to the Scotland Yard after just solving a huge case, of course his team isn't too happy about the move because of the commute. Not even fully there a whole day then he gets a case that he has to solve. A little boy goes missing from his home there are no signs of force entry or foul play so where is he? Corrigan seems to have a talent for getting inside the heads of criminals which I think is awesome and must be hard to do. As time is dwindling down he is getting heat from above him to solve the case or he is out of there. Goodness don't they know it is hard to just find someone who is kidnapping children when they are living nothing behind? While searching for George the little boy who went missing another child, then another child all end up missing but what is the thing that connects them all? It is something I didn't even think of. I enjoyed how we never find out who the person is until the middle-end of the book.
Corrigan is a strong character in this book and trying to see him balance home life (which doesn't seem to be going too good) and solving a case seems hard to do but he does it. I found the plot to be good and mysterious, the writing style done wonderfully and the characters great. I plan on reading more from this author.
The cover is what drew me into the book now this is book three and I didn't know that at the time of reading it which is okay. I think the book is good as a standalone even though some of D.I. Corrigan's past gets brought in from time to time, it just makes you wonder who exactly this character is.
Corrigan ends up getting moved to the Scotland Yard after just solving a huge case, of course his team isn't too happy about the move because of the commute. Not even fully there a whole day then he gets a case that he has to solve. A little boy goes missing from his home there are no signs of force entry or foul play so where is he? Corrigan seems to have a talent for getting inside the heads of criminals which I think is awesome and must be hard to do. As time is dwindling down he is getting heat from above him to solve the case or he is out of there. Goodness don't they know it is hard to just find someone who is kidnapping children when they are living nothing behind? While searching for George the little boy who went missing another child, then another child all end up missing but what is the thing that connects them all? It is something I didn't even think of. I enjoyed how we never find out who the person is until the middle-end of the book.
Corrigan is a strong character in this book and trying to see him balance home life (which doesn't seem to be going too good) and solving a case seems hard to do but he does it. I found the plot to be good and mysterious, the writing style done wonderfully and the characters great. I plan on reading more from this author.
July 26, 2015
I thought this started well but lost its way towards the end. It tells of a man who is abducting children to "save" them from neglectful, well-off parents and the way in which he does this is interesting and makes for quite a gripping storyline. However, my impression was that the author lost his nerve as the plot progressed, maybe because the victims were young children and he didn't want to go down the violent line of his previous novel? This meant that the denouement read, for me, as rushed and diluted which came as an anticlimax to the potential of the earlier parts of the work. That said, I would still recommend this as a good read - though Mr Delaney does need to find a better proofreader!
December 10, 2023
Setting: London, England; modern day.
This is the third in the series featuring D.I. Sean Corrigan of the Metropolitan Police.
Still recovering from nearly being killed in his apprehension of the killer in his previous 'outing', Sean and his specialist team of murder investigators are languishing, with no cases to investigate. Sean then discovers from his senior officer that Assistant Commissioner Addis, with ambitions to become the next Commissioner, has decided that Sean's team will become Addis's Special Investigations Unit, responsible for serious crimes over the whole of London and based in New Scotland Yard rather than at their existing offices in Peckham.
Just as Sean and his team are reluctantly moving, they are called to the apparent abduction of a young boy overnight from his locked and apparently secure home in a rich London suburb. Addis wants Sean and his team to bolster his promotion chances with a rapid arrest and conviction. But, in the midst of his previous trauma, domestic tension and the office move, Sean's knack for getting in the head of the perpetrator seems to have deserted him - and then another child goes missing in similar circumstances.....
This was another gripping read in this series - excellent characters and a twisty and unpredictable storyline made it virtually unputdownable for me. Glad that I have more of this series ready to read! - 9/10.
This is the third in the series featuring D.I. Sean Corrigan of the Metropolitan Police.
Still recovering from nearly being killed in his apprehension of the killer in his previous 'outing', Sean and his specialist team of murder investigators are languishing, with no cases to investigate. Sean then discovers from his senior officer that Assistant Commissioner Addis, with ambitions to become the next Commissioner, has decided that Sean's team will become Addis's Special Investigations Unit, responsible for serious crimes over the whole of London and based in New Scotland Yard rather than at their existing offices in Peckham.
Just as Sean and his team are reluctantly moving, they are called to the apparent abduction of a young boy overnight from his locked and apparently secure home in a rich London suburb. Addis wants Sean and his team to bolster his promotion chances with a rapid arrest and conviction. But, in the midst of his previous trauma, domestic tension and the office move, Sean's knack for getting in the head of the perpetrator seems to have deserted him - and then another child goes missing in similar circumstances.....
This was another gripping read in this series - excellent characters and a twisty and unpredictable storyline made it virtually unputdownable for me. Glad that I have more of this series ready to read! - 9/10.
March 5, 2021
The best in the series, so far
Whilst I have enjoyed the first two books in the series, I found them a bit over written, concentrating too much on the “special” abilities of DI Corrigan. These are downplayed on this third book, replaced in part, by his team’s transfer to New Scotland Yard and the stresses of dealing with a new, very ambitious, boss. There is a lot of police procedure involved in their first case from their new home, which heightened the enjoyment for me. A very satisfying read.
Whilst I have enjoyed the first two books in the series, I found them a bit over written, concentrating too much on the “special” abilities of DI Corrigan. These are downplayed on this third book, replaced in part, by his team’s transfer to New Scotland Yard and the stresses of dealing with a new, very ambitious, boss. There is a lot of police procedure involved in their first case from their new home, which heightened the enjoyment for me. A very satisfying read.
August 10, 2020
With his background as a policeman, Luke Delaney does an excellent job of describing the difficult job of working a case with shifting priorities and resources. With the twists and turns of this mystery, Delaney keeps his reader engaged and breathless.
November 14, 2024
I have to start my review by saying that The Toy Taker is a fast paced crime thriller that had me on the edge of my seat. I actually have The Keeper, which is the second in the series, but I did not realize it until I was already immersed in this one.
As the story flows you get alternating POV’s of different characters. I found this worked particularly well here because as the police work the case, find different leads and uncover clues, it feels like you are in on the investigation as well. I like the London/Scotland Yard backdrop and found this one to be a gritty, suspenseful read.
I had my concerns about reading a book revolving around children being kidnapped and possibly abused because that is not subject matter I read. I figured I would have to skip a few passages if anything got too detailed, which I did. My skipping parts was more towards the latter half of the book.
The side characters added to the intensity of story, like the sets of parents and their reactions to their children being taken as well as how they treated the cops.
Overall, a thrilling and suspenseful book that had me hooked.
As the story flows you get alternating POV’s of different characters. I found this worked particularly well here because as the police work the case, find different leads and uncover clues, it feels like you are in on the investigation as well. I like the London/Scotland Yard backdrop and found this one to be a gritty, suspenseful read.
I had my concerns about reading a book revolving around children being kidnapped and possibly abused because that is not subject matter I read. I figured I would have to skip a few passages if anything got too detailed, which I did. My skipping parts was more towards the latter half of the book.
The side characters added to the intensity of story, like the sets of parents and their reactions to their children being taken as well as how they treated the cops.
Overall, a thrilling and suspenseful book that had me hooked.
March 13, 2014
I have only recently read Luke Delaney and don't usually read the same author too close together but this became available and I enjoy his writing.
DI Corrigan and his team are moved to Scotland Yard as their, or rather his, reputation grows.
Pre-school children are being snatched from their beds from under the noses of their parents and it's up to Sean and his team to figure out the how and why.
Not quite up to the high standards Delaney has set himself. The minor characters weren't nearly so evident and the baddie was revealed early on so there wasn't even much of a whodunnit factor.
Good but not great.
DI Corrigan and his team are moved to Scotland Yard as their, or rather his, reputation grows.
Pre-school children are being snatched from their beds from under the noses of their parents and it's up to Sean and his team to figure out the how and why.
Not quite up to the high standards Delaney has set himself. The minor characters weren't nearly so evident and the baddie was revealed early on so there wasn't even much of a whodunnit factor.
Good but not great.
February 12, 2016
I had a really hard time with this one. I felt I was missing out on a lot by not having read the previous two novels.
While some authors will take up too much real estate in a book rehashing the backstory, Luke Delaney most certainly does not. He wastes no time at all getting into the main action.
Meanwhile, there are enough hints to the previous stories that I find myself too curious about them to carry on with this one.
I'll definitely come back to it!
While some authors will take up too much real estate in a book rehashing the backstory, Luke Delaney most certainly does not. He wastes no time at all getting into the main action.
Meanwhile, there are enough hints to the previous stories that I find myself too curious about them to carry on with this one.
I'll definitely come back to it!
March 16, 2014
I was really gripped by this until about 3/4 of the way through. I think it had a powerful story to tell but a weak ending. Not bad though. Quite a page turner.
March 18, 2014
Loved this book just as much as the previous two.
Looking forward to number 4
Looking forward to number 4
October 15, 2018
4.5 stars!!!
For those that follow me on social media you will be aware that I have been raving about this new serial killer series that I have been reading at the rate of knots. I am absolutely addicted to this series, and although most of the books are near or over the 500-page mark, I have devoured nearly four of the books in as many days. As I said, addicted!!
It is refreshing that Luke Delaney is an ex-detective with the Metropolitan Police. The attention to detail and the insider knowledge certainly reflects extremely well through procedures and the inside mind and workings of an active officer. I love Criminal Minds, CSI etc so am an avid fan of anything psychological and forensic and this series certainly melds both together perfectly. I loved how this author shows the police as real people, the effects their jobs have on their family and the pressures of what is expected and the little time that leaves for them to have a social life and more importantly family life. However, this is just a very small part of this book. This was a fantastic psychological thriller, one that leaves you guessing at every turn as you become so embroiled in the investigation you almost become a copper yourself.
DI Sean Corrigan is a complex character and one that I came to respect. He is unconventional in how he tackles an investigation from the very beginning and I am hoping to learn a lot more about his past as this series progresses. Sean Corrigan has a knack of being able to put himself in the minds of the killers, he can think like them and can often predict their next move. This is not a gift he enjoys possessing, however, he loves the fact that it enables him to get results, despite the pain and mental suffering it can often inflict on him. Sean Corrigan immerses himself 100%, becomes tunnel visioned in his quest to succeed, he can be unfiltered, emotionally detached but this only enamours him all the more.
For those that follow me on social media you will be aware that I have been raving about this new serial killer series that I have been reading at the rate of knots. I am absolutely addicted to this series, and although most of the books are near or over the 500-page mark, I have devoured nearly four of the books in as many days. As I said, addicted!!
It is refreshing that Luke Delaney is an ex-detective with the Metropolitan Police. The attention to detail and the insider knowledge certainly reflects extremely well through procedures and the inside mind and workings of an active officer. I love Criminal Minds, CSI etc so am an avid fan of anything psychological and forensic and this series certainly melds both together perfectly. I loved how this author shows the police as real people, the effects their jobs have on their family and the pressures of what is expected and the little time that leaves for them to have a social life and more importantly family life. However, this is just a very small part of this book. This was a fantastic psychological thriller, one that leaves you guessing at every turn as you become so embroiled in the investigation you almost become a copper yourself.
DI Sean Corrigan is a complex character and one that I came to respect. He is unconventional in how he tackles an investigation from the very beginning and I am hoping to learn a lot more about his past as this series progresses. Sean Corrigan has a knack of being able to put himself in the minds of the killers, he can think like them and can often predict their next move. This is not a gift he enjoys possessing, however, he loves the fact that it enables him to get results, despite the pain and mental suffering it can often inflict on him. Sean Corrigan immerses himself 100%, becomes tunnel visioned in his quest to succeed, he can be unfiltered, emotionally detached but this only enamours him all the more.
“It’s time to go. It’s time to end this ugly game.”
February 18, 2020
Nothing much to say really, it was a really typical crime thriller book. Maybe I didn't like it that much because there was so much British political jokes that just goes over my head as a non-British person.
The main character is your typical head detective with 'visions' or some sixth sense or whatever, like all crime novel protagonists. I appreciate that the author didn't exaggerate his sixth sense into telepathy or something. I don't know if I prefer political drama or relationship drama as fillers in between the plot, but as I said, I don't know half of the political complaints they were talking about due to me not being a Brit, but I hardly think this is the author's fault. perhaps I should have been more informed, perhaps the author should have made less references about it, who knows? It's hardly anyone's fault really.
The revelation of the criminal seems too short to me, but I was already getting slightly irritated at how long they were trying to find the kidnapper. It was also partly my fault since I didn't read the series from the start and just jumped to book 3 so I didn't really get the team dynamics at first but I slowly caught up.
The book highlighted the problem of parents who were too busy to love their own children and a man who has schizophrenia who sees and hears the voice of his dead wife. I felt like the first problem was well illustrated, working husbands with high-end jobs and housewives who eat kale chips and go to Pilates or yoga at 8 in the morning, leaving the children behind with the nanny. The kidnapped children were also well written.
The second problem, on schizophrenia, it was just kinda glossed over? But we were really already pushing the last fifth of the novel so I figured that the author just wanted to wrap this all up. It's logical in a way, because to fill a standard 200-ish page book, you either focus on the kidnapping or the kidnapper. Describing the two things in full length would've taken at least 400+ pages.
All in all, not a bad book, but not great either. A fun way to pass the time.
The main character is your typical head detective with 'visions' or some sixth sense or whatever, like all crime novel protagonists. I appreciate that the author didn't exaggerate his sixth sense into telepathy or something. I don't know if I prefer political drama or relationship drama as fillers in between the plot, but as I said, I don't know half of the political complaints they were talking about due to me not being a Brit, but I hardly think this is the author's fault. perhaps I should have been more informed, perhaps the author should have made less references about it, who knows? It's hardly anyone's fault really.
The revelation of the criminal seems too short to me, but I was already getting slightly irritated at how long they were trying to find the kidnapper. It was also partly my fault since I didn't read the series from the start and just jumped to book 3 so I didn't really get the team dynamics at first but I slowly caught up.
The book highlighted the problem of parents who were too busy to love their own children and a man who has schizophrenia who sees and hears the voice of his dead wife. I felt like the first problem was well illustrated, working husbands with high-end jobs and housewives who eat kale chips and go to Pilates or yoga at 8 in the morning, leaving the children behind with the nanny. The kidnapped children were also well written.
The second problem, on schizophrenia, it was just kinda glossed over? But we were really already pushing the last fifth of the novel so I figured that the author just wanted to wrap this all up. It's logical in a way, because to fill a standard 200-ish page book, you either focus on the kidnapping or the kidnapper. Describing the two things in full length would've taken at least 400+ pages.
All in all, not a bad book, but not great either. A fun way to pass the time.
January 5, 2018
This is my first book from Luke Delaney although this is the third DI Sean Corrigan book that he's written. And, it'll likely be the last I'll read. This book focuses on a criminal that steals young children from their wealthy homes in the middle of the night.
First thing first - this novel pays a lot of attention to the backstory of the other books in the series. Although it could theoretically be read as a stand-alone, there are an annoying amount of references to the previous killers he has apprehended, his weird relationship with a co-worker and therapist and more. Sean Corrigan is a man haunted by the past so it appears that the novel must be too.
I did finish the novel but it was tough to be honest. It felt very long. This feeling may have been enhanced by the sheer length of the chapters. In saying all that, it's not a bad book. If you love this type of detective novel then this may be the story for you. I personally found it drawn out, filled with clichés and essentially predictable. It felt run-of-the-mill or the work of an author following a formula.
A final complaint is that I found the narrative arc a bit confusing. The author goes to the effort to keep us in the dark for a while, even introducing some red herrings, then casually tells us who the killer is. It just took the thrill out of it for me! I've enjoyed stories where we don't know until the end, or where we know from the start but see the perspective of the two parties but I just didn't feel it added anything to the novel here. In fact, it made Sean even more annoying as we could clearly see the "clues" and it's infuriating to see him miss them as he's supposed to be "amazingly" intuitive.
First thing first - this novel pays a lot of attention to the backstory of the other books in the series. Although it could theoretically be read as a stand-alone, there are an annoying amount of references to the previous killers he has apprehended, his weird relationship with a co-worker and therapist and more. Sean Corrigan is a man haunted by the past so it appears that the novel must be too.
I did finish the novel but it was tough to be honest. It felt very long. This feeling may have been enhanced by the sheer length of the chapters. In saying all that, it's not a bad book. If you love this type of detective novel then this may be the story for you. I personally found it drawn out, filled with clichés and essentially predictable. It felt run-of-the-mill or the work of an author following a formula.
A final complaint is that I found the narrative arc a bit confusing. The author goes to the effort to keep us in the dark for a while, even introducing some red herrings, then casually tells us who the killer is. It just took the thrill out of it for me! I've enjoyed stories where we don't know until the end, or where we know from the start but see the perspective of the two parties but I just didn't feel it added anything to the novel here. In fact, it made Sean even more annoying as we could clearly see the "clues" and it's infuriating to see him miss them as he's supposed to be "amazingly" intuitive.
October 19, 2019
I found "The Toy Taker" by Luke Delaney at a thrift shop for a dollar. When I find books on sale like this - and new- I just go ahead and buy them.
And I wasn't disappointed with this one.
Now, it's subject is heavy and deals with the muddy underground of society but the detective in this novel, Sean Corrigan, is one of a kind. He reminds me of what the Alex Cross character used to be in Patteron's novels - focused, driven, powered by intuitiveness and empathy. Corrigan has an almost sixth sense that allows him to see what others can't. He doesn't call it mentalism, for him it's supernatural.
As one then another of children in London is taken, Corrigan is assigned the case after joining Scotland Yard. Dealing with the sick and perverse, he's seen it all before and thinks this case is solveable after a suspect falls right into their hands. But the leads are heading nowhere and he needs to find the missing children fast.
If you like "Law & Order: SVU" or books by Tana French you'll enjoy this book that mixes the two. It's the third book written by Delaney, who I had not heard of before and they say is a pseudonym, who writes pretty effortlessly.
A great detective series with a main character who is flawed, almost to the point of noir but not quite as cliche as that, who unlike most detectives in novels today is not a vigilante but instead someone genuinely in tune with humanity - and in this case, the darkness of it too. As he searches, he is somehow also searching for himself -how far he is willing to go, how much depth for the truth he's willing to fall into.
From 2015 and I'm looking forward to catching up on his work.
And I wasn't disappointed with this one.
Now, it's subject is heavy and deals with the muddy underground of society but the detective in this novel, Sean Corrigan, is one of a kind. He reminds me of what the Alex Cross character used to be in Patteron's novels - focused, driven, powered by intuitiveness and empathy. Corrigan has an almost sixth sense that allows him to see what others can't. He doesn't call it mentalism, for him it's supernatural.
As one then another of children in London is taken, Corrigan is assigned the case after joining Scotland Yard. Dealing with the sick and perverse, he's seen it all before and thinks this case is solveable after a suspect falls right into their hands. But the leads are heading nowhere and he needs to find the missing children fast.
If you like "Law & Order: SVU" or books by Tana French you'll enjoy this book that mixes the two. It's the third book written by Delaney, who I had not heard of before and they say is a pseudonym, who writes pretty effortlessly.
A great detective series with a main character who is flawed, almost to the point of noir but not quite as cliche as that, who unlike most detectives in novels today is not a vigilante but instead someone genuinely in tune with humanity - and in this case, the darkness of it too. As he searches, he is somehow also searching for himself -how far he is willing to go, how much depth for the truth he's willing to fall into.
From 2015 and I'm looking forward to catching up on his work.
December 28, 2020
Jumping into the middle of a series due to availability and impulse shopping, the characters' history was lost but not so badly that the story line was destroyed.
British DI Sean Corrigan's team has been moved from their happy little area to Scotland Yard due to his uncanny ability to solve cases that will hopefully support the aspirations of his boss' boss.
While things had been a little slow for the team following their last case, they are thrown into a new case before having even unpacked their desks in their new office. A child has gone missing, seemingly stolen from him home in the dead of night with no evidence that the house had been broken into - the front door was locked as were all the other windows and doors.
And then a little girl goes missing, same situation of doors locked, security system unarmed, family relatively new to the house.
How is this happening? Who's taking them and why? Are they still alive?
British DI Sean Corrigan's team has been moved from their happy little area to Scotland Yard due to his uncanny ability to solve cases that will hopefully support the aspirations of his boss' boss.
While things had been a little slow for the team following their last case, they are thrown into a new case before having even unpacked their desks in their new office. A child has gone missing, seemingly stolen from him home in the dead of night with no evidence that the house had been broken into - the front door was locked as were all the other windows and doors.
And then a little girl goes missing, same situation of doors locked, security system unarmed, family relatively new to the house.
How is this happening? Who's taking them and why? Are they still alive?
March 5, 2019
The Toy Taker is the third book in the Sean Corrigan series but the author still manages to keep my attention until the very last page of the book.
The story line is intriguing and keeps you on edge. That said, what I personally find interesting is how Sean's personal life evolves in the series. His cases get tougher, the pressure to produce results grows and, not surprisingly, the long hours take their toll on his family.
We see the detective spending less and less time with his children, declining his wife's calls and arguing with her about the sacrifices he makes while on the job. Sean also starts thinking about someone else, something which seemed unthinkable in the first book.
Will he save the day once again or has losing his anchor deprived him of his abilities? You will have to read the book and see for yourselves.
The story line is intriguing and keeps you on edge. That said, what I personally find interesting is how Sean's personal life evolves in the series. His cases get tougher, the pressure to produce results grows and, not surprisingly, the long hours take their toll on his family.
We see the detective spending less and less time with his children, declining his wife's calls and arguing with her about the sacrifices he makes while on the job. Sean also starts thinking about someone else, something which seemed unthinkable in the first book.
Will he save the day once again or has losing his anchor deprived him of his abilities? You will have to read the book and see for yourselves.
June 22, 2018
Sean Corrigan episode three sees young children being abducted from their beds while their families are asleep in their beds but there is no sign of entry. The deadlocks are all bolted the windows are locked.
There are a few similarities:- very similar ages, all have recently moved in to their very lush and palatial homes, the alarms have yet to be set up.
Corrigan and his team are under extreme pressure. They've been moved out of Peckham to Scotland Yard to the newly set up Special Investigations Unit and are under the scrutiny of ACC Addis, who wants immediate results. To top it all Sean is having trouble at home.
Its a very good fast apaced thriller that follows on nicely from the two previous books. Highly recommended.
There are a few similarities:- very similar ages, all have recently moved in to their very lush and palatial homes, the alarms have yet to be set up.
Corrigan and his team are under extreme pressure. They've been moved out of Peckham to Scotland Yard to the newly set up Special Investigations Unit and are under the scrutiny of ACC Addis, who wants immediate results. To top it all Sean is having trouble at home.
Its a very good fast apaced thriller that follows on nicely from the two previous books. Highly recommended.
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