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Washington Poe #6
The Mercy Chair
Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin . . .
Washington Poe has a story to tell.
And he needs you to listen.
You'll hear how it started with the robber birds. Crows. Dozens of them. Enough for a murder . . .
He'll tell you about a man who was tied to a tree and stoned to death, a man who had tattooed himself with a code so obscure, even the gifted analyst Tilly Bradshaw struggled to break it. He'll tell you how the man's murder was connected to a tragedy that happened fifteen years earlier when a young girl massacred her entire family.
And finally, he'll tell you about the mercy chair. And why people would rather kill themselves than talk about it . . .
Poe hopes you've been paying attention. Because in this story, nothing is as it seems . . .
Washington Poe has a story to tell.
And he needs you to listen.
You'll hear how it started with the robber birds. Crows. Dozens of them. Enough for a murder . . .
He'll tell you about a man who was tied to a tree and stoned to death, a man who had tattooed himself with a code so obscure, even the gifted analyst Tilly Bradshaw struggled to break it. He'll tell you how the man's murder was connected to a tragedy that happened fifteen years earlier when a young girl massacred her entire family.
And finally, he'll tell you about the mercy chair. And why people would rather kill themselves than talk about it . . .
Poe hopes you've been paying attention. Because in this story, nothing is as it seems . . .
Kindle Edition
First published June 6, 2024
414 people are currently reading
3459 people want to read
About the author
M.W. Craven
48 books2,788 followersM. W. Craven was born in Carlisle but grew up in Newcastle, running away to join the army at the tender age of sixteen. He spent the next ten years travelling the world having fun, leaving in 1995 to complete a degree in social work with specialisms in criminology and substance misuse. Thirty-one years after leaving Cumbria, he returned to take up a probation officer position in Whitehaven, eventually working his way up to chief officer grade. Sixteen years later he took the plunge, accepted redundancy and became a full-time author. He now has entirely different motivations for trying to get inside the minds of criminals . . .
M. W. Craven is married and lives in Carlisle with his wife, Joanne. When he isn’t out with his springer spaniel, or talking nonsense in the pub, he can usually be found at punk gigs and writing festivals up and down the country.
M. W. Craven is married and lives in Carlisle with his wife, Joanne. When he isn’t out with his springer spaniel, or talking nonsense in the pub, he can usually be found at punk gigs and writing festivals up and down the country.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 859 reviews
June 9, 2024
It all starts with the robber birds, crows … a murder of them, oh and a badger at St Michaels Church, Shap to which Poe is summoned from his pint and Scotch Egg at the pub. Initially, it’s not his case but following a horrifying discovery at The Lightening Tree it now is and it will take an enormous toll. The body of Cornelius Green, leader of the Children of Job, a hardline religious group of zealots begins the darkest inquiry yet for Poe and Bradshaw. And, who exactly is Linus Jorgensen (aka Snoopy) who claims to be from the National Audit Office and dogging our intrepid pairs footsteps???
There are a mere handful of authors for whom I’d preorder a novel and stump up £11.49 for the ebook but MW Craven’s brilliant Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw of the National Crime Agency makes the cut!! I think this is now my favourite series and duo. I love them both. Tilly is a genius and I adore her unfiltered honesty. Poe says and does things we’d all love to do but don’t and he frequently makes me laugh! Linus/Snoopy adds a good dimension and more than a few quizzical looks. Estelle Doyle and DSU Nightingale are also good characters.
Here we have a multi layered novel - a religious hardline organisation, a family story which is far from pretty, Maths (Tilly amongst other cleverness), tattoos, The Mercy Chair and grit, grit and more grit. It’s not for the faint hearted that’s for sure but it’s utterly gripping. It’s twisted and twisty with sky high suspense and tension. It’s intense, disturbing noir and I think it’s got darker with each novel in the series. In this one, to understand what Poe goes through there’s only one way to tell it that works and it’s this way. He suffers here and we need to see how and why. He’s a tough guy but even he has his limits and he’s pushed to it in this case. I love the way MWC chooses to tell this story and how it plays out.
I confess to a panic at one point as I feared there wouldn’t be a 7th novel and begin to hatch a plan to track Mr Craven down and plead the case 😂 but fret not, there is one in the pipeline. I can’t wait and I’ll even spend £’s on it.
There are a mere handful of authors for whom I’d preorder a novel and stump up £11.49 for the ebook but MW Craven’s brilliant Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw of the National Crime Agency makes the cut!! I think this is now my favourite series and duo. I love them both. Tilly is a genius and I adore her unfiltered honesty. Poe says and does things we’d all love to do but don’t and he frequently makes me laugh! Linus/Snoopy adds a good dimension and more than a few quizzical looks. Estelle Doyle and DSU Nightingale are also good characters.
Here we have a multi layered novel - a religious hardline organisation, a family story which is far from pretty, Maths (Tilly amongst other cleverness), tattoos, The Mercy Chair and grit, grit and more grit. It’s not for the faint hearted that’s for sure but it’s utterly gripping. It’s twisted and twisty with sky high suspense and tension. It’s intense, disturbing noir and I think it’s got darker with each novel in the series. In this one, to understand what Poe goes through there’s only one way to tell it that works and it’s this way. He suffers here and we need to see how and why. He’s a tough guy but even he has his limits and he’s pushed to it in this case. I love the way MWC chooses to tell this story and how it plays out.
I confess to a panic at one point as I feared there wouldn’t be a 7th novel and begin to hatch a plan to track Mr Craven down and plead the case 😂 but fret not, there is one in the pipeline. I can’t wait and I’ll even spend £’s on it.
February 21, 2025
I loved all five of the previous books in the Washington Poe series. The interactions between the gruff, sullen, dedicated Detective Poe and Tilly, an asocial genius highly skilled in mathematics and technology, added humour to the books with her naive, unfiltered comments. She lacks social skills and is oblivious to social cues. Their friendship and dependence on each other in crime investigations have grown throughout the series. Unfortunately, she is so busy searching the internet for clues to aid Poe in solving this intricate case that her presence is felt less. In the remote cottage, Poe lives with Estelle Doyle, the abrasive pathologist. Both women are highly supportive of Poe, along with his boss, DI Stephanie Flynn. He has almost no other friends. The book begins with Poe in a therapy session and distressed about nightmares of crows. He narrates a story leading up to his mental/emotional torment.
As Poe and Tilly become immersed in a complex new crime case, a man named Linus has been ordered to follow their investigation. Poe does not trust Linus and is suspicious of the reason for his presence. He is sarcastic toward him, calls him Snoopy, and treats him as his intern, giving him trivial jobs or escaping his presence.
Nothing is what it seems in this story, with twists, hidden clues, and motives. There is an intense narrative of dread and suspense, but I often felt manipulated and conscious of being tricked that I failed to be fully engaged as a reader.
The mystery begins with a heavily tattooed man who has been stoned to death and the investigation of a nearby cult. There seems to be a connection with a family massacre fifteen years earlier. I will not spoil this overly complicated plot by mentioning story details. It contains gore and torture, death of young people, prejudice against gays by religious fundamentalists, extreme cult beliefs, videos of despicable acts, mental health, incest, conversion therapy, and family dysfunction. What is a Mercy Chair, and how was it used?
This compelling book may be read as a stand-alone, but reading earlier books in the series will explain the strong and unlikely friendship between Poe and Tilly and how she became essential in helping solve crimes.
As Poe and Tilly become immersed in a complex new crime case, a man named Linus has been ordered to follow their investigation. Poe does not trust Linus and is suspicious of the reason for his presence. He is sarcastic toward him, calls him Snoopy, and treats him as his intern, giving him trivial jobs or escaping his presence.
Nothing is what it seems in this story, with twists, hidden clues, and motives. There is an intense narrative of dread and suspense, but I often felt manipulated and conscious of being tricked that I failed to be fully engaged as a reader.
The mystery begins with a heavily tattooed man who has been stoned to death and the investigation of a nearby cult. There seems to be a connection with a family massacre fifteen years earlier. I will not spoil this overly complicated plot by mentioning story details. It contains gore and torture, death of young people, prejudice against gays by religious fundamentalists, extreme cult beliefs, videos of despicable acts, mental health, incest, conversion therapy, and family dysfunction. What is a Mercy Chair, and how was it used?
This compelling book may be read as a stand-alone, but reading earlier books in the series will explain the strong and unlikely friendship between Poe and Tilly and how she became essential in helping solve crimes.
November 20, 2024
3.5.
It’s no secret that I love this series, and I adored every moment I spent with these beloved characters in The Mercy Chair. I burst out laughing at pretty much every interaction between Washington Poe and ‘Snoopy’. And whooped with joy over a happy reveal in Poe’s personal life (finger bones 😊). My heart went out to Poe for everything he went through (creepy crows) and the set up for this mystery, and its unique beginning, were cleverly executed. Ever though The Mercy Chair is no. 6 in a series, it can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend books 1-5.
The crime focused on very dark and bleak themes of religious fanaticism and indoctrination, cultism, hate crimes, and child abuse, likely triggering for some readers. Also, warnings for blood and gore. Have to say I wasn’t completely sold on the mystery plot, and my issues weren’t in regard to the trigger warnings, rather due to the fact that I saw a lot of the twists coming before they hit, and frankly it surprised me how long Poe took to click. And the one’s I didn’t guess weren’t really too my liking – as they’ve been overused in this genre. An intricate, tension-filled mystery for sure, just not my favourite. Not when compared to The Botanist and The Curator, my top faves.
I think this was more a case of “it’s me” who wasn’t a fan of the mystery, and I’m sure most will rate it higher. I read it over a day, and I always looked forward to picking it up, I just wish the plot had of “wowed me” more.
It’s no secret that I love this series, and I adored every moment I spent with these beloved characters in The Mercy Chair. I burst out laughing at pretty much every interaction between Washington Poe and ‘Snoopy’. And whooped with joy over a happy reveal in Poe’s personal life (finger bones 😊). My heart went out to Poe for everything he went through (creepy crows) and the set up for this mystery, and its unique beginning, were cleverly executed. Ever though The Mercy Chair is no. 6 in a series, it can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend books 1-5.
The crime focused on very dark and bleak themes of religious fanaticism and indoctrination, cultism, hate crimes, and child abuse, likely triggering for some readers. Also, warnings for blood and gore. Have to say I wasn’t completely sold on the mystery plot, and my issues weren’t in regard to the trigger warnings, rather due to the fact that I saw a lot of the twists coming before they hit, and frankly it surprised me how long Poe took to click. And the one’s I didn’t guess weren’t really too my liking – as they’ve been overused in this genre. An intricate, tension-filled mystery for sure, just not my favourite. Not when compared to The Botanist and The Curator, my top faves.
I think this was more a case of “it’s me” who wasn’t a fan of the mystery, and I’m sure most will rate it higher. I read it over a day, and I always looked forward to picking it up, I just wish the plot had of “wowed me” more.
June 16, 2024
Returning for another chilling M.W. Craven thriller, I was not disappointed in the least. In the latest Washington Poe novel, the protagonist has been seeing a therapist for his nightmares, the foundation of which relates to a recent case. As Poe reveals more to his therapist, the reader discovers that the murder of a local religious leader opens new and gruesome pathways into the groups’s practices and their strict teachings. All the while, Poe and his team look for the killer, discovering just how backwards thinking this group seems to have been and the lengths to which they would go to get their way among followers. A chilling story that will leave the rest flipping pages well into the night, if only to learn more about the Mercy Chair! Craven does a formidable job here and proves his worth.
Washington Poe has a story to share, one that tells of the dark nightmares that he has been suffering over the last while. The symbolism of crows swiping around speaks to the darkness and murder that he has experienced. Engaging a therapist to better understand is struggles is only the first step. Poe recounts a recent case that could be the foundation of it all, its evil and horrid memories haunt him on a nightly basis.
Poe and his civilian liaison, Tilly Bradshaw, are called out when a man has been found tied to a tree, dead from horrible injuries. It seems as though the man has been stoned to death, as archaic as it sounds. When Poe and Bradshaw meet with a local bishop, they learn a little more about the man, who was part of a religious organisation, The Children of Job. This group, whose ultra-conservative views are seen by some as being a cult. They indoctrinate and try to teach the harsh realities of a Christian faith that is being diluted in the modern world. Their one major course—a secret to those who are not in the inner circle—is conversion therapy. While its application is frowned up, the Children of Job appear to have had some success.
While Poe and Bradshaw try to get to the bottom of things, they uncover a larger and more troubling conspiracy. This man was only the tip of the iceberg and his views were much worse than first thought, centred around a mercy chair, which serves a dark and punitive purpose. All this and the mystery of a young woman who disappeared in her teens and returned to massacre her entire family years later before she disappeared once again. As the truths that Poe and Bradshaw saw during this investigation pile up, there are things that cannot be unseen. Washington Poe has a strong constitution, but even this is more than he can handle. Craven spins a web and does not let the reader escape in this stunning thriller.
I have long enjoyed the the work of M.W. Craven, particularly his novels with Washington Poe. The series is as dark as it is addictive, with Craven pulling on many great storylines to keep the reader fully involved. Craven’s ability to develop a strong narrative foundation keeps the reader curious about what is to come. Building on the core narrative, Craven presents some stellar characters, some as helpful with the flow of the story, while others create the angst and painfulness needed to truly contrast the good versus evil aspects of the book. Craven does so effectively, while also promoting new depth for his protagonists.
Plot points emerge at every turn and keep the reader on their toes. To call this a dark piece would be a understatement, though nothing is surprising when it comes to Craven’s abilities. He goes out of his way to shock the reader, then adds new layers of discomfort to keep the story edgy and the readers guessing until the very end. I can only hope to find more of this in future Washington Poe stories, all of which have been well-crafted and held my attention with ease.
Kudos, Mr. Craven, for a story so full of twists that I am unsure which way is up any longer.
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July 29, 2024
The 6th book in the Washington Poe / Tilly Bradshaw series is yet another mesmerising thriller that is jam packed with as many confronting moments as there are amusing confrontations. I was hooked from the very first moment the world weary Poe began relating his sleep issues.
Washington Poe can’t sleep. He has nightmares about crows. He’s seeing a psychologist about the problem and starts talking about the case that’s the cause of his sleep problems. Ultimately, this harrowing case unfolds as Poe relates the details to the psychologist. We move from the doctor’s office back to the events as they unfold and this provides us with a little bit of foreshadowing before being filled in on what turns out to be a gut-wrenching case.
It all starts when a badger gets into a grave and uncovers a second body. Poe was at the local pub at the time and was called out to take a look.
A man is found tied to a tree, dead. He had been stoned to death. It turns out the man’s name is Cornelius Green and he was heavily tattooed with all sorts of religious icons. Washington Poe attends the scene and discovers the man was the founder of a religious group. Little does he know, though, that following up on this murder would have serious psychological consequences.
This particular case is going to be unusual for a number of reasons, not least of which is that he has an annoying outsider on the team. Linus is apparently part of the audit team assigned to the unit and would be tagging along to get an understanding on how the officers operate during a case. Poe is deeply suspicious of Linus, sure that he’s a spook and he’s been sent to spy on them and it’s for this reason that he sets about making Linus’ life a nightmare.
With religious zealotry playing a significant role and Poe’s utter dismissal of anything religion related there’s an inevitable number of fireworks-type moments to enjoy. Tilly once again proves herself to be the most invaluable partner thanks to her ability to take the most puzzling scraps of information and turning them into rock solid leads.
As has become almost expected in this outstanding series, nothing should be taken at face value with a plot that is much more complex than it looks at first sight. Shocks, surprises, twists…call them what you like but Craven manages to hide the true nature of the murders that take place as well as the murderers extremely cagily.
I just love the direct talk from Poe. He’s rude, obnoxious, straightforward and takes no nonsense from anyone, is prepared to step on toes to get answers to his questions and will vigorously protect Tilly Bradshaw from any hint of danger. He also gets results and is an incredibly effective investigator.
His treatment of Linus is classic Poe, from the immediate nicknaming him Snoopy to treating him like an intern because he didn’t like him to completely excluding him from every conversation because he totally didn’t trust him. And rightfully so.
This is a dark thriller, there is no doubt, but it is also thoroughly entertaining and should be sought out by anyone who appreciates a fast paced, cleverly crafted mystery. Although it’s the sixth book of the series it can be enjoyed as a stand alone thriller, however you would be doing yourself a huge favour if you were to go back and read the earlier five books too.
Washington Poe can’t sleep. He has nightmares about crows. He’s seeing a psychologist about the problem and starts talking about the case that’s the cause of his sleep problems. Ultimately, this harrowing case unfolds as Poe relates the details to the psychologist. We move from the doctor’s office back to the events as they unfold and this provides us with a little bit of foreshadowing before being filled in on what turns out to be a gut-wrenching case.
It all starts when a badger gets into a grave and uncovers a second body. Poe was at the local pub at the time and was called out to take a look.
A man is found tied to a tree, dead. He had been stoned to death. It turns out the man’s name is Cornelius Green and he was heavily tattooed with all sorts of religious icons. Washington Poe attends the scene and discovers the man was the founder of a religious group. Little does he know, though, that following up on this murder would have serious psychological consequences.
This particular case is going to be unusual for a number of reasons, not least of which is that he has an annoying outsider on the team. Linus is apparently part of the audit team assigned to the unit and would be tagging along to get an understanding on how the officers operate during a case. Poe is deeply suspicious of Linus, sure that he’s a spook and he’s been sent to spy on them and it’s for this reason that he sets about making Linus’ life a nightmare.
With religious zealotry playing a significant role and Poe’s utter dismissal of anything religion related there’s an inevitable number of fireworks-type moments to enjoy. Tilly once again proves herself to be the most invaluable partner thanks to her ability to take the most puzzling scraps of information and turning them into rock solid leads.
As has become almost expected in this outstanding series, nothing should be taken at face value with a plot that is much more complex than it looks at first sight. Shocks, surprises, twists…call them what you like but Craven manages to hide the true nature of the murders that take place as well as the murderers extremely cagily.
I just love the direct talk from Poe. He’s rude, obnoxious, straightforward and takes no nonsense from anyone, is prepared to step on toes to get answers to his questions and will vigorously protect Tilly Bradshaw from any hint of danger. He also gets results and is an incredibly effective investigator.
His treatment of Linus is classic Poe, from the immediate nicknaming him Snoopy to treating him like an intern because he didn’t like him to completely excluding him from every conversation because he totally didn’t trust him. And rightfully so.
This is a dark thriller, there is no doubt, but it is also thoroughly entertaining and should be sought out by anyone who appreciates a fast paced, cleverly crafted mystery. Although it’s the sixth book of the series it can be enjoyed as a stand alone thriller, however you would be doing yourself a huge favour if you were to go back and read the earlier five books too.
June 24, 2024
All the things that I liked in the early books of this series seem to me to be missing from this latest instalment.
Despite all the claims that Poe is a great detective, there is very little detective work in this story. All the information came to them from diaries, confessions, and videos. With the exception of one piece of clever work from Tilly, everything else was stumbled upon.
Washington Poe is getting harder to like - unecessarily obnoxious and argumentative. Maybe we were meant to find his treatment of Linus amusing; I just found it childish. Poe and Tilly declare Linus to be an idiot because he thinks it would be a good idea for specialists to determine if a wall is a supporting one before Poe takes a sledgehammer to it. Personally, I'm with Linus on this one! If a member of my staff behaved like Poe, he'd be disciplined.
The plots of these books are always far-fetched, but this one felt slow and laboured to me. There was a lot of telling and very little showing. This wasn't helped by the narrative device of Poe telling his story to a therapist, which led to repetition and undermined any feeling of jeopardy. It also led to lots of ever more ridiculous "da da daa" moments at the end of every chapter. And the ending was ludicrous.
But the worst thing was the sidelining of Tilly. She was barely in this book, and when she was it was just to say a stock phrase designed to embarrass Poe. Gone was the interesting and touching development of her relationship with Poe. There was no character development for anyone, and the result was a strangely uninvolving story that I struggled to finish.
I had my doubts about the last book, the Botanist, but hoped this would be a return to form. Sadly this feels instead like the parting of the ways.
Despite all the claims that Poe is a great detective, there is very little detective work in this story. All the information came to them from diaries, confessions, and videos. With the exception of one piece of clever work from Tilly, everything else was stumbled upon.
Washington Poe is getting harder to like - unecessarily obnoxious and argumentative. Maybe we were meant to find his treatment of Linus amusing; I just found it childish. Poe and Tilly declare Linus to be an idiot because he thinks it would be a good idea for specialists to determine if a wall is a supporting one before Poe takes a sledgehammer to it. Personally, I'm with Linus on this one! If a member of my staff behaved like Poe, he'd be disciplined.
The plots of these books are always far-fetched, but this one felt slow and laboured to me. There was a lot of telling and very little showing. This wasn't helped by the narrative device of Poe telling his story to a therapist, which led to repetition and undermined any feeling of jeopardy. It also led to lots of ever more ridiculous "da da daa" moments at the end of every chapter. And the ending was ludicrous.
But the worst thing was the sidelining of Tilly. She was barely in this book, and when she was it was just to say a stock phrase designed to embarrass Poe. Gone was the interesting and touching development of her relationship with Poe. There was no character development for anyone, and the result was a strangely uninvolving story that I struggled to finish.
I had my doubts about the last book, the Botanist, but hoped this would be a return to form. Sadly this feels instead like the parting of the ways.
September 2, 2025
Português
Este policial, de um autor que já se tornou presença obrigatória na minha estante, volta a trazer à cena a dupla inesquecível Washington Poe e Tilly Bradshaw. Ao longo dos anos, acompanhámos as suas aventuras e peripécias, e reencontrá-los é sempre reconfortante — quase como rever velhos amigos.
Desta vez, porém, a narrativa mergulha num enredo mais sombrio do que nunca, explorando não só a tensão e o mistério característicos da série, mas também um lado profundamente humano e sensível. É, talvez, o volume que mais mexe com as nossas emoções, ao mesmo tempo que expõe uma faceta perturbadora da natureza humana.
Adorei cada página. E, mesmo depois de fechar o livro, fico com aquela ansiedade boa de quem já espera pelo próximo capítulo desta equipa vencedora, curiosa para descobrir o novo rumo que os aguarda.
English
This crime novel, by an author who has long earned a permanent place on my bookshelf, once again brings to life the unforgettable duo of Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw. Over the years, we’ve followed their adventures and misadventures, and meeting them again always feels like catching up with old friends.
This time, however, the story plunges into a darker plot than ever before, blending the series’ trademark tension and mystery with a deeply human and emotional side. It is perhaps the instalment that stirs the heart the most, while also exposing a disturbing facet of human nature.
I loved every page. And even after closing the book, I’m left with that delicious anticipation of what’s to come next for this winning team, eager to discover the new path that awaits them.
Este policial, de um autor que já se tornou presença obrigatória na minha estante, volta a trazer à cena a dupla inesquecível Washington Poe e Tilly Bradshaw. Ao longo dos anos, acompanhámos as suas aventuras e peripécias, e reencontrá-los é sempre reconfortante — quase como rever velhos amigos.
Desta vez, porém, a narrativa mergulha num enredo mais sombrio do que nunca, explorando não só a tensão e o mistério característicos da série, mas também um lado profundamente humano e sensível. É, talvez, o volume que mais mexe com as nossas emoções, ao mesmo tempo que expõe uma faceta perturbadora da natureza humana.
Adorei cada página. E, mesmo depois de fechar o livro, fico com aquela ansiedade boa de quem já espera pelo próximo capítulo desta equipa vencedora, curiosa para descobrir o novo rumo que os aguarda.
English
This crime novel, by an author who has long earned a permanent place on my bookshelf, once again brings to life the unforgettable duo of Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw. Over the years, we’ve followed their adventures and misadventures, and meeting them again always feels like catching up with old friends.
This time, however, the story plunges into a darker plot than ever before, blending the series’ trademark tension and mystery with a deeply human and emotional side. It is perhaps the instalment that stirs the heart the most, while also exposing a disturbing facet of human nature.
I loved every page. And even after closing the book, I’m left with that delicious anticipation of what’s to come next for this winning team, eager to discover the new path that awaits them.
November 3, 2024
Πολύ ωραίο, πολύ σκοτεινό,αρκετά έξυπνο,η ανατροπή του τέλους ήταν φοβερή,ενώ,οι στιγμές που γέλασα ήταν πολλές, δεδομένης της ζοφερότητας της υπόθεσης.
ΟΜΩΣ:Το τέλος, όλο το στήσιμο του,μου θύμισε έντονα Φίτζεκ-δεν θα πω ποιο για να μην κάνω σπόιλερ-και θα ήθελα να ήταν απλά σύμπτωση κι όχι μια κίνηση τακτικής και αλλαγή ύφους γραφής.
5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Απίστευτο και πολύ συγκινητικό!
ΟΜΩΣ:Το τέλος, όλο το στήσιμο του,μου θύμισε έντονα Φίτζεκ-δεν θα πω ποιο για να μην κάνω σπόιλερ-και θα ήθελα να ήταν απλά σύμπτωση κι όχι μια κίνηση τακτικής και αλλαγή ύφους γραφής.
5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Απίστευτο και πολύ συγκινητικό!
August 11, 2024
Dark, twisted, and very messed up! I love MW Craven books so much. Tilly and Poe are such a brilliant team. Their banter is hilarious. This case was really intense with so many twists. Not for the faint-hearted at all!!
Can’t wait to see how the next book goes after that ending!! Another year to wait 😢
Can’t wait to see how the next book goes after that ending!! Another year to wait 😢
May 15, 2024
WOW just WOW this is the 6th book in the wonderful Washington Poe series and they just keep getting better and better and this in my opinion is simply THE BEST so far.
So, a little backstory first. There are 6 books in the Washington Poe series starting with The Puppet Show (which was the winner of the CWA Gold Dagger in 2019), then Black Summer which The Sun called “A brutal and thrilling page-turner”, then book 3 is The Curator and Peter James said it was “dark, sharp and compelling”, followed by Dead Ground which was the winner of the prestigious CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award in 2022, and book 5 is The Botanist.
If you haven’t read any of the above the usual questions would be; can I read this as a standalone and the answer is YES. Should I read the series and the answer is YES. Would you recommend I start at Book 1 and read them in chronological order and the answer is YES OF COURSE WHAT KIND OF WEIRDO READS BOOKS OUT OF ORDER?
So I am going to review this without giving any spoilers away and in the hope that you know exactly who Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw are.
The Mercy Chair is very different to the 5 previous books in the series. For a start the beginning of the book has an unexpected opening chapter which left me feeling oddly discombobulated, but the end of that chapter had me reeling and utterly hooked unable to put my kindle down.
The Mercy Chair follows Poe and Tilly in another unusual and horrific murder investigation and it would be remiss of me to not warn you that there are themes of child abuse, cults, homophobia and extreme views running throughout the storyline which are really, really, really dark and very disturbing.
Despite the darkness, there is some light from the wonderful banter between Poe and Tilly and watching their friendship grow and deepen still makes me warm and tingly inside.
I don’t really want to say more, except read the series, pre-order this book and be blown away but the sheer brilliance of this crime series.
5 HUGE STARS
So, a little backstory first. There are 6 books in the Washington Poe series starting with The Puppet Show (which was the winner of the CWA Gold Dagger in 2019), then Black Summer which The Sun called “A brutal and thrilling page-turner”, then book 3 is The Curator and Peter James said it was “dark, sharp and compelling”, followed by Dead Ground which was the winner of the prestigious CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award in 2022, and book 5 is The Botanist.
If you haven’t read any of the above the usual questions would be; can I read this as a standalone and the answer is YES. Should I read the series and the answer is YES. Would you recommend I start at Book 1 and read them in chronological order and the answer is YES OF COURSE WHAT KIND OF WEIRDO READS BOOKS OUT OF ORDER?
So I am going to review this without giving any spoilers away and in the hope that you know exactly who Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw are.
The Mercy Chair is very different to the 5 previous books in the series. For a start the beginning of the book has an unexpected opening chapter which left me feeling oddly discombobulated, but the end of that chapter had me reeling and utterly hooked unable to put my kindle down.
The Mercy Chair follows Poe and Tilly in another unusual and horrific murder investigation and it would be remiss of me to not warn you that there are themes of child abuse, cults, homophobia and extreme views running throughout the storyline which are really, really, really dark and very disturbing.
Despite the darkness, there is some light from the wonderful banter between Poe and Tilly and watching their friendship grow and deepen still makes me warm and tingly inside.
I don’t really want to say more, except read the series, pre-order this book and be blown away but the sheer brilliance of this crime series.
5 HUGE STARS
September 19, 2024
How I love this series, yes, the book can be read as a stand-alone, but why would you? I think the previous books give the character development and explain the relationships of Washington Poe, Tilly Bradshaw, Stephanie Flynn, and Estelle Doyle, Poes few (and only friends). It's hard to describe the plot without giving spoilers, but Poes investigation leads him to a religious cult when a man is found stoned to death. The book is very dark, so read the triggers before embarking on this twisty, fast ride of a book. Tilly and her naivety provide light relief. Poe and Tilly are joined in their investigation by Linus, quickly renamed Snoopy by Poe. The book starts with Poe seeing a therapist for PTSD as he is not sleeping as he stays awake to avoid seeing a murder of crows. A thrilling, dark, twisty, extraordinary, innovative superb book. I can't wait to read the next in the series, but unfortunately, it is not out until next year. I am bereft and is counting down the days for my next Poe and Tilly fix as there is much to be sorted out from the end of the book. I love it so, wonderful writing with wonderful characters including Tilly, my favourite geek and Pie my favourite rougue police sargent. Pure brilliance.
June 4, 2025
Very mixed feelings.
The ending was ridiculous and annoyed me. The whole premise was pretty far-fetched. The violence was graphic and disturbing. Unnecessarily extreme. I found Poe rude and arrogant. And the constant reminder that Tilly is different etc etc is irritating. Far too much signalling generally and telling not showing.
And yet.
I couldn’t stop listening to it. And the plot although absurd somehow worked until the end. I did think I ought to stop listening because the violence was horrific. And I promised myself I wouldn’t read another by Craven. But after finishing I saw that the next book is coming soon and if I had had any credits left I would have preordered it.
So 3.5 stars but also more.
The ending was ridiculous and annoyed me. The whole premise was pretty far-fetched. The violence was graphic and disturbing. Unnecessarily extreme. I found Poe rude and arrogant. And the constant reminder that Tilly is different etc etc is irritating. Far too much signalling generally and telling not showing.
And yet.
I couldn’t stop listening to it. And the plot although absurd somehow worked until the end. I did think I ought to stop listening because the violence was horrific. And I promised myself I wouldn’t read another by Craven. But after finishing I saw that the next book is coming soon and if I had had any credits left I would have preordered it.
So 3.5 stars but also more.
September 18, 2024
“The Mercy Chair”, by M. W. Craven (book #6 in the Washington Poe’s series)
4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love this series!
This instalment was quite different from the previous books.
The story was dark, disturbing and heartbreaking.
Some parts were hard to digest, but fortunately it is not in the whole book.
I do hope this story is all part of the author’s imagination and creativity, because the plot was too evil and hard to believe.
As like the previous work, the writing was excellent and very engaging and the storytelling had a terrific flow.
In this book Poe’s character is quite rude, and some readers may find it funny, but I particularly don’t find humour in that.
Regardless, the development of the story was well executed and I was totally surprised by the twists, which I had no clue about. I was totally fooled.
The conclusion wasn’t to my satisfaction, but I did respect the author’s decision.
I hope that we will read more about this terrific duo, Poe and Tilly.
ebook (Kobo): 354 pages (default), 109k words
Paperback or hardcover not yet available in Canada.
4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love this series!
This instalment was quite different from the previous books.
The story was dark, disturbing and heartbreaking.
Some parts were hard to digest, but fortunately it is not in the whole book.
I do hope this story is all part of the author’s imagination and creativity, because the plot was too evil and hard to believe.
As like the previous work, the writing was excellent and very engaging and the storytelling had a terrific flow.
In this book Poe’s character is quite rude, and some readers may find it funny, but I particularly don’t find humour in that.
Regardless, the development of the story was well executed and I was totally surprised by the twists, which I had no clue about. I was totally fooled.
The conclusion wasn’t to my satisfaction, but I did respect the author’s decision.
I hope that we will read more about this terrific duo, Poe and Tilly.
ebook (Kobo): 354 pages (default), 109k words
Paperback or hardcover not yet available in Canada.
June 16, 2024
My rating: 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Never disappoints- Loved it!!
Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin…
Washington Poe has a story to tell. And he needs you to listen. You’ll hear how it started with the robber birds. Crows. Dozens of them.
Enough for a murder… He’ll tell you about a man who was tied to a tree and stoned to death, a man who had tattooed himself with a code so obscure, even gifted analyst Tilly Bradshaw struggled to break it.
He’ll tell you how the man’s murder was connected to a tragedy that happened fifteen years earlier when a young girl massacred her entire family.
And finally, he’ll tell you about the mercy chair. And why people would rather kill themselves than talk about it…. Poe hopes you’ve been paying attention. Because in this story nothing is as it seems…
Well here we are again, another Poe and Tilly novel and another 5 stars. I began my last review wondering if that book would be the one that wasn’t a five stars… and I began this one thinking the same. But thankfully that is just not happening.
You could read this as a standalone, but I don’t see the appeal, the whole series is so fantastic that you would be missing out in my opinion. You would be missing the glorious backstory of Poe and Tilly’s friendship, how Poe and Doyle got together and the set up of how this story came to be…. No I wouldn’t start at book 6 but, if needs must then I have no doubt you will enjoy it.
I will warn you (as the author does in the authors note) this is the darkest Poe novel yet. It gets into it… and it gets really deep and dark and at times you might want to look away. You might think that you know where this is going and you have it all figured out - I know I did. BUT you won’t, not really. M.W Craven really smashed it out of the park with the twists and the turns and the things I absolutely did not see coming.
One of my favourite storyline’s in a thriller fiction is a cult story, this has a cult. It has family annihilation, it has lies and deceit and it has a very personal Poe story interspersed throughout. I will be very honest, I shed a number of tears on this one - you may not think this has a happy ending I know I was left feeling a bit … well out of sorts.
Was this perfect - no of course not but it was everything I wanted and much more. You might think it went a bit over the top and I thought that myself at times as well but the author brought every weird and wild facet of this story back and twisted it together to make sense. It was violent though so watch you TWs.
I love this series and I will never stop singing its praises - for all you Poe and Tilly fans - crack your knuckles, grab your copy and say goodbye to 24 to 48 hours because you will not want to put this down.
Now, here I sit, waiting impatiently for the 7th book in the series and I know its going to be at least a year before I get it…
Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin…
Washington Poe has a story to tell. And he needs you to listen. You’ll hear how it started with the robber birds. Crows. Dozens of them.
Enough for a murder… He’ll tell you about a man who was tied to a tree and stoned to death, a man who had tattooed himself with a code so obscure, even gifted analyst Tilly Bradshaw struggled to break it.
He’ll tell you how the man’s murder was connected to a tragedy that happened fifteen years earlier when a young girl massacred her entire family.
And finally, he’ll tell you about the mercy chair. And why people would rather kill themselves than talk about it…. Poe hopes you’ve been paying attention. Because in this story nothing is as it seems…
Well here we are again, another Poe and Tilly novel and another 5 stars. I began my last review wondering if that book would be the one that wasn’t a five stars… and I began this one thinking the same. But thankfully that is just not happening.
You could read this as a standalone, but I don’t see the appeal, the whole series is so fantastic that you would be missing out in my opinion. You would be missing the glorious backstory of Poe and Tilly’s friendship, how Poe and Doyle got together and the set up of how this story came to be…. No I wouldn’t start at book 6 but, if needs must then I have no doubt you will enjoy it.
I will warn you (as the author does in the authors note) this is the darkest Poe novel yet. It gets into it… and it gets really deep and dark and at times you might want to look away. You might think that you know where this is going and you have it all figured out - I know I did. BUT you won’t, not really. M.W Craven really smashed it out of the park with the twists and the turns and the things I absolutely did not see coming.
One of my favourite storyline’s in a thriller fiction is a cult story, this has a cult. It has family annihilation, it has lies and deceit and it has a very personal Poe story interspersed throughout. I will be very honest, I shed a number of tears on this one - you may not think this has a happy ending I know I was left feeling a bit … well out of sorts.
Was this perfect - no of course not but it was everything I wanted and much more. You might think it went a bit over the top and I thought that myself at times as well but the author brought every weird and wild facet of this story back and twisted it together to make sense. It was violent though so watch you TWs.
I love this series and I will never stop singing its praises - for all you Poe and Tilly fans - crack your knuckles, grab your copy and say goodbye to 24 to 48 hours because you will not want to put this down.
Now, here I sit, waiting impatiently for the 7th book in the series and I know its going to be at least a year before I get it…
March 26, 2025
Like a comfy pair of crime slippers . You know what you are getting with M.W Craven and The Mercy Chair is no exception. A good ,solid plot with some great characters. Good stuff.
December 1, 2024
The first chapter of The Mercy Chair, the 6th Poe & Bradshaw thriller, is superb. It's a gripping & atmospheric opening that Mike Craven writes brilliantly.
One of my favourite things about this novel was the huge amount of humour in the first half, which I felt was missing from recent Poe stories. The second half of the story dispenses with the humour & instead gives the reader plenty of sinister twists & turns.
The Mercy Chair is certainly my favourite Poe & Bradshaw novel...so far.
One of my favourite things about this novel was the huge amount of humour in the first half, which I felt was missing from recent Poe stories. The second half of the story dispenses with the humour & instead gives the reader plenty of sinister twists & turns.
The Mercy Chair is certainly my favourite Poe & Bradshaw novel...so far.
June 11, 2024
This series has been one of my all time favorites! This book was by far the darkest of the lot and at times the writing made me flinch, made me grimace with pain for what the characters were going through.
In the end the writing is phenomenal and deserves every accolade.
Start this series with “The Puppet Show.”
In the end the writing is phenomenal and deserves every accolade.
Start this series with “The Puppet Show.”
November 11, 2024
Enjoyed this even though it is, with the author’s own words, very dark.
May 24, 2024
Huge thanks to the wonderfully generous Beth a Little Brown for so kindly sending me a copy of The Mercy Chair, to be able to review any books prior to their release is a massive privilege but to make it one by Mr Craven is beyond words! Beth you Rock! 🥰
So as I always do I had it sat on my bookshelf whilst I finished the book I was currently reading, but The Mercy Chair was calling to me the whole time! 🤣..and it’s like you really want to read it but you don’t because you know you won’t want it to end!
The Mercy Chair, is book 6 in the superb crime thriller series, and if you haven’t read the first 5 where have you been!!
So once I turned the first page as always with Mike Cravens’s Washington Poe & Tilly Bradshaw stories, I was hooked and utterly gripped to the storyline!
Now I really do not want to be a spoilsport so I am not going to give to any thing of the story, but what I will say is this one is DARK! Probably the darkest Mike’s written in the series, but it is so cleverly interspersed with moments of laugh out loud humour and lighter moments, that it works SO well!
I adore Poe’s sarcastic edge and in The Mercy Chair, I was absolutely roaring with laughter at a lot of his conversations, his utter contempt for fools and all things modern really does make him such a fabulous character, and one of my favourite detectives of all time.
And then of course you have Tilly, she’s more intelligent than an intelligent thing would be if it was intelligent and also blooming lovely! And in this book she made me cry and feel for her so much! That’s it I’m saying no more!
The plot and storyline is of course packed full of twists and turns ( one of which I sort of guessed but a lot if didn’t ) there’s nuggets to keep you going and make you think the whole way through the book, and the ending is a right cliffhanger and made me want to read book 7 immediately!!
Of course this is a 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star read and goes immediately into my top 5 books of the year, it’s slick, it’s darn clever and it’s another bookbanger from the legend that is M.W Craven!
So as I always do I had it sat on my bookshelf whilst I finished the book I was currently reading, but The Mercy Chair was calling to me the whole time! 🤣..and it’s like you really want to read it but you don’t because you know you won’t want it to end!
The Mercy Chair, is book 6 in the superb crime thriller series, and if you haven’t read the first 5 where have you been!!
So once I turned the first page as always with Mike Cravens’s Washington Poe & Tilly Bradshaw stories, I was hooked and utterly gripped to the storyline!
Now I really do not want to be a spoilsport so I am not going to give to any thing of the story, but what I will say is this one is DARK! Probably the darkest Mike’s written in the series, but it is so cleverly interspersed with moments of laugh out loud humour and lighter moments, that it works SO well!
I adore Poe’s sarcastic edge and in The Mercy Chair, I was absolutely roaring with laughter at a lot of his conversations, his utter contempt for fools and all things modern really does make him such a fabulous character, and one of my favourite detectives of all time.
And then of course you have Tilly, she’s more intelligent than an intelligent thing would be if it was intelligent and also blooming lovely! And in this book she made me cry and feel for her so much! That’s it I’m saying no more!
The plot and storyline is of course packed full of twists and turns ( one of which I sort of guessed but a lot if didn’t ) there’s nuggets to keep you going and make you think the whole way through the book, and the ending is a right cliffhanger and made me want to read book 7 immediately!!
Of course this is a 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star read and goes immediately into my top 5 books of the year, it’s slick, it’s darn clever and it’s another bookbanger from the legend that is M.W Craven!
July 30, 2024
Ok so his name is Poe, has a dog named Edgar and having nightmares with crows in it? The Crow is Edgar Allan Poe dark poetic collection. When is Dupin joining the investigation?
No seriously wow! How very current! The Children of Job’s agenda is the same as the majority of the politically right Supreme Court in the United States and the ultra right republicans in the States. The Children of Job is rightly described as a cult.
I usually write reviews while I read the book and I had a whole paragraph about why it was unnecessary to incorporate Dr. Lang in the book but then Craven did what he does best, misdirection and a wonderful ending.
These characters are so familiar and real that you end up finishing their sentences, you want to read the next book because is the closest thing to visit or call a friend. A one of a kind series!
No seriously wow! How very current! The Children of Job’s agenda is the same as the majority of the politically right Supreme Court in the United States and the ultra right republicans in the States. The Children of Job is rightly described as a cult.
I usually write reviews while I read the book and I had a whole paragraph about why it was unnecessary to incorporate Dr. Lang in the book but then Craven did what he does best, misdirection and a wonderful ending.
These characters are so familiar and real that you end up finishing their sentences, you want to read the next book because is the closest thing to visit or call a friend. A one of a kind series!
March 24, 2025
4.5 stars
This series has been one of my favourites for many years now. I love the way Craven crafts his mysteries and Poe & Bradshaw are so enjoyable as duo. This book was probably one if my favourites so far. The plot is quite dark, but Craven makes a wise choice to show our protagonist as mentally affected from the first chapter. I couldn't reccommend this book or series more!
This series has been one of my favourites for many years now. I love the way Craven crafts his mysteries and Poe & Bradshaw are so enjoyable as duo. This book was probably one if my favourites so far. The plot is quite dark, but Craven makes a wise choice to show our protagonist as mentally affected from the first chapter. I couldn't reccommend this book or series more!
June 19, 2024
This is a really hard review to write. I am a die-hard Poe and Tilly fan. I adore Cravens writing, and the first 5 books are my holy grail books.
Sadly, this did not live up to the previous books in the series for me.
I missed the comradery between Poe and Tilly, it was lacking in appearances from Estelle and Flynn, I found their was very little police work throughout the story and the heavy religious talk for the first 150 pages made it a slog to read.
The writing is brilliant as always. Craven is exceptionally well researched.
The ending twists felt too over the top, and the storytelling through the 'Dr' was not my favourite way to discover the story.
It pains me to write such negative things. I am sure for many, it will be an excellent read. It just didn't fit for me.
Sadly, this did not live up to the previous books in the series for me.
I missed the comradery between Poe and Tilly, it was lacking in appearances from Estelle and Flynn, I found their was very little police work throughout the story and the heavy religious talk for the first 150 pages made it a slog to read.
The writing is brilliant as always. Craven is exceptionally well researched.
The ending twists felt too over the top, and the storytelling through the 'Dr' was not my favourite way to discover the story.
It pains me to write such negative things. I am sure for many, it will be an excellent read. It just didn't fit for me.
February 8, 2025
Mike should be as much of a household name as Peter James in my opinion at least for this series . Theres lots of twists and turns. its different colours and shades its dark but given light by Tilly and Poe and Snoopy as they call him. And a big twist at the end.
Mike and I exchanged some tweets in the past hes also an Iron Maiden fan which might give you Piece of Mind or make you run to the hills.
Mike and I exchanged some tweets in the past hes also an Iron Maiden fan which might give you Piece of Mind or make you run to the hills.
August 3, 2025
"I really don't know how you get away with being so rude to people, Poe," Linus said, shaking his head.
"The secret is not to care," Poe replied.
Poe is obnoxious, which I also noticed in book #5.
This was my least favorite book of the series, and the first half was a slog to get through.
"The secret is not to care," Poe replied.
Poe is obnoxious, which I also noticed in book #5.
This was my least favorite book of the series, and the first half was a slog to get through.
June 21, 2024
I wanted to love this book. I really did. I just found it too far fetched and Poe's attitude to Snoopy so unlikely for a professional. I loved the others in the series particularly the last one and will keep going but this one really didn't work as well.
August 22, 2024
This is a very dark addition to the Washington Poe series of books. Unfortunately I could not put the book down and read through the night. It is a very dark episode with unspeakable crimes. I am going to try to get some sleep now that I made it to the end.
Amazon purchase
Amazon purchase
January 4, 2025
4.5/5
The Mercy Chair ventures into some seriously dark territory. This time around, Poe and Tilly are investigating the murder of a religious leader-stoned to death and left tied to a tree. The victim was part of a creepy cult called the Children of Job, whose practices were abhorrent (including conversion therapy).
The plot twists come fast, and Craven leans hard into the disturbing (seriously disturbing, especially once you witness the scenes that took place in the titular Mercy Chair). The book gets more personal than ever - we’re listening to Poe telling the story to a therapist. His nightmares and therapy sessions give us a glimpse into how this case took a toll on him. But since it’s M.W. Craven’s story, things aren’t necessarily what they seem.
It’s dark, tense, and unputdownable. There’s also a fresh development that made me check nervously if it weren’t the end of the series, but nope. The seventh book is coming this year (2025) and I can’t wait to listen to it. I’ll miss the series - I’ve binged all six books and had a blast doing it. I guess, I’ll read/listen to the remaining short stories and probably check other books by M.R. Craven in the meantime.
Audiobook narration: very enjoyable.
The Mercy Chair ventures into some seriously dark territory. This time around, Poe and Tilly are investigating the murder of a religious leader-stoned to death and left tied to a tree. The victim was part of a creepy cult called the Children of Job, whose practices were abhorrent (including conversion therapy).
The plot twists come fast, and Craven leans hard into the disturbing (seriously disturbing, especially once you witness the scenes that took place in the titular Mercy Chair). The book gets more personal than ever - we’re listening to Poe telling the story to a therapist. His nightmares and therapy sessions give us a glimpse into how this case took a toll on him. But since it’s M.W. Craven’s story, things aren’t necessarily what they seem.
It’s dark, tense, and unputdownable. There’s also a fresh development that made me check nervously if it weren’t the end of the series, but nope. The seventh book is coming this year (2025) and I can’t wait to listen to it. I’ll miss the series - I’ve binged all six books and had a blast doing it. I guess, I’ll read/listen to the remaining short stories and probably check other books by M.R. Craven in the meantime.
Audiobook narration: very enjoyable.
March 23, 2025
It pains me somewhat to give a Craven novel only three stars, but this one was rather a disappointment compared to all the earlier Washington Poe books. I didn’t like the way most of the narrative is Poe talking to a therapist, as it just didn’t ring true in any way, and tried too hard to be clever. The explanation of the mystery made no sense and the gruesome scenes depicted were rather too dark for me. I also didn’t like the way Poe bullies Linus, the young intern assigned to him. Craven is still a gifted storyteller but this one missed the mark for me. 2.5 rounded up for the audiobook narration which was excellent as usual.
July 9, 2024
Drastic drop in standards
I shouldn’t really be writing this review as I had ceased to care what happened to whom and why long before the end.
In contrast to previous books in the series this one is simply very unpleasant and it was very difficult to engage with the characters at all. Poe and Tilly are a brilliant invention who work really well together, but the other characters seemed to get lost in a haze of identity confusion.
I just hope that the next book returns to previous high standards.
I shouldn’t really be writing this review as I had ceased to care what happened to whom and why long before the end.
In contrast to previous books in the series this one is simply very unpleasant and it was very difficult to engage with the characters at all. Poe and Tilly are a brilliant invention who work really well together, but the other characters seemed to get lost in a haze of identity confusion.
I just hope that the next book returns to previous high standards.
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