Evil Eye

Special X #5

by Michael Slade

The brutal murder of his beloved mother has left Detective Nick Craven in shock. But being accused of the crime rips open a devastating nightmare. Then another murder occurs, and the victim is one of Craven's associates. Someone has targeted the elite members of the Mounted Police, and evidence points to an insider. Enter veteran investigators Robert DeClercq and Zinc Chandler, who have to unravel the most chilling case of their careers.

From the blood-soaked secrets of the Craven household to a terrifying journey into deepest Africa, these two top-notch detectives will match wits with a killer who has vengeance on his mind and death in his heart. And with each step they take toward the horrifying truth, the killer waits, and watches...

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Suspense, Canada

421 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 6, 1996

About the author

Slade on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MountieNoir

Slade on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MountieNoir

Criminal lawyer MICHAEL SLADE has acted in over one hundred murder cases. His specialty is the law of insanity. He argued the last death penalty case in Canada’s highest court.

Backed by his forensic experience, Slade’s Special X and Wyatt Rook thrillers fuse the genres of police and legal procedure, whodunit and impossible crime, suspense, history, and horror.

Slade was guest of honor at both the Bloody Words crime convention and the World Horror Convention. As Time Out puts it, “A thin line separates crime and horror, and in Michael Slade’s thrillers, the demarcation vanishes altogether.”

Slade was guest speaker at the international Police Leadership Conference and several RCMP regimental dinners. As Reader’s Digest puts it, “The Slade books have developed a strong following among police officers because of their strict adherence to proper police procedure.”

For the stories behind his plots, visit Slade’s Morgue at www.specialx.net.

Reviews

[Terry Cornell · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite in the Special X series so far. The intersections of a Mountie on trial for murdering his mom, a loose German mental patient cop killer. and a mysterious ritual killer with ties to Africa. Some South African and Zimbabwe history, including the Anglo-Zulu War in the late 1800's. The book climaxes in a potential cruise ship bombing, and a cat and mouse hunt in the delta lands of Africa. Will the two mercenaries kill the Mountie, or will the snakes, crocs and hippos intercede on one of the sides? Who survives the ship wreck? Hopefully some answers in the next book in the series 'Primal Scream'. This book didn't seem quite as gruesome as previous Slade books. Some interesting reading on DNA, genetics and possibilities of twin births. I'll take a bit of a break before moving on to the next Special X!

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read through four previous harrowing Slade novels, I prepped myself for Evil Eye. Evil reaches out to attack and toy with a member of the Special X Unit Detective Nick Craven is dealt a severe blow when his mother is slain and he becomes the prime subject. This Hitchcockian plot sets the pace for a harrowing nightmare for Craven. Doubting his own sanity, Det. Craven must act when another brutal slaying is known, The victim is another of Craven's associates. Apparently, a fiend has targeted Craven's elite team of the Royal Mounted Police, As the bodies and horror pile up, it is obvious that an insider is the villainous mastermind. Overwhelmed, the veteran investigators Robert DeClercq and Zinc Chandler arrive to uncover the plot and evil genius.

I found and the complexity of this novel more to my liking because there is little let up - as it should be in crime thrillers. The only criticism I had was the objectivity of some of the police seemed starined. Still, this is another heck of a psychological ride.

[Velvetink · Rating 3 out of 5]

Giving to si cotic

[Joel Werley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever read.

[Terry Roice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am impressed by the research done by the author, and the story is a good one. However, it was hard to follow at times due to the switching back and forth in time and character.

[DarqueMood · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not Headhunter....I couldn’t finish it. Too much African safaris.

[Thrillers R Us · Rating 5 out of 5]

Serialized in Scribner's Magazine in 1935, THE GREEN HILLS OF AFRICA is adamant that the adventures it details are quite real and not made up. In fact, it's an account of 30 days of safari-cation by Hemingway and his betrothed in East Africa two years prior. Exploration or exploitation; Africa has often been the target of endeavors not on the up and up, most notoriously by warmongers, the prevalently obvious are those acting on behalf of the Buckingham Palace Mafia, the British Royal Family. Also starting literary life as a serial in a magazine, HEART OF DARKNESS was more open about aiming for a scrutinizing European colonial rule in Africa while tangentially treating ethics and the balance of power. 'The Defense of Rorke's Drift', part of the Aglo-Zulu war in the late nineteenth century, is an integral part of the plot, righting wrongs committed on the Dark Continent via Umnyama, a Zulu death ritual.

Going straight for the gut, EVIL EYE wastes no time to shock and awe; no one in safe from the carnage and bloodshed--mothers, cops, literally anyone in this fifth installment of Special X Unit series of thrillers, heeding its own 1997 advice to not pander to the mob of political correctness. Walking the Thin Red Line that is the RCMP, EVIL EYE is an exceptionally procedural novel where everything is described down to minutiae: court proceedings, hearings, embalming, a LE funeral procession, DNA testing, and Imperial decorations just to mention a few. It's apparent that the author used to be one of the premier attorneys in Canada, criminal insanity being the specialization. Despite touching deeply into the ranks of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, this thriller is Africa centric in theme, with a Zulu Knobkerrie and Lady Butler's painting of The Defense of Rorke's drift taking the lime light. Though not getting on the same level of a Wilbur Smith work, EVIL EYE dives deep into RCMP, Apartheit, British Columbia, Vancouver, Alberta, all of Canada, and Rhodesia-Zimbabwe, while keeping the carnage and the story moving forward at a good pace.

While the backstory can probably be found in its entirety in 1964's ZULU starring Michael Caine, EVIL EYE adds plenty of its own with the likes of Streamliners, Red Serge, latent suicide, colony astronauts, and gender role reversal in theater before it was the latest rage twenty years onward. Running the gamut from African safaris, ancient battles, police work, rogue mercenaries in modern times, the fifth book in the Special X Unit series has a lot of layers, characters, and themes, plus a fair few reviews of previous happenings, killings, and personnel changes. Grab this weighty book by the horns and get EVIL EYE, for the only protection against evil eye is to face the horror head on. Easily read as a stand alone, EVIL EYE is a grand legal thriller, police procedural, action yarn, and historical commentary all rolled into one hell of a novel.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 5th Book in the Special X series and this is right in line with Ripper and Cutthroat as far as likability. Still not as good as Headhunter or Ghoul.

This one features new Mountie Nick Craven(from previous story Ripper) as he is framed for the murder of his mother. The killer is also targeting his Mountie associates (and there is already a cop killer on the loose skull crunching) LOL.

Declerq/ Chandler/ Zinc and the rest of the Special X team work to clear Nick's name, find the killer, or killers, and also make sure a bomb doesn't go off on a cruise that is hosting the Serge ball? Well yea, but i enjoyed that part of the climax. A nice small subplot that shows off the Mad Dog in action.

As usual, lots of research by the author on this. We dive into African/British colonial history, Zulu wars, Tribes, DNA, genetics, how twins can be formed with same fathers or different fathers ( crazy) and also the Judicial system for Canada in more detail. We are actually privy to a courtroom proceeding in this one and can see differences between USA and Canada and also similiarities since they both took from the British crown system.

Overall lots of fun as usual. 4 stars.

[Bob Box · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in 1998. Mystery thriller.

[Leigh Terry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like Hawaiian Punch and eighties action television, revisiting some of the favorite books of my youth proved that memory makes things better than actuality.

[Gypsykat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Things were fairly predictable throughout the book, but still, it was entertaining. And the twist at the end, i did not see coming! It was also not nearly as gruesome as some of the other stories, but i still couldn't put it down....

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slade always came so highly recommended, but I found this one boring. It skips around a bit as well and I had trouble finishing due to content and interest.

[Craig "NEEDS MORE DAMN TIME TO READ !!!!" · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice tale of brotherly love haha. Good outing for Special X.