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Max Grimes #2
Reaper
Max Grimes is homeless, living on the streets of Auckland – among the forgotten, the invisible. But now someone is hunting the homeless, killing them one by one.
No one cares. Except Max.
Trying to put his shattered life back together, Max is pulled into a deadly game when a face from his past reappears, reopening wounds he thought were long buried.
As whispers of a Grim Reaper spread terror through the city, Max must race against time – not only to find the killer, but to outrun the ghosts chasing him.
Because if he fails, he'll be next.
No one cares. Except Max.
Trying to put his shattered life back together, Max is pulled into a deadly game when a face from his past reappears, reopening wounds he thought were long buried.
As whispers of a Grim Reaper spread terror through the city, Max must race against time – not only to find the killer, but to outrun the ghosts chasing him.
Because if he fails, he'll be next.
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Published March 12, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 11, 2026
This book is set in Auckland, New Zealand, and it follows Max Grimes, a homeless man who recently found a job as a cleaner, something he is grateful for.
In his previous life, Max was a police officer. His ex-colleague, DS Meredith Peters, calls him to ask for his help to identify a homeless man who unexpectedly died.
Soon, more death follows, all targeting the homeless people.
Rumours starts to circulate around the homeless community, calling the killer ‘The Reaper’.
However, The Reaper has his own agenda, and he notices Max…
I loved this book!
I am a big fan of Vanda Symon’s writing – I loved Faceless – that’s where I first read about Max and Meredith. I was so excited to find out there was another book featuring these two characters and I wasn’t disappointed.
In The Reaper, we meet a serial killer targeting the homeless community. Homelessness is such prevalent issue and a lot of people have negative connotations when it comes to it. There is a certain stigma attached to being homeless, with many reckoning that the homeless people have brought it on themselves.
Symon takes a different and more empathetic stance. Take Max, who had a job and a home, but lost it all after his daughter had tragically died. He suffered major trauma, a death of his child, and his bereavement caused him to spiral.
I was glad to discover more about Max and his backstory. I am hopeful for a brighter future for Max and his dog.
I cannot wait for more book from this author.
In his previous life, Max was a police officer. His ex-colleague, DS Meredith Peters, calls him to ask for his help to identify a homeless man who unexpectedly died.
Soon, more death follows, all targeting the homeless people.
Rumours starts to circulate around the homeless community, calling the killer ‘The Reaper’.
However, The Reaper has his own agenda, and he notices Max…
I loved this book!
I am a big fan of Vanda Symon’s writing – I loved Faceless – that’s where I first read about Max and Meredith. I was so excited to find out there was another book featuring these two characters and I wasn’t disappointed.
In The Reaper, we meet a serial killer targeting the homeless community. Homelessness is such prevalent issue and a lot of people have negative connotations when it comes to it. There is a certain stigma attached to being homeless, with many reckoning that the homeless people have brought it on themselves.
Symon takes a different and more empathetic stance. Take Max, who had a job and a home, but lost it all after his daughter had tragically died. He suffered major trauma, a death of his child, and his bereavement caused him to spiral.
I was glad to discover more about Max and his backstory. I am hopeful for a brighter future for Max and his dog.
I cannot wait for more book from this author.
March 19, 2026
4.5 rounded up
April 2, 2026
Max Grimes is a former detective whose life has fallen apart and to get by he sleeps rough and works unofficially as a cleaner at a gym. When one of the homeless inhabitants of the city is found dead he is asked, by his former partner DS Meredith Peters, to help with the identification of the corpse. It’s a bitterly cold winter, so it is inevitable that some of the vulnerable will succumb to the elements. Life on the street is unforgiving.
His life may be rock bottom, but Max is a caring and conscientious man and he goes around checking up on his friends and acquaintances in the community. One morning he finds the lifeless Karina, another of the city’s rough sleepers, but has no luck in getting the attending police constables to treat it as a murder scene. Soon another body is found by Max and he harangue Meredith to investigate the deaths, he believes they are murders.
The library is Max’s haven but even there he is harassed. The father of the boy who murdered Max’s daughter (before killing himself) which brought about his downward spiral, asks him to use his skills to find the man who supplied his son the crystal meth he was on. Meredith warns him, this is trouble with a capital T.
A story with a homeless man should make us all feel a little uncomfortable and reflective. The author has done a brilliant job in producing a gripping storyline, one that makes the reader think, but is entertaining rather than preachy. Max is likeable and engaging, a man whose life was destroyed through no fault of his own, yet so many of society ignore his mere existence. To many in business and politics the homeless are seen as an inconvenience to development to be overcome, by sweeping them elsewhere.
The story is a conventional serial killer one, but it explores the themes of community, friendship, and trust. We see the bonds Max forms with his homeless friends, the camaraderie, the support and sharing, that those who have so little are willing to split what they have. It is the fact they have so little and a trusting that provides the weakness the killer exploits.
The relationship between Max and Meredith is particularly complex and dynamic, they have gone from colleagues to a strained friendship. They should be on the same side, but that is becoming increasingly difficult, with shades of authority and the oppressed. Trust begins to breakdown, only worsening when events keep returning to Max as he is central to events. As evidence mounts Meredith questions whether this is the Max she knows.
The storyline twists and turns sufficient to keep the reader on their toes and completely engaged. The murders are nicely spread and the fact that in some cases there are clues to who is next only adds a sense of dread. The events are restricted to a small geographic area, because the homeless have no personal transport, which brings a tightness to the story, one where death could be around any corner. The identity of The Reaper is well disguised, right up to the thrilling conclusion. This is storyline that urges the reader on, aided by using shorter chapters. The solution is clever and sadly only too believable, it did leave me with a couple of questions, but real life is rarely tidy.
A thoughtful crime thriller with engaging characters and a big heart. An intelligent twist on the serial killer thriller.
His life may be rock bottom, but Max is a caring and conscientious man and he goes around checking up on his friends and acquaintances in the community. One morning he finds the lifeless Karina, another of the city’s rough sleepers, but has no luck in getting the attending police constables to treat it as a murder scene. Soon another body is found by Max and he harangue Meredith to investigate the deaths, he believes they are murders.
The library is Max’s haven but even there he is harassed. The father of the boy who murdered Max’s daughter (before killing himself) which brought about his downward spiral, asks him to use his skills to find the man who supplied his son the crystal meth he was on. Meredith warns him, this is trouble with a capital T.
A story with a homeless man should make us all feel a little uncomfortable and reflective. The author has done a brilliant job in producing a gripping storyline, one that makes the reader think, but is entertaining rather than preachy. Max is likeable and engaging, a man whose life was destroyed through no fault of his own, yet so many of society ignore his mere existence. To many in business and politics the homeless are seen as an inconvenience to development to be overcome, by sweeping them elsewhere.
The story is a conventional serial killer one, but it explores the themes of community, friendship, and trust. We see the bonds Max forms with his homeless friends, the camaraderie, the support and sharing, that those who have so little are willing to split what they have. It is the fact they have so little and a trusting that provides the weakness the killer exploits.
The relationship between Max and Meredith is particularly complex and dynamic, they have gone from colleagues to a strained friendship. They should be on the same side, but that is becoming increasingly difficult, with shades of authority and the oppressed. Trust begins to breakdown, only worsening when events keep returning to Max as he is central to events. As evidence mounts Meredith questions whether this is the Max she knows.
The storyline twists and turns sufficient to keep the reader on their toes and completely engaged. The murders are nicely spread and the fact that in some cases there are clues to who is next only adds a sense of dread. The events are restricted to a small geographic area, because the homeless have no personal transport, which brings a tightness to the story, one where death could be around any corner. The identity of The Reaper is well disguised, right up to the thrilling conclusion. This is storyline that urges the reader on, aided by using shorter chapters. The solution is clever and sadly only too believable, it did leave me with a couple of questions, but real life is rarely tidy.
A thoughtful crime thriller with engaging characters and a big heart. An intelligent twist on the serial killer thriller.
March 21, 2026
New Zealand’s long standing Queen of Crime is, of course, Ngaio Marsh, but her trademark Inspector Alleyn novels were mostly set in England, apart from four where Alleyn is seconded to New Zealand. Vanda Symon, in contrast, sets her novels resolutely ‘at home’. I thoroughly enjoyed Prey (2024) which was set in Dunedin.
Here, Symon takes us the the capital city. We quickly learn that Max Grimes is a former Auckland police officer, now living rough, but with a day job as a cleaner. The circumstances surrounding his apparent downfall unfold as the story progresses. The titular Reaper has decided that his life mission is to rid the city streets of those he views as bottom feeders – the vagrants, the alcoholics, and vulnerable people who live in shop doorways and empty properties. People like Max, then? Well, perhaps not. Vanda Symon’s first task is to convince us that Max is tough and resilient enough – despite his reduced circumstances – to tackle a serial killer.
Homeless sleuths need some form of contact with and co-operation with the regular police, and for Max Grimes, this comes in the shape of DS Meredith Peters, an astute and resourceful officer, but one acutely aware of the residual misogyny not just in the police force, but in city politics.There is a parallel plot. Experienced readers know that these lines often converge, but for now, here it is: we learn that Max’s daughter was murdered by her drug-addled boyfriend, who subsequently took his own life. When Shane McFarlane, the boy’s father, approaches Max and asks him to trace the dealer whose product effectively killed both of their children, Max’s initial reaction is repulsion and a rude refusal. Later, he reconsiders, and agrees to help.
The Reaper is given sporadic third person narratives to himself, so we know exactly what he is up to, well before Max and the police do. He shoots dead a former chemistry teacher and successful crystal meth cook named Gary Cochrane, and it is Cochrane who pulls the two parallel plot lines together, much to the detriment of Max Grimes, who has had a bruising recent encounter with Cochrane in his search for the dealer who has caused him so much pain.
Vanda Symon cleverly emphasises Grimes’s physical vulnerability here, as she realises that a Reacher-like superhero is an unlikely fit for her man. I did wonder, however, about Max having a constantly charged and fully paid-up smartphone, despite his abject poverty, but hey ho, it’s crime fiction. When Max is framed for the shooting of Cochrane and arrested, at least he has a roof over his head but, mentally, he is in a very dark place.
The idea of a homeless solver of crimes is certainly not new. Trevor Wood introduced to his sleuth Jimmy Mullen in The Man on the Street, and followed up with One Way Street and Dead End Street. Is the concept plausible? Probably not, but then this particular reviewer must constantly remind himself that he is dealing with crime fiction. Readers want to be absorbed, intrigued and entertained; Vanda Symon emphatically ticks all three boxes. She has given us an ingenious plot which leads to a (literally) searing finale. Reaper is published by Orenda books and is available now.
Here, Symon takes us the the capital city. We quickly learn that Max Grimes is a former Auckland police officer, now living rough, but with a day job as a cleaner. The circumstances surrounding his apparent downfall unfold as the story progresses. The titular Reaper has decided that his life mission is to rid the city streets of those he views as bottom feeders – the vagrants, the alcoholics, and vulnerable people who live in shop doorways and empty properties. People like Max, then? Well, perhaps not. Vanda Symon’s first task is to convince us that Max is tough and resilient enough – despite his reduced circumstances – to tackle a serial killer.
Homeless sleuths need some form of contact with and co-operation with the regular police, and for Max Grimes, this comes in the shape of DS Meredith Peters, an astute and resourceful officer, but one acutely aware of the residual misogyny not just in the police force, but in city politics.There is a parallel plot. Experienced readers know that these lines often converge, but for now, here it is: we learn that Max’s daughter was murdered by her drug-addled boyfriend, who subsequently took his own life. When Shane McFarlane, the boy’s father, approaches Max and asks him to trace the dealer whose product effectively killed both of their children, Max’s initial reaction is repulsion and a rude refusal. Later, he reconsiders, and agrees to help.
The Reaper is given sporadic third person narratives to himself, so we know exactly what he is up to, well before Max and the police do. He shoots dead a former chemistry teacher and successful crystal meth cook named Gary Cochrane, and it is Cochrane who pulls the two parallel plot lines together, much to the detriment of Max Grimes, who has had a bruising recent encounter with Cochrane in his search for the dealer who has caused him so much pain.
Vanda Symon cleverly emphasises Grimes’s physical vulnerability here, as she realises that a Reacher-like superhero is an unlikely fit for her man. I did wonder, however, about Max having a constantly charged and fully paid-up smartphone, despite his abject poverty, but hey ho, it’s crime fiction. When Max is framed for the shooting of Cochrane and arrested, at least he has a roof over his head but, mentally, he is in a very dark place.
The idea of a homeless solver of crimes is certainly not new. Trevor Wood introduced to his sleuth Jimmy Mullen in The Man on the Street, and followed up with One Way Street and Dead End Street. Is the concept plausible? Probably not, but then this particular reviewer must constantly remind himself that he is dealing with crime fiction. Readers want to be absorbed, intrigued and entertained; Vanda Symon emphatically ticks all three boxes. She has given us an ingenious plot which leads to a (literally) searing finale. Reaper is published by Orenda books and is available now.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Former police officer Max Grimes is living on the streets of Auckland, one of the invisible homeless people no one seems to care about. But the homeless are suddenly the focus of public attention - for all the wrong reasons. Someone is hunting the homeless from the shadows, murdering them one-by-one for reasons unknown.
Dubbed the Grim Reaper, the killer has Max and his fellow 'invisibles' running scared, with nowhere to hide. Can Max find the Reaper before the ghosts of his own past claim him?
The story unfurls from the perspectives of Max, his former colleague DS Meredith Peters of the Auckland police force, and the unnamed Reaper. Moving back and forth between their separate narratives, the three voices allow Symon to explore different aspects of the story - Max, as potential prey, desperately trying to discover who is killing his friends in Auckland's gritty under-belly; Meredith, battling to stay in-charge of a high-profile case mired in politics; and the Reaper, an increasingly unhinged killer getting into his murderous stride.
Max's own part in the story is complicated when the past that haunts him intrudes as he is trying to get his life back on track, in the form of Shane McFarlane, the man whose son killed Max's daughter. McFarlane asks Max to help him find the drug dealers who sent his son off the rails, and despite Max's reservations he agrees - only to find himself part of the murder investigation.
I did find myself at a bit of a disadvantage in not having read the first book in this new series, Faceless, as so much of this story relates to Max's traumatic past, but having loved Symon's Sam Shephard books I knew she would not steer me wrong... and I was right. The crime elements are carefully wrought to immerse you in a gripping stand-alone case, as Max and Meredith attempt to discover the identity of the Reaper - someone who is warming to his task, while pursuing a vendetta against Max. Lashings of layered mystery around the Reaper's intentions keeps you on your toes, and the McFarlane sub-plot blends seamlessly into the central plot to ramp the suspense factor up to the max.
Weaving through the story Symon employs really interesting themes, largely around the plight of the 'invisible' homeless people she gives a voice to in this new series. By examining ways in which ordinary people fall through the cracks when their lives become overwhelmed with challenges, and highlighting how society prefers to ignore them when they do, the story gets a powerful thought-provoking kick.
This is a different side to New Zealand noir than I am used to, but it absolutely fulfils the brief of page-turner with a social conscience. Tense, atmospheric, and psychologically fascinating, this is thriller writing with heart and soul.
Dubbed the Grim Reaper, the killer has Max and his fellow 'invisibles' running scared, with nowhere to hide. Can Max find the Reaper before the ghosts of his own past claim him?
The story unfurls from the perspectives of Max, his former colleague DS Meredith Peters of the Auckland police force, and the unnamed Reaper. Moving back and forth between their separate narratives, the three voices allow Symon to explore different aspects of the story - Max, as potential prey, desperately trying to discover who is killing his friends in Auckland's gritty under-belly; Meredith, battling to stay in-charge of a high-profile case mired in politics; and the Reaper, an increasingly unhinged killer getting into his murderous stride.
Max's own part in the story is complicated when the past that haunts him intrudes as he is trying to get his life back on track, in the form of Shane McFarlane, the man whose son killed Max's daughter. McFarlane asks Max to help him find the drug dealers who sent his son off the rails, and despite Max's reservations he agrees - only to find himself part of the murder investigation.
I did find myself at a bit of a disadvantage in not having read the first book in this new series, Faceless, as so much of this story relates to Max's traumatic past, but having loved Symon's Sam Shephard books I knew she would not steer me wrong... and I was right. The crime elements are carefully wrought to immerse you in a gripping stand-alone case, as Max and Meredith attempt to discover the identity of the Reaper - someone who is warming to his task, while pursuing a vendetta against Max. Lashings of layered mystery around the Reaper's intentions keeps you on your toes, and the McFarlane sub-plot blends seamlessly into the central plot to ramp the suspense factor up to the max.
Weaving through the story Symon employs really interesting themes, largely around the plight of the 'invisible' homeless people she gives a voice to in this new series. By examining ways in which ordinary people fall through the cracks when their lives become overwhelmed with challenges, and highlighting how society prefers to ignore them when they do, the story gets a powerful thought-provoking kick.
This is a different side to New Zealand noir than I am used to, but it absolutely fulfils the brief of page-turner with a social conscience. Tense, atmospheric, and psychologically fascinating, this is thriller writing with heart and soul.
March 28, 2026
Reaper, by Vanda Symon, is the follow-up to Faceless. Ex-detective Max Grimes is still sleeping rough in downtown Auckland, but is in a better position than before, with a casual job cleaning at a gym, where he can also shower and store his things. Otherwise, he spends his days checking in with his fellow homeless, and keeping up with current affairs at the library.
When a homeless man known as The Ferret is found dead one morning, it appears he was a victim of the freezing winter temperatures, and when, just a day later, Max himself finds another of his peers lifeless, the police are quick to suspect the same cause of death. However, rumours start to circulate among the homeless community that there’s a “Reaper” on the loose, and when a third victim is discovered, Max persuades his former colleague, Sergeant Meredith Peters, to take a closer look at the deaths.
Max’s near-constant presence on the streets, and his keen attention to what’s going on around him inevitably put him on the Reaper’s radar, and he’s singled out for a different, less straightforward fate than previous victims. On top of this, Max has been approached by an unwelcome figure from his past, who has an audacious request for him…
Reaper is an enjoyable read I absolutely sped through, as the plot moves forward from virtually page to page. The eponymous perpetrator is interesting to follow, as not only do they use a different method for each victim, but some of the methods themselves are highly unusual and challenging to detect.
Max continues to be a sympathetic character whose irrepressible inquisitiveness sometimes leads him to make questionable decisions and get into trouble. As in Faceless, he goes out of his way to look out for the rest of the homeless community, knows everyone’s name and story, and helps his peers even though he doesn’t have much himself. I was inwardly howling at the injustice when the Reaper deflected police attention onto him!
With the focus very much on the fast-developing situations around Max and the Reaper, we only get to see Max’s police contact (and former work partner) Meredith in a work context. However, I didn’t feel like I was lacking in knowledge about her personality or home life, thanks to the skilful way Symon incorporates minor details into the narrative. These include what Meredith has for lunch, a reference to an ex who got to keep their dog, and her antipathy towards the local mayor.
I very much shared these feelings towards Mayor Smith, who can’t conceal his distaste for rough sleepers, and uses the murders as an excuse to try to corral them into community centres on the pretext of keeping them safe, thus blaming the victims and taking away a precious thing they still have – their freedom.
This attitude, as well as the time and effort it takes Max and Meredith to get the murders recognised as such, builds on the messages Symon conveys in Faceless: that the deaths of homeless people are too often considered to be inevitable outcomes of a lifestyle they’ve chosen, and less worthy of police or public attention than those of “decent” people whose ways of life are deemed “acceptable”. Through Max, she emphasises the human individuality of people living on the street.
Reaper is a fast-paced, heart-in-your-mouth, and deceptively deep thriller.
When a homeless man known as The Ferret is found dead one morning, it appears he was a victim of the freezing winter temperatures, and when, just a day later, Max himself finds another of his peers lifeless, the police are quick to suspect the same cause of death. However, rumours start to circulate among the homeless community that there’s a “Reaper” on the loose, and when a third victim is discovered, Max persuades his former colleague, Sergeant Meredith Peters, to take a closer look at the deaths.
Max’s near-constant presence on the streets, and his keen attention to what’s going on around him inevitably put him on the Reaper’s radar, and he’s singled out for a different, less straightforward fate than previous victims. On top of this, Max has been approached by an unwelcome figure from his past, who has an audacious request for him…
Reaper is an enjoyable read I absolutely sped through, as the plot moves forward from virtually page to page. The eponymous perpetrator is interesting to follow, as not only do they use a different method for each victim, but some of the methods themselves are highly unusual and challenging to detect.
Max continues to be a sympathetic character whose irrepressible inquisitiveness sometimes leads him to make questionable decisions and get into trouble. As in Faceless, he goes out of his way to look out for the rest of the homeless community, knows everyone’s name and story, and helps his peers even though he doesn’t have much himself. I was inwardly howling at the injustice when the Reaper deflected police attention onto him!
With the focus very much on the fast-developing situations around Max and the Reaper, we only get to see Max’s police contact (and former work partner) Meredith in a work context. However, I didn’t feel like I was lacking in knowledge about her personality or home life, thanks to the skilful way Symon incorporates minor details into the narrative. These include what Meredith has for lunch, a reference to an ex who got to keep their dog, and her antipathy towards the local mayor.
I very much shared these feelings towards Mayor Smith, who can’t conceal his distaste for rough sleepers, and uses the murders as an excuse to try to corral them into community centres on the pretext of keeping them safe, thus blaming the victims and taking away a precious thing they still have – their freedom.
This attitude, as well as the time and effort it takes Max and Meredith to get the murders recognised as such, builds on the messages Symon conveys in Faceless: that the deaths of homeless people are too often considered to be inevitable outcomes of a lifestyle they’ve chosen, and less worthy of police or public attention than those of “decent” people whose ways of life are deemed “acceptable”. Through Max, she emphasises the human individuality of people living on the street.
Reaper is a fast-paced, heart-in-your-mouth, and deceptively deep thriller.
March 24, 2026
In her new novel, Reaper, Vanda Symon returns once again to the streets of Auckland, New Zealand, and someone is targeting the homeless population, who have taken it upon themselves to remove them one by one. As the police begin to suspect that they are dealing with a serial killer, who will stop at nothing to get what they want, the media gives him the name, the reaper, which becomes infamous, like the name, Jack the Ripper. But will the police apprehend him before it’s too late, and is it just possible he’ll slip through the cracks?
I loved the determination in Vanda’s main police detective, Meredith, to see the killer apprehended and brought to justice. I also loved Max, who is one of the city’s homeless. Vanda Symon shows him as someone who genuinely cares for those who are also in the same position as he is. With the growing fear that there is a serial killer out there, targeting the homeless, Max takes extra time to check up on them and tries his best to make sure that they stay safe. Max is a former police officer himself and so has that extra keen eye to know when something is amiss. But being homeless at this time makes him vulnerable and a target.
What I also really liked about Meredith was her concern for Max. She doesn’t want to brush him off, like some people would do, because of his current situation. They work really well together, and it’s clear to see that Meredith thinks Max can be useful to the investigation. I really liked both of them at the start of this series, and they are continuing to impress me as characters.
Throughout the novel, we also hear from the point of view of the killer, and we can begin to see what a cold, calculating and dangerous individual they are. It’s what begins to turn this case almost into a cat and mouse chase. This is a killer who knows what they are doing and the reasons why, and this is what makes them so terrifying. I think these chapters did an excellent job of adding to the tension, and it did make me wonder if he was going to outsmart the police. He is also a killer who loves the attention he is getting from the media, and this makes him feel even more dangerous.
Vanda Symon has done an excellent job of bringing Max back in her new novel, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I really hope that there is going to be another book featuring Max and Meredith.
I loved the determination in Vanda’s main police detective, Meredith, to see the killer apprehended and brought to justice. I also loved Max, who is one of the city’s homeless. Vanda Symon shows him as someone who genuinely cares for those who are also in the same position as he is. With the growing fear that there is a serial killer out there, targeting the homeless, Max takes extra time to check up on them and tries his best to make sure that they stay safe. Max is a former police officer himself and so has that extra keen eye to know when something is amiss. But being homeless at this time makes him vulnerable and a target.
What I also really liked about Meredith was her concern for Max. She doesn’t want to brush him off, like some people would do, because of his current situation. They work really well together, and it’s clear to see that Meredith thinks Max can be useful to the investigation. I really liked both of them at the start of this series, and they are continuing to impress me as characters.
Throughout the novel, we also hear from the point of view of the killer, and we can begin to see what a cold, calculating and dangerous individual they are. It’s what begins to turn this case almost into a cat and mouse chase. This is a killer who knows what they are doing and the reasons why, and this is what makes them so terrifying. I think these chapters did an excellent job of adding to the tension, and it did make me wonder if he was going to outsmart the police. He is also a killer who loves the attention he is getting from the media, and this makes him feel even more dangerous.
Vanda Symon has done an excellent job of bringing Max back in her new novel, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I really hope that there is going to be another book featuring Max and Meredith.
March 20, 2026
Max Grimes has a daily routine: get up, go to work, usually dropping a coin or two into the hand of a homeless person he sees en route. After work, a stint in the library reading the newspapers, before heading home. Just like the rest of us. Except: the roof over his head might be that of a large Victorian villa, but it's being renovated and he's bedding down in a sleeping bag - he needs to leave early so the builders don't catch him. The homeless person he gives money to is someone he considers a friend. His job, cleaning at a boxing gym, is a few dollars cash in hand under the table - far from enough to call it making a living. And that afternoon in the library? It's mostly about keeping warm and dry.
In a few pages author Vanda Symon has set the scene, introduced us to her protagonist, and underlined that homeless people are just humans struggling to cope with life, not vermin to be cleansed from the streets, as her villain - nicknamed Reaper, or Grim Reaper - thinks of them.
Max once had a family, a home, a job. Then trauma hit, and he lost everything, including himself. But in earlier novel Faceless, we saw him tentatively reconnect with his old life, and here that connection - to former colleague Detective Sergeant Meredith Peters - grows stronger.
Here she reaches out to him for help identifying a dead homeless person, an action which sets the two on a path towards fighting for the people no-one cares about, as a string of homeless people are killed by a ruthless predator.
Symon doesn't shy away from showing us a darker side and unpleasant characters among the street dwellers, but she also shows us why they have ended up in that state, and never ceases to remind us they are still people who deserve protection - very different to the thoughts of the Reaper who stalks the streets.
And the last pages give me hope that Meredith can help Max find himself again - he's a wonderful character, full of complexities and nuance, and helps us explore a world that is part hidden, part ignored.
A strong moral and ethical message, plus a cracking crime plot, make an excellent combination. Recommended.
In a few pages author Vanda Symon has set the scene, introduced us to her protagonist, and underlined that homeless people are just humans struggling to cope with life, not vermin to be cleansed from the streets, as her villain - nicknamed Reaper, or Grim Reaper - thinks of them.
Max once had a family, a home, a job. Then trauma hit, and he lost everything, including himself. But in earlier novel Faceless, we saw him tentatively reconnect with his old life, and here that connection - to former colleague Detective Sergeant Meredith Peters - grows stronger.
Here she reaches out to him for help identifying a dead homeless person, an action which sets the two on a path towards fighting for the people no-one cares about, as a string of homeless people are killed by a ruthless predator.
Symon doesn't shy away from showing us a darker side and unpleasant characters among the street dwellers, but she also shows us why they have ended up in that state, and never ceases to remind us they are still people who deserve protection - very different to the thoughts of the Reaper who stalks the streets.
And the last pages give me hope that Meredith can help Max find himself again - he's a wonderful character, full of complexities and nuance, and helps us explore a world that is part hidden, part ignored.
A strong moral and ethical message, plus a cracking crime plot, make an excellent combination. Recommended.
March 23, 2026
Max Grimes is back! Which was a lovely surprise as I wasn’t aware that this was going to be a series. ‘Reaper’ is the follow-up to ‘Faceless’ but it can easily be read as a stand-alone. I do recommend reading the first book as it was a brilliant thriller, as well as a social commentary on those society refuses to see. Vanda gives you all the pertinent information and this is very much a contained story. Vanda is one of my must-read authors and ‘Reaper’ is up there as one of her best books. It is the combination of brilliant writing, an excellent thriller, and the fact that it once again highlights how we treat those at the lowest of society.
Someone is killing the homeless population in Auckland and Max is not going to allow that to happen. Max himself is homeless and wants to protect those in his community. Someone is targeting the homeless around K Street and Max is helping his police friend and ex-colleague Meredith identify them.
Max is someone who you instantly root for. Despite being broken after the murder of his daughter, he is still full of love and empathy for those around him. Although he does have the best position to try and help, he is also facing a battle to ask for help, as why would the authorities believe him? Thankfully, this is where DS Meredith Peters comes in! With one being outside the law and one being inside - it makes the perfect team. Max is able to gain the trust of a wary and vulnerable group, whilst Meredith fights for an investigation to be initiated.
What makes this book though is the social commentary. Vanda explores an area which is rarely touched upon in crime fiction and she does so with empathy and compassion. It explores the division in how the homeless are perceived, especially when we hear from the killers’ POV - being classed as vermin, a pest that is a blight.
‘Reaper’ was a quick read. It was engrossing, dark, packed full of tension and utterly compelling! I really hope that there will be more in this series as I loved getting to know more about Max and Meredith.
Let me know if you pick this one up.
April 3, 2026
4.5* Set in DUNEDIN
Dunedin is a beautiful city on the South Island of New Zealand. But, if your only knowledge of the place was gleaned from Vanda’s work, then you could be excused for believing it to be one of the crime capitals of the world! She has written many a great thriller and police procedural set there.
Reaper is darker than some of her books. There is a population of homeless street people living in a less desirable part of Dunedin city centre. There is a debate about how they should be treated – moved on or handled with compassion and dignity. Many are ‘good people’ who have fallen on hard times. One member of the Dunedin citizenry believes he has the answer. He (the Reaper) decides to murder them one by one… He is cunning and ingenious in his methods. And, because they are ‘only’ street people, the murders do not produce much comment or police activity. Their deaths are disguised as natural causes in the midst of a harsh winter. One person, though, is tuned in to what may be happening. He is Max, an ex policeman, currently unemployed and of ‘no fixed abode’. He talks to a former colleague (and friend) who promises to raise his concerns.
Max is approached by the father of a young man who used to date his daughter. The young man had brutally killed the girl and then himself when high on drugs (as he tended to be a lot of the time). Max was angry and wary of the approach but agreed to help the father find the drug dealer responsible and confront him. But whose feathers might get ruffled in the process?
Suspicions for the murders then falls on Max himself. Has he been set up and if so, by who? Is it anything to do with his efforts to track down the drug dealer?
The book moves to a violent but satisfactory conclusion. Vanda has become one of my favourite writers of crime thrillers, and nothing in this, her latest book, does anything to change that opinion.
Dunedin is a beautiful city on the South Island of New Zealand. But, if your only knowledge of the place was gleaned from Vanda’s work, then you could be excused for believing it to be one of the crime capitals of the world! She has written many a great thriller and police procedural set there.
Reaper is darker than some of her books. There is a population of homeless street people living in a less desirable part of Dunedin city centre. There is a debate about how they should be treated – moved on or handled with compassion and dignity. Many are ‘good people’ who have fallen on hard times. One member of the Dunedin citizenry believes he has the answer. He (the Reaper) decides to murder them one by one… He is cunning and ingenious in his methods. And, because they are ‘only’ street people, the murders do not produce much comment or police activity. Their deaths are disguised as natural causes in the midst of a harsh winter. One person, though, is tuned in to what may be happening. He is Max, an ex policeman, currently unemployed and of ‘no fixed abode’. He talks to a former colleague (and friend) who promises to raise his concerns.
Max is approached by the father of a young man who used to date his daughter. The young man had brutally killed the girl and then himself when high on drugs (as he tended to be a lot of the time). Max was angry and wary of the approach but agreed to help the father find the drug dealer responsible and confront him. But whose feathers might get ruffled in the process?
Suspicions for the murders then falls on Max himself. Has he been set up and if so, by who? Is it anything to do with his efforts to track down the drug dealer?
The book moves to a violent but satisfactory conclusion. Vanda has become one of my favourite writers of crime thrillers, and nothing in this, her latest book, does anything to change that opinion.
March 30, 2026
My Thoughts: this is my first go at Vanda’s writing but this one had me so hooked that I can promise you it won’t be my last.
This book was so realistic that it made it slightly terrifying, we all have homeless people living on our streets so this could happen no matter where we are from.
For Max this was all a little too close to home, he’s now one of those homeless people but with his past as a detective he’s able to sniff out clues that your average person wouldn’t.. & with homelessness now being part of his reality he has a perspective that the police won’t see, which comes in handy when his ex partner call him for help.
This book was dark and twisty whilst staying very true to life, utterly heartbreaking, the way some of these characters were living through no fault of their own made me feel so emotional, it’s not often a thriller makes me want to cry, but this one just felt so raw.
Also really worrying how easy it was to trick these characters, it shows how trusting someone can be and how abhorrent others are to pick on some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
More than all that though the book really shows that even when you’ve hit rock bottom your life still has value, you’re still a person and what you can do is still important.
Possibly not the intention of the book with it being a thriller, but everyone will take different things from the same story.
The writing really sinks its teeth in leaving you unable to put the book down until you’ve got to the resolution.
I just want more of Max!
This book was so realistic that it made it slightly terrifying, we all have homeless people living on our streets so this could happen no matter where we are from.
For Max this was all a little too close to home, he’s now one of those homeless people but with his past as a detective he’s able to sniff out clues that your average person wouldn’t.. & with homelessness now being part of his reality he has a perspective that the police won’t see, which comes in handy when his ex partner call him for help.
This book was dark and twisty whilst staying very true to life, utterly heartbreaking, the way some of these characters were living through no fault of their own made me feel so emotional, it’s not often a thriller makes me want to cry, but this one just felt so raw.
Also really worrying how easy it was to trick these characters, it shows how trusting someone can be and how abhorrent others are to pick on some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
More than all that though the book really shows that even when you’ve hit rock bottom your life still has value, you’re still a person and what you can do is still important.
Possibly not the intention of the book with it being a thriller, but everyone will take different things from the same story.
The writing really sinks its teeth in leaving you unable to put the book down until you’ve got to the resolution.
I just want more of Max!
March 20, 2026
I just wish it didn't take so long to write a novel or that somehow Vanda could clone herself so that she wrote faster. This is a second story about Max Grimes, ex-police officer now 'Homeless person'.
The blurb on the book tells you what it's 'about' so this review is just to say that a) it's unputdownable (except when you're reading late into the night, dead tired but wanting to find out what happens and you accidentally nod off and the book falls to the floor waking you up, heart racing because the world of the book becomes the world of your dreams and you feel in danger....)
b) the characterisations are convincing and sympathetic and wry and honest and believable
c) the writing is brilliant - the sense of time and place palpable. Although, I would argue that only Aucklanders would think it's that cold - living in Dunedin (as the author does) and Christchurch (via Dunedin) as this reviewer does, the descriptions of the weather brought back memories of miserable evenings walking the dogs around Dunedin streets. Still, my mother (who lives in Auckland) thinks it's freezing if the weather temp drops below 12 degrees.
and, finally, d) the 'who dunnit' construction was incredibly satisfying.
Brilliant read. Brilliant writer. Hurry up and turn Max's stories into a mini series.
The blurb on the book tells you what it's 'about' so this review is just to say that a) it's unputdownable (except when you're reading late into the night, dead tired but wanting to find out what happens and you accidentally nod off and the book falls to the floor waking you up, heart racing because the world of the book becomes the world of your dreams and you feel in danger....)
b) the characterisations are convincing and sympathetic and wry and honest and believable
c) the writing is brilliant - the sense of time and place palpable. Although, I would argue that only Aucklanders would think it's that cold - living in Dunedin (as the author does) and Christchurch (via Dunedin) as this reviewer does, the descriptions of the weather brought back memories of miserable evenings walking the dogs around Dunedin streets. Still, my mother (who lives in Auckland) thinks it's freezing if the weather temp drops below 12 degrees.
and, finally, d) the 'who dunnit' construction was incredibly satisfying.
Brilliant read. Brilliant writer. Hurry up and turn Max's stories into a mini series.
March 14, 2026
When I read the first book in this series, Faceless, I really thought that it was a one off. No idea that this might turn into a series, but I am very glad that it has. If you haven't read the first book, don't worry too much. You may know the characters a little better, understand the dynamic between Max and his former colleague, Meredith, but this book can definitely be read as a standalone, and the story, the case, is fully contained within this book. But I am glad to see Max back. He was a key part of the previous book, but it wasn't really his story, a fact that is very much reversed in Reaper.
Max is one of Auckland's homeless population, a group willingly overlooked by many who see them as a blight on the face of the city. All but one citizen, who has taken it upon themselves to remove them, one at a time. Max, although part of the group, takes it upon himself to check on his fellow rough sleepers, and is the first to work out that the death of one of his friends may not have been of natural causes. It takes a leap of faith to get the police to believe him, but when more of Max's friends end up with a one way trip to the hospital, not even the police can deny the obvious.
I like Max, believed in his concern and the complexities of his personality and circumstance that Vanda Symon has developed over the course of the two books. He is perhaps the best placed to understand what is happening around him, but also in the worst place to have others believe him. And yet he is able to put himself into situations that the Cops could not, gaining trust in a community that is naturally wary of others, and it works perfectly for this story. I had totally sympathy for his situation, a position that is exploited by another character in this book with perhaps some unexpected consequences. But Max has a strength that makes him a perfect lead for the book, and between him and Detective Sergeant Meredith Peters I find myself completely drawn into their world and totally engaged by them and their own version of the investigation. Alternating their perspective in order to give us a fully rounded view of the case and the various prejudices and assumptions on both sides of the law is really effective as a narrative tool, making the story all the more compelling.
Now, as readers, we are privy to the thoughts of the killer. too Witness to their motivations, by way of their unique first person perspective, as well as present when they commit their dark deeds, albeit that the killings themselves are more obscure than grotesque. Their identity remains hidden until near to the end of the book, and that serves to point the finger of suspicion in various different directions as the story progresses. I had a handle on the kind of personality that was involved, but not their identity. The author has created a completely plausible, and utterly duplicitous character, which means they remain in the shadows even as their actions hit the headlines. It also allow them to stir up significant trouble for Max and to ramp up the tension that is already at near breaking point.
What I liked about this book, and it's predecessor, is how Vanda Symon has explored the nature of homelessness in a city, of its growth, particularly post pandemic, and how many of the city's more fortunate citizens view the homeless, or sex workers as was previously the case as being less than. We see the contracts between the killers view of them as vermin, an expendable group that need to be eradicated, and Max's natural concern and compassion for his fellow man. She highlights how we most of us can be aware of the homeless whilst never really seeing them for who they are. Vanda Symon uses the book to give them a voice in that respect, this book is so much more than a simple murder mystery. It serves well on both counts, providing suspense, tension and intrigue, but also heart and compassion.
I love Max and Meredith as characters, but also appreciate the social and moral conscience that forms the heart of the story. I hope that there is still more to come from this brilliant pairing. Dark, packed with intensity and an unexpected vein of emotion, it was utterly compelling from the very first chapter to the last and I devoured it in one day. If you love a great crime fiction novel, especially one that is thought provoking and utterly relevant, then I highly recommend this book. I love Vanda Symon's writing and each and every book just seems to keep getting better.
Max is one of Auckland's homeless population, a group willingly overlooked by many who see them as a blight on the face of the city. All but one citizen, who has taken it upon themselves to remove them, one at a time. Max, although part of the group, takes it upon himself to check on his fellow rough sleepers, and is the first to work out that the death of one of his friends may not have been of natural causes. It takes a leap of faith to get the police to believe him, but when more of Max's friends end up with a one way trip to the hospital, not even the police can deny the obvious.
I like Max, believed in his concern and the complexities of his personality and circumstance that Vanda Symon has developed over the course of the two books. He is perhaps the best placed to understand what is happening around him, but also in the worst place to have others believe him. And yet he is able to put himself into situations that the Cops could not, gaining trust in a community that is naturally wary of others, and it works perfectly for this story. I had totally sympathy for his situation, a position that is exploited by another character in this book with perhaps some unexpected consequences. But Max has a strength that makes him a perfect lead for the book, and between him and Detective Sergeant Meredith Peters I find myself completely drawn into their world and totally engaged by them and their own version of the investigation. Alternating their perspective in order to give us a fully rounded view of the case and the various prejudices and assumptions on both sides of the law is really effective as a narrative tool, making the story all the more compelling.
Now, as readers, we are privy to the thoughts of the killer. too Witness to their motivations, by way of their unique first person perspective, as well as present when they commit their dark deeds, albeit that the killings themselves are more obscure than grotesque. Their identity remains hidden until near to the end of the book, and that serves to point the finger of suspicion in various different directions as the story progresses. I had a handle on the kind of personality that was involved, but not their identity. The author has created a completely plausible, and utterly duplicitous character, which means they remain in the shadows even as their actions hit the headlines. It also allow them to stir up significant trouble for Max and to ramp up the tension that is already at near breaking point.
What I liked about this book, and it's predecessor, is how Vanda Symon has explored the nature of homelessness in a city, of its growth, particularly post pandemic, and how many of the city's more fortunate citizens view the homeless, or sex workers as was previously the case as being less than. We see the contracts between the killers view of them as vermin, an expendable group that need to be eradicated, and Max's natural concern and compassion for his fellow man. She highlights how we most of us can be aware of the homeless whilst never really seeing them for who they are. Vanda Symon uses the book to give them a voice in that respect, this book is so much more than a simple murder mystery. It serves well on both counts, providing suspense, tension and intrigue, but also heart and compassion.
I love Max and Meredith as characters, but also appreciate the social and moral conscience that forms the heart of the story. I hope that there is still more to come from this brilliant pairing. Dark, packed with intensity and an unexpected vein of emotion, it was utterly compelling from the very first chapter to the last and I devoured it in one day. If you love a great crime fiction novel, especially one that is thought provoking and utterly relevant, then I highly recommend this book. I love Vanda Symon's writing and each and every book just seems to keep getting better.
March 13, 2026
Discover the locations in the novel here
A crime novel about a homeless man who investigates the person killing his own kind. Now that is an interesting angle on a murder mystery. More so as it allows the author to really dig deep into that wave of people who find themselves destitute on a city’s streets. The homeless community is not one I am familiar with – luckily – but then I feel we should all know more about them, and care. It was an insightful way to see a city – through the eyes of a homeless man. The fear, the unknown, the hunger – added to the search for the truth was a killer angle ( excuse the pun) for a crime novel with heart.
March 27, 2026
This book already starts put extremely interesting, just in the way that the author writes about how Max becomes homeless. She takes on the true nature of how many arrive there, as Max was in the police force prior to a devastating loss, but gets called upon due to his connection to the deceased.
Then the book takes a turn because Max is hooked and needs to find this reaper before more go missing and wind up not coming back living. He the becomes a bit of a target, as the reaper notices him and we have a turn in the book, where he must fight to find the reaper before the reaper finds him.
It is a very interesting cat and mouse, with lots of details and great little crumbs of information, to lead you toward the person behind it all, along with some twists and exciting moments to really keep you hooked. I really liked this and am now going to read more from this author!
Then the book takes a turn because Max is hooked and needs to find this reaper before more go missing and wind up not coming back living. He the becomes a bit of a target, as the reaper notices him and we have a turn in the book, where he must fight to find the reaper before the reaper finds him.
It is a very interesting cat and mouse, with lots of details and great little crumbs of information, to lead you toward the person behind it all, along with some twists and exciting moments to really keep you hooked. I really liked this and am now going to read more from this author!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Vanda Symon is fast becoming one of my favourite crime authors, having previously read several of her novels, and Reaper is another brilliant addition to my reads by this author.
We follow Max, homelessness on the streets of Auckland, when someone begins killing the city's displaced. So Max must track down the killer before he becomes the next victim.
Want to know more? Be sure to pick your copy up to find out.
So all in all, a dark, twisty, quite brutal thriller.
It's a raw and unpredictable tale, taking you on a shadowy journey through the murky corners of New Zealand's biggest city.
It's fast paced and gripping with characters that feel real and are utterly believable.
A big 5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
We follow Max, homelessness on the streets of Auckland, when someone begins killing the city's displaced. So Max must track down the killer before he becomes the next victim.
Want to know more? Be sure to pick your copy up to find out.
So all in all, a dark, twisty, quite brutal thriller.
It's a raw and unpredictable tale, taking you on a shadowy journey through the murky corners of New Zealand's biggest city.
It's fast paced and gripping with characters that feel real and are utterly believable.
A big 5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
March 27, 2026
Ex-detective, Max Grimes, brought low by a tragedy, is surviving on the streets of Auckland's CBD. He has a part-time job at a local gym, the rest of his time is taken up with walking the streets, checking on the homeless, but someone is targeting them. The first death appears not to be suspicious, then there is another, and another.
The father of the man who killed Max's daughter approaches Max. Against his better judgment, he agrees to help find the person who sold drugs to the pair, and soon, Max discovers the homeless deaths and the person he is seeking are somehow connected. Then, he finds out that he is the one being stalked.
Great read, Vanda Symon is at her best - and that's saying something.
The father of the man who killed Max's daughter approaches Max. Against his better judgment, he agrees to help find the person who sold drugs to the pair, and soon, Max discovers the homeless deaths and the person he is seeking are somehow connected. Then, he finds out that he is the one being stalked.
Great read, Vanda Symon is at her best - and that's saying something.
March 18, 2026
I love Vanda's books & not just because she is a New Zealand writer. Her books are the best. I love the Sam Shepherd series & hope there will be more. Have just finished books 1&2 of Meredith & Max set in Auckland. I've been waking during the night to "read just a bit more" but I don't want them to finish either. I hope we will get to read more of Meredith, Max & now Ace. For someone who had the worst year of her life, you produced a sensational story & I'm sure your brother would have been enormously proud of you.
March 27, 2026
I didn’t realise this was book 2 featuring Max and I will be reading that one too, asap.
I really enjoyed this book I may have missed some of Max’s backstory by not having read the first book but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of this book.
A well written thrilling read full of atmosphere and tension.
I loved the different points of view and the view of the killer was chilling and dark.
A new author to me but I will definitely be looking out for future books.
I really enjoyed this book I may have missed some of Max’s backstory by not having read the first book but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of this book.
A well written thrilling read full of atmosphere and tension.
I loved the different points of view and the view of the killer was chilling and dark.
A new author to me but I will definitely be looking out for future books.
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