Czerwone światło hańby

Katie Maguire #3

by Graham Masterton, Grzegorz Kołodziejczyk (translator)

W dzielnicy czerwonych latarni w Cork dochodzi do wielu brutalnych morderstw, których ofiarami padają działający w tym okręgu sutenerzy. Detektyw Katie Maguire staje przed dylematem – czy szukać zabójcy przestępców zaangażowanych w handel żywym towarem, których ona sama nie była w stanie złapać i zamknąć, czy też pozwolić na to, by ktoś wymierzał sprawiedliwość na własną rękę. Wstrząsający thriller dla czytelników o mocnych nerwach – tak realistyczne opisy są znakiem rozpoznawczym Grahama Mastertona.

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Audiobook, Ireland, Horror

416 pages, Paperback

First published June 5, 2014

About the author

Graham Masterton was born in Edinburgh in 1946. His grandfather was Thomas Thorne Baker, the eminent scientist who invented DayGlo and was the first man to transmit news photographs by wireless. After training as a newspaper reporter, Graham went on to edit the new British men's magazine Mayfair, where he encouraged William Burroughs to develop a series of scientific and philosophical articles which eventually became Burroughs' novel The Wild Boys.

At the age of 24, Graham was appointed executive editor of both Penthouse and Penthouse Forum magazines. At this time he started to write a bestselling series of sex 'how-to' books including How To Drive Your Man Wild In Bed which has sold over 3 million copies worldwide. His latest, Wild Sex For New Lovers is published by Penguin Putnam in January, 2001. He is a regular contributor to Cosmopolitan, Men's Health, Woman, Woman's Own and other mass-market self-improvement magazines.

Graham Masterton's debut as a horror author began with The Manitou in 1976, a chilling tale of a Native American medicine man reborn in the present day to exact his revenge on the white man. It became an instant bestseller and was filmed with Tony Curtis, Susan Strasberg, Burgess Meredith, Michael Ansara, Stella Stevens and Ann Sothern.

Altogether Graham has written more than a hundred novels ranging from thrillers (The Sweetman Curve, Ikon) to disaster novels (Plague, Famine) to historical sagas (Rich and Maiden Voyage - both appeared in the New York Times bestseller list). He has published four collections of short stories, Fortnight of Fear, Flights of Fear, Faces of Fear and Feelings of Fear.

He has also written horror novels for children (House of Bones, Hair-Raiser) and has just finished the fifth volume in a very popular series for young adults, Rook, based on the adventures of an idiosyncratic remedial English teacher in a Los Angeles community college who has the facility to see ghosts.

Since then Graham has published more than 35 horror novels, including Charnel House, which was awarded a Special Edgar by Mystery Writers of America; Mirror, which was awarded a Silver Medal by West Coast Review of Books; and Family Portrait, an update of Oscar Wilde's tale, The Picture of Dorian Gray, which was the only non-French winner of the prestigious Prix Julia Verlanger in France.

He and his wife Wiescka live in a Gothic Victorian mansion high above the River Lee in Cork, Ireland.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continuing this series by Graham Masterton, I had high hopes it would be just as exciting as the previous two. Masterton builds on this police procedural collection set in rural Ireland, exploring a new set of graphic murders. While some may shy away from this, series fans know full well that Masterton has a reason for his detailed descriptions and things are revealed in a timely manner. A chilling series with themes sure to entertain the reader throughout, Masterton proves his worth yet again.

Detective Sergeant Katie Macguire has been working hard in Cork to keep the area safe and ensure no one breaks the law. She’s been synthesising a recent decision about her personal life which could impact her significant and pave the way for success. All this while a new senior official at the office has targeting DS Macguire in an effort to clean up the ranks.

After a man is found murdered with his hands removed, DS Macguire and her team begin their thorough exploration of what could have happened. Background information leads to the discovering that the victim was involved in the sex trade and there are whispers that he’s imported a number of girls from outside the country, many below the age of consent. DS Macguire cannot help but wonder if there is more to the story than meets the eye.

All the while, a woman lurks in the background, luring men into compromising situations before she strikes, wishing to send a message. She’s happy to explain to her victims that they are being targeted for preying on young girls, who are promised lavish lives only to send the young girls into a world of depraved sexual acts that leave them broken. Scared and yet defiant, these men try to justify their lifestyles before being given a hard choice; lose their left hand or manhood.

When more men turn up dead with similar hand injuries, DS Macguire works with her team to sift through the many men in Cork who are known for running girls on the streets or in private homes. One known well to the political elite for trying to show that the sex trade can be a legitimate means of work is sent a message that he will not soon forget. It’s time for the authorities to strike, but DS Macguire is distracted by some issues at home, which could leave her in a shambles. Masterton does it again with his strong writing, sure to impress series fans many times over.

Graham Masterton has developed this series in such a way that the reader cannot help but want to learn more. This is the second of his series that I have been reading, both of which I would tag as ‘addictive’ without hesitation. Masterton creates numerous plots that keep the reader hooked, sometimes for their graphic nature, while using a strong protagonist to push great underlying themes. I like how things series has been progressing and am ready to reach for the next, hoping to find some of the same ingredients.

Masterton has a strong storytelling ability that makes the reader take note from the opening pages. His narrative flow provides a smooth reading experience, while offering graphic murders to shock the reader to the core. While this may turn some readers away from reading this series, the discussions are quick and to the point, but are also with reason, providing rationale for the retributions. There are strong characters throughout the novel, each developing at their own pace. DS Katie Macguire receives more character development and personal backstory, essential for the protagonist’s relationship with the reader. The plot twists were plentiful in the book, as well as themes related to sex work and the trafficking of young girls. I devoured this book and remain eager to see how Cork will progress under the watchful eye of DS Katie Macguire. Graham Masterton shows his mettle once more and readers ought to take notice!

Kudos, Mr. Masterton, for another stellar story. Bring on more!

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Μαρία Γεωργοπούλου · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ένα πολύ καλογραμμένο αστυνομικό βιβλίο από τον Graham Masterton! Ατμοσφαιρικό όπως και τα προηγούμενα, αν και μου έλειψε λιγάκι το στοιχείο της έκπληξης από το συγκεκριμένο!

[Maxine (Booklover Catlady) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The talented Graham Masterton has done it again, in fact I think he upped the ante with this, the third installment in the Katie Maguire crime series. I didn't think he could better the first book White Bones but he has.

What's unique I find about his crime books is the amount of gory, graphic, cringe-worthy kill scenes. You can tell that Masterton was a horror writer before turning his pen (or keyboard) to crime. I like it a lot, it makes for compelling reading, you want to avert your eyes but you can't as then you miss what's happening.

So what's it about?

In a grimy flat in the city of Cork, a burly man lies dead on a bloodstained mattress. His face is unrecognisable, gunshots have shattered cartilage and bone, and even more gruesome is the fact that both his hands are cut off. DS Katie Maguire, of the Irish Garda, is called in to investigate the bizarre murder.

Katie knows it's her job to catch the killer. When it's revealed that the murdered man is a pimp who exploits young women that have been trafficked into Ireland to be part of the growing sex trade, Katie is gathering information to put together the "why" of the murder as well as the "who". When a second pimp is killed, Katie must decide. Are these vigilante murders justified? And how can she stop them spiraling out of control?

My Review:

The plot in this novel is brilliant. DS Katie Maguire has her eyes on the top man in Cork's sex trafficking trade, an evil man responsible for controlling the lives of many young women who have no idea what they have been brought to Ireland for and once they find out it's too late.

It's a book that made me think because sex trafficking is a very real issue, it's happening all around the world and it's proving to be growing all the time. It’s more of a money spinner than the drug trade. It's absolutely horrific and this book reveals in detail a lot about it, it might be educational to some who know little about the dark side of this.

We hear from some of the women caught up in the mess and also hear the voices of the evil men making it all happen. Katie won't rest until the empire is toppled but she's up against difficult circumstances. The book, in detail explores and explains the conditions and situations these innocent women are forced into. It will make you think and feel.

The vigilante who is out there murdering these pimps is a brilliantly written character, she's relentless in her pursuit and has a purpose that is revealed as the book goes on. She has no mercy, none at all. For me it stirred conflicting emotions in relation to this character.

As with the other books in this series we get insight into Katie's personal life and relationship again, but it's done in a way that does not detract from the crime investigation and the overall plot, it's just blended in, making her character even more likeable and tangible.

I liked a lot about this book, I read it over a few hours and it held my attention the whole way. The kill scenes are filled with blood and gore (you have been warned) but Masterton does it so well, edge of your seat stuff, you might try to hide behind a pillow, but not recommended when reading. It's graphic and visual and would make for a great TV series! I like the way Masterton is not afraid to tackle the dark side in his books.

For example…

Both of the man's hands were missing and the blanket beneath his wrists was black with dried blood. The stumps were alive with maggots, wriggling and twitching as they struggled with each other to feed off his festering flesh.

The outcome? Brilliantly done, great lead up to a somewhat conflicted ending for me (I was wanting it to go the other way), had me turning the pages at a rapid rate late into the night. Another brilliant novel from one of my favourite authors and highly recommended. In fact, read the whole series.

Thanks so much for taking a little time to read my review. Your likes and comments mean a lot to me. 😻 Feel free to add me as a friend or follow me for more book reviews.

If you are an Author or Publisher and you’d like me to consider reading and reviewing your book(s) please just message me.

[Rob Twinem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katie Maguire is super cool, stays off the alcohol (few male cops do!!) is independent (too the point of driving her latest boyfriend John back to the States) and gets the job done...even if it means spending 24 hrs chasing the bad boys....no wonder John went back to America! I did enjoy the third book in the Katie Maguire series and Masterton does a fantastic job of portraying a career minded police woman swimming in a sea of vipers (both the criminals and her own colleagues!) However 2 things annoyed me about this essentially excellent tale; the first occurs about 80% in when Katie's relationship with her partner John fall apart and a rather odd and unexpected occurance happens (I will not disclose what that is but suffice to say I thought it totally against the character of Katie Maguire as a person and a professional) and the second event was the somewhat abrupt ending....and by that I mean WHOP!! it just ended...which of course keeps the door open for the fourth outing in the series, and I will look forward to reading this when hopefully some of my issues can be enlightened.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Setting: Cork, Ireland; modern day.

This is the third book in the crime series featuring Detective Superintendent Katie Maguire and set in Cork, Ireland.
We join Katie and her team as they are trying to build a case against a local businessman who is suspected of being the head of prostitution and sex-trafficking in the city - but he has powerful friends in high places and gathering evidence is difficult. Then, an African man is discovered brutally murdered in a flat where a young black girl is also found. She tells police that an Avenging Angel killed the man and describes a tall black woman as being the killer of who turns out to be her pimp. As other brutal killings of men in controlling positions in the sex trade occur, Katie and her team struggle to find leads to track down the killer - whilst at the same time wondering if she is actually doing them a favour!.....
Another great crime thriller in this series with excellent characters and brutal violence which I have now come to expect from these books - definitely not for the squeamish! Love the back stories of the main characters and interested to see where the latest developments take Katie. Looking forward to reading the next one - 9/10.

[Alma (retirement at last) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just couldn’t put it down. Although the reader knows who the murderer is almost from the beginning, it does not hinder the storyline, in fact it enhances it as it draws you closer and closer to a finale that isn’t quite as you would expect.
Lots of characters you love to hate and lots to be frustrated about which in this case is good because it makes the novel in to a real page turner.
Lots of personal problems in Katie’s life as usual which lead to some devastating consequences.
Female trafficking, forced prostitution and drug dependency, crooked coppers and illegal selling of guns. What more could a reader ask for😳

[kristyna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tohle bylo nepopsatelně zlé. Miliarda postav, spousta nepřehledných jmen, zamotané a současně nedořešené dějové linky, námět případů bez nápadu a absolutně zbytečné erotické pasáže, které bych prostě škrtla a čau. Chci číst detektivku, ne porno. Pardon, ale tohle se podle mě prostě nepovedlo.

[Book Addict Shaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can see this review and loads more on my blog: http://bookaddictshaun.blogspot.co.uk

My first Graham Masterton read but definitely not my last! Of this crime fiction series of his anyway. Over the last few months I have read some absolutely brilliant crime fiction books set in Northern Ireland, specifically Belfast and Dublin and so was both excited and intrigued to read this book set in the Republic, in Cork. As a prolific reader of crime fiction certain elements of it can get repetitive and I really enjoyed reading about Irish policing.

Our main character in this book is Detective Superintendent Katie McGuire and I liked her immensely. Some authors tend to create the bog standard male detective, macho, usually with a drinking problem and usually an unwillingness to follow orders from their superiors. And so I especially like reading books where the main detective is a woman. Having not read the previous books I obviously didn't know anything about Katie going into the book but Masterton tells the reader enough to bring us up to speed and also to make us want to rush and read the previous books. For that reason it can definitely be read as a standalone.

The book opens with an estate agent and his client checking out a property when they come across a foul smell. Thinking it to be rotting food from the previous owners they enter one of the rooms to find that it is in fact the rotting body of a man with his hands cut off and his face blasted away. Hovering over the man is a scared, half-naked girl. Straight off the bat Masterton does not hold back with the very vivid descriptions of how the man was murdered. For me, the gruesomer the better, but definitely not for the faint hearted. Especially as the book progresses and we are treated to even more brutal and gruesome murder scenes.

It turns out that the man is in fact a pimp, and when more men across Cork are killed in similar ways it becomes clear that someone out there won't rest until they have cleared the city of its pimps. Katie has to question whether she actually wants to catch this person who is really just making the city a better place, right? I found myself wondering the same thing. The men who are being killed are vile men who think nothing of bringing girls, some children, into the country and selling them for sex against their will.

Masterton is a wonderful writer. The book really was a joy to read. Usually I am put off reading books over 400+ pages unless it's by an author I have previously read. However the 439 pages in this book flew by. I loved the setting which has been captured perfectly, especially in the dialogue between the characters. In terms of the plot it was quite a simple one. Not hard to guess the reasonings behind the murders but still a good read from beginning to end that I would recommend to all crime fiction fans. I'll definitely be hoping to get around to the first two in the series sooner rather than later.

[Kathleen Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Red Light Graham Masterton is a master at crime and horror. This is the first book I have read of his that is a crime novel, I have read a few of his other works and really enjoyed them. I was drawn to the book because not only is it a crime novel that I love, but it takes place in Ireland, which I am obsessed with. 
 
A man is found dead with his face horribly mutilated and missing his hands. DS Katie Maguire, of the Irish Garda is tasked with solving this crime. Identifying the man proves difficult but once she finds that the dead man was a pimp who exploited women and young girls in the sex slave market, she is more determined to find the traffickers. More men are getting killed by the Avenging Angel, as she calls herself. We are not supposed to cheer for the serial killer in novels, but after I found out why this young woman was killing pimps, I was actually hoping that she would get away with it. Revenge is a kind of wild justice they say but there are always consequences. This is also a sad story of the sex trade, how these girls and women are lied to and then made to believe that what they are doing is the only way for them to live.
 
This story is pretty graphic so if vivid descriptions are bothersome to you, well this may not be the type of story for you. I however loved every page of the book. This is a stand alone novel, but the third in the series. Great writing and believable characters make for a book that you don't want to miss.
 
 

[Simon Okill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Red Light by Graham Masterton is a masterfully written gorefest detective thriller the likes of which not even this reader could have imagined. The attention to detail, brilliantly described characters, the noir feel in grimy wet streets, sex trafficking, all add up to an explosion to the senses. And the author knows how to use all us readers' senses so be warned there are some stomach-churning murder scenes that took my breath away, I had to close my mouth to stop the flies buzzing in and pinch my nose on several occasions.
Our heroine, Katy Maguire, is back to investigate a brutal execution-style murder in the red light district (squeamish close your eyes), but she is left with a dilemma - so what if someone is cleaning her streets of sex-trafficking scum? Let them sweep the city of its filth. But the killings don't stop as The Avenging Angel continues and it's here that Graham excels by letting the reader inside a vigilante's head and make us understand why. Relentless, unforgiving, brutal, sadistic to the extreme and yet the author makes us feel for the avenger and even agree with the motives.
This novel is brilliant beyond comparison with any other serial killer thriller and a must rad for all fans of slick, grimy crime thrillers with a hard edge.

[Petra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third book in the Katie Maguire series, and the topic this time is sex trafficking and prostitution. While I found this installment to be less gory than the previous ones, it was far more emotional because of the poignant stories of the girls/women affected. It wasn't as suspenseful as the previous books as there was no real mystery to the whodunit, and the plot was fairly simple. Despite of that, Masterton managed to create another very engaging story that was difficult to pause once I've started listening to it. I adore Caroline Lennon's narration now that there are no American accents involved.
Things I didn't like: there's the now obligatory lesbian attraction again. That's becoming too repetitive now. The other recurring thing that became a bit boring was the mention of the ringtones.
On the positive side, Masterton stayed away from cringe worthy sex scenes involving Katie this time.
I was a bit conflicted about the ending. I think I would have preferred to see justice being served in a different way. I hope the plot about some of the characters will be picked up in the next book, as there were several things left unresolved.

[Fred Klein · Rating 2 out of 5]

My introduction to Masterton's Katie Maguire novels -- about a tough, Irish cop. A mysterious woman is torturing and killing men involved in the sex trade industry in Cork. Predictable plot. Ridiculous dialogue. Gratuitous violence right out of a "Saw" movie. Oh yes, and Masterton throws in a sex scene. Not the worst thing I've read by Masterton, but not recommended. (At least no one is burned alive in this one.)

[Andrea]

Urgh, abandoned at 16% I used to love Graham Mastertons books back when I was a teenager but I guess somethings are just left as happy memories as everything about this book just irritated the hell out of me including the barely disguised racism.

[Nick Rippington · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do love a Katie Maguire book and find Masterton's brand of dark thriller compelling. Having said that I wasn't as wrapped up in this one as his previous efforts. I much prefer when Katie conducts very cold cases with the gory truth hidden in the distant past. This one was a departure from the norm, set in present day Cork and centring on the harrowing subjects of people trafficking and sexual exploitation. Our villain, to be fair, is a very frightening and disturbed character determined to act the avenging angel and with skills learnt during troubled times abroad. You are almost compelled to back their mission: To free the streets of those in charge of the sordid sex industry in Cork. Unfortunately the way it is carried out is gruesome and merciless, forcing the reader to cringe each time killer and prey are thrown together. As Katie's investigation progresses she bumps heads with a new boss with questionable loyalties and her private life crashes into one major obstacle after another. She finds herself with a dilemma, sharing the killer's hatred for those making money out of others suffering but knowing she must put a stop to it all. To my mind, it was all wrapped up a bit too quickly and the pages didn't fly by as they usually do. Let's hope Katie does us a favour and gets back to uncovering 100-year-old bones and skeletal murder victims.

[comfort · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katie is investigating a series of local pimps being gruesomely tortured and murdered. However, it is evident that these men are pretty scummy as they are pimping out underage girls, mostly from overseas and really deserved to be killed.
Then they see footage of an Avenging Angel.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third book in the series delves into the dark and disturbing world of illegal prostitution and sex trafficking. A handless body is found in an empty building in Cork, identification made particularly hard by the fact that the man's face has been shattered by several shotgun blasts. The only witness to the crime is a terrified and half-starved girl who can only tell the responding officers that the killer was an unknown woman. Eventually the Garda manage to identify him as a pimp operating in the area, and several more bodies in a similar state follow in short order. As the investigation progresses, Detective Superintendent Katie Maguire realises that there's a vigilante at work, ridding the city of criminal scum she's been trying to put behind bars for years. Nevertheless, she can't allow a killer to run loose in her city.

The best entry in the series so far IMO. It contains the by now expected gory scenes of graphic violence, but either I'm getting used to them or they're becoming a bit less disturbing with each book. The ending was somewhat open, leaving some story threads unfinished that I'd like to see continued in the next part.

[J · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could have done without the sex scenes and poorly written at that. To what end? Katie Maguire learns that "the love of her life" is leaving and the next morning, she is in the arms of her female Detective Sergeant. Do we really need to know that their tongues met? Who is Graham Masterton writing this drivel for? Could have been a good story without that! Ugh.

[Kacper · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Nicki Thoirs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm upset because I've ordered the next book online, and it has yet to arrive ! I need to know what Katie is up to next!
Masterton is a genius and is slowly becoming one of my favourite authors!
He has a way of pulling the reader into the book straight away and craving more!
The third book of this series is about prostitution and trafficking rings in Cork.
It begins with a body being found, with the hands cut off and the face mutilated, so the garda are unable to identify the victim.
Slowly but surely, more victims are found the same way!
I love how Masterton builds his characters throughout each book, also! He doesn't run up the word count by describing them inside out, but instead allows the reader to learn about the characters through other characters experiences of them, which allows for the reader to make the decision on how they feel!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. My only complaint is that it was left on a bit of a cliffhanger, similar to the second!
I can't wait for the fourth book to arrive now!

[Hung Nguyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cuốn này thú vị hơn mình nghĩ. Có vẻ như tác giả đã đầu tư tốt hơn vào việc xây dựng hình tượng nhân vật cho một chuỗi series dài hơi, tín hiệu đáng mừng sau cuốn thứ 2 hơi thất vọng. Nói về phần này, bối cảnh là đường dây mại dâm và buôn bán người trái phép từ châu Phi sang Ireland mà Katie đang nỗ lực triệt phá. Điểm nổi bật không khí căng thẳng,hồi hộp được tái hiện tốt, kèm theo lối kể chuyện khá lôi cuốn, hấp dẫn người đọc đến trang cuối cùng. Thế giới mại dâm và buôn người được xây dựng khá hoàn chỉnh, từ những tay cò mồi, những cô gái bị lừa đảo, những cảnh sát và chính trị gia biến chất ..., và hơn hết là Chiến dịch Bật đèn xanh (Turn on the green light) của gã chủ mưu nhằm thay đổi những quy định pháp luật về mại dâm ở Ireland, rất ấn tượng. Điều đáng tiếc là yếu tố kinh dị ở phần này không bằng phần trước, và sự thiếu hụt của các chi tiết tâm linh làm câu chuyện ít kỳ bí đi nhiều. Đánh giá 4/5.

[Neil Fulwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Masterton brings all of the unflinching viscera for which he’s renowned as a horror novelist to this crime thriller outing (which, as I only discovered after I started reading, is book three in a series of eleven). He’s hopped genres before - rags to riches epics, sweeping family sagas - but his heart of hearts beats with horror. ‘Red Light’ is graphic, chilling and not for those of a squeamish disposition. His protagonist, Detective Superintendent Katie Maguire is a terrific creation, her antagonist (an angel of vengeance intent on dispatching the syndicate behind a prostitution ring) is genuinely iconic, the County Cork setting springs evocatively from the page, and the plot rattles towards its jarringly abrupt conclusion at a fair rate of knots. Sign me up for the rest of the saga!

[Ola Pasik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Świetna opowieść świetnego autora. Nawet nie wiedziałam, że potrzebowałam przeczytać książkę o takiej fabule.

Nieletnie prostytutki to bardzo ważny temat, który nigdy nie powinien stać się tematem "tabu", podobnie jak Stróże Prawa przymykający na to oko, kiedy tylko dostali kasę za milczenie.

Byłoby pięć gwiazdek, gdyby nie pewien wątek, który mnie strasznie rozczarował. Mała dziewczynka, która była światkiem okrutnego morderstwa, była wielokrotnie gwałcona i odcięta od rodziny, kiedy tylko porozmawiała z kobietą z jej kraju śpiewająco opowiada o szczegółach morderstwa i o gwałtach.

Już pomijam złe tłumaczenie "Złote Place" XD

[Ieva Valentinavičiūtė · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book and felt even less sympathy for the gorily tortured victims than in the second book of this series. This time, the murderer that Katie Maguire is trying to catch is a woman who is killing men involved in trafficking girls into sex work. Many of these girls are underage and have been tricked into coming to Ireland from other countries. It was hard to read at times because of the subject and because what was happening to the girls.

I feel like this book could create space for discussion about topics such as human trafficking, sex work, and police corruption.

One complaint I have about the book is that the ending was too abrupt for me.

[Joe Geesin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another well written and enthralling Katie Maguire, which sees our lady take on the local sex trade and people trafficing. The book is largely better written than the previous two Macguire, and the climax is excellent. That said, much of the climax you could see coming and there is no real twist, and there is a sudden and almost sad ending, and this lets down the book somewhat.

[Angela Verdenius · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugh, a nasty line of crime, but one that happens, regretfully, everywhere. Good story, again. Skin-crawling, again. And some nasty characters that continue onward. I hope they get their comeuppance soon! One thing, however, that is a recurring theme - so far a known character always meets their end in every book, so be warned and expect the unexpected!

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good series so far. Everyone thinks of Ireland as this idyllic island, but once in the city, the crime is consistent wherever you are.

The pacing is good, the characters are engaging, and it is easy to imagine the settings.

Plot-wise, this was close to the last book, but it was still enjoyable.

[Nerile · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75⭐️/5
jak na razie to najsłabszy tom z całej serii, do tego kurczę irytuje mnie ze każdy mówi tu dosłownie tak samo - nie ma rozróżnienia pomiędzy postaciami i łatwo się w tym pogubić, i to już drugi raz gdzie Katie jest niespodziewanie całowana przez inną kobietę - autor ma jakiś fetysz czy co? to nic nie wnosi do fabuły a tylko bardziej konfuduje czytelnika

[Darlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed it. Tough storyline about human trafficking and sexual slavery. I quite enjoyed the vigilante justice! Can’t say I felt too sorry for the victims. I have a feeling I know what’s up with Katie, but I guess I’ll have to wait until the next book to find out!

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-1/2. Good quick read

[Roisin Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual Graham Masterton doesn’t disappoint.
An excellent read full of suspense and gore.