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Joe & Sam Parker #3
The Domino Killer
When a man is found beaten to death in a local Manchester park, Detective Constable Sam Parker is one of the investigating officers. Sam swiftly identifies the victim, but what at first looks like an open and shut case quickly starts to unravel when he realises that the victim's fingerprints were found on a knife at another crime scene, a month earlier.
Meanwhile, Sam's brother, Joe - a criminal defence lawyer in the city - comes face to face with a man whose very presence sends shockwaves through his life. Joe must confront the demons of his past as he struggles to come to terms with the darkness that this man represents.
Meanwhile, Sam's brother, Joe - a criminal defence lawyer in the city - comes face to face with a man whose very presence sends shockwaves through his life. Joe must confront the demons of his past as he struggles to come to terms with the darkness that this man represents.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published July 30, 2015
13 people are currently reading
207 people want to read
About the author
Neil White
36 books152 followersNeil White (b. 1965) is a British freelance criminal lawyer and a full-time crime writer.
Librarian's note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian's note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
November 24, 2016
This is the third in the Parker brothers series, but the first one that I have read. It is an intense rollercoaster ride set in Manchester. Joe is a lawyer and Sam is a cop. Haunting the brothers is the murder of their sister, Ellie. Joe feels shame and guilt because he saw her killer and never revealed this fact to anyone. He is called to represent a client at the police station and is shocked to recognise him as Ellie's murderer. Joe has always promised himself that if he found the killer that he would kill him.
DC Sam Parker is at a crime scene where a man has been bludgeoned to death with a hammer. It is the latest in a number of unsolved murders in the city. Joe is struggling to fight his demons and starts to find out as much as he can about his client and resorts to following him. This leads him to stumble across another murder. His paralegal, Gina, headed the police murder investigation of Ellie's murder, and she finds herself caught up in the present day developments. DCI Brabham, a man more interested in his media profile than getting stuck into the actual investigations begins to use the term the 'Domino' killer to explain the killings. Joe tells Sam about seeing their sister's murderer, which leads to Sam delving deeper and finding connections with Ellie's killer and his current murder cases. This is an incredibly murky investigation which brings danger and is packed with major twists and a gripping finale.
This is an atmospheric and intricate read with complex characterisation, particularly that of Joe who is full of the need for revenge and having to find the means to handle the heavy emotions and guilt. I particularly liked the strong sense of Manchester, its history and architecture, in the book. Whilst it worked as a standalone for me, I would suggest that readers begin with the first book to get a better griip on the characters. Many thanks to Litttle, Brown for an ARC.
DC Sam Parker is at a crime scene where a man has been bludgeoned to death with a hammer. It is the latest in a number of unsolved murders in the city. Joe is struggling to fight his demons and starts to find out as much as he can about his client and resorts to following him. This leads him to stumble across another murder. His paralegal, Gina, headed the police murder investigation of Ellie's murder, and she finds herself caught up in the present day developments. DCI Brabham, a man more interested in his media profile than getting stuck into the actual investigations begins to use the term the 'Domino' killer to explain the killings. Joe tells Sam about seeing their sister's murderer, which leads to Sam delving deeper and finding connections with Ellie's killer and his current murder cases. This is an incredibly murky investigation which brings danger and is packed with major twists and a gripping finale.
This is an atmospheric and intricate read with complex characterisation, particularly that of Joe who is full of the need for revenge and having to find the means to handle the heavy emotions and guilt. I particularly liked the strong sense of Manchester, its history and architecture, in the book. Whilst it worked as a standalone for me, I would suggest that readers begin with the first book to get a better griip on the characters. Many thanks to Litttle, Brown for an ARC.
November 24, 2016
I have never read anything by Neil White before, meeting the characters for this first time in this novel, but this did not impact my understanding or enjoyment. Both Joe and Sam were interesting people in their own right, as two very different brothers, they provide a fantastic contrast in viewpoint. The plot was clever and kept up the tension thoughout. I was never certain what would happen next and that is a refreshing change. Heartily recommended.
Arc via Netgalley.
Arc via Netgalley.
December 1, 2016
This is the 3rd book in the Joe and Sam Parker series by author Neil White. I had previously read the 1st book so I was already familiar with the background to this novel so I settled into it fairly quickly.
The two main characters are brothers, Joe who is a Defence Lawyer and Sam is a Detective Constable.
The book opens when a man is found beaten to death in a local Manchester park and Detective Constable Sam Parker is one of the investigating officers. Sam identifies the victim and at first it appears to be a straightforward case, but events start to unravel when the victims fingerprints are identified as the same as one's found on a knife at another crime scene, a month earlier.
Joe Parker holds a dark secret, he saw the face of his sisters murderer 17 years ago and didn't act on it, so when he comes face to face with the same man again he struggles to control his feelings.
The more you read of this book the better it gets and you end up wanting to find out more but at the same time not wanting it to end. A great read and certainly an author I will read more of.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The two main characters are brothers, Joe who is a Defence Lawyer and Sam is a Detective Constable.
The book opens when a man is found beaten to death in a local Manchester park and Detective Constable Sam Parker is one of the investigating officers. Sam identifies the victim and at first it appears to be a straightforward case, but events start to unravel when the victims fingerprints are identified as the same as one's found on a knife at another crime scene, a month earlier.
Joe Parker holds a dark secret, he saw the face of his sisters murderer 17 years ago and didn't act on it, so when he comes face to face with the same man again he struggles to control his feelings.
The more you read of this book the better it gets and you end up wanting to find out more but at the same time not wanting it to end. A great read and certainly an author I will read more of.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
July 21, 2019
As author Neil White is a lawyer by day and a writer by night, he certainly understands the power of an action packed story.
Dangerous liaisons are rolled out in every chapter it leaves you wondering who next will die.
A married man in suite and patent shoes sitting in a Manchester park holding Calla lilie flowers is murdered. The police believe he was having a romantic meeting with someone. The police need to break the news to his wife and pieces different parts of his life to recreate his final week.
Meanwhile Joe Parker a lawyer often has to visit the police station, which sometimes could be disruptive to life. The visits either took place during office hours or at some awful time of the night. Joe is called to a man Mark Proctor who the police have held as Mark stole his uninsured car from a police vehicle compound. Joe memory of knowing Mark Proctor all comes back to him. Mark had been the man who killed Joe's sister. Joe had promised himself if he ever found who killed Ellie he was going to kill him.
A devastatingly good troubling crime thriller.
November 14, 2015
Here we are then at book three of the Parker brothers trilogy. I guess it could be read as a standalone because backstory is given, but I'm glad I started at the beginning. I love to see character development and the feel of the whole story in full. Besides anal me wouldn't let me do otherwise! I just can't!!
So here we are dealing with the cold case of Ellie, the boys' sister, who was taken away from them tragically years before. In the previous two books her story was revealed to us bit by bit in the background. We know what happened the repercussions of it all and where those affected are now. What we have with this book is the story now taking centre stage which is both fitting and most satisfying as a reader.
White undoubtedly writes with an intelligent brilliance and I love that. Only ever giving snippets throughout as cast members are tightly woven with an intricacy that leaves you dazzled. A couple of times I had to re-read sections to give my brain time to wrap itself around the interweaving. Thinking I'm preempting answers and directions only then to be thrown along different paths and scratching my head in wonderment. Words are never wasted here as we're taken to different parts of Manchester with descriptive settings and historical language bringing it all to vivid life. Be it bleak or sunshiny dazzling you get a really good feel for the place. Great for anyone who doesn't know the area well.
The Domino Killer is a great story that wraps up the trilogy well. For me personally, my favourite was book two, The Death Collector. Every aspect of that one just hit the mark and then some. But this is a great read also and I'm really glad I read all three books. To not have done would have been a disservice to the Parker brothers and their stories.... and I couldn't do that!! Great stuff!
Much apprecation goes to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
So here we are dealing with the cold case of Ellie, the boys' sister, who was taken away from them tragically years before. In the previous two books her story was revealed to us bit by bit in the background. We know what happened the repercussions of it all and where those affected are now. What we have with this book is the story now taking centre stage which is both fitting and most satisfying as a reader.
White undoubtedly writes with an intelligent brilliance and I love that. Only ever giving snippets throughout as cast members are tightly woven with an intricacy that leaves you dazzled. A couple of times I had to re-read sections to give my brain time to wrap itself around the interweaving. Thinking I'm preempting answers and directions only then to be thrown along different paths and scratching my head in wonderment. Words are never wasted here as we're taken to different parts of Manchester with descriptive settings and historical language bringing it all to vivid life. Be it bleak or sunshiny dazzling you get a really good feel for the place. Great for anyone who doesn't know the area well.
The Domino Killer is a great story that wraps up the trilogy well. For me personally, my favourite was book two, The Death Collector. Every aspect of that one just hit the mark and then some. But this is a great read also and I'm really glad I read all three books. To not have done would have been a disservice to the Parker brothers and their stories.... and I couldn't do that!! Great stuff!
Much apprecation goes to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
August 2, 2015
This is the third in a series, but the first that I have read and it really didn’t matter, this book can be read as a standalone. Having said that, I really enjoyed reading about the Parker brothers – detective Sam and lawyer Joe and I can see myself now going back over the series – and it isn’t often that I say that. Usually, if I come to a series halfway through I never feel the urge to go back and read the earlier books – it always feels too much like going over old ground. I just liked the way the characters developed throughout this story – they felt realistic and likeable. We got to know about every aspect of their lives, so I could really identify with them.
This is a police thriller, a serial killer story and for Joe and Sam it is going to get very personal indeed. Now, I did find the first half of the book to be a slightly slower read than the second, but the second half really takes off. It is pacey with a complex plot line that twists and turns all the time. Did I figure it out? Yes, but only just before it was revealed in the book. The climax is full of danger and thrills but I have to say I felt a slight twinge of disappointment at the very end of the read. It is not really a cliffhanger ending, but one which left me wondering whether there were a couple of pages missing. Hopefully though, it paves the way for a return of the Parkers.
Many thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
This is a police thriller, a serial killer story and for Joe and Sam it is going to get very personal indeed. Now, I did find the first half of the book to be a slightly slower read than the second, but the second half really takes off. It is pacey with a complex plot line that twists and turns all the time. Did I figure it out? Yes, but only just before it was revealed in the book. The climax is full of danger and thrills but I have to say I felt a slight twinge of disappointment at the very end of the read. It is not really a cliffhanger ending, but one which left me wondering whether there were a couple of pages missing. Hopefully though, it paves the way for a return of the Parkers.
Many thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
August 30, 2015
Booktrail the locations of The Domino Killer here my The Domino Killer booktrail
The Third in the Joe and Sam Parker series shows Manchester’s underbelly through the eyes of a lawyer and detective brothers.
This is quite a unique read from a man who is both a prosecutor and a writer. He sees things from both sides as it were and the overall picture is a fascinating one. I’ve not read a book where both sides are represented like this, in quite the same way and getting inside the head of a killer was disturbing but powerful.
It all starts tense and dark and doesn’t let up – I mean imagine meeting the man who killed your sister? What would you and would your professional role blend into the personal?
I did find the Parker brothers an interesting mix. This is book three but reads as a stand alone. The link to the domino idea of a chain of events knocking into each other and having unexpected consequences was a deft touch. Very nice Mr White, very nice.
The Third in the Joe and Sam Parker series shows Manchester’s underbelly through the eyes of a lawyer and detective brothers.
This is quite a unique read from a man who is both a prosecutor and a writer. He sees things from both sides as it were and the overall picture is a fascinating one. I’ve not read a book where both sides are represented like this, in quite the same way and getting inside the head of a killer was disturbing but powerful.
It all starts tense and dark and doesn’t let up – I mean imagine meeting the man who killed your sister? What would you and would your professional role blend into the personal?
I did find the Parker brothers an interesting mix. This is book three but reads as a stand alone. The link to the domino idea of a chain of events knocking into each other and having unexpected consequences was a deft touch. Very nice Mr White, very nice.
August 20, 2019
I can't remember the details but this was the third book in the Parker brothers trilogy where one brother is a lawyer and the other a policeman. There is often some overlap with their cases. Its quite a dark and gritty series, very well written and very compelling.
July 13, 2015
So “The Domino Killer” then is the third book in the Parker brothers trilogy and also one hell of a finale – I read it in just over 2 hours straight (no way I was putting it down once picked up, way too addictive for that) – it often had me on the edge of my seat. I did actually pull hair out. Ouch.
Anyway, this is the one any fan of this series (which definitely includes me) has been waiting for, dealing as it does finally with the cold case murder of Ellie – Joe and Sam’s Sister – details of which have been drip fed over the last two novels, to prevent spoilers I won’t say more. Suffice to say it has been a fantastic backdrop to everything else that went on, giving a wonderful depth to the characters and an authentic edge to the people they are. By the time “The Domino Killer” arrived I was in it with them all the way.
I am more than a little in love with Neil White’s writing style, every time it just gets better and better – there is a truly brilliant subtlety to the words on the page even in the more violent moments – and it packs a heck of an emotional punch, at times you really feel it.
Crime fiction is an inclusive genre, there really is something for everyone, it is also a rather crowded one where sometimes the gems can get lost in the crowd. There are some fantastic British crime writers out there of which this author is one – for me he is right up there with Billingham and MacBride, especially when it comes to gritty realism and a refusal to pull punches. With this book that feeling has just intensified, so if you haven’t given Mr White a go yet then I’d highly recommend that you do. With this trilogy or indeed with any of the books that came before.
Pitch perfect pacing and delicate construction make these must reads for any Crime Fiction - fan, on my top ten “must read” list for a few years now, if this standard continues I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
Anyway, this is the one any fan of this series (which definitely includes me) has been waiting for, dealing as it does finally with the cold case murder of Ellie – Joe and Sam’s Sister – details of which have been drip fed over the last two novels, to prevent spoilers I won’t say more. Suffice to say it has been a fantastic backdrop to everything else that went on, giving a wonderful depth to the characters and an authentic edge to the people they are. By the time “The Domino Killer” arrived I was in it with them all the way.
I am more than a little in love with Neil White’s writing style, every time it just gets better and better – there is a truly brilliant subtlety to the words on the page even in the more violent moments – and it packs a heck of an emotional punch, at times you really feel it.
Crime fiction is an inclusive genre, there really is something for everyone, it is also a rather crowded one where sometimes the gems can get lost in the crowd. There are some fantastic British crime writers out there of which this author is one – for me he is right up there with Billingham and MacBride, especially when it comes to gritty realism and a refusal to pull punches. With this book that feeling has just intensified, so if you haven’t given Mr White a go yet then I’d highly recommend that you do. With this trilogy or indeed with any of the books that came before.
Pitch perfect pacing and delicate construction make these must reads for any Crime Fiction - fan, on my top ten “must read” list for a few years now, if this standard continues I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
July 29, 2015
The Domino Killer – So Many Twists
The Domino Killer by Neil While is the third in the Parker Trilogy series based in Manchester, but this was my introduction to the Parker brothers. I can say that you do not need to have read the previous books as The Domino Killer is able to stand on its own as an exciting crime thriller with some wonderful twists. Neil White has written a very clever book that hooks you from the first page and you cannot help yourself as you cannot put this book down.
The Parker brothers work within the criminal justice system in Greater Manchester, Joe is a criminal defence lawyer with a stellar reputation and Sam is a detective in the Major Incident Team in Manchester which includes murder. Both work within the system as they want to find the answers to the unsolved murder of their younger sister Ellie some seventeen years previously and whether they can ever solve that mystery and set their own minds at ease for finally getting justice for her.
The book opens with a bloody murder in a park on the outskirts of Manchester which was quite brutal and Sam is trying to work out what happened and why. When a fingerprint of the victim turned up at a previous unconnected murder the domino effect begins to take place. With another murder in another part of Manchester nothing seems to make sense but only when murder has taken place do things start to fall in to place for Sam.
Joe is called out to a Police Station to represent a client who has been arrested for stealing and burning his own car but will not say why. When Joe meets his client Joe is sure he has seen this person before and is it really a coincident that he has requested him as his lawyer. Joe knows he needs to investigate himself further about this mysterious client he has and in the vain hope he can get some answers.
Joe’s client really is the bogey man and is at the heart of this thriller and how he acts is very calculated and enough to send a shiver down most spines. Throughout the thriller you look at his client and wonder how he can be so charming yet so evil and his complete disregard for his own wife.
As the thriller picks up pace you really think that things cannot get any worse for the Parker brothers as they chase the truth and the twisted central character seems to be able to get away with whatever he chooses. The clever thing about this thriller there are plenty of twists some of which you can see coming but others really surprise you.
The Domino Killer is an excellent crime thriller that can be read as a standalone book that delivers on all levels for the reader. With a really twisted character at the heart of the book and the relationship of the Parker brothers makes for a really pulsating read. Neil White’s writing is excellent at the way he is able to draw you in and leave you wanting more, hoping for the best but expecting the worse.
Read the The Domino Killer and immerse yourself in the lives of the Parker Brothers as they race to solve the case and end their own mystery of seventeen years. This really is a fantastic read that drives you mad because you cannot put the book down and leaves you wanting more.
The Domino Killer by Neil While is the third in the Parker Trilogy series based in Manchester, but this was my introduction to the Parker brothers. I can say that you do not need to have read the previous books as The Domino Killer is able to stand on its own as an exciting crime thriller with some wonderful twists. Neil White has written a very clever book that hooks you from the first page and you cannot help yourself as you cannot put this book down.
The Parker brothers work within the criminal justice system in Greater Manchester, Joe is a criminal defence lawyer with a stellar reputation and Sam is a detective in the Major Incident Team in Manchester which includes murder. Both work within the system as they want to find the answers to the unsolved murder of their younger sister Ellie some seventeen years previously and whether they can ever solve that mystery and set their own minds at ease for finally getting justice for her.
The book opens with a bloody murder in a park on the outskirts of Manchester which was quite brutal and Sam is trying to work out what happened and why. When a fingerprint of the victim turned up at a previous unconnected murder the domino effect begins to take place. With another murder in another part of Manchester nothing seems to make sense but only when murder has taken place do things start to fall in to place for Sam.
Joe is called out to a Police Station to represent a client who has been arrested for stealing and burning his own car but will not say why. When Joe meets his client Joe is sure he has seen this person before and is it really a coincident that he has requested him as his lawyer. Joe knows he needs to investigate himself further about this mysterious client he has and in the vain hope he can get some answers.
Joe’s client really is the bogey man and is at the heart of this thriller and how he acts is very calculated and enough to send a shiver down most spines. Throughout the thriller you look at his client and wonder how he can be so charming yet so evil and his complete disregard for his own wife.
As the thriller picks up pace you really think that things cannot get any worse for the Parker brothers as they chase the truth and the twisted central character seems to be able to get away with whatever he chooses. The clever thing about this thriller there are plenty of twists some of which you can see coming but others really surprise you.
The Domino Killer is an excellent crime thriller that can be read as a standalone book that delivers on all levels for the reader. With a really twisted character at the heart of the book and the relationship of the Parker brothers makes for a really pulsating read. Neil White’s writing is excellent at the way he is able to draw you in and leave you wanting more, hoping for the best but expecting the worse.
Read the The Domino Killer and immerse yourself in the lives of the Parker Brothers as they race to solve the case and end their own mystery of seventeen years. This really is a fantastic read that drives you mad because you cannot put the book down and leaves you wanting more.
December 3, 2016
I would like to thank Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for a review copy of The Domino Killer, the third Manchester based novel to feature DC Sam Parker and his brother, defence lawyer Joe Parker.
Sam is called out to a murder scene where a man has been bludgeoned to death with a hammer for no obvious reason. This is is his second apparently motiveless crime scene in as many months but he is initially the only one seeing a connection. In the meantime his brother Joe is called in to represent Mark Proctor in a strange case of burglary. Mark's car was stopped and impounded because he was driving without insurance. A couple of hours later he broke into the police pound, stole his car back and was arrested when he was caught fleeing the scene of his burning car. He refuses to say why he acted as he did and Joe isn't really interested because he is in shock. He recognises Mark Proctor as the man who followed his sister into the woods and killed her 18 years previously. How Joe deals with this situation and how Mark Proctor ties in to Sam's case is the meat of the novel.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Domino Killer. It is a cleverly plotted and well paced, tense novel with an excellent twist at the end. Mark Proctor is a classically evil psychopath and the revelations about his past crimes come thick and fast. Nevertheless he is not a caricature and his actions are all plausible, just not acceptable to most people. The real drama in the novel, however, is how Joe deals with his recognition of Proctor. He swore he would kill Ellie's killer if he ever came across him but he doesn't have it in him (thank goodness or we wouldn't get another book in the series). He is crippled with guilt - he saw Proctor that day and didn't tell anyone. Could he have saved Ellie? Whatever, he is now determined to nail Proctor by any means, legal or otherwise. Mr White does a good job of portraying his turmoil and mental anguish.
The Domino Killer is an absorbing read and I have no hesitation in recommending it.
Sam is called out to a murder scene where a man has been bludgeoned to death with a hammer for no obvious reason. This is is his second apparently motiveless crime scene in as many months but he is initially the only one seeing a connection. In the meantime his brother Joe is called in to represent Mark Proctor in a strange case of burglary. Mark's car was stopped and impounded because he was driving without insurance. A couple of hours later he broke into the police pound, stole his car back and was arrested when he was caught fleeing the scene of his burning car. He refuses to say why he acted as he did and Joe isn't really interested because he is in shock. He recognises Mark Proctor as the man who followed his sister into the woods and killed her 18 years previously. How Joe deals with this situation and how Mark Proctor ties in to Sam's case is the meat of the novel.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Domino Killer. It is a cleverly plotted and well paced, tense novel with an excellent twist at the end. Mark Proctor is a classically evil psychopath and the revelations about his past crimes come thick and fast. Nevertheless he is not a caricature and his actions are all plausible, just not acceptable to most people. The real drama in the novel, however, is how Joe deals with his recognition of Proctor. He swore he would kill Ellie's killer if he ever came across him but he doesn't have it in him (thank goodness or we wouldn't get another book in the series). He is crippled with guilt - he saw Proctor that day and didn't tell anyone. Could he have saved Ellie? Whatever, he is now determined to nail Proctor by any means, legal or otherwise. Mr White does a good job of portraying his turmoil and mental anguish.
The Domino Killer is an absorbing read and I have no hesitation in recommending it.
October 9, 2015
Some crime novels grab you immediately, with an obviously distinctive style, character or premise. Others grow on you as the pages turn, as you get deeper into the story and characters. For me THE DOMINO KILLER, Neil White's ninth crime novel (and third to star the Parker brothers), fell into the latter category, going from 'hmmm... promising, I'm intrigued' to 'I'm really enjoying this' to 'ah, very nicely done - I'll definitely be back for more' as I followed along the story.
It all starts with an unassuming man waiting on a park bench in Manchester as night falls, flowers in hand: hopeful, nervous, and expectant. But rather than a first date or secret lover, he's met with a hammer. Detective Constable Sam Parker of Manchester's Major Incident Team is assigned to the murder, which at first seems as random and unexplained as it is vicious and bloody. Meanwhile Sam's brother Joe, who also works within the criminal justice system, but 'on the other side' as a criminal defence counsel, is electrified when he looks into the eyes of his newest client; a man with a clean record who's accused of stealing his own car from the police impound, only to later torch it. Joe is certain he's seen those eyes before - on a teenage face who glanced at 18-year-old Joe before following Joe's little sister Ellie down a path that was a short-cut home; Ellie was never seen alive again, an incident that's haunted Joe, Sam, and others for 17 years.
Neil White can tell a gripping crime tale, but for me it is really the relationships between his characters and the ways in which they respond to events where he excels most. I hadn't read any of his Parker brothers books before, so I didn't have any background to the characters and 'came in clean', so to speak.
Perhaps because of this, at the beginning I found myself enjoying THE DOMINO KILLER, and intrigued by what was going on and what might happen (White sets the hooks well), without being particularly blown away. The book fits nicely into the British police procedural subgenre - of which there are a sea of offerings. White writes in a straightforward style, so the elegance of the plotting and the depth of the characters, in particular, kind of sneaks up on the reader. Or this one, at least. Both Joe and Sam are very interesting characters - the more I got to know them, the more I was curious about them.
White does a terrific job at demonstrating how all sorts of relationships - family, friends, colleagues - can be threatened by past secrets, and how everyone involved doesn't quite know what to think and how to act.
There's a real humanity to the characters in THE DOMINO KILLER, despite the book having a particularly disturbing and chilling killer at its core. Life gets messy, people make mistakes... so what do you do then?
Overall, THE DOMINO KILLER is a very enjoyable read that gets tenser and more layered as it goes along. The litmus test: would I read more about the Parker brothers in future? Absolutely.
It all starts with an unassuming man waiting on a park bench in Manchester as night falls, flowers in hand: hopeful, nervous, and expectant. But rather than a first date or secret lover, he's met with a hammer. Detective Constable Sam Parker of Manchester's Major Incident Team is assigned to the murder, which at first seems as random and unexplained as it is vicious and bloody. Meanwhile Sam's brother Joe, who also works within the criminal justice system, but 'on the other side' as a criminal defence counsel, is electrified when he looks into the eyes of his newest client; a man with a clean record who's accused of stealing his own car from the police impound, only to later torch it. Joe is certain he's seen those eyes before - on a teenage face who glanced at 18-year-old Joe before following Joe's little sister Ellie down a path that was a short-cut home; Ellie was never seen alive again, an incident that's haunted Joe, Sam, and others for 17 years.
Neil White can tell a gripping crime tale, but for me it is really the relationships between his characters and the ways in which they respond to events where he excels most. I hadn't read any of his Parker brothers books before, so I didn't have any background to the characters and 'came in clean', so to speak.
Perhaps because of this, at the beginning I found myself enjoying THE DOMINO KILLER, and intrigued by what was going on and what might happen (White sets the hooks well), without being particularly blown away. The book fits nicely into the British police procedural subgenre - of which there are a sea of offerings. White writes in a straightforward style, so the elegance of the plotting and the depth of the characters, in particular, kind of sneaks up on the reader. Or this one, at least. Both Joe and Sam are very interesting characters - the more I got to know them, the more I was curious about them.
White does a terrific job at demonstrating how all sorts of relationships - family, friends, colleagues - can be threatened by past secrets, and how everyone involved doesn't quite know what to think and how to act.
There's a real humanity to the characters in THE DOMINO KILLER, despite the book having a particularly disturbing and chilling killer at its core. Life gets messy, people make mistakes... so what do you do then?
Overall, THE DOMINO KILLER is a very enjoyable read that gets tenser and more layered as it goes along. The litmus test: would I read more about the Parker brothers in future? Absolutely.
August 12, 2015
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest and open review.
Although this is the third book in the series I read it as a stand-alone thriller. I will certainly read books 1 and 2 as I've become quite fond of brothers Sam and Joe.
They were drawn to their present careers as a policeman and a prosecutor following the murder of their younger sister Ellie.
I enjoyed this book for so many different reasons. Sam is a very likeable character who gets on well with most people. Joe, however, can be unstable at times. I must admit I do like characters that are not perfect.
The story is set around Manchester, which is an area I know quite well. I still learned some interesting snippets about the city.
This is a book that will grab you from the start. If you're looking for a dark, mysterious read full of twists and turns and with a great writing style, this is certainly the book for you.
Although this is the third book in the series I read it as a stand-alone thriller. I will certainly read books 1 and 2 as I've become quite fond of brothers Sam and Joe.
They were drawn to their present careers as a policeman and a prosecutor following the murder of their younger sister Ellie.
I enjoyed this book for so many different reasons. Sam is a very likeable character who gets on well with most people. Joe, however, can be unstable at times. I must admit I do like characters that are not perfect.
The story is set around Manchester, which is an area I know quite well. I still learned some interesting snippets about the city.
This is a book that will grab you from the start. If you're looking for a dark, mysterious read full of twists and turns and with a great writing style, this is certainly the book for you.
October 16, 2020
All of my reviews can be found at https://damppebbles.com/
I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Domino Killer but that has in no way influenced my review.
I have read a number of books by this author but this is the first one in his Joe & Sam Parker series. I didn’t struggle at all coming into the series at book three as the main plotline revolves around events in the brother’s past so it worked really well as a recap. And yes, I probably should have mentioned before, Joe and Sam (I’m so sorry, I really want to call them Sam and Mark for no other reason than perhaps I watch too much children’s TV!) are brothers. Joe is a defence lawyer and Sam is a detective constable.
When a man is savagely attacked in a Manchester park, DC Sam Parker is part of the team investigating the victim’s death. The attack was frenzied and bloody and the police have a race against time to find the killer. But then the victim’s fingerprint is found in the most unexpected place and it throws the team a pretty big curveball. Joe meanwhile has been called to the police station as he has been requested by a new client on a burglary charge. What awaits him is the shock of his life. A face he never expected to see again, but the reason he became a defence lawyer in the first place. Before long the brothers are hunting down a psychopathic serial killer who will stop at nothing to see his plan come to fruition, no matter what (or who) the cost…
I enjoyed this gritty police/legal thriller set in Manchester. The plot was detailed and intricate, and because of the two lead characters and two perspectives, I felt as though I was getting two stories for the price of one. It’s a really interesting concept to have two brothers in opposing careers and it really added something to the book for me. I expect I will pick up the first two books in this series in the not too distant future.
The chapters focussing on the police investigation with Sam Parker were definitely my favourite parts of the book. I think I preferred Sam’s character to Joe’s who seemed a little self-centred at times. The supporting cast were also very strong and I particularly liked Sam’s police partner, Charlotte Turner, and Joe’s paralegal and an ex-detective herself, Gina.
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. I found The Domino Killer a slower paced read but it’s certainly compelling and I was keen to find out where the killer was heading with his master plan. There’s a wonderful twist towards the end of the story which I really enjoyed and didn’t see coming at all. I did get a little confused at times with the number of character names and how they related to other characters in the book, but that’s probably just me. A really interesting crime novel with two intriguing characters. Recommended.
I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Domino Killer. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.
I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Domino Killer but that has in no way influenced my review.
I have read a number of books by this author but this is the first one in his Joe & Sam Parker series. I didn’t struggle at all coming into the series at book three as the main plotline revolves around events in the brother’s past so it worked really well as a recap. And yes, I probably should have mentioned before, Joe and Sam (I’m so sorry, I really want to call them Sam and Mark for no other reason than perhaps I watch too much children’s TV!) are brothers. Joe is a defence lawyer and Sam is a detective constable.
When a man is savagely attacked in a Manchester park, DC Sam Parker is part of the team investigating the victim’s death. The attack was frenzied and bloody and the police have a race against time to find the killer. But then the victim’s fingerprint is found in the most unexpected place and it throws the team a pretty big curveball. Joe meanwhile has been called to the police station as he has been requested by a new client on a burglary charge. What awaits him is the shock of his life. A face he never expected to see again, but the reason he became a defence lawyer in the first place. Before long the brothers are hunting down a psychopathic serial killer who will stop at nothing to see his plan come to fruition, no matter what (or who) the cost…
I enjoyed this gritty police/legal thriller set in Manchester. The plot was detailed and intricate, and because of the two lead characters and two perspectives, I felt as though I was getting two stories for the price of one. It’s a really interesting concept to have two brothers in opposing careers and it really added something to the book for me. I expect I will pick up the first two books in this series in the not too distant future.
The chapters focussing on the police investigation with Sam Parker were definitely my favourite parts of the book. I think I preferred Sam’s character to Joe’s who seemed a little self-centred at times. The supporting cast were also very strong and I particularly liked Sam’s police partner, Charlotte Turner, and Joe’s paralegal and an ex-detective herself, Gina.
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. I found The Domino Killer a slower paced read but it’s certainly compelling and I was keen to find out where the killer was heading with his master plan. There’s a wonderful twist towards the end of the story which I really enjoyed and didn’t see coming at all. I did get a little confused at times with the number of character names and how they related to other characters in the book, but that’s probably just me. A really interesting crime novel with two intriguing characters. Recommended.
I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Domino Killer. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.
June 26, 2019
5*
Firstly I will admit that the author managed to bring enough background to the story that should the reader pick this up and read this book on its own, then it can be read as a stand-alone.
I enjoy reading the two brothers working independently but towards the same end. The twists and turns came in and out of the story and flowed flawlessly between the two brothers plots within the storyline.
The author manages to weave one brother's guilt to a personal tragedy in the past to a painstaking conclusion.
Firstly I will admit that the author managed to bring enough background to the story that should the reader pick this up and read this book on its own, then it can be read as a stand-alone.
I enjoy reading the two brothers working independently but towards the same end. The twists and turns came in and out of the story and flowed flawlessly between the two brothers plots within the storyline.
The author manages to weave one brother's guilt to a personal tragedy in the past to a painstaking conclusion.
February 5, 2024
Shocking and Thrilling.
Wow, what a kick this tale has.
Utterly addictive and chilling yet unsettling enough to keep you devouring each chapter.
Unputdownable!
Wow, what a kick this tale has.
Utterly addictive and chilling yet unsettling enough to keep you devouring each chapter.
Unputdownable!
September 29, 2024
A tense, thrilling end to the Sam and Joe trilogy.
August 18, 2015
Technically a 3.5, but when I was at school you rounded it up to a 4 if it was 3.5 upwards. (That's from primary school! But when my two were at school I've memories of it being done differently. Same with long division. And for adding, they use a "number block" thing now!)This is, according to GoodReads, the third book featuring the brothers, who are based in Manchester, but to be honest, I’d never have known that (although I did wonder if there were possibly others.) So you’re fine “going in cold” with this book – I know that gives certain people a horrible feeling, not starting at the start of the series (you know who you are!) but it’s not a problem, unless that is an issue with you. It’s written in third person past tense, for those of you for whom that’s important, and most, although by no means all, the chapters concentrate on the brothers.
Anyway...what you find out early in the book, and this isn’t a clanging spoiler, is that Joe has a new client – and it’s a man he instantly recognises as having killed his and Dan’s sister, 17 years previously. He’d always promised that, if he ever saw him again, he would kill the man who destroyed his family. So he begins to investigate his new client, who, bizarrely, has been accused of breaking into the police lot and stealing his own car back – which had been confiscated due to lack of insurance – then burning it!
The book is a beautifully plotted crime novel – very clever and intricate, which means you don’t want to put it down for long, and miss a twist. I really enjoyed reading about Dan’s solid police work, desk work being his specialty – accounts, e-mails, lists of car reg plates – he’s your man. Sounds dull but White has a way of making it interesting, and it’s always feasible – no really crazy coincidences. And for those who enjoy action, there’s plenty to be found, as we follow Joe on his mission to prove the man is a murderer.
There’s also a series of three, seemingly unrelated, murders, which Dan is involved in investigating, and his boss dubs The Domino Killings, as he’s sure there’s some kind of tenuous link, even though the investigators can’t find it. But they couldn’t possibly be related to Dan and Joe’s sister’s murder 17 years previously…could they?
There are some fine lines – “A cigarette was passed along the line, but the way each cherished it told Joe it contained more than tobacco.” There’s a comment about how men can never identify flowers – how true! The short snappy chapters, often ending on a cliffhanger, did, in the last couple of sentences, occasionally sound a bit clichéd – I noted, “There were hard times ahead”; and at the end of the next chapter, “He had to get her through this. He owed her that much at least”. There were others, but you get my point, so that’s possibly something the author should be careful of.
And one bit annoyed me – someone (no spoilers!) has enough evidence for the police to catch a murderer, but doesn’t hand it in immediately as they need to “understand” it first. I know this is a necessary plot device to ensure a grand action-packed denouement, but it was bloody stupid, crimeworm must say. Still, it made for an hour or so of extra high octane entertainment. And if that’s what floats your boat, as it does mine, Neil White is definitely worth seeking out. It’s cleverly-written, action packed, and contains a superbly evil character, with a motive that intrigued me.
Perfect for: fans of police procedurals, with a good bit of action, like David Mark’s Aector McAvoy or Jane Casey’s Maeve Kerrigan series. Would make a great book to read while travelling, or on holiday. Take more books, though – you’ll rattle through this one!
Anyway...what you find out early in the book, and this isn’t a clanging spoiler, is that Joe has a new client – and it’s a man he instantly recognises as having killed his and Dan’s sister, 17 years previously. He’d always promised that, if he ever saw him again, he would kill the man who destroyed his family. So he begins to investigate his new client, who, bizarrely, has been accused of breaking into the police lot and stealing his own car back – which had been confiscated due to lack of insurance – then burning it!
The book is a beautifully plotted crime novel – very clever and intricate, which means you don’t want to put it down for long, and miss a twist. I really enjoyed reading about Dan’s solid police work, desk work being his specialty – accounts, e-mails, lists of car reg plates – he’s your man. Sounds dull but White has a way of making it interesting, and it’s always feasible – no really crazy coincidences. And for those who enjoy action, there’s plenty to be found, as we follow Joe on his mission to prove the man is a murderer.
There’s also a series of three, seemingly unrelated, murders, which Dan is involved in investigating, and his boss dubs The Domino Killings, as he’s sure there’s some kind of tenuous link, even though the investigators can’t find it. But they couldn’t possibly be related to Dan and Joe’s sister’s murder 17 years previously…could they?
There are some fine lines – “A cigarette was passed along the line, but the way each cherished it told Joe it contained more than tobacco.” There’s a comment about how men can never identify flowers – how true! The short snappy chapters, often ending on a cliffhanger, did, in the last couple of sentences, occasionally sound a bit clichéd – I noted, “There were hard times ahead”; and at the end of the next chapter, “He had to get her through this. He owed her that much at least”. There were others, but you get my point, so that’s possibly something the author should be careful of.
And one bit annoyed me – someone (no spoilers!) has enough evidence for the police to catch a murderer, but doesn’t hand it in immediately as they need to “understand” it first. I know this is a necessary plot device to ensure a grand action-packed denouement, but it was bloody stupid, crimeworm must say. Still, it made for an hour or so of extra high octane entertainment. And if that’s what floats your boat, as it does mine, Neil White is definitely worth seeking out. It’s cleverly-written, action packed, and contains a superbly evil character, with a motive that intrigued me.
Perfect for: fans of police procedurals, with a good bit of action, like David Mark’s Aector McAvoy or Jane Casey’s Maeve Kerrigan series. Would make a great book to read while travelling, or on holiday. Take more books, though – you’ll rattle through this one!
July 2, 2015
I have read a couple of Neil White’s books but chose this as I thought it was a standalone. What I didn’t realise was this is book 3 in a new series featuring Sam and Joe Parker. Luckily having not read the first two made no difference as there is plenty of background on the characters and relevant parts of the storyline so you don’t feel you are missing anything. Sam Parker the first brother is a Manchester copper, and a family man. His brother Joe is a criminal prosecutor and although the brothers remain loyal to each other you can tell from the early stages things are strained between them.
Sam is called to a man that had been beaten to death in a park and it takes little time to identify the victim. However what baffles Sam is that the victim’s fingerprints were also found on a knife at an old crime scene. What seems like an innocuous enough discovery, is actually a huge problem which starts to open a can of worms for everybody involved. Sam is on the other side of town having been called to a station to represent a client. Meeting that client , also starts a chain of events that Sam has no control over.
It’s difficult to say too much more about the storyline as to do so ruins it somewhat for people that haven’t read it yet. What I will say is that both Sam and Joe’s past comes back to haunt both of them and it invariably leads to both of them taking ricks that may cost them everything. Joe was definitely my preferred character of the two, but Sam was certainly readable…just a bit prickly. I also liked the introduction of Joe’s colleague Gina. It seemed like as the story progresses there just cam another layer of questions.
This was certainly a very enjoyable book and packed full of action. Although not necessary I wish that I had read the first two in the series to give me a bit of background on Sam and Joe. A very enjoyable read and I will look forward to the next one.
Sam is called to a man that had been beaten to death in a park and it takes little time to identify the victim. However what baffles Sam is that the victim’s fingerprints were also found on a knife at an old crime scene. What seems like an innocuous enough discovery, is actually a huge problem which starts to open a can of worms for everybody involved. Sam is on the other side of town having been called to a station to represent a client. Meeting that client , also starts a chain of events that Sam has no control over.
It’s difficult to say too much more about the storyline as to do so ruins it somewhat for people that haven’t read it yet. What I will say is that both Sam and Joe’s past comes back to haunt both of them and it invariably leads to both of them taking ricks that may cost them everything. Joe was definitely my preferred character of the two, but Sam was certainly readable…just a bit prickly. I also liked the introduction of Joe’s colleague Gina. It seemed like as the story progresses there just cam another layer of questions.
This was certainly a very enjoyable book and packed full of action. Although not necessary I wish that I had read the first two in the series to give me a bit of background on Sam and Joe. A very enjoyable read and I will look forward to the next one.
September 5, 2015
Relentless tension in atmospheric thriller, 31 July 2015
This is a super novel of obsession and families in turmoil, which abounds with strong characters and all the atmosphere of old and new Manchester.
Brothers Joe and Sam Parker were both deeply affected by the murder of their younger sister Ellie, on Joe’s eighteenth birthday, and their careers have been forged out of this deep loss. Sam entered the police force and is serving as a detective constable on the Manchester murder squad, and Joe entered the legal profession and is a criminal lawyer.
But for seventeen years Joe has been harbouring a terrible secret. On the day of Ellie’s murder he spotted her walking home from school, headed along a rarely used path. He also caught a glimpse of a young hooded male on the pathway behind Ellie. And so for seventeen years Joe has been blaming himself for not doing something to intervene in the situation that he believes led to Ellie’s death. When Joe is called to the police station to represent a man accused of stealing his own car out of the police compound and then torching it, he is struck by the knowledge that the man, Mark Proctor, is the man who killed Ellie. Joe is set on revenge for Ellie, but as the story unfolds, he and Sam have to work together to uncover the real Mark Proctor.
Neil White has written a dark and atmospheric novel, which is very gripping and has an unusual angle. It is not possible to give very much more detail without giving away the book’s secrets, but it is well-written and constructed and there are plenty of larger-than-life characters. The pace is relentless and the tension is maintained throughout. Neil obviously has great feelings for Manchester and the surrounding areas and this comes across in the book; the old places like police stations with lots of character versus the new, faceless and featureless glass cathedrals. -- Sméagol
Rating: Four Stars.
This is a super novel of obsession and families in turmoil, which abounds with strong characters and all the atmosphere of old and new Manchester.
Brothers Joe and Sam Parker were both deeply affected by the murder of their younger sister Ellie, on Joe’s eighteenth birthday, and their careers have been forged out of this deep loss. Sam entered the police force and is serving as a detective constable on the Manchester murder squad, and Joe entered the legal profession and is a criminal lawyer.
But for seventeen years Joe has been harbouring a terrible secret. On the day of Ellie’s murder he spotted her walking home from school, headed along a rarely used path. He also caught a glimpse of a young hooded male on the pathway behind Ellie. And so for seventeen years Joe has been blaming himself for not doing something to intervene in the situation that he believes led to Ellie’s death. When Joe is called to the police station to represent a man accused of stealing his own car out of the police compound and then torching it, he is struck by the knowledge that the man, Mark Proctor, is the man who killed Ellie. Joe is set on revenge for Ellie, but as the story unfolds, he and Sam have to work together to uncover the real Mark Proctor.
Neil White has written a dark and atmospheric novel, which is very gripping and has an unusual angle. It is not possible to give very much more detail without giving away the book’s secrets, but it is well-written and constructed and there are plenty of larger-than-life characters. The pace is relentless and the tension is maintained throughout. Neil obviously has great feelings for Manchester and the surrounding areas and this comes across in the book; the old places like police stations with lots of character versus the new, faceless and featureless glass cathedrals. -- Sméagol
Rating: Four Stars.
July 4, 2015
I received a copy of this book from the publishers/author via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
I spent the whole day reading this amazing book, I could not put it down, when I went to make a coffee, I still had it in my hand reading as the kettle boiled. I can say without a doubt this is one amazing read. I was captivated by it, glued to the page unwilling to put the kindle down at all. I cannot remember the last time a book grabbed me so tight and wouldn't let me put it down.
How would you deal with knowing you saw your sister set off through a secluded area on her own, and then saw a man follow after her? Well perhaps having a younger sister who bugged you might make you think nothing of it, especially as it's your 18th birthday and other things are on your mind. Then the realisation that you saw your sister's killer follow her, how to you deal with that. Joe one of the main characters had to deal with exactly that. He lived with the knowledge that he could perhaps have stopped her murder if he had only walked home with her.
I could empathise with him, his heartfelt sorrow at his error, and his terror of telling his family what he seen.
Joe became a criminal defence lawyer and his brother Sam became a policeman, a Detective. Both chose their careers because of what happened to their sisters. Both hoping that somehow they will solve the mystery of their sisters death.
That is just a slight part of the drama that unfolds in this book, believe me, there is such an awesome plot that you are desperate to get to the next explosive part.
I am a lover of Crime Thrillers, and I can say without a shadow of a doubt this is probably one of the best I have read in many years. I absolutely loved every page of the book.
I spent the whole day reading this amazing book, I could not put it down, when I went to make a coffee, I still had it in my hand reading as the kettle boiled. I can say without a doubt this is one amazing read. I was captivated by it, glued to the page unwilling to put the kindle down at all. I cannot remember the last time a book grabbed me so tight and wouldn't let me put it down.
How would you deal with knowing you saw your sister set off through a secluded area on her own, and then saw a man follow after her? Well perhaps having a younger sister who bugged you might make you think nothing of it, especially as it's your 18th birthday and other things are on your mind. Then the realisation that you saw your sister's killer follow her, how to you deal with that. Joe one of the main characters had to deal with exactly that. He lived with the knowledge that he could perhaps have stopped her murder if he had only walked home with her.
I could empathise with him, his heartfelt sorrow at his error, and his terror of telling his family what he seen.
Joe became a criminal defence lawyer and his brother Sam became a policeman, a Detective. Both chose their careers because of what happened to their sisters. Both hoping that somehow they will solve the mystery of their sisters death.
That is just a slight part of the drama that unfolds in this book, believe me, there is such an awesome plot that you are desperate to get to the next explosive part.
I am a lover of Crime Thrillers, and I can say without a shadow of a doubt this is probably one of the best I have read in many years. I absolutely loved every page of the book.
February 7, 2017
Enjoyed the first two in this series more than this one ...... Maybe formula getting a little familiars do in the end maybe a bit too convoluted for me. But still a good, fast thriller
January 18, 2017
I thought this was an excellent book and a really pleasant surprise. Last year, in my 'real space' book group I made a pitch to read more crime fiction as it's not something I normally pick up but I tend to enjoy when I do. Anyway, this year the itch has been well and truly scratched as I have read more than enough crime fiction to keep me going for a while.
This book arrived for our group from our library service and it was a surprise as it wasn't one of our picks. The assumption being that we'd been sent it as a book to tide us over whilst waiting for the next one, especially since the author is a 'local author'. In fact 'The Domino Killer' is the second crime fiction book I've read recently where the author is from my home town / city (whatever) and the action has been set in the metropolis known as Manchester 30 miles down the road (Kerry Wilkinson's 'Locked In' being the other). Authors of Preston - I implore you to set some crime fiction in our wonderful city. You can have police chases up and down Church Street and get the police helicopter out over Avenham Park and... (well actually that's it...)
(As a digression I was thinking about why authors set crime fiction in bigger cities. Obviously there is the familiarity of it all - more people may know the area the author is referring to, but I do think in an increasingly globalised readership this is less relevant. One thing bigger cities have though is space to play in. It's a lot easier for authors to give us exposition as people dart from one place to another and it helps if it is a mile or two away rather than a ten minute walk through town. It's also a bigger place for villains to hide away and characters just have so much more room to move around in.)
This book is the third in a series and I can imagine if readers have been with the Parker brothers from the start then this novel is the crescendo you have been waiting. For me, coming in at the conclusion of the trilogy I don't feel an overwhelming urge to read the first two books in the series as I feel this is 'the end'. However, this book totally works as a standalone book with the minimum amount of exposition to cover events in the previous two books.
The two main characters Joe and Sam Parker are two brothers who each have turned to similar yet potentially conflicting careers as a result of their sister's murder 17 years previously. Joe has become a defence lawyer whilst Sam is a detective in the police. Our novel starts with a man brutally murdered in a park, instantly recalling fond memories of Cannibal Corpse's playful dreampop, 'Hammer Smashed Face'. Sam Parker and his colleague Charlotte, another young detective are sent to investigate. Meanwhile Joe is called to be present at the interview of an arrested man who Joe instantly recognises as the man he believed killed his sister Ellie! What follows is a sequence of murders where each is linked to the other (hence the title) and Joe trying to make the person he believes killed his sister pay.
This is a really good, fast paced crime thriller. The elements of the story come together beautifully. There is so much to recommend in this book. The characterisation of the book is brilliant, particularly the secondary characters. If you were not aware of the trilogy one would assume that Joe Parker is the central character but Sam and Charlotte are well crafted, they don't blend into the background - they support the story really well and are an integral part of the story rather than a group of incidental characters filling background. I really liked how Ruby, Sam and Joe's younger sister is characterised as well as Gina the former police detective who investigated Ellie's death who now works with Joe. Another character, Melissa is introduced shortly into the novel and although I was a little unsure of her motivations I really began to warm to her. I think Neil White captures the loneliness of her quite well.
For a crime novel as would be expected it is quite grisly and gruesome at times. It is nowhere near the bleak desensitized brutality of something like 'American Psycho' but it is quite challenging to read at times. The conditions of the victims and the consequences of some of the murders are quite unsettling to read. White leaves much to the readers imagination and it isn't that pretty. For me, it's just the right level of unpleasantness, some scenes I really wanted out of my mind.
I think the first half of the novel is better than the second half as the characters are unravelling the story and trying to make the links. I really liked a lot of the police procedural activity as they pour over the details of the first victim's life. That leads on to a rock being uncovered that contains something altogether more unpleasant.
The second half of the novel is more 'cat and mouse', 'race against time' scenario which I actually flew through when reading - one of those days where you can't put a book down but I don't think it has stayed with me as much. Nevertheless my emotions and heart strings have been tugged at the right times, some characters make you want to throw up, some characters you can't but help share their despair and grief - this is an intelligent book and White knows when to turn the screw, when to describe and when to leave space.
There are a few minutes when I thought 'nah, it wouldn't happen like that' or 'the police would have done 'x'' but generally speaking one can forgive a little licence to help the story along. I never felt my intelligence was being insulted. The motivations of the murderer also deserve special attention - I thought it was really clever how these motivations were explored and the book is more creepy as a result.
With an absolutely superb ending (which for once I worked out in advance) this is a highly recommended book, even more so as it was something I wasn't expecting.
Very good.
This book arrived for our group from our library service and it was a surprise as it wasn't one of our picks. The assumption being that we'd been sent it as a book to tide us over whilst waiting for the next one, especially since the author is a 'local author'. In fact 'The Domino Killer' is the second crime fiction book I've read recently where the author is from my home town / city (whatever) and the action has been set in the metropolis known as Manchester 30 miles down the road (Kerry Wilkinson's 'Locked In' being the other). Authors of Preston - I implore you to set some crime fiction in our wonderful city. You can have police chases up and down Church Street and get the police helicopter out over Avenham Park and... (well actually that's it...)
(As a digression I was thinking about why authors set crime fiction in bigger cities. Obviously there is the familiarity of it all - more people may know the area the author is referring to, but I do think in an increasingly globalised readership this is less relevant. One thing bigger cities have though is space to play in. It's a lot easier for authors to give us exposition as people dart from one place to another and it helps if it is a mile or two away rather than a ten minute walk through town. It's also a bigger place for villains to hide away and characters just have so much more room to move around in.)
This book is the third in a series and I can imagine if readers have been with the Parker brothers from the start then this novel is the crescendo you have been waiting. For me, coming in at the conclusion of the trilogy I don't feel an overwhelming urge to read the first two books in the series as I feel this is 'the end'. However, this book totally works as a standalone book with the minimum amount of exposition to cover events in the previous two books.
The two main characters Joe and Sam Parker are two brothers who each have turned to similar yet potentially conflicting careers as a result of their sister's murder 17 years previously. Joe has become a defence lawyer whilst Sam is a detective in the police. Our novel starts with a man brutally murdered in a park, instantly recalling fond memories of Cannibal Corpse's playful dreampop, 'Hammer Smashed Face'. Sam Parker and his colleague Charlotte, another young detective are sent to investigate. Meanwhile Joe is called to be present at the interview of an arrested man who Joe instantly recognises as the man he believed killed his sister Ellie! What follows is a sequence of murders where each is linked to the other (hence the title) and Joe trying to make the person he believes killed his sister pay.
This is a really good, fast paced crime thriller. The elements of the story come together beautifully. There is so much to recommend in this book. The characterisation of the book is brilliant, particularly the secondary characters. If you were not aware of the trilogy one would assume that Joe Parker is the central character but Sam and Charlotte are well crafted, they don't blend into the background - they support the story really well and are an integral part of the story rather than a group of incidental characters filling background. I really liked how Ruby, Sam and Joe's younger sister is characterised as well as Gina the former police detective who investigated Ellie's death who now works with Joe. Another character, Melissa is introduced shortly into the novel and although I was a little unsure of her motivations I really began to warm to her. I think Neil White captures the loneliness of her quite well.
For a crime novel as would be expected it is quite grisly and gruesome at times. It is nowhere near the bleak desensitized brutality of something like 'American Psycho' but it is quite challenging to read at times. The conditions of the victims and the consequences of some of the murders are quite unsettling to read. White leaves much to the readers imagination and it isn't that pretty. For me, it's just the right level of unpleasantness, some scenes I really wanted out of my mind.
I think the first half of the novel is better than the second half as the characters are unravelling the story and trying to make the links. I really liked a lot of the police procedural activity as they pour over the details of the first victim's life. That leads on to a rock being uncovered that contains something altogether more unpleasant.
The second half of the novel is more 'cat and mouse', 'race against time' scenario which I actually flew through when reading - one of those days where you can't put a book down but I don't think it has stayed with me as much. Nevertheless my emotions and heart strings have been tugged at the right times, some characters make you want to throw up, some characters you can't but help share their despair and grief - this is an intelligent book and White knows when to turn the screw, when to describe and when to leave space.
There are a few minutes when I thought 'nah, it wouldn't happen like that' or 'the police would have done 'x'' but generally speaking one can forgive a little licence to help the story along. I never felt my intelligence was being insulted. The motivations of the murderer also deserve special attention - I thought it was really clever how these motivations were explored and the book is more creepy as a result.
With an absolutely superb ending (which for once I worked out in advance) this is a highly recommended book, even more so as it was something I wasn't expecting.
Very good.
June 21, 2017
Another cracker in the Parker series of books.
Again, these books follow the story from the first 2, so if you have not read them first I suggest you do so.
As with the other 2 books the story manages to weave the roles of both Joe (the lawyer) and Sam (the detective) into one and is done as with the other 2 books very cleverly indeed. In fact some of the story is a bit too clever and that is why I have not given it 5*. I also have to admit, that I find Joe's character much more interesting and the chapters where the story revolves around him seem to fly by. Anyway those slight critiques aside the book does rip along at a good pace, has a good story line to it and as anyone who has read any of my previous reviews will know the book does finish with an ending that makes sense. (My pet hate is books that leave you still feeling confused about what you have just read).
So you should absolutely read this book, you will enjoy it but do not read it, if you have not managed to read the other 2 before it.
Again, these books follow the story from the first 2, so if you have not read them first I suggest you do so.
As with the other 2 books the story manages to weave the roles of both Joe (the lawyer) and Sam (the detective) into one and is done as with the other 2 books very cleverly indeed. In fact some of the story is a bit too clever and that is why I have not given it 5*. I also have to admit, that I find Joe's character much more interesting and the chapters where the story revolves around him seem to fly by. Anyway those slight critiques aside the book does rip along at a good pace, has a good story line to it and as anyone who has read any of my previous reviews will know the book does finish with an ending that makes sense. (My pet hate is books that leave you still feeling confused about what you have just read).
So you should absolutely read this book, you will enjoy it but do not read it, if you have not managed to read the other 2 before it.
March 7, 2019
This is one fantastic book!
From the very beginning, Neil White draws the reader into the world of Sam and Joe White.
The brothers are on a mission. They want to know who killed their sister Ellie. This narrow mission soon widens into finding the person responsible for stalking and killing other teenage girls, plus three others who had had the temerity to cross the murderer.
Eventually, the brothers find the person responsible, but there's a final twist in the tale.
There's plenty of suspense and red herrings throughout the story. Just as in real life, the police don't always get it right. Neither do they always get the right person as soon as they can. There's not enough evidence to point the police in the right direction. It's only by one of the brothers working on his own that any new evidence comes to light.
From the very beginning, Neil White draws the reader into the world of Sam and Joe White.
The brothers are on a mission. They want to know who killed their sister Ellie. This narrow mission soon widens into finding the person responsible for stalking and killing other teenage girls, plus three others who had had the temerity to cross the murderer.
Eventually, the brothers find the person responsible, but there's a final twist in the tale.
There's plenty of suspense and red herrings throughout the story. Just as in real life, the police don't always get it right. Neither do they always get the right person as soon as they can. There's not enough evidence to point the police in the right direction. It's only by one of the brothers working on his own that any new evidence comes to light.
November 17, 2021
Apparently this book is part of a series set in Greater Manchester which features two brothers, Sam, a Detective Constable and Joe, a defense lawyer. There are some murders which Sam is investigating and at the same time Joe believes that one of his clients may be the man who murdered Joe and Sam's sister seventeen years ago. It's far-fetched stuff but while I quite enjoyed the police procedural side of the story I was not convinced by Joe's actions. As the story unfolded there were many things which did not make sense though to be fair right at the end the author did provide explanations. I found the plot to be too complicated for me and I did not feel much tension and excitement at the end when Joe finally confronts the man who killed his sister. I doubt that I will want to read any more of this series. However I do have another book by this author to read next.
November 6, 2023
This is an entertaining and fast paced crime thriller that finds the Parker brothers in the middle of a murder investigation that may or may not link to a dark moment in their family's history, and one that may well repeat itself if they don't step in to step it. The story is woven well and draws the story of the two brothers together as events unfold, alongside snippets from the murderer themself and those around and affected by them. Very much a story of being between a rock and a hard place.
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August 15, 2021zero stars - yes. couldn't finish this - I just couldn't believe that someone we are supposed to believe has the intelligence and smarts to be a top lawyer would have kept quiet about being a witness to his sister's murder, or that his brother, who is now a detective and knew about that, would not have done anything about it in the 16 years or so since the murder. The actions of many of the other characters also come across as very un-natural..... so this gets zero starts from me
May 13, 2017
An action thriller with a real punch. An elaborate backstory plays out as brothers Sam (a detective) and Joe (a lawyer) Parker chase a killer. A series of murders seem connected, and there are links to thee killer of the pair's younger sister some years before. It's a complex novel but the resent and past storylines are skillfully woven together to create an excellent narrative.
July 12, 2025
I don't think I would read another one of this series. Kind of flat. Though the ending was filled with action and a good twist where the submissive wife married to the narcissist husband that actually killed her sister, gets back at him to kill the ones she wanted dead because of her dead parents. Good ending for her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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