What do you think?
Rate this book
Charlie Parker #14
A Time of Torment
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Horror (2016)Dangerous and driven private investigator Charlie Parker returns in the latest gripping thriller of internationally bestselling author John Connolly’s series, in which ungodly fears haunt a strange and isolated community.
Jerome Burnel was once a hero. He intervened to prevent multiple killings, and in doing so destroyed himself. His life was torn apart. He was imprisoned, brutalized.
But in his final days, with the hunters circling, he tells his story to private detective Charlie Parker. He speaks of the girl who was marked for death, but was saved; of the ones who tormented him, and an entity that hides in a ruined stockade.
Parker is not like other men. He died, and was reborn. He is ready to wage war.
Now he will descend upon a strange, isolated community called the Cut, and face down a force of men who rule by terror, intimidation, and murder.
All in the name of the being they serve. All in the name of the Dead King.
Jerome Burnel was once a hero. He intervened to prevent multiple killings, and in doing so destroyed himself. His life was torn apart. He was imprisoned, brutalized.
But in his final days, with the hunters circling, he tells his story to private detective Charlie Parker. He speaks of the girl who was marked for death, but was saved; of the ones who tormented him, and an entity that hides in a ruined stockade.
Parker is not like other men. He died, and was reborn. He is ready to wage war.
Now he will descend upon a strange, isolated community called the Cut, and face down a force of men who rule by terror, intimidation, and murder.
All in the name of the being they serve. All in the name of the Dead King.
481 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2016
671 people are currently reading
5115 people want to read
About the author
John Connolly
219 books7,896 followersJohn Connolly was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1968 and has, at various points in his life, worked as a journalist, a barman, a local government official, a waiter and a dogsbody at Harrods department store in London. He studied English in Trinity College, Dublin and journalism at Dublin City University, subsequently spending five years working as a freelance journalist for The Irish Times newspaper, to which he continues to contribute.
He is based in Dublin but divides his time between his native city and the United States.
This page is administered by John's assistant, Clair, on John's behalf. If you'd like to communicate with John directly, you can do so by writing to contact-at-johnconnollybooks.com, or by following him on Twitter at @JConnollyBooks.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See other authors with similar names.
He is based in Dublin but divides his time between his native city and the United States.
This page is administered by John's assistant, Clair, on John's behalf. If you'd like to communicate with John directly, you can do so by writing to contact-at-johnconnollybooks.com, or by following him on Twitter at @JConnollyBooks.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See other authors with similar names.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 756 reviews
June 24, 2017
OK reading friends … Why has no one told me about John Connolly’s freaking AMAZING Charlie Parker series of paranormally extraordinary crime fiction????
Reading the 15th in the series, 2016’s Time of Torment, my only thought was – where can I find the earlier books? Where are my car keys? What’s my Amazon password? I want to read them all!!!
Cool as the other side of the pillow and fun as a barrel full of monkeys, Connolly’s prose is thick with hidden meaning and ripe as a red apple presented to a pale companion of vertically challenged subterranean gem engineers. I could hear his Irish, impish wit casting voodoo and mischievous fun on the darkly euphonious pages.
Parker is a private investigator but what sets this apart is the penchant for and reliance on the occult. And I’m not talking about urban fantasy like Jim Butcher or Kevin Hearne, this is darker and more realistic. This is more magical realism than fantasy, but it’s not absurdist; Connolly is laying down a devil’s brew of bad juju that is just a shadow’s breadth beyond believability. There are open references to ghosts and ancient evil and Parker is smack dab in the middle of it.
A convicted felon is released from prison and then disappears. Parker investigates and runs across an ageless community in West Virginia that has kept to itself for generations. The odd community of a few families has literally created a fiefdom through which local law enforcement has not interfered and who do the policing themselves. The locals stay out and leave the residents alone because they’ve grown up having seen and heard enough to know when to leave well enough alone.
Parker is described by others reviewers as an anti-hero and here he is named “a weapon in the hands of an unseen god … he walked tangled paths”.
Connolly’s gifts for characterization and dialogue are spot on and this reads like a thriller but with the occult blended in to make a woven tapestry of COOL COOL COOL.
Thank you, Mr. Connolly; I will most definitely be reading more from you.
*** A free copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review
Reading the 15th in the series, 2016’s Time of Torment, my only thought was – where can I find the earlier books? Where are my car keys? What’s my Amazon password? I want to read them all!!!
Cool as the other side of the pillow and fun as a barrel full of monkeys, Connolly’s prose is thick with hidden meaning and ripe as a red apple presented to a pale companion of vertically challenged subterranean gem engineers. I could hear his Irish, impish wit casting voodoo and mischievous fun on the darkly euphonious pages.
Parker is a private investigator but what sets this apart is the penchant for and reliance on the occult. And I’m not talking about urban fantasy like Jim Butcher or Kevin Hearne, this is darker and more realistic. This is more magical realism than fantasy, but it’s not absurdist; Connolly is laying down a devil’s brew of bad juju that is just a shadow’s breadth beyond believability. There are open references to ghosts and ancient evil and Parker is smack dab in the middle of it.
A convicted felon is released from prison and then disappears. Parker investigates and runs across an ageless community in West Virginia that has kept to itself for generations. The odd community of a few families has literally created a fiefdom through which local law enforcement has not interfered and who do the policing themselves. The locals stay out and leave the residents alone because they’ve grown up having seen and heard enough to know when to leave well enough alone.
Parker is described by others reviewers as an anti-hero and here he is named “a weapon in the hands of an unseen god … he walked tangled paths”.
Connolly’s gifts for characterization and dialogue are spot on and this reads like a thriller but with the occult blended in to make a woven tapestry of COOL COOL COOL.
Thank you, Mr. Connolly; I will most definitely be reading more from you.
*** A free copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review
March 21, 2016
We are at Charlie Parker 14 now and honestly this series just gets better and better, each novel adding layers to the last, the mythology that John Connolly began creating way back in “Every Dead Thing” is brilliantly imagined, incredibly dark and insanely addictive. When I go into a new instalment my expectation is always high and this author meets and exceeds it every time, A Time of Torment was no different in that respect.
This had a slightly different vibe to it, shaking things up a bit, A Time of Torment is a slow burner full of tension and brimming with atmosphere. Following Charlie and his indomitable sidekicks Louis and Angel on the one hand as they track and deal with some very bad folk, on the other we have the Cut – an isolated and inbred community hiding a terrible secret, who keep the wider world away using fear and often violence. When Charlie hears a strange tale told by a man named Jerome Burnel, the two sides are set on a collision course that brought me to one of the most chilling endings Mr Connolly has yet achieved in this series. Now the wait for more begins once again. I hate that part.
The Cut as a concept was extraordinarily chilling, the characters within it endlessly fascinating and very scary – with his usual flair for setting and descriptive prose, the author paints a picture and leads you towards the inevitable clash, the journey is once again dangerous and taut, completely riveting I was utterly gripped and fully immersed back into Charlie’s world once more.
The mythology deepens, Charlie’s daughters, one living, one dead are becoming inceasingly important to the whole – this layer which speaks to the ongoing saga is incredibly alluring and honestly creepy. Shiver. The relationships between all the main protagonists are constantly in ebb and flow over the course of the entire body of work so far – the absolute creative genius the author brings to the core storyline is what inspires comments like “the best crime series currently in existence” although for me personally I don’t like the crime tag for these when taken on its own. Yes it is crime in a lot of the elements but it is so much more, an epic and increasingly spellbinding series that has too many facets to call it any one thing.
On a personal note one thing “A Time of Torment” did for me was knock Stephen King off his perch, from this point on I will happily tell anyone that asks that John Connolly is my favourite author – I would dump a new King book for a new Connolly book in under 10 seconds, if he wrote a book a month it would not be enough for me. As an emotionally charged reader I need an emotionally charged novel and this is what I get every single time, so what can you do except acknowledge that and so I have.
Character driven, literary and always always bang on the money, from my point of view the Charlie Parker series is the best series currently in existence. Forget the crime tag.
Highly Recommended. And then some
This had a slightly different vibe to it, shaking things up a bit, A Time of Torment is a slow burner full of tension and brimming with atmosphere. Following Charlie and his indomitable sidekicks Louis and Angel on the one hand as they track and deal with some very bad folk, on the other we have the Cut – an isolated and inbred community hiding a terrible secret, who keep the wider world away using fear and often violence. When Charlie hears a strange tale told by a man named Jerome Burnel, the two sides are set on a collision course that brought me to one of the most chilling endings Mr Connolly has yet achieved in this series. Now the wait for more begins once again. I hate that part.
The Cut as a concept was extraordinarily chilling, the characters within it endlessly fascinating and very scary – with his usual flair for setting and descriptive prose, the author paints a picture and leads you towards the inevitable clash, the journey is once again dangerous and taut, completely riveting I was utterly gripped and fully immersed back into Charlie’s world once more.
The mythology deepens, Charlie’s daughters, one living, one dead are becoming inceasingly important to the whole – this layer which speaks to the ongoing saga is incredibly alluring and honestly creepy. Shiver. The relationships between all the main protagonists are constantly in ebb and flow over the course of the entire body of work so far – the absolute creative genius the author brings to the core storyline is what inspires comments like “the best crime series currently in existence” although for me personally I don’t like the crime tag for these when taken on its own. Yes it is crime in a lot of the elements but it is so much more, an epic and increasingly spellbinding series that has too many facets to call it any one thing.
On a personal note one thing “A Time of Torment” did for me was knock Stephen King off his perch, from this point on I will happily tell anyone that asks that John Connolly is my favourite author – I would dump a new King book for a new Connolly book in under 10 seconds, if he wrote a book a month it would not be enough for me. As an emotionally charged reader I need an emotionally charged novel and this is what I get every single time, so what can you do except acknowledge that and so I have.
Character driven, literary and always always bang on the money, from my point of view the Charlie Parker series is the best series currently in existence. Forget the crime tag.
Highly Recommended. And then some
August 1, 2016
Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review.
You might want to steer clear of the Cut. It's a cloistered area and the folks inside don't cotton to those who stray inside its borders. Burning bodies, the art of discernment, an individual with two sets of sets of dentures - one for smiling and the other for something else. Beware the Dead King. His raspy whispers and mindless chittering are a harbinger of bad things to come.
The denouement is done to a tasty turn. Not too rushed, not too drawn out, but just right. Charlie Parker. Still with the haunted eyes, and his two daughters . . . one living, one watching.
You might want to steer clear of the Cut. It's a cloistered area and the folks inside don't cotton to those who stray inside its borders. Burning bodies, the art of discernment, an individual with two sets of sets of dentures - one for smiling and the other for something else. Beware the Dead King. His raspy whispers and mindless chittering are a harbinger of bad things to come.
The denouement is done to a tasty turn. Not too rushed, not too drawn out, but just right. Charlie Parker. Still with the haunted eyes, and his two daughters . . . one living, one watching.
August 18, 2016
4.5 stars
A Time of Torment is the first John Connolly/Charlie Parker book that I have read, and I must say that I was completely taken in. This is a multi-layered, well-written thriller with complex characters.
When accused sex offender Jerome Burnel is released from prison, he contacts private investigator, Charlie Parker. Burnel maintained that he was innocent and felt like he was being framed. He shares his story with Parker because he believes that he doesn’t have long to live. Shortly after meeting with Parker, Burnel disappears. The only clue that Burnel leaves Parker is that of “The Dead King,” which Parker eventually traces to a ruthless Appalachian community called The Cut. Multiple stories come together bringing Parker to a dark world filled with magic, violence, and greed.
I want to know more about Parker and his daughters, so I need to go back and read the first 13 books of the series. A Time of Torment is not for the faint-hearted—there is quite a bit of violence and gore. It’s unpredictable and filled with suspense. I highly recommend.
Thank you to Atria/Emily Bestler Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.
A Time of Torment is the first John Connolly/Charlie Parker book that I have read, and I must say that I was completely taken in. This is a multi-layered, well-written thriller with complex characters.
When accused sex offender Jerome Burnel is released from prison, he contacts private investigator, Charlie Parker. Burnel maintained that he was innocent and felt like he was being framed. He shares his story with Parker because he believes that he doesn’t have long to live. Shortly after meeting with Parker, Burnel disappears. The only clue that Burnel leaves Parker is that of “The Dead King,” which Parker eventually traces to a ruthless Appalachian community called The Cut. Multiple stories come together bringing Parker to a dark world filled with magic, violence, and greed.
I want to know more about Parker and his daughters, so I need to go back and read the first 13 books of the series. A Time of Torment is not for the faint-hearted—there is quite a bit of violence and gore. It’s unpredictable and filled with suspense. I highly recommend.
Thank you to Atria/Emily Bestler Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.
August 25, 2019
Here’s the thing: I’ve been reading Bad Blood and I was in the mood for some retribution, so I switched to Connolly’s Charlie Parker series. Being more than a bit skittish with torture-porn, the title stirred some misgivings, but I can’t skip a book this late in the game. To absolutely no one’s surprise, much of the book seems to center on torture. While that’s not unusual for Connolly, what is unusual is the extent of it as a leitmotif in many variations. This, apparently, allows Parker to become a hunter of evil.
I mean, I get it. You aren’t going to use a vengeful fallen angel on just any old embezzler or murderer, right? But the book opens with a peek into the head of the current home of an evil spirit who resides in a man who really gets his groove on by torturing the survivors of missing persons. Parker & Co. pay a visit, seeking some information. We then move on to a bar, where a woman is picking up a man, the mark for her three-person team, but little does she know that the tables will be turned. Parker is then visited by a heroic ex-con who wants justice against those who set him up, and who have likely ‘disappeared’ two of the people he saved. Is he a genuine hero or a pedophile or both?
Meanwhile, we are checking in with a small town and a small boy who lives with his mother and grandmother and who has a talent for seeing things he shouldn’t. There’s a very tightly knit family at the center of a large piece of property and they have no tolerance for trespassers–or anything that might draw legal attention their way. Yes, yes; Parker runs into yet another cult.
The beginning is rather distressing for those with low torture tolerance (me) and may require some skimming. But it’s still written well, and if it isn’t fun, at least the reader knows there will be punishment. But the Evil does seem to get out of control in this book, mostly because the sheer preponderance of the ways people can inflict torture on each other (really; if I can’t think of one that wasn’t used, it’s because I don’t want to brainstorm), but also because doesn’t come close to being balanced with Parker, Lewis or Angel, all of whom carry their own kinds of darkness.
The narrative and plot unify in the last half of the book; in the Acknowledgements, Connolly calls it an ‘odd book,’ and I’m inclined to agree, because it feels more patchwork than it ought for the first third (quiet about my math). A slight bit touching on the supernatural as always. Does it progress our knowledge? Only slightly, to note Parker’s role is no longer tortured, but purposeful.
I mean, I get it. You aren’t going to use a vengeful fallen angel on just any old embezzler or murderer, right? But the book opens with a peek into the head of the current home of an evil spirit who resides in a man who really gets his groove on by torturing the survivors of missing persons. Parker & Co. pay a visit, seeking some information. We then move on to a bar, where a woman is picking up a man, the mark for her three-person team, but little does she know that the tables will be turned. Parker is then visited by a heroic ex-con who wants justice against those who set him up, and who have likely ‘disappeared’ two of the people he saved. Is he a genuine hero or a pedophile or both?
Meanwhile, we are checking in with a small town and a small boy who lives with his mother and grandmother and who has a talent for seeing things he shouldn’t. There’s a very tightly knit family at the center of a large piece of property and they have no tolerance for trespassers–or anything that might draw legal attention their way. Yes, yes; Parker runs into yet another cult.
The beginning is rather distressing for those with low torture tolerance (me) and may require some skimming. But it’s still written well, and if it isn’t fun, at least the reader knows there will be punishment. But the Evil does seem to get out of control in this book, mostly because the sheer preponderance of the ways people can inflict torture on each other (really; if I can’t think of one that wasn’t used, it’s because I don’t want to brainstorm), but also because doesn’t come close to being balanced with Parker, Lewis or Angel, all of whom carry their own kinds of darkness.
The narrative and plot unify in the last half of the book; in the Acknowledgements, Connolly calls it an ‘odd book,’ and I’m inclined to agree, because it feels more patchwork than it ought for the first third (quiet about my math). A slight bit touching on the supernatural as always. Does it progress our knowledge? Only slightly, to note Parker’s role is no longer tortured, but purposeful.
July 28, 2017
A Time of Torment is one book that I have been deliberately delayed writing a review for. Not that the book was in any way bad, it's an utterly fantastic book. And, that's the problem. I just didn't know what to write. All I wanted was to tell you all that John Connolly has done it again. He has written a book that is so excruciating good that it's almost painful to finish it.
For those of you that have never read a Charlie Parker is it good to know that this is book 14 in the series and I would advise not to read this book without at least have read the previous book or at least some book before. The journey Charlie Parker is on; his personal crusade is much easier to understand if you have read the books before this one. He is a man haunted, by the death of his wife and child, killed several years ago by a serial killer. However, his dead daughter is still with him, and she also has a connection with his new daughter. His friends are dangerous but loyal and Parker is fighting a battle against the darkness. And in this book is it the Dead King he is going after. And doing so is he going against the Cut community.
The book's story is slow but in a good way. Everything takes its time and it suits the story so well. There is no rush. Everything happens for a reason, there are some revelations that I never saw coming and then comes the final confrontation towards the end.
John Connolly writes in such a way that makes me slow down my reading, I don't want to hurry the story. This is not a book that I feel should be rushed. Connolly's command of the languages is utterly perfect! There are few authors in my experience that can write like Connolly do, to utterly capture the reader's attention and keep it until the end.
For those of you that have never read a Charlie Parker is it good to know that this is book 14 in the series and I would advise not to read this book without at least have read the previous book or at least some book before. The journey Charlie Parker is on; his personal crusade is much easier to understand if you have read the books before this one. He is a man haunted, by the death of his wife and child, killed several years ago by a serial killer. However, his dead daughter is still with him, and she also has a connection with his new daughter. His friends are dangerous but loyal and Parker is fighting a battle against the darkness. And in this book is it the Dead King he is going after. And doing so is he going against the Cut community.
The book's story is slow but in a good way. Everything takes its time and it suits the story so well. There is no rush. Everything happens for a reason, there are some revelations that I never saw coming and then comes the final confrontation towards the end.
John Connolly writes in such a way that makes me slow down my reading, I don't want to hurry the story. This is not a book that I feel should be rushed. Connolly's command of the languages is utterly perfect! There are few authors in my experience that can write like Connolly do, to utterly capture the reader's attention and keep it until the end.
August 7, 2016
With a decidedly darker bent than the previous books in this series, Charlie Parker rolls on.
Beginning with the story of Jerome Burnel and ending with the story of an isolated area of West Virginia called the Cut, John Connolly deftly weaves this story of the Dead King. Despite the fact that Angel and Louis are again here, A Time of Torment lacks the often humorous slant those two bring. This is a very dark book, indeed.
Even though this story took its time, I never found myself bored. In fact, I adored the slow build of atmosphere and the depth of the characters. However, I had hoped to learn more about Charlie's daughters, and I did, just not as much as I had hoped. The end of this book, though, gave me such a case of the chills I could barely hold my Kindle.
I'm not sure that I can tell where John Connolly is going to take Charlie and his daughters in the future, but I think it's going to be an even darker place than any we've visited so far. His story is winding down now; he's aging and showing the signs of all his various battles, both mental and physical. Never a super hero- Charlie is human, and as such, there's only so much his mind and body can take. I think his journeys are coming to and end now, but with so many unanswered questions, I fail to see how he's going to get to the finale or what that will consist of, exactly.
I feel no need to worry though. I trust John Connolly is going to make Charlie's last adventures worthy of our time. I only worry that my heart might not be able to take the final outcome.
My highest recommendation to fans of Charlie Parker and John Connolly!
*Thank you to Net Galley and Atria for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review. This is it.*
Beginning with the story of Jerome Burnel and ending with the story of an isolated area of West Virginia called the Cut, John Connolly deftly weaves this story of the Dead King. Despite the fact that Angel and Louis are again here, A Time of Torment lacks the often humorous slant those two bring. This is a very dark book, indeed.
Even though this story took its time, I never found myself bored. In fact, I adored the slow build of atmosphere and the depth of the characters. However, I had hoped to learn more about Charlie's daughters, and I did, just not as much as I had hoped. The end of this book, though, gave me such a case of the chills I could barely hold my Kindle.
I'm not sure that I can tell where John Connolly is going to take Charlie and his daughters in the future, but I think it's going to be an even darker place than any we've visited so far. His story is winding down now; he's aging and showing the signs of all his various battles, both mental and physical. Never a super hero- Charlie is human, and as such, there's only so much his mind and body can take. I think his journeys are coming to and end now, but with so many unanswered questions, I fail to see how he's going to get to the finale or what that will consist of, exactly.
I feel no need to worry though. I trust John Connolly is going to make Charlie's last adventures worthy of our time. I only worry that my heart might not be able to take the final outcome.
My highest recommendation to fans of Charlie Parker and John Connolly!
*Thank you to Net Galley and Atria for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review. This is it.*
June 3, 2017
It's stunning to think how many years i've spent with Charlie Parker, more than most other literary creations, and he's certainly much closer to my heart than any other detective. Every Dead Thing was one of the first crime novels I ever read and still sits in my top 5. I recommend it without reservation to anyone who can take the very dark themes it explores.
In this instalment we see Parker transformed, his very essence revitalised and ever so dangerous. For once it feels like the effect he has on the reader is truly reflected within the story, people SEE him and they know he is an agent of change. Whether for good or ill depends solely on the actions of that individual, they will be judged first on this earth, and as ever in these novels, these people deserve it. Connolly again proves his ability to delve into the dark and degenerate, yet another small town in America sin deep in depravity and death. The cleanup is enthusiastically assisted by Louis and Angel, with a few other surprises; all the gang are here and it feels like home.
On to A Game of Ghosts...
In this instalment we see Parker transformed, his very essence revitalised and ever so dangerous. For once it feels like the effect he has on the reader is truly reflected within the story, people SEE him and they know he is an agent of change. Whether for good or ill depends solely on the actions of that individual, they will be judged first on this earth, and as ever in these novels, these people deserve it. Connolly again proves his ability to delve into the dark and degenerate, yet another small town in America sin deep in depravity and death. The cleanup is enthusiastically assisted by Louis and Angel, with a few other surprises; all the gang are here and it feels like home.
On to A Game of Ghosts...
November 14, 2021
3.5 stars
In this 14th book in the 'Charlie Parker' series, the private investigator is hired by an ex-convict who has dangerous enemies. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
Roger Ormsby is an evil man who delights in making people 'disappear' so their families will endure maximum long-term suffering.
Ormsby is about to do away with a little girl he snatched when Private Detective Charlie Parker.....
.....and his partners Angel and Louis, show up to save the day.
As it happens ANY bad guys on Parker's radar better watch their backs because Charlie and his pals are the best killers around.
Moreover, Parker has a complicated relationship with some supernatural beings who lend a hand on occasion. Thus Charlie's a guy you'd always want in your corner (at least I would).
The main story in revolves around ex-convict Jerome Burnel. Burnel was once an unhappily married jewelry dealer who saved the lives of several people by killing a couple of sadistic thieves. The thieves' enraged relatives then framed Burnel for child pornography and got him sent to prison for five years, where Burnel was regularly tormented and beaten.
Burnel - now a broken man - is out on parole and convinced his enemies are still after him. Thus Burnel tells Parker the whole story and hires the detective to investigate if he disappears.
As things turn out Burnel soon vanishes and Parker's investigation leads him to a secluded enclave called 'The Cut' in Plassey County, West Virginia. The families in The Cut, who've lived there for generations, don't allow outsiders on their land.
The Cut grows its own food and - to make money - steals and perpetrates other crimes. The Cut also harbors some vicious killers - and the stunts the residents get up to with kidnapped women are unspeakable! On top of all that, The Cut is led by a strange entity called 'The Dead King.'
Parker becomes convinced that people from The Cut killed Burnel and - learning that the community is evil - makes it his mission to destroy it. Of course Angel and Louis are on hand to help, as are other law enforcement officials and agencies. In one of my favorite scenes killers from The Cut try to ambush Parker in his motel. The action - including some deft work by Angel and Louis - is dramatic and exciting.
There are plenty of interesting characters in the story including: a trio that entices men with a sexy woman, then robs them; Burnel's ex-wife - who's a piece of work; a depraved convict Burnel meets in prison; hillbillies living in The Cut; a mentally-challenged boy living outside The Cut; and a sheriff that - unlike most of his neighbors - stands up to leaders of The Cut. There are also a couple of ghosts and some of Parker's other-worldly acquaintances.
I enjoyed the story, and highly recommend it readers who enjoy thrillers - especially fans of Charlie Parker.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for a copy of the book.
You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/
September 8, 2022
As I slowly make my way through the wonderfully written Charlie Parker series, I’ve noticed a big shift in the last few books.
A shift for the better you ask? Depends on reader preferences. Parker’s world has always been marked by violence and malevolence but the subtle otherworldly moments are now anything but subtle.
Parker and his partners (in vengeance) continue to rid their world of evil men (and almost as often, women) but their cause has picked up in followers— those who live among us along with a few shadows who do not.
Still, the writing remains the draw but the darkness is gathering now. No longer just at the edges of the dark (and I’ll add super creepy) forest of the author and Parker’s mind.
One thing I noticed in the first 8-9 books was the author’s liberal use of foreshadowing. Sometimes it was almost a red herring as it directed the reader’s attention to the obvious, when in Parker’s world, it’s never that simple.
Not a shred of foreshadowing in these later installments. Even that lends another layer of suspense— just where is Parker and pals heading next?
Regardless— I’ll follow him… Next book please!!
PS— Another author who did his research— the central Ohio information was spot on… three of the four books I’ve read this month use Ohio locations— all correctly. Amazing!!
Slight (itty bitty) spoiler-ish comment below.
PPS- All I gotta say is Sam is creeping me out more than the dead daughter!!
A shift for the better you ask? Depends on reader preferences. Parker’s world has always been marked by violence and malevolence but the subtle otherworldly moments are now anything but subtle.
Parker and his partners (in vengeance) continue to rid their world of evil men (and almost as often, women) but their cause has picked up in followers— those who live among us along with a few shadows who do not.
Still, the writing remains the draw but the darkness is gathering now. No longer just at the edges of the dark (and I’ll add super creepy) forest of the author and Parker’s mind.
One thing I noticed in the first 8-9 books was the author’s liberal use of foreshadowing. Sometimes it was almost a red herring as it directed the reader’s attention to the obvious, when in Parker’s world, it’s never that simple.
Not a shred of foreshadowing in these later installments. Even that lends another layer of suspense— just where is Parker and pals heading next?
Regardless— I’ll follow him… Next book please!!
PS— Another author who did his research— the central Ohio information was spot on… three of the four books I’ve read this month use Ohio locations— all correctly. Amazing!!
Slight (itty bitty) spoiler-ish comment below.
PPS- All I gotta say is Sam is creeping me out more than the dead daughter!!
March 25, 2023
5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The series just keeps getting better and better!!
I'm not sure how much to say in this review due to spoilers from past books but I'm going to give it a try.
Charlie Parker gets asked by Jerome Burnel to become his private investigator.
Burnel became a hero one day and from that point on, he has a target on his head. Burnel goes from hero to pariah in a short amount of time, and he wants to find out who falsely set him up.
Charlie Parker isn't sure if he believes Burnel but he decides to at least listen to his story. After Burnel tells his life story to Charlie, he goes missing.
When Burnel goes missing, questions are asked about what happened the day he became a hero, who Burnel came in contact with in prison, and questions about a remote community in West Virginia.
Charlie, Louis and Angel must go after evil men who have found ways to escape detection and persecution.
In A Time of Torment, the hunters are about to be hunted.
If you are looking for a fantastic series with excellent writing, amazing characters and an atmosphere with a horror/supernatural feel to it, don't look any further.
Check out this series! It's been one of my favorites since the day I read the first book, Every Dead Thing.
The series just keeps getting better and better!!
I'm not sure how much to say in this review due to spoilers from past books but I'm going to give it a try.
Charlie Parker gets asked by Jerome Burnel to become his private investigator.
Burnel became a hero one day and from that point on, he has a target on his head. Burnel goes from hero to pariah in a short amount of time, and he wants to find out who falsely set him up.
Charlie Parker isn't sure if he believes Burnel but he decides to at least listen to his story. After Burnel tells his life story to Charlie, he goes missing.
When Burnel goes missing, questions are asked about what happened the day he became a hero, who Burnel came in contact with in prison, and questions about a remote community in West Virginia.
Charlie, Louis and Angel must go after evil men who have found ways to escape detection and persecution.
In A Time of Torment, the hunters are about to be hunted.
If you are looking for a fantastic series with excellent writing, amazing characters and an atmosphere with a horror/supernatural feel to it, don't look any further.
Check out this series! It's been one of my favorites since the day I read the first book, Every Dead Thing.
May 18, 2023
What a great series, great characters. Once again, John Connolly has written an excellently dark, atmospheric, violent, otherworldly, and occasionally funny story. This one’s a real slow burner, the suspense building, until the action finally ignites. And then there’s one final, chilling twist in the tail.
November 21, 2016
Well, this was a lot more fun than I had expected! A Time of Torment is the 14th Charlie Parker thriller, but the first one that I have read, and I have to admit I wouldn't have picked this up if it hadn't been for the publisher inviting me to read a free copy. My main reason for that: Charlie is a private detective who died and was sort of reborn, and there are plenty of otherworldly elements to this story, which is something I wouldn't usually be desperate to read. But I've actually enjoyed this so much I've bought The Charlie Parker Collection 1 containing the first four in the series so I can catch up now.
I was able to follow this without any problems, but I really wanted to have more details about Parker's sidekicks, Angel and Louis, and more information about Parker's daughters. So in that respect, reading these in order would have no doubt been preferable. However, this was strong on characterization and John Connolly's command of the language is absolutely fantastic. It was easy to get a good sense of what the characters were about. The descriptive passages built a vivid picture in my mind and coupled with the witty dialogue, it quickly became addictive reading. This was full of atmosphere and rather creepy and dark with a fair bit of violence and gore. It wasn't a fast-paced thriller. In fact, it took a while to get going, but Connolly's skillful writing was so enjoyable that I didn't mind the slower build-up at all. Very entertaining with a good mix of thrills and supernatural aspects, brilliant characters and great humor.
I was able to follow this without any problems, but I really wanted to have more details about Parker's sidekicks, Angel and Louis, and more information about Parker's daughters. So in that respect, reading these in order would have no doubt been preferable. However, this was strong on characterization and John Connolly's command of the language is absolutely fantastic. It was easy to get a good sense of what the characters were about. The descriptive passages built a vivid picture in my mind and coupled with the witty dialogue, it quickly became addictive reading. This was full of atmosphere and rather creepy and dark with a fair bit of violence and gore. It wasn't a fast-paced thriller. In fact, it took a while to get going, but Connolly's skillful writing was so enjoyable that I didn't mind the slower build-up at all. Very entertaining with a good mix of thrills and supernatural aspects, brilliant characters and great humor.
May 7, 2016
Let me begin by stating that I do not rate John Connolly against other thriller authors. It's simply not done. I rate John Connolly against John Connolly. His work stands alone in the field, and even a good John Connolly book is head and shoulders above anything else currently being written in the genre.
That being said, A Time of Torment is, in my humble opinion, the weakest in the Charlie Parker series. A man who stopped a pair of bizarre killers, only to have his life systematically taken apart, his reputation destroyed, falsely imprisoned for the lowest of crimes, and targeted by a brutal group intent on turning his incarceration into a living Hell.
Finally freed, he knows his days are numbered, and he turns to Charlie Parker to expose his tormentors, the deadly conspiracy that stems from an isolated community known as The Cut, and the dark secret it hides at it's heart.....the entity known as The Dead King.
An engaging enough plot, and a faster than usual read, with a strong start.....Parker forming an uneasy alliance with the Collector, one based on the threat of Louis, in order to use his nemesis against those Charlie hunts.....and a powerful finish, where Charlie's daughter, Sam, displays her growing talents to devastating effect, showcasing her cold, lethal intelligence.
But in between these points lies the problem.....the main characters of the series, Charlie, Louis and Angel, are mere shadows drifting in and out of the story, and the tale suffers the lack of heart, humor and depth they normally bring to the table.
Surely just a stumble in a series that raised the bar on thrillers.
As always, I look forward to the next book in the series with my enthusiasm undimmed.
This was an eARC from Netgalley.
That being said, A Time of Torment is, in my humble opinion, the weakest in the Charlie Parker series. A man who stopped a pair of bizarre killers, only to have his life systematically taken apart, his reputation destroyed, falsely imprisoned for the lowest of crimes, and targeted by a brutal group intent on turning his incarceration into a living Hell.
Finally freed, he knows his days are numbered, and he turns to Charlie Parker to expose his tormentors, the deadly conspiracy that stems from an isolated community known as The Cut, and the dark secret it hides at it's heart.....the entity known as The Dead King.
An engaging enough plot, and a faster than usual read, with a strong start.....Parker forming an uneasy alliance with the Collector, one based on the threat of Louis, in order to use his nemesis against those Charlie hunts.....and a powerful finish, where Charlie's daughter, Sam, displays her growing talents to devastating effect, showcasing her cold, lethal intelligence.
But in between these points lies the problem.....the main characters of the series, Charlie, Louis and Angel, are mere shadows drifting in and out of the story, and the tale suffers the lack of heart, humor and depth they normally bring to the table.
Surely just a stumble in a series that raised the bar on thrillers.
As always, I look forward to the next book in the series with my enthusiasm undimmed.
This was an eARC from Netgalley.
August 5, 2016
Okay, 5 stars it is - but only because I can't find a way to give it 6. Or, put another way, Charlie Parker rocks!
Actually, Parker started kicking otherworldly butt something like 13 books ago. I'm almost embarrassed to say I'd read only two others (Nos. 1 and 11), but based on how good those two were, when the publisher offered me the opportunity to read this one in exchange for an honest review, I wasted no time saying yes. And my honest opinion now that I've finished it? Wow.
To love these books does take a strong sense of imagination (it's no accident that I used the word "otherworldly"). Parker, you see, actually died - but he remains among the living. That experience left him in a sort of purgatory; he operates as a private detective in this world but is aware that there's another, darker world (dimension, if you will) filled with mostly evil entities. Yes, it's Twilight Zone stuff, and engrossing as all get-out. And if you're wondering, no, it's not necessary to have read previous books to enjoy this one; it's been a while since No. 11 for me, and I didn't feel lost at all.
The story begins as Parker is contacted by Jerome Burnel, a man who heroically kept some folks from being killed but in the process killed the perpetrators. But not long thereafter, he was tried and convicted for having pornography in his home despite insisting it was a set-up. Tortured unmercifully while in prison, he's now out, convinced he's still got a target on his back. Before someone hits it, he wants Parker to hear his story, which involves a cult-like community in an isolated part of West Virginia called the Cut.
Parker and his two cronies agree Burnel is telling the truth about his wrongful conviction and take on the investigation - and then learn that Cut members are highly protective not only of their own, but of an evil entity called the Dead King. That gives the Parker team pause (not to mention a great line):
"...as far as I can tell, there isn't even a rapper called Dead King, and those guys pick up on all the good names."
But alas, just the mention of that name is enough to strike fear in the hearts of men and women (and not infrequently, those who slip up and mention it end up tortured and killed in very unpleasant ways). That means yes, there's plenty of murder and mayhem here, so this book isn't for the squeamish.
Besides a really kinky plot and edge-of-seat action, I got a personal kick out of the fact that some of the action happens in places near and dear to my husband and me, like Portland, Maine, Columbus, Ohio (including my favorite German Village section and Go Bucks) and historic Lewisburg, West Virginia. Scenes take place in other interesting spots as well:
"It was the kind of bar where everybody knew your name, as long as your name was Motherf***er."
Hmmm; truth be told, we've spent time in a few of those as well.
The character development is outstanding and the excellent writing, as well as the action, is nonstop. The ending is satisfying, although there's a loose end that no doubt will be tied into the next installment. Bring it on!
Actually, Parker started kicking otherworldly butt something like 13 books ago. I'm almost embarrassed to say I'd read only two others (Nos. 1 and 11), but based on how good those two were, when the publisher offered me the opportunity to read this one in exchange for an honest review, I wasted no time saying yes. And my honest opinion now that I've finished it? Wow.
To love these books does take a strong sense of imagination (it's no accident that I used the word "otherworldly"). Parker, you see, actually died - but he remains among the living. That experience left him in a sort of purgatory; he operates as a private detective in this world but is aware that there's another, darker world (dimension, if you will) filled with mostly evil entities. Yes, it's Twilight Zone stuff, and engrossing as all get-out. And if you're wondering, no, it's not necessary to have read previous books to enjoy this one; it's been a while since No. 11 for me, and I didn't feel lost at all.
The story begins as Parker is contacted by Jerome Burnel, a man who heroically kept some folks from being killed but in the process killed the perpetrators. But not long thereafter, he was tried and convicted for having pornography in his home despite insisting it was a set-up. Tortured unmercifully while in prison, he's now out, convinced he's still got a target on his back. Before someone hits it, he wants Parker to hear his story, which involves a cult-like community in an isolated part of West Virginia called the Cut.
Parker and his two cronies agree Burnel is telling the truth about his wrongful conviction and take on the investigation - and then learn that Cut members are highly protective not only of their own, but of an evil entity called the Dead King. That gives the Parker team pause (not to mention a great line):
"...as far as I can tell, there isn't even a rapper called Dead King, and those guys pick up on all the good names."
But alas, just the mention of that name is enough to strike fear in the hearts of men and women (and not infrequently, those who slip up and mention it end up tortured and killed in very unpleasant ways). That means yes, there's plenty of murder and mayhem here, so this book isn't for the squeamish.
Besides a really kinky plot and edge-of-seat action, I got a personal kick out of the fact that some of the action happens in places near and dear to my husband and me, like Portland, Maine, Columbus, Ohio (including my favorite German Village section and Go Bucks) and historic Lewisburg, West Virginia. Scenes take place in other interesting spots as well:
"It was the kind of bar where everybody knew your name, as long as your name was Motherf***er."
Hmmm; truth be told, we've spent time in a few of those as well.
The character development is outstanding and the excellent writing, as well as the action, is nonstop. The ending is satisfying, although there's a loose end that no doubt will be tied into the next installment. Bring it on!
August 7, 2018
This is an Advanced Uncorrected Proof, On sale date August 2, 2016.
May 16, 2016
"There's a kind of evil that isn't even in opposition to good, because good is an irrelevance to it. It's a foulness that is right at the heart of existence, born with the stuff of the Universe. It's in decay to which all things tend. It is, and it always will be, but in dying we leave it behind"
The 14th Charlie Parker and this one does show that there are plenty more good stories to be told. Connolly writes so fluent and casual that it is difficult to stop reading because daily life calls. This time I was able to pace myself so I could enjoy the book a little longer.
Charlie Parker has changed and with this change comes a certain degree in cooperation with the FBI for whom he tracks down the monsters. Thus starts a new chapter albeit an uneasy one on the side of Law & Order due to Parkers entourage consisting of Angel & Louis.
A man gets released after a long time in jail as a convicted pedophile and he seeks out Parker to ask him to find out who he has offended so much that he got send to jail being framed for something he did not do. The man believes his heroic deed in killing a few robbers sealed his fate. Parker believes him and when the man disappears he starts looking for the man and his past.
In West-Virginia is a place that is ruled by evil and paid for by crime, where law does not apply unless it is the one laid down by the Dead King.
The story starts slow and gradually builds up into that inescapable storm that will bring Parker, Angel & Louis to the doorstep of a community that has not met the likes of these three men.
Even in the story I encountered shocking surprises that showed the plain on which Parker and his friends do their thing. Different to other books is that most of the story is not written from Parkers viewpoint but of those coming into contact with him and how they experience that.
This book is excellent and the ending left me somewhat taken aback. This book can be best enjoyed being read in sequence of the series as it does give it a better kick.
It will be a long wait for the next Parker story.
The 14th Charlie Parker and this one does show that there are plenty more good stories to be told. Connolly writes so fluent and casual that it is difficult to stop reading because daily life calls. This time I was able to pace myself so I could enjoy the book a little longer.
Charlie Parker has changed and with this change comes a certain degree in cooperation with the FBI for whom he tracks down the monsters. Thus starts a new chapter albeit an uneasy one on the side of Law & Order due to Parkers entourage consisting of Angel & Louis.
A man gets released after a long time in jail as a convicted pedophile and he seeks out Parker to ask him to find out who he has offended so much that he got send to jail being framed for something he did not do. The man believes his heroic deed in killing a few robbers sealed his fate. Parker believes him and when the man disappears he starts looking for the man and his past.
In West-Virginia is a place that is ruled by evil and paid for by crime, where law does not apply unless it is the one laid down by the Dead King.
The story starts slow and gradually builds up into that inescapable storm that will bring Parker, Angel & Louis to the doorstep of a community that has not met the likes of these three men.
Even in the story I encountered shocking surprises that showed the plain on which Parker and his friends do their thing. Different to other books is that most of the story is not written from Parkers viewpoint but of those coming into contact with him and how they experience that.
This book is excellent and the ending left me somewhat taken aback. This book can be best enjoyed being read in sequence of the series as it does give it a better kick.
It will be a long wait for the next Parker story.
![Profile Image for Terence M [on a brief old bloke's hiatus].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1712357414i%2F6658001._UY200_CR4%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
October 15, 2025
3.5 stars - Charlie Parker, #14 - A Time of Torment -
"I Liked It"
Comment/Edit 16 October 2025:
As part of my "Collection Clean-up" I have reviewed my John Connolly collection. I have read/heard "Charlie Parker #1 to #14" and rated the majority at 4-Stars, while books #15 to #20 remain unheard. This situation will most likely remain as I did not like Connolly's move into 'Horror' and 'Supernatural' themes, so I have no incentive to hear these books in the future.
Review @ 26 August 2016:
I did enjoy reading this, the latest of John Connolly's series about private investigator "Charlie Parker" and his fearless companions. A Time of Torment moves a little further into the fantasy genre (for a-non-fantasy-reader, me, anyway) following a theme that has gradually developed throughout the series. I am somewhat bemused by the introduction of the "Dead King" (not a spoiler) and I don't think it added anything of literary value to the book. Connolly's writing sometimes seemed a little laboured, but maybe I'm being a bit picky. He is one of my favourite cop/PI thriller/mystery writers and I look forward to Charlie Parker Book 15.
"I Liked It"
Comment/Edit 16 October 2025:
As part of my "Collection Clean-up" I have reviewed my John Connolly collection. I have read/heard "Charlie Parker #1 to #14" and rated the majority at 4-Stars, while books #15 to #20 remain unheard. This situation will most likely remain as I did not like Connolly's move into 'Horror' and 'Supernatural' themes, so I have no incentive to hear these books in the future.
Review @ 26 August 2016:
I did enjoy reading this, the latest of John Connolly's series about private investigator "Charlie Parker" and his fearless companions. A Time of Torment moves a little further into the fantasy genre (for a-non-fantasy-reader, me, anyway) following a theme that has gradually developed throughout the series. I am somewhat bemused by the introduction of the "Dead King" (not a spoiler) and I don't think it added anything of literary value to the book. Connolly's writing sometimes seemed a little laboured, but maybe I'm being a bit picky. He is one of my favourite cop/PI thriller/mystery writers and I look forward to Charlie Parker Book 15.
December 4, 2024
Поредица от печатни и смислови грешки - абсолютно недопустимо за книга, с уж редактор и коректор! За капак, отново никаква приемственост в превода - Колекционерът е станал Събирачът... :(
Разбирам, не е възможно понякога цялата поредица да се преведе от един човек, но все пак надали е много трудно всеки нов преводач да се запознае с труда на предшествениците си.
Книгата е много добра, чудесно се вписва в развитието на историята и героите, на места си е откровенно страшна. Този път страхотиите за разнообразие се случват основно в Западна Вирджиния, най-бедния щат в САЩ.
Джеръм Бърнел е герой по неволя, на когото е отредена незавидна съдба и определено се нуждае от помощта на Чарли Паркър. Насреща им обаче е безпощадната глутница от "Отреза", ръководена от "Краля на мъртвите". Свръхестественото отново присъства сериозно и прави историята още по-интригуваща!
Разбирам, не е възможно понякога цялата поредица да се преведе от един човек, но все пак надали е много трудно всеки нов преводач да се запознае с труда на предшествениците си.
Книгата е много добра, чудесно се вписва в развитието на историята и героите, на места си е откровенно страшна. Този път страхотиите за разнообразие се случват основно в Западна Вирджиния, най-бедния щат в САЩ.
Джеръм Бърнел е герой по неволя, на когото е отредена незавидна съдба и определено се нуждае от помощта на Чарли Паркър. Насреща им обаче е безпощадната глутница от "Отреза", ръководена от "Краля на мъртвите". Свръхестественото отново присъства сериозно и прави историята още по-интригуваща!
August 30, 2016
Imagine my surprise when NetGalley approved me for John Connolly’s new Charlie Parker book,
A Time of Torment. I hadn’t requested it. It wasn’t even on my radar, honestly, because I had never, ever read a single book by Mr. Connolly. That changed in a hurry because I am not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. I read the series debut, Every Dead Thing, and while it had its moments, I was not smitten with it. Still, I had heard that the books get better and better as the series progresses, so I was looking forward to proceeding with number fourteen. Before I go any further, I wish to thank NetGalley, Atria Books, and the author for providing me with a copy of A Time of Torment in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
Charlie Parker is a former cop-turned private investigator. He lost his wife and young daughter to a sadistic killer in the series opener. Apparently, in a later book, he died and came back to life, and this has left him a changed man. I have culled enough from synopses and reviews to know that Connolly infuses all of his Parker stories with elements from the paranormal or spiritual realm. Knowing this ahead of time prepared me somewhat for what lay ahead in this new offering. Were there aspects of it that I wished I knew more about? Certainly. But those events, characters, and pre-existing relationships didn’t interfere with my enjoyment. Suffice it to say that I understand Parker to be a complex, multi-faceted individual.
After Jerome Burnel is released from prison, he approaches Parker and tells him his side of the story – how he was a reluctant hero, how he was set up to take a fall and was tormented in prison, and how he now fears for his life. But Burnel’s failure to show up for his meeting with his parole officer is only the beginning of Parker’s involvement with the isolated West Virginia group known as the Cut. These guys are nasty, controlling, scary dudes. Folks inside and out of Plassey County know to stay clear of these guys, and Louis and Angel can’t wait to mess with them.
All I had to compare this book to was book one, so I missed twelve books in between, but I liked the fact that much of the story is about the Cut and the people whose lives are affected by them, for better or for worse. Yes, Parker and his guys are involved, but not so much as in the first book, and while there is cruelty and violence, it somehow seemed different to me – more controlled, at least on the part of Parker and his men.
The characters are marvelous, and I’m not just talking about the major players. There are some minor characters who come across as very real because they are so well written. Much of the drama is set within the Cut. We see their struggles for control and survival both inside and outside of their community. Men have the power, but women are also important members of the Cut family. Who is loyal? Is anyone really trustworthy?
Is there action? Of course. Intermingling of the human world and the spirit world? Yes. Violence? Yep.
The biggest question: Who – or what – is the Dead King? Does Charlie Parker find him/it? How does it all end?
One last comment I need to make is that I love the observations and descriptions that Connolly makes along the way. While it may make his book somewhat wordier than it needs to be, I don’t think it detracts from the story in any way; in fact, it enhances it. An example is in chapter 81, his description of the hotel room that Louis is staying in. Rather than simply describing it, Connolly describes the colors (I pictured 70s brown tones, harvest golds and avocado greens) where everything matching something but some things don’t match anything. The next sentence had me cracking up, as Louis imagines himself … well, you have to read it, because it’s so unexpected and creative and downright funny.
It gets out-and-out serious from there, however. Connolly is not one to shy away from bloodshed, although his Sheriff Henkel makes the boys try.
Now, I’m not a die-hard paranormal fan, but I can handle it in small doses. So maybe at some point I will backtrack and start on some of the dozen books in the middle of the series that I haven’t read yet. This one was well worth it.
4 stars.
A Time of Torment. I hadn’t requested it. It wasn’t even on my radar, honestly, because I had never, ever read a single book by Mr. Connolly. That changed in a hurry because I am not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. I read the series debut, Every Dead Thing, and while it had its moments, I was not smitten with it. Still, I had heard that the books get better and better as the series progresses, so I was looking forward to proceeding with number fourteen. Before I go any further, I wish to thank NetGalley, Atria Books, and the author for providing me with a copy of A Time of Torment in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
Charlie Parker is a former cop-turned private investigator. He lost his wife and young daughter to a sadistic killer in the series opener. Apparently, in a later book, he died and came back to life, and this has left him a changed man. I have culled enough from synopses and reviews to know that Connolly infuses all of his Parker stories with elements from the paranormal or spiritual realm. Knowing this ahead of time prepared me somewhat for what lay ahead in this new offering. Were there aspects of it that I wished I knew more about? Certainly. But those events, characters, and pre-existing relationships didn’t interfere with my enjoyment. Suffice it to say that I understand Parker to be a complex, multi-faceted individual.
After Jerome Burnel is released from prison, he approaches Parker and tells him his side of the story – how he was a reluctant hero, how he was set up to take a fall and was tormented in prison, and how he now fears for his life. But Burnel’s failure to show up for his meeting with his parole officer is only the beginning of Parker’s involvement with the isolated West Virginia group known as the Cut. These guys are nasty, controlling, scary dudes. Folks inside and out of Plassey County know to stay clear of these guys, and Louis and Angel can’t wait to mess with them.
All I had to compare this book to was book one, so I missed twelve books in between, but I liked the fact that much of the story is about the Cut and the people whose lives are affected by them, for better or for worse. Yes, Parker and his guys are involved, but not so much as in the first book, and while there is cruelty and violence, it somehow seemed different to me – more controlled, at least on the part of Parker and his men.
The characters are marvelous, and I’m not just talking about the major players. There are some minor characters who come across as very real because they are so well written. Much of the drama is set within the Cut. We see their struggles for control and survival both inside and outside of their community. Men have the power, but women are also important members of the Cut family. Who is loyal? Is anyone really trustworthy?
Is there action? Of course. Intermingling of the human world and the spirit world? Yes. Violence? Yep.
The biggest question: Who – or what – is the Dead King? Does Charlie Parker find him/it? How does it all end?
One last comment I need to make is that I love the observations and descriptions that Connolly makes along the way. While it may make his book somewhat wordier than it needs to be, I don’t think it detracts from the story in any way; in fact, it enhances it. An example is in chapter 81, his description of the hotel room that Louis is staying in. Rather than simply describing it, Connolly describes the colors (I pictured 70s brown tones, harvest golds and avocado greens) where everything matching something but some things don’t match anything. The next sentence had me cracking up, as Louis imagines himself … well, you have to read it, because it’s so unexpected and creative and downright funny.
It gets out-and-out serious from there, however. Connolly is not one to shy away from bloodshed, although his Sheriff Henkel makes the boys try.
Now, I’m not a die-hard paranormal fan, but I can handle it in small doses. So maybe at some point I will backtrack and start on some of the dozen books in the middle of the series that I haven’t read yet. This one was well worth it.
4 stars.
December 5, 2022
Good news and bad news. The bad news is that A Time of Torment features some of the worst, most depraved bad people that Charlie Parker has ever had to face. Be prepared! The good news is that, back from the dead and reborn as an avenging angel ; Charlie is more dangerous and formidable than ever. Even The Collector fears him !
Another excellent addition to the series.
Another excellent addition to the series.
August 9, 2016
I'm getting tired of writing the same review for John Connolly over and over and over again. I remain devoted to his wonderful dark poetic prose and his equally wonderful, wounded warrior Charlie Parker and his companions Angel and Louis but dear god am I getting tired of these stories.
I don't know when exactly these books stopped being about Charlie, possibly the coolest "bad" good guy ever written. Once upon a time you could follow Charlie into the darkest pit of human depravity and watch from the shadow while he, often with the help of hitman Louis and cat burglar Angel, dealt swift and terrible justice to the absolute worst of the worst the world had to offer. You could revel in the blood shed because there was something weirdly grand and sweet about it. Charlie's darkness was tempered with a thin beam of pure, uncorrupted belief in the better angels of human nature. He hated, but dear god did he ever love too.
Now, as with the last nine hundred books in this never ending series, we spend 95% of a "Charlie Parker" thriller with literally everyone BUT Charlie Parker. We meet character after character who we are told are doing really evil depraved things because of course its evil and depraved to sell children on the black market and use women for breeding stock but its not terrifying the way it once was. We see all these things but we don't really know or understand them. We don't care.
Literally nothing happens to advance the over arcing story here (Charlie may or may not be some kind of supernatural something who's supposed to battle another supernatural something and now somehow his daughter is also involved somehow) but that doesn't really matter since we don't really even know what that story even is. As usual Charlie and Angel and Louis arrive twenty pages from the end to dispense justice and witticisms and bad people die horrible and there's some demon or something and on the very last page once again some frickin' something is watching from the dark blah blah blah...
God these books make me tired....
I don't know when exactly these books stopped being about Charlie, possibly the coolest "bad" good guy ever written. Once upon a time you could follow Charlie into the darkest pit of human depravity and watch from the shadow while he, often with the help of hitman Louis and cat burglar Angel, dealt swift and terrible justice to the absolute worst of the worst the world had to offer. You could revel in the blood shed because there was something weirdly grand and sweet about it. Charlie's darkness was tempered with a thin beam of pure, uncorrupted belief in the better angels of human nature. He hated, but dear god did he ever love too.
Now, as with the last nine hundred books in this never ending series, we spend 95% of a "Charlie Parker" thriller with literally everyone BUT Charlie Parker. We meet character after character who we are told are doing really evil depraved things because of course its evil and depraved to sell children on the black market and use women for breeding stock but its not terrifying the way it once was. We see all these things but we don't really know or understand them. We don't care.
Literally nothing happens to advance the over arcing story here (Charlie may or may not be some kind of supernatural something who's supposed to battle another supernatural something and now somehow his daughter is also involved somehow) but that doesn't really matter since we don't really even know what that story even is. As usual Charlie and Angel and Louis arrive twenty pages from the end to dispense justice and witticisms and bad people die horrible and there's some demon or something and on the very last page once again some frickin' something is watching from the dark blah blah blah...
God these books make me tired....
November 2, 2016
After reading Night Music: Nocturnes Volume Two, I became a strong John Connolly fan. I've also heard about the Charlie Parker series in the past but never managed to get to it. Well NetGalley has corrected that reading deficit! And deficit it has been for Charlie Parker definitely took me to another region of reading where mystery and the paranormal intersect. I recently finished a Pendergast novel in a series that sometimes walks in the same area, but Connolly treads much deeper here.
What a mixture of darkness and insight....I am going to have to go back and read earlier books in this series, learn more about Parker, his world and the ethos that drives him. This book and series might be too dark for some, but the mythical/fantasy element offsets it enough for me (as opposed to some of the thriller series I have stopped reading) as well as Parker's apparent underlying goodness.
I like the mythical elements which remind me of old English and other European influences never far away, sometimes so deeply ingrained that they are forgotten or ignored today. But not by Mr Connolly. In that way it reminds me of aspects of American Gods that I loved so much.
I do recommend this book (and likely the series I have yet to explore further for myself) with the caveat regarding violence. But remember justice for those who have been harmed is involved, justice against those who seem not to care about anyone. This adds perspective.
4.5* really.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
What a mixture of darkness and insight....I am going to have to go back and read earlier books in this series, learn more about Parker, his world and the ethos that drives him. This book and series might be too dark for some, but the mythical/fantasy element offsets it enough for me (as opposed to some of the thriller series I have stopped reading) as well as Parker's apparent underlying goodness.
I like the mythical elements which remind me of old English and other European influences never far away, sometimes so deeply ingrained that they are forgotten or ignored today. But not by Mr Connolly. In that way it reminds me of aspects of American Gods that I loved so much.
I do recommend this book (and likely the series I have yet to explore further for myself) with the caveat regarding violence. But remember justice for those who have been harmed is involved, justice against those who seem not to care about anyone. This adds perspective.
4.5* really.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
July 3, 2020
Again, I have to qualify that a three for the Charlie Parker series is as compared to that series - a series so unique and compelling in it's writing that I genuinely can't fairly compare it to other books. But as much as I like the writing, the overall tone in this book didn't reach the same balance as the books that came before it, where atrocities are balanced with acts of great heroism and hope.
carol nails it in her review, as far as what I found, especially in the analysis of the first part of this book as patchwork - we jump around all over the place in the first third, and it's only as these strands slowly come together that we find a coherent picture. And what a picture - this series has never been one to shy away from horrible events, but this time it feels worse, somehow. Maybe it's the third person - started in the last book, it continues here, with Charlie Parker's first person view morphing to a third person Parker description. Or the lack of balance; victims who appear to have a last minute reprieve go on to face worse fates (it's arguable, but at best those fates are torturous). There's no focus on the good that comes from defeating the bad, either - it's there, but it's almost minimised.
Obviously it's a series I'm heavily invested in at this point, and reading them all at once like this really does concentrate a lot into a short space of time. So I'll be continuing on, but hopefully the next book provides a much-needed change of direction.
carol nails it in her review, as far as what I found, especially in the analysis of the first part of this book as patchwork - we jump around all over the place in the first third, and it's only as these strands slowly come together that we find a coherent picture. And what a picture - this series has never been one to shy away from horrible events, but this time it feels worse, somehow. Maybe it's the third person - started in the last book, it continues here, with Charlie Parker's first person view morphing to a third person Parker description. Or the lack of balance; victims who appear to have a last minute reprieve go on to face worse fates (it's arguable, but at best those fates are torturous). There's no focus on the good that comes from defeating the bad, either - it's there, but it's almost minimised.
Obviously it's a series I'm heavily invested in at this point, and reading them all at once like this really does concentrate a lot into a short space of time. So I'll be continuing on, but hopefully the next book provides a much-needed change of direction.
February 10, 2018
Tras catorce entregas, espero entusiasmada cada nueva novela de Charlie Parker, y por mucho que Connolly repita esquemas, o que no aporte aquí demasiada originalidad a la historia, ya que quizás no encontramos en este Tiempos oscuros una historia novedosa o un villano memorable, leer esta serie nunca decepciona: su escritura es fantástica, sus protagonistas tremendamente carismáticos, y el tratamiento que le da al Mal fascinante: Hay un tipo de maldad que ni siquiera se opone al bien, porque el bien es irrelevante para ella. Es una abyección que radica en el corazón de la existencia, que nació con la materia misma del universo. Está en la descomposición hacia la que tienden todas las cosas. Existe, y siempre existirá (...)
November 23, 2017
Received form the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Charlie Parker is approached by a recently released convict, Jerome Burnel, who wishes to tell Parker his story. A sad, twisted story of a broken and tormented man. A man framed for a crime he did not commit and suffered brutality at the hands of his tormentors. Then Burnel disappears. This, in addition to Burnel's story, peaks Parker's interest.
Soon Parker along with his fellow investigators/friends, Louis and Angel begin to investigate the Cut. An area that is protects it's own and has its own rules and ways of living. They are brutal and carry out their own justice. They serve the Dead King. Who!?! What!?!
Charlie Parker is a man with a past. This is the 14th book in this series but this book does stand up very well as a stand alone novel. One could very easily pick up this book and enjoy it without having read the previous books in this series. Having said that, the previous books in this series set the stage and give us history into Parker and his own sad past. He has a dead wife. A dead daughter and one living daughter (one very interesting living daughter). As always there are paranormal elements to this story. Connolly is a unique Author, in that he can make a fan out of those who aren't fans of Paranormal books. Mainly because the paranormal elements are not the main players in the Parker series. They play an important and key part but yet they do not over power any other aspects of Connolly's books. Connolly continues to have very good character development. I believe this is where the Author shines. His character development. He fills his books with interesting characters. The book was a little slow in the beginning but not boring. It slowly builds the tension as the reader is introduced to life in the Cut, the local sheriff, and Parker's investigation.
I enjoyed this book. Solid storytelling.
Charlie Parker is approached by a recently released convict, Jerome Burnel, who wishes to tell Parker his story. A sad, twisted story of a broken and tormented man. A man framed for a crime he did not commit and suffered brutality at the hands of his tormentors. Then Burnel disappears. This, in addition to Burnel's story, peaks Parker's interest.
Soon Parker along with his fellow investigators/friends, Louis and Angel begin to investigate the Cut. An area that is protects it's own and has its own rules and ways of living. They are brutal and carry out their own justice. They serve the Dead King. Who!?! What!?!
Charlie Parker is a man with a past. This is the 14th book in this series but this book does stand up very well as a stand alone novel. One could very easily pick up this book and enjoy it without having read the previous books in this series. Having said that, the previous books in this series set the stage and give us history into Parker and his own sad past. He has a dead wife. A dead daughter and one living daughter (one very interesting living daughter). As always there are paranormal elements to this story. Connolly is a unique Author, in that he can make a fan out of those who aren't fans of Paranormal books. Mainly because the paranormal elements are not the main players in the Parker series. They play an important and key part but yet they do not over power any other aspects of Connolly's books. Connolly continues to have very good character development. I believe this is where the Author shines. His character development. He fills his books with interesting characters. The book was a little slow in the beginning but not boring. It slowly builds the tension as the reader is introduced to life in the Cut, the local sheriff, and Parker's investigation.
I enjoyed this book. Solid storytelling.
July 31, 2016
I was given the opportunity to read this latest installment in the Charlie Parker series by the publisher, author and NetGalley and many thanks to them!
This series is a blend of top-notch detective thriller with supernatural horror. Although I've only read one other in the series, The Wolf in Winter, my understanding is that Charlie has died and come back to life to do battle with evil on earth with his friends and partners, Louis and Angel.
Part One was a little difficult for me as a relative newbie to this series and I struggled a bit to understand where the author was going with the Gray Man, the Collector etc.
But Part Two settles in nicely to tell the tale of Jerome Burnel who was once a hero then suffered a terrible disgrace and severe punishment. He seeks out Charlie Parker after being released from jail and asks for his help to find who was behind his disgrace. All he knows is that one of his worst tormentors in jail whispered the name 'The Dead King' during an attack.
Burnel goes missing soon after but Charlie and friends begin following clues which seem to point to a rural county in West Virginia where a reclusive, centuries old group known as The Cut pretty much runs everything. All they seem to want is to be left in peace and quiet--to live, to work and to mind their own business. But what is their business? What secrets are they hiding in their compound that they are driven to protect so thoroughly with terror and intimidation? And who do they serve?
This is a very exciting thriller! And although this story can stand alone, I personally do feel the need to go back and begin reading this series from the beginning for a more satisfying reading experience. For one thing, I really want to know more of what is going on with Charlie's daughters!
This series is a blend of top-notch detective thriller with supernatural horror. Although I've only read one other in the series, The Wolf in Winter, my understanding is that Charlie has died and come back to life to do battle with evil on earth with his friends and partners, Louis and Angel.
Part One was a little difficult for me as a relative newbie to this series and I struggled a bit to understand where the author was going with the Gray Man, the Collector etc.
But Part Two settles in nicely to tell the tale of Jerome Burnel who was once a hero then suffered a terrible disgrace and severe punishment. He seeks out Charlie Parker after being released from jail and asks for his help to find who was behind his disgrace. All he knows is that one of his worst tormentors in jail whispered the name 'The Dead King' during an attack.
Burnel goes missing soon after but Charlie and friends begin following clues which seem to point to a rural county in West Virginia where a reclusive, centuries old group known as The Cut pretty much runs everything. All they seem to want is to be left in peace and quiet--to live, to work and to mind their own business. But what is their business? What secrets are they hiding in their compound that they are driven to protect so thoroughly with terror and intimidation? And who do they serve?
This is a very exciting thriller! And although this story can stand alone, I personally do feel the need to go back and begin reading this series from the beginning for a more satisfying reading experience. For one thing, I really want to know more of what is going on with Charlie's daughters!
August 5, 2016
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this ebook in return for an honest review. It is book 14 in the Charlie Parker series. I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the previous books in the series, as there are references to incidents in the the previous books, such as Charlie dying and coming back to life. Charlie is able to summon help from the afterlife as a result of his brief stay in the afterlife. Charlie is a determined private investigator, taking cases w/o pay. He is subsidized by the FBI on the quiet. This particular book has him taking on "The Cut", a West Virginia mountain enclave of a murderous group of families that have local law enforcement/people afraid of them.
This book reminds me of some of Stephen King's books, with good and evil on two levels, physical and afterlife in conflict. Charlie also uses allies who are criminals, reminding me of Robert B. Parker's Spenser series.
Some quotes: "He could dip in and out of destroyed lives. He was an emotional vampire."
"I met him. He was hard to warm up to. Easier after they burned him."
"...a prickle of disquiet crept across him like the touch of a spider in the dark."
This book reminds me of some of Stephen King's books, with good and evil on two levels, physical and afterlife in conflict. Charlie also uses allies who are criminals, reminding me of Robert B. Parker's Spenser series.
Some quotes: "He could dip in and out of destroyed lives. He was an emotional vampire."
"I met him. He was hard to warm up to. Easier after they burned him."
"...a prickle of disquiet crept across him like the touch of a spider in the dark."
February 8, 2018
‘Tiempos oscuros’ (A Time of Torment, 2016), del irlandés John Connolly, es quizás la mejor novela de la serie del detective Charlie Parker desde sus primeros títulos. Me encanta cómo escribe Connolly, así como esa original mezcla de novela negra y temática sobrenatural. Ya desde el principio, la historia te atrapa, en un primer tercio verdaderamente electrizante.
Si bien al principio seguimos a Parker y sus inseparables compañeros Louis y Angel en un caso, realmente la trama de la novela comienza cuando Jerome Burnel, un héroe para todo el mundo en su día, sale de prisión tras varios espantosos años por un crimen que no cometió. Su intención es contratar al detective para que limpie su nombre, antes de que, como cree fervientemente, sea asesinado. Posteriormente, a través de varias líneas argumentales, iremos sabiendo más de su pasado, y de los culpables de su situación.
John Connolly está en forma. Ahora, a esperar la traducción del siguiente título de la colección.
Si bien al principio seguimos a Parker y sus inseparables compañeros Louis y Angel en un caso, realmente la trama de la novela comienza cuando Jerome Burnel, un héroe para todo el mundo en su día, sale de prisión tras varios espantosos años por un crimen que no cometió. Su intención es contratar al detective para que limpie su nombre, antes de que, como cree fervientemente, sea asesinado. Posteriormente, a través de varias líneas argumentales, iremos sabiendo más de su pasado, y de los culpables de su situación.
John Connolly está en forma. Ahora, a esperar la traducción del siguiente título de la colección.
September 16, 2016
Charlie. Fucking. Parker.
The mere thought of Parker, Angel & Louis and the violence that follows them around (and that they seek out) makes me smile.
There is some deeeeep sh*t going on in this series right beneath the surface and it's starting to bubble up thru the pages. I have a feeling it’s going to engulf everything and everybody in its path. And soon.
Can’t wait for the next Parker book. Best series around.
The mere thought of Parker, Angel & Louis and the violence that follows them around (and that they seek out) makes me smile.
There is some deeeeep sh*t going on in this series right beneath the surface and it's starting to bubble up thru the pages. I have a feeling it’s going to engulf everything and everybody in its path. And soon.
Can’t wait for the next Parker book. Best series around.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 756 reviews