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Charlie Parker #10
Φλεγόμενη ψυχή
Ο Ράνταλ Χέιτ έχει ένα μυστικό: όταν ήταν έφηβος, σκότωσε μαζί μ' ένα φίλο του ένα κορίτσι δεκατεσσάρων ετών.
Ο Ράνταλ πλήρωσε για το έγκλημά του, κι όταν αποφυλακίστηκε άρχισε μια καινούρια ζωή με άλλο όνομα στο Πάστορ'ς Μπει, μια μικρή πόλη του Μέιν. Τώρα, όμως, κάποιος έχει ανακαλύψει το παρελθόν του. Τον βασανίζει με ανώνυμα μηνύματα που του θυμίζουν τη φρικτή του πράξη. Και ο Ράνταλ ζητάει από τον ιδιωτικό ντετέκτιβ Τσάρλι Πάρκερ να τον σταματήσει.
Αλλά στο μεταξύ ένα άλλο δεκατετράχρονο κορίτσι εξαφανίζεται, αυτή τη φορά στο Πάστορ'ς Μπέι, και η οικογένεια της μικρής έχει τα δικά της μυστικά που θέλει να διαφυλάξει. Ο Πάρκερ πρέπει να βρει την άκρη σ' ένα μπερδεμένο κουβάρι απόκρυψης και εξαπάτησης, όπου εμπλέκονται η τοπική αστυνομία, το FBI, ένας μαφιόζος απόβλητος από το σινάφι του αλλά και ο ίδιος ο Ράνταλ Χέιτ.
Γιατί ο Ράνταλ Χέιτ λέει ψέματα...
Ο Ράνταλ πλήρωσε για το έγκλημά του, κι όταν αποφυλακίστηκε άρχισε μια καινούρια ζωή με άλλο όνομα στο Πάστορ'ς Μπει, μια μικρή πόλη του Μέιν. Τώρα, όμως, κάποιος έχει ανακαλύψει το παρελθόν του. Τον βασανίζει με ανώνυμα μηνύματα που του θυμίζουν τη φρικτή του πράξη. Και ο Ράνταλ ζητάει από τον ιδιωτικό ντετέκτιβ Τσάρλι Πάρκερ να τον σταματήσει.
Αλλά στο μεταξύ ένα άλλο δεκατετράχρονο κορίτσι εξαφανίζεται, αυτή τη φορά στο Πάστορ'ς Μπέι, και η οικογένεια της μικρής έχει τα δικά της μυστικά που θέλει να διαφυλάξει. Ο Πάρκερ πρέπει να βρει την άκρη σ' ένα μπερδεμένο κουβάρι απόκρυψης και εξαπάτησης, όπου εμπλέκονται η τοπική αστυνομία, το FBI, ένας μαφιόζος απόβλητος από το σινάφι του αλλά και ο ίδιος ο Ράνταλ Χέιτ.
Γιατί ο Ράνταλ Χέιτ λέει ψέματα...
410 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 6, 2011
575 people are currently reading
3581 people want to read
About the author
John Connolly
220 books7,908 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 568 reviews
August 28, 2021
Pues no le voy a poner las cinco estrellas porque Louis y Angel están muy relegados en esta entrega, y sus apariciones son casi testimoniales. Por eso y porque compararlo con “Voces que susurran” sería casi sacrilegio, siendo esa una de las mejores novelas de toda la serie. Y es una serie muy buena.
Con esta nueva entrega (nueva para mí, porque esta es la onceava y va ya por la decimonovena, pero llegaré a ella), Connolly nos sigue deleitando con unos personajes atormentados pero entrañables, y unos diálogos totalmente creíbles. Y sus descripciones siempre están por encima de la media. En esta entrega nos ofrece un final que para nada pude haber anticipado, en el que el elemento sobrenatural casi brilla por su ausencia (pero estar, está). Definitivamente, el género negro sigue en plena forma con autores como Connolly, cuyas lecturas voy espaciando, pero a las que siempre recurro cuando quiero garantías de calidad.
Con esta nueva entrega (nueva para mí, porque esta es la onceava y va ya por la decimonovena, pero llegaré a ella), Connolly nos sigue deleitando con unos personajes atormentados pero entrañables, y unos diálogos totalmente creíbles. Y sus descripciones siempre están por encima de la media. En esta entrega nos ofrece un final que para nada pude haber anticipado, en el que el elemento sobrenatural casi brilla por su ausencia (pero estar, está). Definitivamente, el género negro sigue en plena forma con autores como Connolly, cuyas lecturas voy espaciando, pero a las que siempre recurro cuando quiero garantías de calidad.
November 8, 2018
“Now, in her office at the corner of Park and Freeport, she watched the rain trace an intricate veinery upon her window, as though the glass were an organic creation like the wing of an insect. Her mood grew heavier with each falling raindrop, with each dead leaf that drifted by, with each bare inch of branch that was newly revealed by the dying foliage. How often had she thought about leaving this state? Every fall brought the same realization: this was the best of it until March, perhaps even April. As bad as this was, with sodden leaves, and cold drizzle, and darkness in the mornings and darkness in the evenings, the winter would be so much worse. Oh, there would be moments of beauty, as when the sunlight scattered the first snows with gems, and the world in those early daylight hours would seem cleansed of its ugliness, purged of its sins, but then the filth would accrue, and the snow would blacken.”
Oh, those Irish; how they write.
The Burning Soul improves on the last book, The Whisperers, by staying focused on the mystery. Yes, I know the paragraph above implies not, but what’s worth noting is that the above is only a paragraph, not a page or two. I’ll forgive Connolly these lyrical, scene and mood-building moments (and have I not thought the very same thing every November?) because they are so lovely.
In this one, the lawyer Amy brings in Parker to dig up information on her client, and hopefully help her protect him before he’s framed for murder. He’s a most unlovely client, and we all have many misgivings, and Connolly does some very interesting things with the character. Since the narrative alternates between Parker’s first person point of view, and a more general third person limited, he cheats a little, to be sure, but I forgive him because it’s decently done.
The narrative also includes points of view from a Boston mobster underling, from Amy, and from the client. I enjoyed most of it, although the Boston perspective was a surprise, and I confess, a bit of an unwelcome one. It’s mostly because my Italian mob interests, somewhat fanned in the 1980s, were well and finished with The Sopranos. The stories dovetail nicely, although it takes time.
Interestingly, the supernatural element that had played a solid role in the previous book is largely absent here. I found myself somewhat missing it at times, but since those elements are usually used to explore morality, the absence wasn’t that notable. Dialogue with Parker, Amy, and various law officers still provide opportunities to question sins, guilt, hauntings, and truth. It’s woven well into the story and the action.
My misgivings include the mob angle; the relatively quick and violent ending, which seemed incongruous for the type of predators operating; and the retrospective nature of the final wrap-up. On the other hand, I was relieved that Connolly did not choose to dwell on the nature of the abduction and the potential torture of the missing child, as that is a deal-breaker for me. Ultimately, a solid entry in the series.
Three and a halfdead leaves stars, rounding up for the writing
Oh, those Irish; how they write.
The Burning Soul improves on the last book, The Whisperers, by staying focused on the mystery. Yes, I know the paragraph above implies not, but what’s worth noting is that the above is only a paragraph, not a page or two. I’ll forgive Connolly these lyrical, scene and mood-building moments (and have I not thought the very same thing every November?) because they are so lovely.
In this one, the lawyer Amy brings in Parker to dig up information on her client, and hopefully help her protect him before he’s framed for murder. He’s a most unlovely client, and we all have many misgivings, and Connolly does some very interesting things with the character. Since the narrative alternates between Parker’s first person point of view, and a more general third person limited, he cheats a little, to be sure, but I forgive him because it’s decently done.
The narrative also includes points of view from a Boston mobster underling, from Amy, and from the client. I enjoyed most of it, although the Boston perspective was a surprise, and I confess, a bit of an unwelcome one. It’s mostly because my Italian mob interests, somewhat fanned in the 1980s, were well and finished with The Sopranos. The stories dovetail nicely, although it takes time.
Interestingly, the supernatural element that had played a solid role in the previous book is largely absent here. I found myself somewhat missing it at times, but since those elements are usually used to explore morality, the absence wasn’t that notable. Dialogue with Parker, Amy, and various law officers still provide opportunities to question sins, guilt, hauntings, and truth. It’s woven well into the story and the action.
My misgivings include the mob angle; the relatively quick and violent ending, which seemed incongruous for the type of predators operating; and the retrospective nature of the final wrap-up. On the other hand, I was relieved that Connolly did not choose to dwell on the nature of the abduction and the potential torture of the missing child, as that is a deal-breaker for me. Ultimately, a solid entry in the series.
Three and a half
January 10, 2022
Another great addition to the Charlie Parker series!
The Burning Soul is the 10th book in the series.
This series and the writer, John Connolly continue to impress me with every book that I read.
The plot of the missing girl, the writing and the characters are all so wonderfully done in this book along with the series.
In fact, I’ll read whatever Connolly decides to write even if it’s the ingredients off a box of crackers!
In the small town of Paster’s Bay, Maine, Randall Haight has a secret and a past.
When Anna Kore, a 14-year-old girl goes missing, Randall knows that he will be the first person the police will seek and ask questions of.
Randall needs to be proactive with this situation so he decides to hire attorney Aimee Price.
Aimee Price often uses Charlie Parker on cases as a private investigator and decides to do the same for Randall Haight.
The Burning Soul involves dark secrets, twisted lies and mob connections that will test Charlie Parker at every turn with the case of missing Anna Kore.
Will Charlie Parker find Anna Kore before it’s too late and can he save Randall's reputation?
I loved having the characters of Angel and Louis in the book for a bit. I think Connolly knows how much we love these characters so he throws us a bone and gives us our fix, even if it's only for a few chapters.
I’m always impressed with the writing, the dialogue and how well the plot is put together, including plot twists!!
I am so looking forward to the next book in the series!
The Burning Soul is the 10th book in the series.
This series and the writer, John Connolly continue to impress me with every book that I read.
The plot of the missing girl, the writing and the characters are all so wonderfully done in this book along with the series.
In fact, I’ll read whatever Connolly decides to write even if it’s the ingredients off a box of crackers!
In the small town of Paster’s Bay, Maine, Randall Haight has a secret and a past.
When Anna Kore, a 14-year-old girl goes missing, Randall knows that he will be the first person the police will seek and ask questions of.
Randall needs to be proactive with this situation so he decides to hire attorney Aimee Price.
Aimee Price often uses Charlie Parker on cases as a private investigator and decides to do the same for Randall Haight.
The Burning Soul involves dark secrets, twisted lies and mob connections that will test Charlie Parker at every turn with the case of missing Anna Kore.
Will Charlie Parker find Anna Kore before it’s too late and can he save Randall's reputation?
I loved having the characters of Angel and Louis in the book for a bit. I think Connolly knows how much we love these characters so he throws us a bone and gives us our fix, even if it's only for a few chapters.
I’m always impressed with the writing, the dialogue and how well the plot is put together, including plot twists!!
I am so looking forward to the next book in the series!
December 12, 2020
Very good indeed. The supernatural elements of the series aren't as prominent in The Burning Soul but when they do appear it's with great effect.The Charlie Parker books are all consistently excellent and this one is another fine entry.
August 3, 2020
Wow. Not much to say yet besides wow. I really liked how "The Burning Soul" in this one could be so many characters too. I liked there seems to be a better resolution between Charlie and Rachel. They appear to actually moving towards friendship. I also get a kick out of his kid who definitely appears to be more like her father. Once again Connolly hits upon the racism in America and how justice works for those who are white and those who are not. I also thought it was interesting to read about how juvenile defendants are treated in this country. I mean I knew, but didn't have the stats on it. Reading about how a case of rape turned quickly to murder and how it led to so many ruined lives with the ripple effects going on for years and how it ties into a recent missing girl case was a wild ride. "The Burning Soul" grabs you by the throat and does not let go until the ending. We once again get hints about Charlie in this one, and an ending that has you gasping. This one takes a lot of twists and turns and leaves you wondering how it will end.
"The Burning Soul" has Charlie and his former lover Rachel at a different and nicer place. I hope it holds. Charlie has let the reality of Rachel go, but is still hesitant about being in his daughter's life more because he knows dark things hunt him. His daughter knows though that dark things should be scared of him. When Charlie is asked to look into a case of a man who is being taunted about his past he initially wants no part of it. The man in question, Randall Haight, was part of a rape and murder of a young black girl when he was a teenager. Randall was able to change his name and start a new life and just wants to forget his past. However, a girl in the town he has lived for years is missing. And now someone seems to know what Randall did and he is scared his past is about to come out and ruin his life. The missing girl though has ties of her own and one of those ties is hell-bent on getting her back no matter what. We have the past and present colliding in this one with a bunch of shocking reveals.
Charlie is the best. I can't help it, I love the character. We also get some of Angel and Louis in this one (not enough she says with a grumble). Charlie seems more comfortable wearing the heavy responsibility that has been placed upon him. He is back doing PI work, but there's not a lot of it and he takes up the case his lawyer offers him just because he needs the money and though he doesn't like Randall Haight, he wants to do whatever he can to help the missing girl who is someone linked to what is going on now.
Randall Haight....that's a character I will think of for some time. He is a man who is haunted by so many things. And some of them, not in this world anymore.
We also get recurring lawmen in this one who at turns want to shake Charlie, but also in their own way want to make sure nothing happens to him. There's a hilarious scene between Charlie and Walsh that had me cracking up.
The writing in this one holds better for me than the last one. You don't know why the mob angle is included in this one until you get some reveals and then it all makes sense. I know a lot of readers were bored by it, but I thought it was really good. Connolly explores not only good versus evil, but the evil that men do to each other over and over again. And in this case, the evil that men and some women do to others. There are still supernatural elements in this. We have Charlie's first daughter paying a visit along with someone else whose description had me shivering at times. Connolly also writes of the seasons in Maine which makes me think that place is pretty much the nexus of evil. I like the seasons, but man these books are making me rethink that.
The flow of the book works better than the last one too. We do get different POVs via other characters, but it all makes sense when you get to the end. Besides Charlie, we get Randall, even Charlie's lawyer, and a man working for the mob.
The setting of this book once again shows us a darkness to Maine, but also to the state of North Dakota. So many things are done in the name of justice, but you often wonder to what end.
The ending of this one is slightly abrupt, but it works though. I had to make myself stop from buying anymore books from this series since I have so many books on my back burner. Hope to get to the next two books in the series by the end of the month.
"The Burning Soul" has Charlie and his former lover Rachel at a different and nicer place. I hope it holds. Charlie has let the reality of Rachel go, but is still hesitant about being in his daughter's life more because he knows dark things hunt him. His daughter knows though that dark things should be scared of him. When Charlie is asked to look into a case of a man who is being taunted about his past he initially wants no part of it. The man in question, Randall Haight, was part of a rape and murder of a young black girl when he was a teenager. Randall was able to change his name and start a new life and just wants to forget his past. However, a girl in the town he has lived for years is missing. And now someone seems to know what Randall did and he is scared his past is about to come out and ruin his life. The missing girl though has ties of her own and one of those ties is hell-bent on getting her back no matter what. We have the past and present colliding in this one with a bunch of shocking reveals.
Charlie is the best. I can't help it, I love the character. We also get some of Angel and Louis in this one (not enough she says with a grumble). Charlie seems more comfortable wearing the heavy responsibility that has been placed upon him. He is back doing PI work, but there's not a lot of it and he takes up the case his lawyer offers him just because he needs the money and though he doesn't like Randall Haight, he wants to do whatever he can to help the missing girl who is someone linked to what is going on now.
Randall Haight....that's a character I will think of for some time. He is a man who is haunted by so many things. And some of them, not in this world anymore.
We also get recurring lawmen in this one who at turns want to shake Charlie, but also in their own way want to make sure nothing happens to him. There's a hilarious scene between Charlie and Walsh that had me cracking up.
The writing in this one holds better for me than the last one. You don't know why the mob angle is included in this one until you get some reveals and then it all makes sense. I know a lot of readers were bored by it, but I thought it was really good. Connolly explores not only good versus evil, but the evil that men do to each other over and over again. And in this case, the evil that men and some women do to others. There are still supernatural elements in this. We have Charlie's first daughter paying a visit along with someone else whose description had me shivering at times. Connolly also writes of the seasons in Maine which makes me think that place is pretty much the nexus of evil. I like the seasons, but man these books are making me rethink that.
The flow of the book works better than the last one too. We do get different POVs via other characters, but it all makes sense when you get to the end. Besides Charlie, we get Randall, even Charlie's lawyer, and a man working for the mob.
The setting of this book once again shows us a darkness to Maine, but also to the state of North Dakota. So many things are done in the name of justice, but you often wonder to what end.
The ending of this one is slightly abrupt, but it works though. I had to make myself stop from buying anymore books from this series since I have so many books on my back burner. Hope to get to the next two books in the series by the end of the month.
April 30, 2022
Another dark and well written Charlie Parker story. I’m usually drawn by the supernatural elements in these books but despite very little of that here, the plot, characters and writing meant I still really enjoyed it. As always, it takes all of my willpower not to pick up the next book straight away and just blitz through the whole series.
June 1, 2025
The Burning Soul is a bit of a departure from the intensity of the last few books - the overall Charlie Parker mythology has been taking some pretty significant steps. But here we move back from that for a moment, back from that and over to a small town in Maine where a girl has gone missing.
Make no mistake, even though the angels - or demons? - are mostly out of the picture, man has plenty of his own darkness to bring to the table. Though, I was pleasantly surprised at the lack of focus on the abduction ordeal - it's not that it was skimmed over, but there was no glorying in those particular areas of human misery. Instead the focus is on the mystery which the disappearance catalyses into existence, and there's plenty of misdeeds (both old and new) to turn into a very twisty tale indeed.
The usual John Connolly writing is on full display - I don't think that's ever wavered, so at book ten probably not a big surprise - and Maine again provides a gorgeous backdrop. Definitely a solid entry, and a good breather from the high stakes of the entries in the series that directly preceded it.
Make no mistake, even though the angels - or demons? - are mostly out of the picture, man has plenty of his own darkness to bring to the table. Though, I was pleasantly surprised at the lack of focus on the abduction ordeal - it's not that it was skimmed over, but there was no glorying in those particular areas of human misery. Instead the focus is on the mystery which the disappearance catalyses into existence, and there's plenty of misdeeds (both old and new) to turn into a very twisty tale indeed.
The usual John Connolly writing is on full display - I don't think that's ever wavered, so at book ten probably not a big surprise - and Maine again provides a gorgeous backdrop. Definitely a solid entry, and a good breather from the high stakes of the entries in the series that directly preceded it.
October 24, 2024
A long time ago, Randall Haight---barely a teenager himself---was one of two perpetrators who raped and murdered a young black girl. It was a different time then. Because they were young and white, the judge was lenient on them, putting them in a federal protection program. They would have to leave the state and change their names, but their “sexual predator” status would essentially be wiped from their slate.
Fast forward several decades: Haight is living in a small, unremarkable town in Maine as a small, unremarkable accountant for a local firm. He likes his life, for the most part. It’s quiet.
Then, two things happen. Haight starts getting letters and pictures in the mail from an anonymous source, indicating that someone knows his sordid secret. Then, a young girl named Anna Kore is kidnapped in broad daylight from a mall parking lot.
Thus begins John Connolly’s tenth book in his series featuring his tortured private detective Charlie Parker, “The Burning Soul”.
Haight’s attorney hires Parker to find out who knows his secret. Parker is clearly conflicted: doing the right thing would be exposing the blackmailer and having the police deal with him, but at the same time, Parker doesn’t like Haight. The man is a murderer, one who essentially “got away with it” due to his age, race, and the era in which it happened.
On top of that, Parker uncovers a mob connection. The missing girl is the niece of a well-known and notoriously violent Boston mafioso. Is the girl a pawn in a brewing mob war? Or is it all a weird coincidence? And what’s Haight’s connection, if any?
Oh, and there’s also the ghosts. But I won’t get into that, because I don’t want to spoil it.
As expected from Connolly, “The Burning Soul” is a taut, unnerving psychological crime thriller, with a bit of supernatural horror thrown in just for fun and nightmares. Connolly’s prose style is, as always, lush and profound. His pacing is of the slow burn variety, and his examination of the darker parts of the human psyche are creepily believable.
I haven’t read a Connolly thriller in a while, so it was nice to be reminded of what I was missing.
There are currently seventeen books in the Charlie Parker series. If you have never read one, start with “Every Dead Thing” and be prepared to want to read all of them. (Also be forewarned: they are extremely graphic and disturbing; not for the squeamish.)
Fast forward several decades: Haight is living in a small, unremarkable town in Maine as a small, unremarkable accountant for a local firm. He likes his life, for the most part. It’s quiet.
Then, two things happen. Haight starts getting letters and pictures in the mail from an anonymous source, indicating that someone knows his sordid secret. Then, a young girl named Anna Kore is kidnapped in broad daylight from a mall parking lot.
Thus begins John Connolly’s tenth book in his series featuring his tortured private detective Charlie Parker, “The Burning Soul”.
Haight’s attorney hires Parker to find out who knows his secret. Parker is clearly conflicted: doing the right thing would be exposing the blackmailer and having the police deal with him, but at the same time, Parker doesn’t like Haight. The man is a murderer, one who essentially “got away with it” due to his age, race, and the era in which it happened.
On top of that, Parker uncovers a mob connection. The missing girl is the niece of a well-known and notoriously violent Boston mafioso. Is the girl a pawn in a brewing mob war? Or is it all a weird coincidence? And what’s Haight’s connection, if any?
Oh, and there’s also the ghosts. But I won’t get into that, because I don’t want to spoil it.
As expected from Connolly, “The Burning Soul” is a taut, unnerving psychological crime thriller, with a bit of supernatural horror thrown in just for fun and nightmares. Connolly’s prose style is, as always, lush and profound. His pacing is of the slow burn variety, and his examination of the darker parts of the human psyche are creepily believable.
I haven’t read a Connolly thriller in a while, so it was nice to be reminded of what I was missing.
There are currently seventeen books in the Charlie Parker series. If you have never read one, start with “Every Dead Thing” and be prepared to want to read all of them. (Also be forewarned: they are extremely graphic and disturbing; not for the squeamish.)
April 14, 2015
I enjoyed this book, the tenth in the Charlie Parker series but maybe not quite as much as I have the others. Charlie is a little lost in this one and I much prefer him when he is at the top of his game. I also like to see Louis and Angel playing a major role rather than the cameo appearance they make in this one. Nevertheless no one can deny John Connolly knows how to write a thriller with a good serve of supernatural on the side. I am certainly looking forward to reading number 11:)
January 10, 2022
I can't help but give each of these Charlie Parker series books 5 stars. The characters are great and the mysteries keep me guessing, but it's really the writing that is the best part. It is so easy flowing, but at the same time, captivating and keeps me fully immersed in the story. I really like where Charlie has gone as a character, and I'm glad there are a lot more books after this one to continue on his journey. I highly recommend starting at the beginning of this series and working your way all the way through.
February 23, 2021
Almost a week later and I remain slightly conflicted... I just couldn’t decide on three or four stars but the second half was great so I’ll keep four stars.
I have to say, it’s not like me to take so long to finish a Charlie Parker book — so long that I had to get back on the wait list to finish it.
Why? Totally not the initial crime— what started out as one case in veritably became something altogether darker and different. It just took so much longer than usual to get to a place where the pages turned themselves.
There are some difficult moments in the past, which is often the case, and now impacts the present. Maybe too many characters and not enough Charlie Parker?
What I missed most was a storyline that compelled Charlie Parker more. Half the time he wanted to quit the case... and I couldn’t blame him.
Then I kept waiting for the big twist. No luck— connecting the dots was easier than usual in this book.
I guess that was a really long way of saying— good book
but my least favorite of the series so far.
I have to say, it’s not like me to take so long to finish a Charlie Parker book — so long that I had to get back on the wait list to finish it.
Why? Totally not the initial crime— what started out as one case in veritably became something altogether darker and different. It just took so much longer than usual to get to a place where the pages turned themselves.
There are some difficult moments in the past, which is often the case, and now impacts the present. Maybe too many characters and not enough Charlie Parker?
What I missed most was a storyline that compelled Charlie Parker more. Half the time he wanted to quit the case... and I couldn’t blame him.
Then I kept waiting for the big twist. No luck— connecting the dots was easier than usual in this book.
I guess that was a really long way of saying— good book
but my least favorite of the series so far.
January 11, 2022
Another great book in this great series.
September 16, 2011
It has been a long time since I have read a book from the Charlie Parker PI series. I used to really love Connolly's books with Parker as the main protagonist I have read the first four on successive release dates then i drifted away while waiting the next title to be released. Over time like, many books that are part of a series by authors, that dark excellence lost it's edge a bit. In this novel you have Charlie revisiting the memories of his Child's death and all that comes with those feelings, another murder has re-earthed as a 14 year old girl goes missing. Writing about missing children is a ground covered well in the past and written about so frequently I feel it's a hard story to write about, you need to really work hard at making it an immersing story that grips the reader. This story had elements in it that wanted you to keep turning but as time progressed it missed that something that I could say really confidently that i definitely liked it which gets four stars. If it wasn't for Connolly nice words he put together in parts of this story I would have struggled to give it four. It is a cerebral story, that is not the best of Charlie Parker's cases I loved so much his first few books Every Dead Thing, Dark Hollow and The Killing Kind. When you read the excerpts you can see how well he can write.
http://more2read.com/?review=the-burning-soul-charlie-parker-10-by-john-connolly
"Every fall brought the same realization: this was the best of it until March, perhaps even April. As bad as this was, with sodden leaves, and cold drizzle, and darkness in the mornings and darkness in the evenings, the winter would be so much worse. Oh, there would be moments of beauty, as when the sunlight scattered the first snows with gems, and the world in those early daylight hours would seem cleansed of it's ugliness, purged of it's sins, but then the filth would accrue, and the snow would blacken, and there would be grit in the soles of her shoes, and on the floor of her car, and traipsed through her house, and she would wish herself to be one of those huddled sleeping creatures that find a warm, dark cave or the hollow of a tree trunk, there to wait out the winter months."
"I had witnessed the blurring of worlds, watching as elements of what once was, and what was to come, seeped into this life like dark ink through water. I knew of the existence of a form of evil that wad beyond human capacities, the wellspring from which all other evil sipped. And I knew that I was marked, although to what end I did not yet understand. So I had kept my distance from my child, for fear of what I might draw upon her."
"I might have begun by arguing that when one encounters enough strangeness, what is strange ultimately becomes familiar. The mind can accommodate itself to almost anything, given time: pain, grief, loss, even the possibility that the dead talk to the living. And I understood, too, that this was all part of a larger pattern, a signpost on a journey whose ultimate destination I could not know. I had resigned myself to what was to come, whatever it might be, and that resignation brought with it a kind of peace. So I slept, and I was grateful for sleep. When I could no longer sleep, then I would know that I was going mad."
http://more2read.com/?review=the-burning-soul-charlie-parker-10-by-john-connolly
"Every fall brought the same realization: this was the best of it until March, perhaps even April. As bad as this was, with sodden leaves, and cold drizzle, and darkness in the mornings and darkness in the evenings, the winter would be so much worse. Oh, there would be moments of beauty, as when the sunlight scattered the first snows with gems, and the world in those early daylight hours would seem cleansed of it's ugliness, purged of it's sins, but then the filth would accrue, and the snow would blacken, and there would be grit in the soles of her shoes, and on the floor of her car, and traipsed through her house, and she would wish herself to be one of those huddled sleeping creatures that find a warm, dark cave or the hollow of a tree trunk, there to wait out the winter months."
"I had witnessed the blurring of worlds, watching as elements of what once was, and what was to come, seeped into this life like dark ink through water. I knew of the existence of a form of evil that wad beyond human capacities, the wellspring from which all other evil sipped. And I knew that I was marked, although to what end I did not yet understand. So I had kept my distance from my child, for fear of what I might draw upon her."
"I might have begun by arguing that when one encounters enough strangeness, what is strange ultimately becomes familiar. The mind can accommodate itself to almost anything, given time: pain, grief, loss, even the possibility that the dead talk to the living. And I understood, too, that this was all part of a larger pattern, a signpost on a journey whose ultimate destination I could not know. I had resigned myself to what was to come, whatever it might be, and that resignation brought with it a kind of peace. So I slept, and I was grateful for sleep. When I could no longer sleep, then I would know that I was going mad."
June 16, 2018
Στη δέκατη περιπέτειά του, ο Τσάρλι Πάρκερ θα χρειαστεί να ταξιδέψει στο Πάστορ'ς Μπει, μια μικρή πόλη του Μέιν. Αυτή τη φορά θα χρειαστεί να λειτουργήσει ξεκάθαρα ως ιδιωτικός ντεντέκτιβ –και το υπογραμμίζω αυτό μιας και στο παρελθόν οι περισσότερες από τις περιπέτειές του μπορεί να απαιτούσαν και πάλι κάποια έρευνα, αλλά συνήθως τα πράγματα ήταν κάπως πιο περίπλοκα και πολυσύνθετα. Εδώ, αντιθέτως, η δικηγόρος με την οποία έχει συνεργαστεί στο παρελθόν (και που πλέον βλέπουμε ότι είναι και κάπως τσιμπημένη μαζί του) θα του ζητήσει να αναλάβει τη διεξαγωγή μιας έρευνας, με σκοπό να προστατέψει έναν πελάτη της. Υπάρχει μεγάλος κίνδυνος να αποκαλυφθούν παλιά του μυστικά τα οποία μπορούν να τον καταστρέψουν ολοσχερώς. Ο Πάρκερ πρέπει να το αποτρέψει.
Εστίασα αρκετά στην κεντρική δομή της πλοκής, κυρίως για να δείξω ότι ο Κόνολι σε αυτό το σημείο της πορείας του Τσάρλι Πάρκερ έχει γείρει αρκετά προς το αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα. Ναι, υπάρχει και πάλι «κάτι» που ξεκάθαρα δεν θα το δείτε σε καθαρόαιμα αστυνομικά, αλλά θεωρώ ότι δεν παίζει άμεσο ρόλο στην εξέλιξη της ιστορίας, παρά μόνο κρατάει ζωντανό και το άλλο κομμάτι των βιβλίων του Πάρκερ, το μεταφυσικό.
Σε αυτό το σημείο θεωρώ ότι είναι ιδανική στιγμή για μια προσωπική παραδοχή: Δηλώνω λοιπόν ότι ο Κόνολι είναι ο συγγραφέας που με έχει κάνει να αναιρέσω τα λεγόμενά μου περισσότερες φορές από τον καθένα! Έχω πει διάφορα τέτοια, όπως ας πούμε το πόσο επιθυμούσα να συμμετέχουν στα βιβλία του ο Λούις και ο Έιντζελ, αναγκάζοντας να ανακαλέσω μόλις ένα βιβλίο μετά!
Έτσι λοιπόν, να κάνω κι εδώ δύο ομολογίες: Κατά έναν μυστήριο τρόπο, μου λείπει η προσωπική, οικογενειακή ιστορία του Πάρκερ, όταν παλιότερα είχα δηλώσει ότι «επιτέλους τους άφησε παραπίσω και προχωρά». Βέβαια, σημαντικό ρόλο παίζει σε αυτό κάτι που κάνει η κορούλα του στην απαρχή αυτού του βιβλίου, σε εκείνη τη μικρή αλλά άκρως ενδιαφέρουσα εμφάνισή της.
Στη δεύτερη παραδοχή μου, που είναι και πολύ σημαντικότερη, είχα πει ότι προτιμούσα στο σύνολο της σειράς ο ζυγός να γέρνει αρκετά υπέρ της αστυνομικής πλοκής σε σχέση με εκείνη του μεταφυσικού. Να όμως που ενώ εδώ ο Πάρκερ αρχίζει και σκαλίζει μια πολύ όμορφη αστυνομική ιστορία, με ωραία και συστηματική έρευνα, νιώθω ότι κάτι μου λείπει ελαφρώς, και αυτό είναι το μεταφυσικό. Και καλά είναι εδώ να υπογραμμίσω ότι όλο αυτό, με τα «λέω και ξελέω» δεν το αναφέρω σαν αρνητικό, αλλά με πολύ μεγάλο θαυμασμό για τον συγγραφέα, αφού είναι τέτοια η μαεστρία του που με ό,τι καταπιάνεται, μας κάνει να μας λείπει το άλλο!
Έτσι λοιπόν, σε αυτό το βιβλίο, ένιωσα ότι είμαστε μισό κλικ χαμηλότερα από τον μέσο όρο –μιλώντας πάντα για Κόνολι. Ωστόσο, όταν το συγκρίνω ανεξάρτητα δεν μπορώ παρά να παραδεχτώ ότι είναι ένα πολύ ωραίο βιβλίο. Έχει που το διάβασα κοντά δύο χρόνια (ασχέτως που αυτός ο σχολιασμός δημοσιεύεται τώρα), αλλά εξακολουθώ και θυμάμαι πολλές λεπτομέρειές του σαν να το τελείωσα χθες. Αυτό νομίζω ότι τα λέει όλα. Και δεν χρειάζεται καν να πω ότι συνέχισα τη σειρά και παρακάτω χωρίς τον πραγματικό δισταγμό!
Εστίασα αρκετά στην κεντρική δομή της πλοκής, κυρίως για να δείξω ότι ο Κόνολι σε αυτό το σημείο της πορείας του Τσάρλι Πάρκερ έχει γείρει αρκετά προς το αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα. Ναι, υπάρχει και πάλι «κάτι» που ξεκάθαρα δεν θα το δείτε σε καθαρόαιμα αστυνομικά, αλλά θεωρώ ότι δεν παίζει άμεσο ρόλο στην εξέλιξη της ιστορίας, παρά μόνο κρατάει ζωντανό και το άλλο κομμάτι των βιβλίων του Πάρκερ, το μεταφυσικό.
Σε αυτό το σημείο θεωρώ ότι είναι ιδανική στιγμή για μια προσωπική παραδοχή: Δηλώνω λοιπόν ότι ο Κόνολι είναι ο συγγραφέας που με έχει κάνει να αναιρέσω τα λεγόμενά μου περισσότερες φορές από τον καθένα! Έχω πει διάφορα τέτοια, όπως ας πούμε το πόσο επιθυμούσα να συμμετέχουν στα βιβλία του ο Λούις και ο Έιντζελ, αναγκάζοντας να ανακαλέσω μόλις ένα βιβλίο μετά!
Έτσι λοιπόν, να κάνω κι εδώ δύο ομολογίες: Κατά έναν μυστήριο τρόπο, μου λείπει η προσωπική, οικογενειακή ιστορία του Πάρκερ, όταν παλιότερα είχα δηλώσει ότι «επιτέλους τους άφησε παραπίσω και προχωρά». Βέβαια, σημαντικό ρόλο παίζει σε αυτό κάτι που κάνει η κορούλα του στην απαρχή αυτού του βιβλίου, σε εκείνη τη μικρή αλλά άκρως ενδιαφέρουσα εμφάνισή της.
Στη δεύτερη παραδοχή μου, που είναι και πολύ σημαντικότερη, είχα πει ότι προτιμούσα στο σύνολο της σειράς ο ζυγός να γέρνει αρκετά υπέρ της αστυνομικής πλοκής σε σχέση με εκείνη του μεταφυσικού. Να όμως που ενώ εδώ ο Πάρκερ αρχίζει και σκαλίζει μια πολύ όμορφη αστυνομική ιστορία, με ωραία και συστηματική έρευνα, νιώθω ότι κάτι μου λείπει ελαφρώς, και αυτό είναι το μεταφυσικό. Και καλά είναι εδώ να υπογραμμίσω ότι όλο αυτό, με τα «λέω και ξελέω» δεν το αναφέρω σαν αρνητικό, αλλά με πολύ μεγάλο θαυμασμό για τον συγγραφέα, αφού είναι τέτοια η μαεστρία του που με ό,τι καταπιάνεται, μας κάνει να μας λείπει το άλλο!
Έτσι λοιπόν, σε αυτό το βιβλίο, ένιωσα ότι είμαστε μισό κλικ χαμηλότερα από τον μέσο όρο –μιλώντας πάντα για Κόνολι. Ωστόσο, όταν το συγκρίνω ανεξάρτητα δεν μπορώ παρά να παραδεχτώ ότι είναι ένα πολύ ωραίο βιβλίο. Έχει που το διάβασα κοντά δύο χρόνια (ασχέτως που αυτός ο σχολιασμός δημοσιεύεται τώρα), αλλά εξακολουθώ και θυμάμαι πολλές λεπτομέρειές του σαν να το τελείωσα χθες. Αυτό νομίζω ότι τα λέει όλα. Και δεν χρειάζεται καν να πω ότι συνέχισα τη σειρά και παρακάτω χωρίς τον πραγματικό δισταγμό!
July 23, 2018
Εξαιρετικό! Δεν περίμενα κάτι λιγότερο από τον John Connolly! Άκρως εθιστική σειρά!!!
August 21, 2021
3.5*
Ummm, unfortunately I pretty much had the same reaction as I had when I first read Every Dead Thing.
It was good but there was just something about it that made the pages not turn so easily. I hate stating this because I love Parker and the gang that Connolly has gifted us with.
I struggled that much to begin with that just like in my Every Dead Thing review I tried to blame it on myself; busy schedule, scatty mind, not fully focusing when reading, etc. But at the same time knowing I was mostly finding it hard to focus due to the heavy background paddings that were filled with so many extra characters that just lost me at times. Its a shame as the plot was great and the twists were dark, I just felt it strayed too many times through the first half, that it hindered what could of been a gripping page turning experience!
Plus I missed having more Angel and Louis... And the supernatural!
Some of the previous books get so involved in the darkness of the honeycomb world I feel Im getting closer to finding out where its all leading too, and then I read another and that world is hardly mentioned, remaining instead in the shadows... Which leaves me still none the wiser on what the hell Connolly has in store for our Parker! ...Cleverly for him, this is what keeps me reading like a crazy, always anticipating and wanting more, obsessed one!
Ummm, unfortunately I pretty much had the same reaction as I had when I first read Every Dead Thing.
It was good but there was just something about it that made the pages not turn so easily. I hate stating this because I love Parker and the gang that Connolly has gifted us with.
I struggled that much to begin with that just like in my Every Dead Thing review I tried to blame it on myself; busy schedule, scatty mind, not fully focusing when reading, etc. But at the same time knowing I was mostly finding it hard to focus due to the heavy background paddings that were filled with so many extra characters that just lost me at times. Its a shame as the plot was great and the twists were dark, I just felt it strayed too many times through the first half, that it hindered what could of been a gripping page turning experience!
Plus I missed having more Angel and Louis... And the supernatural!
Some of the previous books get so involved in the darkness of the honeycomb world I feel Im getting closer to finding out where its all leading too, and then I read another and that world is hardly mentioned, remaining instead in the shadows... Which leaves me still none the wiser on what the hell Connolly has in store for our Parker! ...Cleverly for him, this is what keeps me reading like a crazy, always anticipating and wanting more, obsessed one!
June 18, 2025
A young girl goes missing from a small town where a child killer with a new identity is living. Charlie Parker gets drawn in, not to find the girl, but to protect the child killer from an anonymous tormentor. Everything is a bit of a kerfuffle, the mafia get involved and one cop in particular is a little bit strange. There's coffee, burgers and cookies a plenty, But one thing is for sure..... nothing is quite what it seems.
Duh duh duh!!!!!!
After they disappointment of The Whisperers (that difficult 9th book), this was a strong return to form. As usual its quite dark, and as always there is a tinge of the supernatural. Nice and pacey, and kept me guessing until the very end, all my theories were completely wrong.
Duh duh duh!!!!!!
After they disappointment of The Whisperers (that difficult 9th book), this was a strong return to form. As usual its quite dark, and as always there is a tinge of the supernatural. Nice and pacey, and kept me guessing until the very end, all my theories were completely wrong.
November 25, 2018
I don't think earlier Charlie Parker books were better because I was a less discerning reader back when I read them. I think that the newer books are just not as good. Everything about Parker's life feels so obligatory these days. There's the requisite visit from his ex-wife and daughter, never to be repeated, complete with Rachel's admonition that he spend more time with his daughter, which he never does. Angel & Louis show up; I was actually kind of hoping that they would sit this one out because I was afraid of my crushing disappointment. Although they're not as much of an afterthought as they were in The Whisperers, their presence still feels flat & tacked on. Louis apparently has a new beard, but he only speaks four times in the entire book, so who cares about his facial hair? Why aren't my favorite gay assassins getting the play they deserve?
Worst of all, there's just way too much going on here. This is a pretty common lament of mine these days. I can't understand why writers want to hit up so many different subjects in one novel - here we have the kidnapped girl, the guy who killed a girl when he was a kid, her ghost who's haunting him, the police chief who may or may not be a pedophile, an FBI guy, some mobster from Boston, his two henchman . . . the list goes on. It makes me tired just to write all that. I would've been perfectly happy without the whole Mob angle, and I think with more space to expound on the killer and the kidnapped girl, the book would've been stronger as a whole. The girl's captor is a complete surprise, and I can't decide if that's a way for Connolly to make us examine our assumptions about small town denizens, or if it's just being lazy.
Worst of all, there's just way too much going on here. This is a pretty common lament of mine these days. I can't understand why writers want to hit up so many different subjects in one novel - here we have the kidnapped girl, the guy who killed a girl when he was a kid, her ghost who's haunting him, the police chief who may or may not be a pedophile, an FBI guy, some mobster from Boston, his two henchman . . . the list goes on. It makes me tired just to write all that. I would've been perfectly happy without the whole Mob angle, and I think with more space to expound on the killer and the kidnapped girl, the book would've been stronger as a whole. The girl's captor is a complete surprise, and I can't decide if that's a way for Connolly to make us examine our assumptions about small town denizens, or if it's just being lazy.
January 15, 2021
Not nearly as intense as some of his previous Parker outings, still a decent story. Angel and Louis are brought in but only play a part at the end. The Fulci brothers are also there but their appearance is so brief it was almost pointless. Always a dark tale of kidnapping and killing, young girls in both crimes. Mobsters are involved too. Some humorous passages mixed in with some creepy supernatural scenes that can raise the goosebumps if you're reading this at night in a darkened house...3 Stars Always apparent how much Connolly hates Republicans and works that into his stories whether it fits or not...a man of the times then and now.
September 6, 2011
I was lamenting to a friend on Friday how annoyed I was coming into the long weekend knowing that the new John Connolly book wouldn’t be out until Tuesday. It annoyed me that it was given two separate release dates, one for Australia, England and Ireland (September 1st) and another for North America (September 6th). I wanted it now! I definitely wanted to take advantage of all this free time I expected to have this weekend. So you can imagine my surprise and glee when I walked into the local bookstore on Friday night and saw it sitting on the shelf for sale.
As I’ve said before, Connolly’s Parker was the character that sucked me into mystery/detective fiction in the first place. After I had read Every Dead Thing about two and a half years ago, I knew this was going to become my genre of choice. When I had read that this novel closely resembled The Unquiet, I was a little nervous. It was by far, the book I had been most disappointed in. I opened that review stating I was getting “burned out” on the character! If not for the books that succeeded that entry, I may not have stayed with the series.
That being said, after I put this book down this evening – I was very pleased with what I had read. No, it’s not the best Parker book (that honor still belongs to The Reapers, in my opinion) but it was still a great entry into the series. Parker himself doesn’t progress within this novel as Connolly concentrated mainly on the case and less on Charlie’s personal life, which is a little refreshing. Also, Louis and Angel, while used in small doses, are pretty entertaining. While I could always use more of them, it should be about quality, not quantity as that old saying goes. Parker is still dealing with his personal demons as well as the existence of spirits that revolve around his life but it’s far less central. I’m all for this but I’m thinking that perhaps Connolly is preparing something major for the next one. Here’s hoping!
As much as I liked this book, I really can’t give it anything above 4 stars as that would be putting it in the same league as The Reapers – which it most certainly is not. However, don’t let that take anything away from the overall quality of this novel. I very much missed Parker and I’m happy to have had a new book to sink my teeth into. Connolly is my favorite author working today and I can’t wait for the next one!
As I’ve said before, Connolly’s Parker was the character that sucked me into mystery/detective fiction in the first place. After I had read Every Dead Thing about two and a half years ago, I knew this was going to become my genre of choice. When I had read that this novel closely resembled The Unquiet, I was a little nervous. It was by far, the book I had been most disappointed in. I opened that review stating I was getting “burned out” on the character! If not for the books that succeeded that entry, I may not have stayed with the series.
That being said, after I put this book down this evening – I was very pleased with what I had read. No, it’s not the best Parker book (that honor still belongs to The Reapers, in my opinion) but it was still a great entry into the series. Parker himself doesn’t progress within this novel as Connolly concentrated mainly on the case and less on Charlie’s personal life, which is a little refreshing. Also, Louis and Angel, while used in small doses, are pretty entertaining. While I could always use more of them, it should be about quality, not quantity as that old saying goes. Parker is still dealing with his personal demons as well as the existence of spirits that revolve around his life but it’s far less central. I’m all for this but I’m thinking that perhaps Connolly is preparing something major for the next one. Here’s hoping!
As much as I liked this book, I really can’t give it anything above 4 stars as that would be putting it in the same league as The Reapers – which it most certainly is not. However, don’t let that take anything away from the overall quality of this novel. I very much missed Parker and I’m happy to have had a new book to sink my teeth into. Connolly is my favorite author working today and I can’t wait for the next one!
August 5, 2012
The tenth novel in the Charlie Parker series and it reminded me why he has in a short time became one of my favorite writersand this is one of my favourite series. (I only searched for another series when I caught up with Harry dresden as written by Jim Butcher)
I have read the whole of this series and found the strongest supernatural elements, with The Whisperers & The Black Angel being the most heavy uses of the supernatural theme in the series. With THE BURNING SOUL we do get far less of the supernatural element, but it is there and having read the previous books I did recognize the elements used and they were in my view expertly done and do not take anything away from the storyline.
Connolly’s writing is once again superb and his characterisations are complete. This book is less about Charlie Parker than about the main characters of the story(Randall Haight, Dempsey, Ryan and Tommy Morris). Their individual voices and stories are very well done and do add to the succes of this book. The setting of Pastor’s Bay is incredibly well detailed and it does add to the details of Maine as created/described by Connolly. It wants me to go and vist the place and at the same time scares me a bit.
At the start of the book Parker gets his worst client ever, a childmurderer. Albeit that when he killed the child he was one himself. And the description of how Randall Haight got to be where he is today (something CP found out during his investigations) shows that the writer is not of American origin. His opinion is simply to European as is that of Charlie Parker which presumably makes me like the guy. The Randall Haight character is easily the best character in novel I have recently read that kept surprising me as well as creeping me out. (Which has not happened since the Tooth Fairy in Harris'The red Dragon)When all is revealed you find how much this character has evolved from the start of the story.
The story is about the kidnapping of a young woman and the blackmailing of a former childmurderer. Why does a gangster on the decline and his two henchmen have any interest in the kidnapping.
All in all a book I could not lay down untill I finished it. In my view one of the best novels written by Connolly so far.
I have read the whole of this series and found the strongest supernatural elements, with The Whisperers & The Black Angel being the most heavy uses of the supernatural theme in the series. With THE BURNING SOUL we do get far less of the supernatural element, but it is there and having read the previous books I did recognize the elements used and they were in my view expertly done and do not take anything away from the storyline.
Connolly’s writing is once again superb and his characterisations are complete. This book is less about Charlie Parker than about the main characters of the story(Randall Haight, Dempsey, Ryan and Tommy Morris). Their individual voices and stories are very well done and do add to the succes of this book. The setting of Pastor’s Bay is incredibly well detailed and it does add to the details of Maine as created/described by Connolly. It wants me to go and vist the place and at the same time scares me a bit.
At the start of the book Parker gets his worst client ever, a childmurderer. Albeit that when he killed the child he was one himself. And the description of how Randall Haight got to be where he is today (something CP found out during his investigations) shows that the writer is not of American origin. His opinion is simply to European as is that of Charlie Parker which presumably makes me like the guy. The Randall Haight character is easily the best character in novel I have recently read that kept surprising me as well as creeping me out. (Which has not happened since the Tooth Fairy in Harris'The red Dragon)When all is revealed you find how much this character has evolved from the start of the story.
The story is about the kidnapping of a young woman and the blackmailing of a former childmurderer. Why does a gangster on the decline and his two henchmen have any interest in the kidnapping.
All in all a book I could not lay down untill I finished it. In my view one of the best novels written by Connolly so far.
April 27, 2014
The Burning Soul is the tenth in the Charlie Parker series that just continues on in leaps and bounds, converging plot lines maintain the tension and in no way does this series appear tired as some that broach double figures often do.
Parker takes on a new case, Randall Haight is a man with disturbing secrets, secrets that he would prefer remain that way as he lives under a new identity, unfortunately someone knows and his existence is being threatened. Parker has to look deeply at his morality, broaching his own blurred lines of right and wrong as a young girl goes missing and his client could be the suspect the Police are after.
In the second plotline we travel to Boston and the mob, Tommy Morris senses his time is nearly up, reduced to just two loyal enforcers, he runs to stay alive but he’s being tracked by the mob, the FBI and all he wants to do is help his estranged sister.
John Connolly certainly writes with compelling prose that switches comfortably between first and third person narratives, fully demanding your complete attention. The supernatural element is low key, the afterlife is touched on as the ghosts of the past resurface to warn of danger or plague the guilty. The usual humor is there extenuated by the appearance of two man mountain body guards and the appearance of the two angels that watch Charlie Parker’s back.
All in all another superb addition to the series that while missing the darkness and encompassing evil that usually surrounds Charlie Parker, more than holds its own with a tension fueled and gripping plot.
A 4.5 Rating.
Parker takes on a new case, Randall Haight is a man with disturbing secrets, secrets that he would prefer remain that way as he lives under a new identity, unfortunately someone knows and his existence is being threatened. Parker has to look deeply at his morality, broaching his own blurred lines of right and wrong as a young girl goes missing and his client could be the suspect the Police are after.
In the second plotline we travel to Boston and the mob, Tommy Morris senses his time is nearly up, reduced to just two loyal enforcers, he runs to stay alive but he’s being tracked by the mob, the FBI and all he wants to do is help his estranged sister.
John Connolly certainly writes with compelling prose that switches comfortably between first and third person narratives, fully demanding your complete attention. The supernatural element is low key, the afterlife is touched on as the ghosts of the past resurface to warn of danger or plague the guilty. The usual humor is there extenuated by the appearance of two man mountain body guards and the appearance of the two angels that watch Charlie Parker’s back.
All in all another superb addition to the series that while missing the darkness and encompassing evil that usually surrounds Charlie Parker, more than holds its own with a tension fueled and gripping plot.
A 4.5 Rating.
May 28, 2021
Wow, they just keeps getting better and better. Very dark.
When I first began to read the Charlie Parker series I was a bit sceptical of the paranormal element. But it just works! That's all I want to say. In this story the supernatural element was more peripheral and it stands more as a traditional crime story. Parkers personal life is also more in the background. I wish Louis and Angle had a bigger part, can't nothing but love those guys.
When I first began to read the Charlie Parker series I was a bit sceptical of the paranormal element. But it just works! That's all I want to say. In this story the supernatural element was more peripheral and it stands more as a traditional crime story. Parkers personal life is also more in the background. I wish Louis and Angle had a bigger part, can't nothing but love those guys.
February 8, 2014
Number ten in the Charlie Parker series is more of a straight forward mystery-detective story without many of the occult elements. Again Connolly's writing is outstanding and his ability to tell a story draws you in effortlessly. Though ghosts and elementals from the past do enter into the story Connolly is at the top of his game.
May 5, 2019
The tenth book in author John Connolly's Charlie "Bird" Parker P.I. series, "The Burning Soul", is as intense as it is dark. Charlie will come to know he'll have to battle some of the most very violent and amoral characters that he has had to survive against in most of the previous books. With a plot that has heart palpitating action and some serious suspense, "The Burning Soul", delivers chapter after chapter. In the small Maine town of Pastor's Bay fourteen year old Anna Kore has gone missing. Single mother Valerie has had a difficult time raising Anna by herself. Husband Alekos "Alex" has long since been out of the picture which has made mom Valerie very protective of her daughter. Also living in Pastor's Bay is Randall Haight. Haight is a client of Charlie's employer lawyer Aimee Price and possesses a very dark secret. Back in 1982 Haight and partner Lonny Midas killed and then raped fourteen year old Selena Day in North Dakota. Both were quickly convicted and sent to juvenile lock up and then to state prison when their eighteenth birthday passed. Combined juvenile and adult prison time Randall did close to twenty years. It's been many years since Randall even knew the whereabouts of his old partner and he knows he's in trouble. Charlie and Aimee are very reluctant to bring Randall's story to police chief Kurt Allan or the Lt. Stephen Logan of the Maine State Police. The problem is somebody knows about Randall's past and is secretly sending him drawings concerning his past. Meanwhile down in Boston one of the city's crime bosses Tommy Morris is in a battle to keep his turf and fears for his safety from Oweny Farrell his biggest rival. Even a sit down between Tommy's guys and Joey "Joey Tuna" Toomey (For Farrell), cannot quite sooth tensions. Tommy's days appear to be numbered. Back in Pastor's Bay Charlie is negotiating an interview with detectives on the Anna Kore case. What Charlie doesn't under stand why an agent from organized crime bureau of the FBI is also involved in Kore disappearance. As with all of author John Connolly's outstanding Parker thrillers the plot is built to come together somewhere down the line with a huge bang. "The Burning Soul", really shifts gears half way through. With fearing for the safety of the missing Anna Kore and weird life of Randall Haight seeming to be crashing into each other as this one refuses to let up. Naturally Tommy Morris and his shaky criminal empire will come to be entangled with Pastor's Bay. Weaving the crimes from North Dakota and into Pastor's Bay gives this plot plenty of fuel to keep Charlie running from one clue to the next. Charlie realizes in Pastor's Bay no one can really be trusted for their backgrounds or what they do behind closed doors. At just over 430 pages this one was as always when reading a John Connolly thriller beyond difficult to put down. The plot's twists along with the dark and shady characters are just plain fun to read. Mixing Irish mafia criminals from Boston, and sexual deviants from several time periods times will keep the reader on the edge of their seat. Of the ten books in this series nine have been just excellent. ("The Black Angel", was a clunker for me). Five stars out of a possible five stars for, "The Burning Soul", a must read book in a must read series. Check it out.
October 15, 2011
John Connolly is a man who knows how to craft a sentence. His vivid prose makes the outside world disappear within seconds of passing one's eyes over the first words, and the world passes by unnoticed and unobserved until the reading stops - either with a shudder and the terror contained within the pages, or with great reluctance as the final pages are turned and the book closed.
This may be the second-best of all of the Charlie Parker novels. The characters and the story are so vivid, and ring so true that I was absolutely convinced they were real people having real conversations. Parker is faced with protecting Randall Haight, a man who in his youth participated in the killing of a young girl but has served his time and been given a new identity by the courts - particularly difficult, given the violent death of Parker's own daughter, whose lingering essence never gives him a true respite from grief and longing.
Everywhere in the small Maine town in which this story unfolds is menace. Threats, real and imagined, living and dead, creep in from the margins, daring the reader to turn the page. The town and its isolation are oppressive, and when young Anna Kore goes missing, Haight is sure to see is life unravel if his secret past is revealed.
True to form, Connolly mixes in wit, compassion, intricate and vivid descriptions of locales (there is a scene describing a small bar which is worthy of Hitchcock in the quality of its visuals)and familiar faces. Angel and Louis play a critical role - and despite Angel's heathenish criticisms of the brilliant Arvo Part - are as welcome as old friends.
The horror unfolds menacingly throughout, and culminates in a shocking ending which will leave you looking your neighbors up and down, wondering what transpires in their secret hearts.
This may be the second-best of all of the Charlie Parker novels. The characters and the story are so vivid, and ring so true that I was absolutely convinced they were real people having real conversations. Parker is faced with protecting Randall Haight, a man who in his youth participated in the killing of a young girl but has served his time and been given a new identity by the courts - particularly difficult, given the violent death of Parker's own daughter, whose lingering essence never gives him a true respite from grief and longing.
Everywhere in the small Maine town in which this story unfolds is menace. Threats, real and imagined, living and dead, creep in from the margins, daring the reader to turn the page. The town and its isolation are oppressive, and when young Anna Kore goes missing, Haight is sure to see is life unravel if his secret past is revealed.
True to form, Connolly mixes in wit, compassion, intricate and vivid descriptions of locales (there is a scene describing a small bar which is worthy of Hitchcock in the quality of its visuals)and familiar faces. Angel and Louis play a critical role - and despite Angel's heathenish criticisms of the brilliant Arvo Part - are as welcome as old friends.
The horror unfolds menacingly throughout, and culminates in a shocking ending which will leave you looking your neighbors up and down, wondering what transpires in their secret hearts.
September 2, 2011
John Connolly? Charlie Parker? No need to say more, except clear my calendar, I'm reading nonstop to the end. Another outstanding thriller. Can't wait to hoist a beer with John on tour.
September 26, 2012
’Cuervos’ (The Burning Soul), es el úndecimo título de la serie del detective Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker, del escritor irlandés John Connolly. Esta serie es una de las mejores del género negro que se escriben actualmente, tanto por su calidad literaria como por sus argumentos y protagonistas. Connolly rompe las reglas del género negro clásico, introduciendo en sus novelas lo sobrenatural, la presencia del mal. Al detective Charlie Parker le rondan los muertos en su afán de venganza; un atormentado Parker que ha convivir con las terribles muertes de su mujer y su hija.
En cuanto a ’Cuervos’, Connolly comienza directamente describiéndonos la localidad de Pastor’s Bay (decir aquí a quien no conozca la serie, que está ambientada en Estado Unidos, aunque Connolly sea irlandés), donde transcurrirá casi toda la novela, con la inquietante imagen de unos cuervos posados en un viejo roble, y transmitiéndonos así, desde el principio, ese ambiente de desolación. En Pastor’s Bay, una niña de 14 años ha desaparecido, disparándose todas las alarmas. Al mismo tiempo, uno de los vecinos de esta comarca está recibiendo unas fotografías acusatorias, que le obligarán a desvelar un oscuro secreto de su pasado, antes de verse relacionado con el secuestro. Es aquí donde entra en juego Charlie Parker, que deberá averiguar quién es el acosador. Pero el argumento es más complejo y las tramas se irán cruzando, por lo que Parker requerirá de la ayuda de sus amigos Louis y Angel.
Las novelas de Connolly son estupendas, nunca me defraudan y siempre encuentro satisfacción con su lectura. Tal vez sean novelas que ya no sorprendan, porque ya llevamos once títulos (y una nouvellette), pero lo que se ha perdido en sorpresas, se ha ganado en calidad. ’Cuervos’ mantiene la esencia del resto de la serie, y en ella Connolly continúa su particular lucha del bien contra el mal. Sin duda, el detective Charlie Parker se está convirtiendo en todo un clásico del género.
En cuanto a ’Cuervos’, Connolly comienza directamente describiéndonos la localidad de Pastor’s Bay (decir aquí a quien no conozca la serie, que está ambientada en Estado Unidos, aunque Connolly sea irlandés), donde transcurrirá casi toda la novela, con la inquietante imagen de unos cuervos posados en un viejo roble, y transmitiéndonos así, desde el principio, ese ambiente de desolación. En Pastor’s Bay, una niña de 14 años ha desaparecido, disparándose todas las alarmas. Al mismo tiempo, uno de los vecinos de esta comarca está recibiendo unas fotografías acusatorias, que le obligarán a desvelar un oscuro secreto de su pasado, antes de verse relacionado con el secuestro. Es aquí donde entra en juego Charlie Parker, que deberá averiguar quién es el acosador. Pero el argumento es más complejo y las tramas se irán cruzando, por lo que Parker requerirá de la ayuda de sus amigos Louis y Angel.
Las novelas de Connolly son estupendas, nunca me defraudan y siempre encuentro satisfacción con su lectura. Tal vez sean novelas que ya no sorprendan, porque ya llevamos once títulos (y una nouvellette), pero lo que se ha perdido en sorpresas, se ha ganado en calidad. ’Cuervos’ mantiene la esencia del resto de la serie, y en ella Connolly continúa su particular lucha del bien contra el mal. Sin duda, el detective Charlie Parker se está convirtiendo en todo un clásico del género.
October 29, 2020
I hate to give this only two stars, but to me, this was the worst story in the Charlie Parker series to date, and I LOVE this series to bits. Somehow, Connolly missed the mark on this one. WAAAYYY too much going on as usual, and I found myself skimming all the extra background characters, three pages describing the current weather, or wretched state of a bad neighborhood, as opposed to gritting my teeth and getting through it as in previous novels, because at least in those novels, much of that information ended up being somewhat important to the story. This was just tiresome, unnecessary narrative, and a bit of literary showing off, to be a bit harsh. He really could have cut out half the novel and you still would have known what was going on. Finally, in the end, the person responsible for the abduction that is the focal point of the novel came so far out of left field it was like... wtf?? I'm not sure if Connolly was going for a shocker ending, or if it was a lazy gotcha! but it really, really didn't work, and made all that extraneous information that much more annoying.
Louis and Angel were completely wasted, the Fulci brothers appeared only as a silly cameo waving at the literary camera (hi mom!) and even Charlie wasn't himself at all and no defining personality to speak of in this. He could have been any generic PI guest starring in any crime novel and I found myself missing the Charlie of the earlier, and far superior novels. The writing was also strangely and uncharacteristically formal, and all the cops, FBI agents and everyone else Charlie talked to were all the same smart-asses, and it became hard to tell them apart. Very disappointing, but I did finish it in about a week, so I guess it's still readable.
I am also greatly hoping the next one will be much better, because I'm not ready to give up on these guys just yet. *crossing fingers*
Louis and Angel were completely wasted, the Fulci brothers appeared only as a silly cameo waving at the literary camera (hi mom!) and even Charlie wasn't himself at all and no defining personality to speak of in this. He could have been any generic PI guest starring in any crime novel and I found myself missing the Charlie of the earlier, and far superior novels. The writing was also strangely and uncharacteristically formal, and all the cops, FBI agents and everyone else Charlie talked to were all the same smart-asses, and it became hard to tell them apart. Very disappointing, but I did finish it in about a week, so I guess it's still readable.
I am also greatly hoping the next one will be much better, because I'm not ready to give up on these guys just yet. *crossing fingers*
August 21, 2024
I struggled to get interested in this one and never quite got there.
I mostly blame the bizarro, cobbled-together audiobook. Two completely different narrators switched back and forth throughout, as though the original person only finished certain parts and they hired somebody else to finish the rest. George Guidall has a very distinctive voice, while the other guy has a completely different tonal quality and was recorded much louder. The effect was jarring and it totally took me out of the narrative.
I mostly blame the bizarro, cobbled-together audiobook. Two completely different narrators switched back and forth throughout, as though the original person only finished certain parts and they hired somebody else to finish the rest. George Guidall has a very distinctive voice, while the other guy has a completely different tonal quality and was recorded much louder. The effect was jarring and it totally took me out of the narrative.
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