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Carrigan and Miller #3
The Intrusions
Described as 'addictive' (Financial Times), 'brimming with suspense' (Daily Express), 'masterful' (Daily Mirror) and 'strikingly modern' (Sunday Times) Stav Sherez's two previous Carrigan and Miller novels were both shortlisted for the Theakstons's Crime Novel of the Year, in 2013 and 2014.
When a distressed young woman arrives at their station claiming her friend has been abducted, and that the man threatened to come back and 'claim her next', Detectives Carrigan and Miller are thrust into a terrifying new world of stalking and obsession.
Taking them from a Bayswater hostel, where backpackers and foreign students share dorms and failing dreams, to the emerging threat of online intimidation, hacking, and control, The Intrusions explores disturbing contemporary themes with all the skill and dark psychology that Stav Sherez's work has been so acclaimed for.
Under scrutiny themselves, and with old foes and enmities re-surfacing, how long will Carrigan and Miller have to find out the truth behind what these two women have been subjected to?
When a distressed young woman arrives at their station claiming her friend has been abducted, and that the man threatened to come back and 'claim her next', Detectives Carrigan and Miller are thrust into a terrifying new world of stalking and obsession.
Taking them from a Bayswater hostel, where backpackers and foreign students share dorms and failing dreams, to the emerging threat of online intimidation, hacking, and control, The Intrusions explores disturbing contemporary themes with all the skill and dark psychology that Stav Sherez's work has been so acclaimed for.
Under scrutiny themselves, and with old foes and enmities re-surfacing, how long will Carrigan and Miller have to find out the truth behind what these two women have been subjected to?
340 pages, Paperback
First published November 17, 2020
59 people are currently reading
1118 people want to read
About the author
Stav Sherez
25 books76 followersBorn in 1970, Sherez grew up in London and attended Latymer Upper School and the University of Leeds.
Stav Sherez is a British novelist whose first novel The Devil's Playground was published in 2004 by Penguin Books and was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey Dagger.
Sherez's second novel, The Black Monastery, is published by Faber & Faber in April 2009.
From 1999 to 2004 he was a main contributor to the music magazine Comes with a Smile.
From December 2006 he has been literary editor of the Catholic Herald.
Stav Sherez is a British novelist whose first novel The Devil's Playground was published in 2004 by Penguin Books and was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey Dagger.
Sherez's second novel, The Black Monastery, is published by Faber & Faber in April 2009.
From 1999 to 2004 he was a main contributor to the music magazine Comes with a Smile.
From December 2006 he has been literary editor of the Catholic Herald.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
February 7, 2017
This is my first Stav Sherez novel and I am so impressed with it. It is an intelligent literary crime thriller that comes from a very dark place and terrifies the hell out of you. It is set in the dilapidated and murky district of Bayswater in London. DS Geneva Miller finds herself interviewing a heavily drugged young woman, Madison Carter, who claims that her friend, Anna Becker, was abducted in an alley by a man in a van and who is going to come back for her. Geneva pays a preliminary visit to the site and finds a discarded vial. DI Jack Carrigan is not convinced they have a case until he finds himself at the site of a gruesome murder of a woman who turns out to be Anna. Miller and Carrigan find themselves in the middle of a twister of a case where it is difficult to discern precisely what is going on. What is clear is that they have a highly intelligent and ruthless killer who engages in a highly refined form of torture and killing.
Carrigan finds himself being targeted by ACC Quinn as the result of a previous case. He finds himself under severe pressure as Internal Affairs delve deep into some of his unorthodox practices, which means he faces the possibility of facing criminal charges. He also has to accept the inclusion of a psychological profiler, Ed Hoffman, on the team despite all his efforts to resist this. The investigation takes the team to Anna and Madison's Hostel, a cleaning employment company, connections with Bali, and more worryingly, the possibility that this is not the first time the killer has struck. There are numerous twists and danger comes to envelop the police team itself.
This a beautifully written, atmospheric and chilling novel. It is impeccably plotted and the descriptions make you feel as if you are right there in Bayswater. Carrigan and Miller are wonderfully flawed and intense characters that you want to be with and root for. The cyber themes raised such as RAT, remote access technology, are urgent and compelling social issues in contemporary society. This book gives us a frightening insight into the internet and just how much of our information is available both for criminals and government. I love finding new crime writers and Stav Sherez is a fantastic discovery. A highly recommended and brilliant read! Thanks to Faber and Faber for an ARC.
Carrigan finds himself being targeted by ACC Quinn as the result of a previous case. He finds himself under severe pressure as Internal Affairs delve deep into some of his unorthodox practices, which means he faces the possibility of facing criminal charges. He also has to accept the inclusion of a psychological profiler, Ed Hoffman, on the team despite all his efforts to resist this. The investigation takes the team to Anna and Madison's Hostel, a cleaning employment company, connections with Bali, and more worryingly, the possibility that this is not the first time the killer has struck. There are numerous twists and danger comes to envelop the police team itself.
This a beautifully written, atmospheric and chilling novel. It is impeccably plotted and the descriptions make you feel as if you are right there in Bayswater. Carrigan and Miller are wonderfully flawed and intense characters that you want to be with and root for. The cyber themes raised such as RAT, remote access technology, are urgent and compelling social issues in contemporary society. This book gives us a frightening insight into the internet and just how much of our information is available both for criminals and government. I love finding new crime writers and Stav Sherez is a fantastic discovery. A highly recommended and brilliant read! Thanks to Faber and Faber for an ARC.
February 7, 2017
3.5 stars. Yikes! I feel like I just came off an intense ride. I had never heard of Stav Sherez and his Carrigan and Miller series before reading The Intrusions. This is the third in the series. Taking place in London, it focuses on the disappearance and murder of a number of young women. The women are stalked on the internet, drugged and abducted. Sherez has constructed a very tight and clever mystery. At times, it's hard to read because it really delves into the vulnerability of young women to internet and real life stalking. But the story is very clever because Sherez makes this issue more complicated than it seems at first blush. Sherez is a great story teller -- he kept me on the edge of my seat, nodding in appreciation as the story came together. I've knocked off half a star because I didn't feel quite as engaged by his detectives' personal issues, but that might be because I haven't read the first two books in the series. I may have to go back to read them now. I should note that what kept me on the edge was the cleverness of the story and not the violence -- there is some graphic violence but it doesn't dominate the narrative. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
March 31, 2018
I feel like stomping my feet and throwing a tantrum because I can’t find a clue on the internet about a fourth book in this Carrigan and Miller series!
Carrigan and Geneva are investigating the death of a young woman who was drugged and abducted. Then they find evidence of two others. The investigation is laid out step by logical step, and where it leads should scare the crap out of every computer user out there, especially in light of the current Facebook-Cambridge Analytica fiasco.
The author includes aspects of the main characters’ personal lives, and that brings Carrigan and Geneva to life. Carrigan's mother is near death, more is revealed about his wife, and Geneva's case against her ex-husband is almost resolved. Due to something Carrigan did in the previous book, he is also under investigation by the Directorate of Professional Standards.
The writing is excellent, the plot is thick, and the characters are strong. I need the next book, Mr. Sherez!
Carrigan and Geneva are investigating the death of a young woman who was drugged and abducted. Then they find evidence of two others. The investigation is laid out step by logical step, and where it leads should scare the crap out of every computer user out there, especially in light of the current Facebook-Cambridge Analytica fiasco.
The author includes aspects of the main characters’ personal lives, and that brings Carrigan and Geneva to life. Carrigan's mother is near death, more is revealed about his wife, and Geneva's case against her ex-husband is almost resolved. Due to something Carrigan did in the previous book, he is also under investigation by the Directorate of Professional Standards.
The writing is excellent, the plot is thick, and the characters are strong. I need the next book, Mr. Sherez!
February 5, 2017
This is one of several current thrillers that deal with cyber stalking & the shadowy side of social media. When it comes to the internet, the possibilities for scaring the pants off us are endless & the author takes full advantage in this gritty read.
DS Geneva Miller & boss DI Jack Carrigan are forced to educate themselves when they end up investigating the abduction/murder of young women with ties to a local backpackers’ hostel. It’s the type of place that caters to young, transient foreigners so pinning down information on the girls is a challenge. But as Miller & Carrigan pick away, a chilling MO begins to emerge & they realize this is not your average stalker. This is someone who has mastered the game of cat & mouse, someone who feeds off your emotional distress as they gradually take over your life.
There’s a sense of urgency to the case & not just because a life is at stake. Carrigan’s handling of a previous investigation has caught the eye of Internal Affairs. Did he colour outside the lines? Yup. Was it justified? Maybe, but it’s the ammunition an old nemesis on the force has been waiting for & Carrigan’s days as a cop are numbered.
As a straight up police procedural, this is a fast paced & scary ride. As the story progresses & the killer’s motivation is revealed, it’s clear the initial investigation is just the tip of the iceberg. And for someone like me (who consults a 10 year old for tech support), what a person with malicious intent can do with your computer is truly frightening.
But when it comes to the characters, I would not recommend this as a stand alone. Miller & Carrigan are compelling but both are dealing with multiple personal issues. No doubt these have roots in previous books in the series which I have not read. My bad. At times, I couldn’t help but feel like I was missing something & it prevented me from fully connecting with them. They obviously have a complex history & I’m sure faithful fans will have a richer read.
Not up for debate is this author’s ability to write. The narrative is smooth & well paced with plenty of twists to keep you guessing. There are some scenes with a high squirm factor but they inform the plot & never feel gratuitous. Some story lines are left open & events on the final page ensure fans will be lined up for book #4.
If you’re in the mood for a smart & scary thriller, give this a try. By the end you’ll either be changing your online habits or moving to a cave.
DS Geneva Miller & boss DI Jack Carrigan are forced to educate themselves when they end up investigating the abduction/murder of young women with ties to a local backpackers’ hostel. It’s the type of place that caters to young, transient foreigners so pinning down information on the girls is a challenge. But as Miller & Carrigan pick away, a chilling MO begins to emerge & they realize this is not your average stalker. This is someone who has mastered the game of cat & mouse, someone who feeds off your emotional distress as they gradually take over your life.
There’s a sense of urgency to the case & not just because a life is at stake. Carrigan’s handling of a previous investigation has caught the eye of Internal Affairs. Did he colour outside the lines? Yup. Was it justified? Maybe, but it’s the ammunition an old nemesis on the force has been waiting for & Carrigan’s days as a cop are numbered.
As a straight up police procedural, this is a fast paced & scary ride. As the story progresses & the killer’s motivation is revealed, it’s clear the initial investigation is just the tip of the iceberg. And for someone like me (who consults a 10 year old for tech support), what a person with malicious intent can do with your computer is truly frightening.
But when it comes to the characters, I would not recommend this as a stand alone. Miller & Carrigan are compelling but both are dealing with multiple personal issues. No doubt these have roots in previous books in the series which I have not read. My bad. At times, I couldn’t help but feel like I was missing something & it prevented me from fully connecting with them. They obviously have a complex history & I’m sure faithful fans will have a richer read.
Not up for debate is this author’s ability to write. The narrative is smooth & well paced with plenty of twists to keep you guessing. There are some scenes with a high squirm factor but they inform the plot & never feel gratuitous. Some story lines are left open & events on the final page ensure fans will be lined up for book #4.
If you’re in the mood for a smart & scary thriller, give this a try. By the end you’ll either be changing your online habits or moving to a cave.
March 17, 2017
Follow Detectives Carrigan and Miller in this British crime thriller. Although this is the third book in the series, it can be read as a standalone. I have not read any book written by Stav Sherez before but this was recommended by a friend on Goodreads.
I found this novel to get off to a poor start and I did not engage with Detectives Carrigan and Miller. The story appeared to be quite dull although it involved a missing young woman in alarming circumstances. But I urge readers to bear with it as this story vastly improves once a profiler becomes involved. Then I engaged fully with this novel and found the profiler's input to the case very interesting indeed. My interest increased further when the title of this novel came into play. The Intrusions are those enabled by modern technology and social media using Remote Administration Tools. For good measure, throw in a cocktail of drugs including DMT - (N,N-Dimethyltryptamine) and you have a very entertaining and thought provoking novel.
I think The Intrusions is a good contemporary tale. Some people use social media so heavily, they forget about the dark forces behind the scenes which could come into play. I particularly liked the exploration of Remote Administration Tools as their use can be quite creepy. People can forget that although they see a lot of cameras, there is often one camera that they fail to spot. We now live in a world where these intrusions happen 24 hours a day. Many coach drivers on the National Express network here in the UK have been sacked due to those 12 second video clips downloaded using Remote Administration Tools on the Dashboard cameras, one facing forward the other spying on the driver.
I enjoyed reading The Intrusions. Characterisation was not marvellous and I did not develop an empathy for any of the characters. It does not qualify as a character led novel as their roles were weak. But where it scores heavily is in the social commentary on social media and Remote Administration Tools. Years ago the worry was of Big Brother watching your every move, now in 2017 the worry of The Intrusions is of those dodgy individuals covertly watching you from afar. I think this novel is a good read, there are novels with better characterisations and plots but The Intrusions is very thought provoking about the way our society has progressed, so it is 4 stars from me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Faber & Faber giving me a copy of this book on the understanding that I provide an honest review.
I found this novel to get off to a poor start and I did not engage with Detectives Carrigan and Miller. The story appeared to be quite dull although it involved a missing young woman in alarming circumstances. But I urge readers to bear with it as this story vastly improves once a profiler becomes involved. Then I engaged fully with this novel and found the profiler's input to the case very interesting indeed. My interest increased further when the title of this novel came into play. The Intrusions are those enabled by modern technology and social media using Remote Administration Tools. For good measure, throw in a cocktail of drugs including DMT - (N,N-Dimethyltryptamine) and you have a very entertaining and thought provoking novel.
I think The Intrusions is a good contemporary tale. Some people use social media so heavily, they forget about the dark forces behind the scenes which could come into play. I particularly liked the exploration of Remote Administration Tools as their use can be quite creepy. People can forget that although they see a lot of cameras, there is often one camera that they fail to spot. We now live in a world where these intrusions happen 24 hours a day. Many coach drivers on the National Express network here in the UK have been sacked due to those 12 second video clips downloaded using Remote Administration Tools on the Dashboard cameras, one facing forward the other spying on the driver.
I enjoyed reading The Intrusions. Characterisation was not marvellous and I did not develop an empathy for any of the characters. It does not qualify as a character led novel as their roles were weak. But where it scores heavily is in the social commentary on social media and Remote Administration Tools. Years ago the worry was of Big Brother watching your every move, now in 2017 the worry of The Intrusions is of those dodgy individuals covertly watching you from afar. I think this novel is a good read, there are novels with better characterisations and plots but The Intrusions is very thought provoking about the way our society has progressed, so it is 4 stars from me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Faber & Faber giving me a copy of this book on the understanding that I provide an honest review.
September 28, 2016
The Intrusions is a joy to read even through the fear (switches computer off, deletes all social media never uses a credit card again fear) because as usual for this particular author it is so beautifully written both in style and substance that the world just goes away.
I’ve loved all the books but I am particularly fond of the Carrigan and Miller series because of the beautifully flawed, memorable characters – and I’m not just talking about the main pair here – the gritty yet gorgeous realism ingrained into the storytelling and the fascinating, socially relevant subject matters covered. In the case of The Intrusions my eyes were opened to many many things and this one kept me up at night. Is still keeping me up at night. Will probably keep me up at night for a while.
Its not always about the crime when you read a crime book – not with the good ones anyway and oh boy is this a good one – but often about what lies beneath the crime – within the people, victims and others, a kind of peeling back of the layers of humanity, something which Stav Sherez does all too well. Razor sharp and brilliantly insightful, The Intrusions will take you to the dark side, a place that is sadly all too real.
The plot twists unexpectedly without having to shout about it, the characters who we know progress down an ever more challenging path, the ending is subtle but stunning in its impact and the entire thing is just a little bit epic. That was my smallest childs word by the way – I asked him how he would describe something that he thought was one of the best things ever – his answer, “that was epic”
The Intrusions
That was epic…
I’ve loved all the books but I am particularly fond of the Carrigan and Miller series because of the beautifully flawed, memorable characters – and I’m not just talking about the main pair here – the gritty yet gorgeous realism ingrained into the storytelling and the fascinating, socially relevant subject matters covered. In the case of The Intrusions my eyes were opened to many many things and this one kept me up at night. Is still keeping me up at night. Will probably keep me up at night for a while.
Its not always about the crime when you read a crime book – not with the good ones anyway and oh boy is this a good one – but often about what lies beneath the crime – within the people, victims and others, a kind of peeling back of the layers of humanity, something which Stav Sherez does all too well. Razor sharp and brilliantly insightful, The Intrusions will take you to the dark side, a place that is sadly all too real.
The plot twists unexpectedly without having to shout about it, the characters who we know progress down an ever more challenging path, the ending is subtle but stunning in its impact and the entire thing is just a little bit epic. That was my smallest childs word by the way – I asked him how he would describe something that he thought was one of the best things ever – his answer, “that was epic”
The Intrusions
That was epic…
February 7, 2017
The Intrusions – A Slick Thriller
Stav Sherez has brought back detectives DI Carrigan and DS Miller in The Intrusions and what we get is a slick, modern thriller that always has an unexpected twist at the end. I am always impressed with Sherez’s thrillers in that they are modern in setting and challenging our current knowledge, while the belief in justice shines through.
We see two back packers that are resident in one of Bayswater’s hostels drinking in a local club, both share a drink, but they both have different outcomes. Both are tripping and really do not know what is happening to them or where they are, one makes it back to the hostel, the other disappears without a trace. Madison who does manage to get back to the hostel, reports that her friend Anna has been taken, but she seems to be high and causing chaos in the Police Station reception when she knocks over and lands on top of Miller.
Carrigan has his own problems, Superintendent Branch has him in his office telling him that he has a whole host of problems of his own making. He points out that it doesn’t matter how successful Carrigan is at solving cases, his last one had over stepped the mark, and that ACC Quinn wants his job and pension, and if possible a prison sentence for Carrigan.
When back in his office and Miller is telling him about Madison and his lost friend he allows her to investigate just so he can have a quiet life. Even though he is convinced that Anna is just another drugged up back packer who will turn up once they have sobered up. While Miller is off on a wild goose chase a murder case lands in his lap, rather gruesome but he can tell the scene has been staged for the police.
It is when Miller sees the picture she realises that they are investigating the same crime and as they dig further they find that other than the hostel there seems to be no links whatsoever to the murderer and Anna. As they dig in to the life of Anna and her use of social media networks, they become aware of a new sort of stalking, ratting, which means a hacker can take control of another person’s computer and in essence their life.
The more they dig in to the case the deep in to a very dark world of online stalking as well as a mix of drugs that could give a person a trip they may never remember. As the case develops they realise that something that happened on a trip to Bali is the key to the murder and abduction but will they be able to find it in time?
What we get with Stav Sherez’s The Intrusions is a slick thriller that is a reflection of modern life and asking do we know how to prevent our own computers safe from a determined hacker? We see that once again the police procedures are out dated in the modern world leaving the police always one or two steps behind where technology is concerned.
What we get is an exciting, well researched thriller that could be happening right now to someone’s daughter who is backpacking around the world. This really is the unseen, mostly ignored part of life that is covered in the book and Sherez is shining a very bright light in to the darkness. A thoroughly modern thriller that will keep you gripped from beginning to end, a book I cannot recommend highly enough.
Stav Sherez has brought back detectives DI Carrigan and DS Miller in The Intrusions and what we get is a slick, modern thriller that always has an unexpected twist at the end. I am always impressed with Sherez’s thrillers in that they are modern in setting and challenging our current knowledge, while the belief in justice shines through.
We see two back packers that are resident in one of Bayswater’s hostels drinking in a local club, both share a drink, but they both have different outcomes. Both are tripping and really do not know what is happening to them or where they are, one makes it back to the hostel, the other disappears without a trace. Madison who does manage to get back to the hostel, reports that her friend Anna has been taken, but she seems to be high and causing chaos in the Police Station reception when she knocks over and lands on top of Miller.
Carrigan has his own problems, Superintendent Branch has him in his office telling him that he has a whole host of problems of his own making. He points out that it doesn’t matter how successful Carrigan is at solving cases, his last one had over stepped the mark, and that ACC Quinn wants his job and pension, and if possible a prison sentence for Carrigan.
When back in his office and Miller is telling him about Madison and his lost friend he allows her to investigate just so he can have a quiet life. Even though he is convinced that Anna is just another drugged up back packer who will turn up once they have sobered up. While Miller is off on a wild goose chase a murder case lands in his lap, rather gruesome but he can tell the scene has been staged for the police.
It is when Miller sees the picture she realises that they are investigating the same crime and as they dig further they find that other than the hostel there seems to be no links whatsoever to the murderer and Anna. As they dig in to the life of Anna and her use of social media networks, they become aware of a new sort of stalking, ratting, which means a hacker can take control of another person’s computer and in essence their life.
The more they dig in to the case the deep in to a very dark world of online stalking as well as a mix of drugs that could give a person a trip they may never remember. As the case develops they realise that something that happened on a trip to Bali is the key to the murder and abduction but will they be able to find it in time?
What we get with Stav Sherez’s The Intrusions is a slick thriller that is a reflection of modern life and asking do we know how to prevent our own computers safe from a determined hacker? We see that once again the police procedures are out dated in the modern world leaving the police always one or two steps behind where technology is concerned.
What we get is an exciting, well researched thriller that could be happening right now to someone’s daughter who is backpacking around the world. This really is the unseen, mostly ignored part of life that is covered in the book and Sherez is shining a very bright light in to the darkness. A thoroughly modern thriller that will keep you gripped from beginning to end, a book I cannot recommend highly enough.
September 11, 2018
The Intrusions is book three in the Carrigan and Miller series by Stav Sherez. Detective Sergeant Geneva Miller was walking through the reception hall of the police station when Madison Carter grabbed her asking for help to find her friend. At first, no one believed Madison until her friend Anna Becker was found murdered. The readers of "The Intrusions" will go on a roller coaster ride with Detective Sergeant Geneva Miller and Detective Inspector Jack Carrigan to find the killer of Madison Carter.
"The Intrusions" is the first book I have read of Stav Sherez and as always I read a series, not in the correct order. However, "The Intrusions" is a fantastic book to read, and I was glued to my chair until I turn the last page. "The Intrusions" was well written and researched by Stav Sherez, and it did disserve winning the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Award 2018 for Crime Novel of the year. The plot is fast moving, and you never know what going to happen next until you turn the next page. The portrayal of the characters of "The Intrusions" was done well by Stav Sherez, and I like the way they intertwine with each other. The conclusion of "The Intrusions" was a big surprise to me.
The readers of "The Intrusions" will learn about law enforcement procedures and investigations in London. Also, the readers of "The Intrusions" will start to understand the problems that law enforcement have to control cyberbullying. "The Intrusions" highlights that everyone needs to be more concise with our cybersecurity.
I recommend this book.
"The Intrusions" is the first book I have read of Stav Sherez and as always I read a series, not in the correct order. However, "The Intrusions" is a fantastic book to read, and I was glued to my chair until I turn the last page. "The Intrusions" was well written and researched by Stav Sherez, and it did disserve winning the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Award 2018 for Crime Novel of the year. The plot is fast moving, and you never know what going to happen next until you turn the next page. The portrayal of the characters of "The Intrusions" was done well by Stav Sherez, and I like the way they intertwine with each other. The conclusion of "The Intrusions" was a big surprise to me.
The readers of "The Intrusions" will learn about law enforcement procedures and investigations in London. Also, the readers of "The Intrusions" will start to understand the problems that law enforcement have to control cyberbullying. "The Intrusions" highlights that everyone needs to be more concise with our cybersecurity.
I recommend this book.
January 12, 2017
I would like to thank Netgalley and Faber and Faber for an advance copy of The Intrusions, the third London based police procedural featuring DI Jack Carrigan and DS Geneva Miller.
Carrigan is under investigation for some illegal activities he undertook during his last investigation (Eleven Days) and his mother is in a coma but he puts these worries to one side when a new case comes in. In the meantime Miller is mulling over the reported disappearance of Anna Becker, a backpacker who was drugged and abducted from a local nightclub. The problem is that her friend, Madison, is high as a kite when she reports it and nobody can believe the word of someone under the influence of drugs, unless you are Miller. Their investigations take them into a world of online stalking, trolling and ratting (it was new to me too).
The Intrusions is a well constructed novel with a good plot. The downside for me was the technical discussions about the dark web and its activities which I have zero interest in. Fortunately it's not as techie as some books I have read recently but it is infinitely more scary and I may never turn a webcam on again if even half of what Mr Sherez describes is possible. I like the linearity of the plot with each discovery opening more lines of enquiry and the third person narrative giving Carrigan and Miller's points of view with no dipping into the perpetrator's mind making it a proper old fashioned novel with modern content. I like the contrast.
The plot itself is, on the whole, good with some unexpected twists but Carrigan and Miller are very slow to pick up on the perpetrator's motivation when all the signposts are there, in spades. I did find myself saying "for goodness sake" a couple of times when they don't see the obvious but it still held my interest.
I like Carrigan and Miller as characters, both are smart and dedicated but I don't feel I got a really good sense of them in this novel. There is too much going on to get any depth on them.
I enjoyed The Intrusions which is very readable with an easy to follow but not simplistic plot and have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.
Carrigan is under investigation for some illegal activities he undertook during his last investigation (Eleven Days) and his mother is in a coma but he puts these worries to one side when a new case comes in. In the meantime Miller is mulling over the reported disappearance of Anna Becker, a backpacker who was drugged and abducted from a local nightclub. The problem is that her friend, Madison, is high as a kite when she reports it and nobody can believe the word of someone under the influence of drugs, unless you are Miller. Their investigations take them into a world of online stalking, trolling and ratting (it was new to me too).
The Intrusions is a well constructed novel with a good plot. The downside for me was the technical discussions about the dark web and its activities which I have zero interest in. Fortunately it's not as techie as some books I have read recently but it is infinitely more scary and I may never turn a webcam on again if even half of what Mr Sherez describes is possible. I like the linearity of the plot with each discovery opening more lines of enquiry and the third person narrative giving Carrigan and Miller's points of view with no dipping into the perpetrator's mind making it a proper old fashioned novel with modern content. I like the contrast.
The plot itself is, on the whole, good with some unexpected twists but Carrigan and Miller are very slow to pick up on the perpetrator's motivation when all the signposts are there, in spades. I did find myself saying "for goodness sake" a couple of times when they don't see the obvious but it still held my interest.
I like Carrigan and Miller as characters, both are smart and dedicated but I don't feel I got a really good sense of them in this novel. There is too much going on to get any depth on them.
I enjoyed The Intrusions which is very readable with an easy to follow but not simplistic plot and have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.
November 3, 2017
Ah Stav Sherez you've done it again. You've given us another twisty, convoluted mystery - just the way I like them. The events in this book test both Carrigan and Miller to the limit.
Carrigan is facing big trouble from Professional Standards for some of his actions in the previous case (detailed in the book Eleven Days). But murder waits for no one. The body of a young woman is found in an abandoned house. She has died of exsanguination, the killer cut her jugular precisely and she was posed after death.
The woman had been staying at a hostel in London so that is where the detectives start their inquiries. They find some puzzling evidence and are told of another hostel resident who had gone missing. They also learn that both women had been stalked and tormented online before disappearing. The investigation starts to focus on this online activity. This part was very disturbing, if any of it was real it appears to be frighteningly easy to destroy someone from your laptop. Hmm, I have since covered up my webcam!!
Clearly the story is going to get more complex and twisty and you have no idea who the sick puppy killer is. The plot twists come thick and fast and you never know what is going to happen next. This was another very clever thriller from Sherez. The ending, I hope, paves the way for another episode. I'll be keenly looking out for it as I'm loving this series.
Carrigan is facing big trouble from Professional Standards for some of his actions in the previous case (detailed in the book Eleven Days). But murder waits for no one. The body of a young woman is found in an abandoned house. She has died of exsanguination, the killer cut her jugular precisely and she was posed after death.
The woman had been staying at a hostel in London so that is where the detectives start their inquiries. They find some puzzling evidence and are told of another hostel resident who had gone missing. They also learn that both women had been stalked and tormented online before disappearing. The investigation starts to focus on this online activity. This part was very disturbing, if any of it was real it appears to be frighteningly easy to destroy someone from your laptop. Hmm, I have since covered up my webcam!!
Clearly the story is going to get more complex and twisty and you have no idea who the sick puppy killer is. The plot twists come thick and fast and you never know what is going to happen next. This was another very clever thriller from Sherez. The ending, I hope, paves the way for another episode. I'll be keenly looking out for it as I'm loving this series.
February 17, 2017
Visit the locations if you dare:Intrusions in Baywater
I am now officially traumatised. The end of the prologue in particular will ever stay in my mind. As will most other moments this novel throws at you.
The premise is haunting, the setting the darkest dankest corners of Bayswater in London and some of the punchiest, panic inducing set ups since time began. Haha yes and there are some sick people out there wandering about London's streets if this novel is anything to go by.
This grabbed me as more than your regular crime thriller though as it was an onion of a novel - if I can liken a novel to a vegetable - with each layer came another one of intrigue and mystery. I felt I was getting closer to the central truth but the stench of evil was getting ever stronger. My eyes were stinging, my hands felt dirty....now this is one immersive experience isn't it?
The cover is suitably haunting and Stav Sherez is definitely a skilled writer you need on your TBR pile - at the top.
I am now officially traumatised. The end of the prologue in particular will ever stay in my mind. As will most other moments this novel throws at you.
The premise is haunting, the setting the darkest dankest corners of Bayswater in London and some of the punchiest, panic inducing set ups since time began. Haha yes and there are some sick people out there wandering about London's streets if this novel is anything to go by.
This grabbed me as more than your regular crime thriller though as it was an onion of a novel - if I can liken a novel to a vegetable - with each layer came another one of intrigue and mystery. I felt I was getting closer to the central truth but the stench of evil was getting ever stronger. My eyes were stinging, my hands felt dirty....now this is one immersive experience isn't it?
The cover is suitably haunting and Stav Sherez is definitely a skilled writer you need on your TBR pile - at the top.
April 21, 2017
If you haven't yet read Stav Sherez, do yourself a favour: go to your favorite bookstore and grab a copy of one of his books today. Even though this is the third in his excellent series starring police detectives Carrigan and Miller, Sherez isn't your standard police procedural series author. He writes literary crime thrillers with a joyfully dark heart, which just happen to involve police investigators.
Sherez beautifully entwines style and substance in his crime novels, delivering some heft without disrupting a smooth, page-turning narrative. There's a crackle to his prose, a viewpoint and voice that's a little distinct, and overall is just a pleasure to read (despite creepy subject matter).
Technology is all pervasive nowadays - we don't have to worry about George Orwell's idea of an autocracy watching every move of its citizenship - we've pretty much done it to ourselves, by choice.
Sherez taps into that reality in THE INTRUSIONS with a criminal who uses technology to stalk and terrorise his victims, remotely taking over their lives. DI Carrigan is facing stark consequences for his past actions: his job, and even his freedom, are in jeopardy. An old nemesis is gleefully looking to drop the guillotine. Meanwhile DS Miller interviews a drugged up backpacker making wild claims.
In terms of creepiness, THE INTRUSIONS is at the level of freezing fingers down your spine tale on a pitch-black night when you think you're all alone in an abandoned house, miles from help. Sherez has a real talent for subtly building a fear-drenched atmosphere. Similarly, his tales have plenty of twists and page-turning drive, while never shouting about it. There's a lovely balance - the novel hurtles along but you feel it's a substantial, richly layered story that has plenty to say too.
The first two Carrigan and Miller novels were shortlisted for the prestigious Theakston's Crime Novel of the Year Award. Given the excellence of THE INTRUSIONS, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Sherez wowed the judges even more this time around. Very highly recommended.
Sherez beautifully entwines style and substance in his crime novels, delivering some heft without disrupting a smooth, page-turning narrative. There's a crackle to his prose, a viewpoint and voice that's a little distinct, and overall is just a pleasure to read (despite creepy subject matter).
Technology is all pervasive nowadays - we don't have to worry about George Orwell's idea of an autocracy watching every move of its citizenship - we've pretty much done it to ourselves, by choice.
Sherez taps into that reality in THE INTRUSIONS with a criminal who uses technology to stalk and terrorise his victims, remotely taking over their lives. DI Carrigan is facing stark consequences for his past actions: his job, and even his freedom, are in jeopardy. An old nemesis is gleefully looking to drop the guillotine. Meanwhile DS Miller interviews a drugged up backpacker making wild claims.
In terms of creepiness, THE INTRUSIONS is at the level of freezing fingers down your spine tale on a pitch-black night when you think you're all alone in an abandoned house, miles from help. Sherez has a real talent for subtly building a fear-drenched atmosphere. Similarly, his tales have plenty of twists and page-turning drive, while never shouting about it. There's a lovely balance - the novel hurtles along but you feel it's a substantial, richly layered story that has plenty to say too.
The first two Carrigan and Miller novels were shortlisted for the prestigious Theakston's Crime Novel of the Year Award. Given the excellence of THE INTRUSIONS, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Sherez wowed the judges even more this time around. Very highly recommended.
December 31, 2018
Excellent, fully deserves the award.
Now on to the first two in the series!
Now on to the first two in the series!
December 3, 2020
I have rounded my review up to 3.5 stars. This is the first book I have read by this author. It is a well plotted book that raised disturbing issues about our cyber and technological interactions on social media and beyond. DS Miller interviews a distraught and hysterical young woman, Madison Carter,who claims that her friend Anna Becker has been drugged and kidnapped during a girls night out. Although Madison is clearly under the influence of drugs herself, DS Miller senses that there may be some substance to Madison’s statements. Her partner, DI Carrigan is more skeptical and is reluctant to pursue the complaint. Madison, however, is soon discovered as the victim of a disturbing murder. Thus the two detectives are immersed in a perplexing trail of clues involving cyber bullying and Remote Access Technology.
The unraveling of this mystery underscores the compromises our society makes in embracing modern technology. We have unimagined convenience and connectivity to the whole world. The trade off is a sacrifice of personal privacy. This book illustrates the extremes that this sacrifice entails and pushes the limits to frightening and dark areas that might give us chills.
The narrative is never slow and accelerates about halfway through the book. While the mystery was intriguing, I had difficulty embracing the two detectives. I suspect that part of my inability to bond with them arises from not having read the first two books in the series. The author gives snippets of the detectives’ back story throughout the book. However, for me, these snippets were not enough to enable me to synthesize their emotional hot spots and instead presented a distraction from the plotting.
Nevertheless, I did enjoy the book and was interested in the societal issues it raised. I just wanted a slight bit more.
The unraveling of this mystery underscores the compromises our society makes in embracing modern technology. We have unimagined convenience and connectivity to the whole world. The trade off is a sacrifice of personal privacy. This book illustrates the extremes that this sacrifice entails and pushes the limits to frightening and dark areas that might give us chills.
The narrative is never slow and accelerates about halfway through the book. While the mystery was intriguing, I had difficulty embracing the two detectives. I suspect that part of my inability to bond with them arises from not having read the first two books in the series. The author gives snippets of the detectives’ back story throughout the book. However, for me, these snippets were not enough to enable me to synthesize their emotional hot spots and instead presented a distraction from the plotting.
Nevertheless, I did enjoy the book and was interested in the societal issues it raised. I just wanted a slight bit more.
September 25, 2018
What a gem of a find. I’d never heard of Stav Sherez until I read that his novel The Intrusions was awarded the 2018 Theakston Old Peculier (yes, that’s how you spell it) Crime Novel Award. Lee Child, who is the chair of judges for this top crime fiction award in the UK, said of this winner: “a brilliant and organic blend of ancient terror and suspense with modern issues as its core.”
Indeed. The antagonist in this fast-moving, superbly-paced procedural uses a specific form of cyberstalking to track his victims. It’s called “ratting” which is how hackers gain access to laptops or other devices by tricking individuals into clicking on links that contain malware.
Having gained access, the perpetrator of the “intrusions” in this novel is able to spy on his victims through their laptop cameras and microphone jacks before luring them to locations where he kidnaps them before eventually murdering them.
This is a clever, solidly-told mystery with two terrific characters as lead detectives, Jack Carrigan and Geneva Miller who are both saddled with personal problems that most middle-aged readers will recognize and with which they will instantly empathize. The fact that this novel is the third in the Carrigan & Miller series does not mean it can’t be read as a stand -alone. However, if you’re like me, you’ll be looking to go back and read the first two in the series, fairly soon.
Oh, and if you’re really like me, you’ll be sticking tape and/or bandaids over your laptop and iPad cameras. Immediately.
Indeed. The antagonist in this fast-moving, superbly-paced procedural uses a specific form of cyberstalking to track his victims. It’s called “ratting” which is how hackers gain access to laptops or other devices by tricking individuals into clicking on links that contain malware.
Having gained access, the perpetrator of the “intrusions” in this novel is able to spy on his victims through their laptop cameras and microphone jacks before luring them to locations where he kidnaps them before eventually murdering them.
This is a clever, solidly-told mystery with two terrific characters as lead detectives, Jack Carrigan and Geneva Miller who are both saddled with personal problems that most middle-aged readers will recognize and with which they will instantly empathize. The fact that this novel is the third in the Carrigan & Miller series does not mean it can’t be read as a stand -alone. However, if you’re like me, you’ll be looking to go back and read the first two in the series, fairly soon.
Oh, and if you’re really like me, you’ll be sticking tape and/or bandaids over your laptop and iPad cameras. Immediately.
June 26, 2022
Пойду-ка я, пожалуй, заклею веб-камеру пластырем.
March 5, 2017
The Instrusions is the third novel in the Carrigan and Miller series. Unlike the first two, which had strong political foci, this outing is a more straightforward police procedural tale that pits the wits of the two main protagonists against a serial killer preying on female backpackers and also their bosses. At first it seems that Sherez has strayed from the political edginess that set the series apart into typical crime fiction cliché territory. However, the novelty in the tale is the contemporary nature of how the killer stalks and intimidates his victims through the internet, initially without them even realising their lives have been captured, and then ensnares them in a nightmare world of psychotropic drugs that lengthens time and heightens awareness of their suffering. Sherez uses this scenario to great effect, creating a high-tension, psychological drama that has the reader sitting on the edge of their seat. The result is shocking, gripping, and scares as much for the tale as the possibilities for how such stalking could affect the reader in real-life. While there are a couple of twists, the storyline got a little linear towards the end I felt, and while tense the tale ended quite quickly. Nonetheless, The Intrusions is another strong addition to what is becoming one of my favourite series.
August 2, 2018
This won this year's 'Theakston's' award for best crime novel. Having read the previous two in the series and been vaguely disappointed with each, I decided to read this one. I must be missing something, as it just reads like a run of the mill thriller to me. I certainly found it more interesting than the previous two books but still cannot understand why Stav Sherez is rated so highly. 'The Intrusions' is very well written: the plot is topical and well researched; the narrative has pace. But, once one small piece of information is given - no spoliers - the plot becomes clear and the denouement is again a 'wim-jep' situation. The book would not have made a bad 80s slasher movie, such is the flimsiness of the final reveal.
February 1, 2017
I read this one very quickly: the transient backpacker population and the online stalking really got to me. I thought I had grown sick of the serial killer meme in fiction, but this is a very different twist on it. I don't know if I'll ever be able to go online again without panicking slightly.
Side note: I'd love to find out more about Geneva's poetry - or read her mother's.
Side note: I'd love to find out more about Geneva's poetry - or read her mother's.
March 9, 2018
I recently finished reading The Intrusions by Stav Sherez and can confirm that I am now totally freaked out. This is normally the point where I say, ‘but in a good way’. However, I’m not all that sure that being *this* freaked out and a tad too nervous to log on to the internet is, in any way, a good thing or how it could be seen ‘in a good way’. I am of course jesting (a little) and I’m not really worried (well, maybe a smidge). Flipping heck!
The Intrusions is the third book in the Carrigan and Miller series and the first book I have read by author Stav Sherez. Going into a series part way through doesn’t really worry me too much these days. If the author in question is worth their salt then they should be able to plug any cavernous holes in the story for a new reader and, if anything, tempt you into wanting to read all previous instalments. Which is exactly what Sherez has done.
Within a few pages, I had fallen a little bit in love with gutsy, plucky DS Geneva Miller. Shortly after I was introduced to DI Jack Carrigan and knew that this book, this particular partnership, was something I was going to very much enjoy. I didn’t have the same instant affection for Carrigan, that built throughout the course of the book but I did like him – thanks to his somewhat reckless methods of getting an arrest during his last big case.
DS Miller is in the wrong place at the wrong time (or maybe it’s the right time). Making her way through the station’s reception area a young, distraught woman catches her attention. Madison claims that her friend, Anna, has been drugged and taken by a man in a van. Madison herself acts as though she under the influence of something and makes little to no sense during the interview. But DS Miller believes what she’s been told and wants to investigate. Before long, the team are thrown into a world they have very little knowledge of. A world where you’re watched from the moment you wake. A world where your life isn’t really your own.
The themes in The Intrusions chilled me to my very core. An incredibly compulsive read and one that will stay with me for time to come. I loved how the author leads you down one path, where you’re as flummoxed as his detectives and then totally turns the tables on you. I had a wild stab in the dark at one point, pinning my suspicions on one character. Only for those suspicions to be confirmed later on in the story. That certainly didn’t take any enjoyment away from the story for me. And even if you do take a lucky punt like me, there are still plenty of shocks and surprises to come.
Before I conclude this review, a word of advice for you. Find a post-it note, or find some blu-tack and stick it over the camera on your device. Really, this is something you WANT to do.
Would I recommend this book? Oh yes, I would. It’s a thrilling, frightening read which will make you think about the time you spend online, and who you are spending it with. The final chapter blew me away with its nail-biting intensity. And that epilogue…WOAH! I am thrilled to have discovered Stav Sherez’s writing. I think this is the start of a long and happy relationship.
Five out of five stars.
I chose to read and review a copy of The Intrusions. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.
The Intrusions is the third book in the Carrigan and Miller series and the first book I have read by author Stav Sherez. Going into a series part way through doesn’t really worry me too much these days. If the author in question is worth their salt then they should be able to plug any cavernous holes in the story for a new reader and, if anything, tempt you into wanting to read all previous instalments. Which is exactly what Sherez has done.
Within a few pages, I had fallen a little bit in love with gutsy, plucky DS Geneva Miller. Shortly after I was introduced to DI Jack Carrigan and knew that this book, this particular partnership, was something I was going to very much enjoy. I didn’t have the same instant affection for Carrigan, that built throughout the course of the book but I did like him – thanks to his somewhat reckless methods of getting an arrest during his last big case.
DS Miller is in the wrong place at the wrong time (or maybe it’s the right time). Making her way through the station’s reception area a young, distraught woman catches her attention. Madison claims that her friend, Anna, has been drugged and taken by a man in a van. Madison herself acts as though she under the influence of something and makes little to no sense during the interview. But DS Miller believes what she’s been told and wants to investigate. Before long, the team are thrown into a world they have very little knowledge of. A world where you’re watched from the moment you wake. A world where your life isn’t really your own.
The themes in The Intrusions chilled me to my very core. An incredibly compulsive read and one that will stay with me for time to come. I loved how the author leads you down one path, where you’re as flummoxed as his detectives and then totally turns the tables on you. I had a wild stab in the dark at one point, pinning my suspicions on one character. Only for those suspicions to be confirmed later on in the story. That certainly didn’t take any enjoyment away from the story for me. And even if you do take a lucky punt like me, there are still plenty of shocks and surprises to come.
Before I conclude this review, a word of advice for you. Find a post-it note, or find some blu-tack and stick it over the camera on your device. Really, this is something you WANT to do.
Would I recommend this book? Oh yes, I would. It’s a thrilling, frightening read which will make you think about the time you spend online, and who you are spending it with. The final chapter blew me away with its nail-biting intensity. And that epilogue…WOAH! I am thrilled to have discovered Stav Sherez’s writing. I think this is the start of a long and happy relationship.
Five out of five stars.
I chose to read and review a copy of The Intrusions. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.
August 10, 2018
It’s always a bit of an event for me to try a new author. I am stuck in my ways in some respects and always fall to tried and true authors, especially if I am buying a book. I like to think I have been lucky as there are very few books I have read that I don’t like, and nearly all the new to me authors have been fabulous. This is no exception. I have heard of Stav Sherez and when he won the Theakston Crime novel of the year award at Harrogate with this book. I thought I would give it a go. My verdict is it’s a fantastic read. I read a lot of the same genre and sometimes the characters and situations all blend into one another, so it’s wonderful to read a well written different slant on the crime novel. Great characters, and as this isn’t the first in the series I am pleased to have others to read.
Detectives Carrigan and Miller are a good team, both have back stories that I look forward to exploring.
The subject of this book is truly terrifying and although fiction I am 100% sure it is happening now everywhere. Girls are being watched on line, there are thousands of people who can watch them, and the victims are unaware as they don’t know their computers and laptops have been hacked. It seems the deep dark web is a real thing and what the future holds for the next generation is unthinkable.
The girls in the story are watched, trolled, harassed then injected with a cocktail of drugs so that they don’t know what is the day time hour, where they are or what’s happened to them. When one of them is found dead carrigan and miller investigate and discover they are up against a highly intelligent and ruthless killer.
Detectives Carrigan and Miller are a good team, both have back stories that I look forward to exploring.
The subject of this book is truly terrifying and although fiction I am 100% sure it is happening now everywhere. Girls are being watched on line, there are thousands of people who can watch them, and the victims are unaware as they don’t know their computers and laptops have been hacked. It seems the deep dark web is a real thing and what the future holds for the next generation is unthinkable.
The girls in the story are watched, trolled, harassed then injected with a cocktail of drugs so that they don’t know what is the day time hour, where they are or what’s happened to them. When one of them is found dead carrigan and miller investigate and discover they are up against a highly intelligent and ruthless killer.
April 30, 2018
Third in a series of police procedural novels allowed the further development of the two officers as they investigate the horrible abduction and killing of a young woman living hostel life in London .
The story shifts into a the intrusiveness of the computer, laptop and phone and the idea of being stalked via your device , and a community of ratters , individuals selling access to peoples computers thus allowing them to be watched totally unawares- very creepy.
Added to this Carrigan is under investigation internally for actions he took in the last book .
It was a real page turner as we got to the end although I felt surprisingly that the last 30 pages were rushed and this book could have been 50 pages longer which would have made it more satisfying .
the ending also left me desperate for the next book as something was left hanging .
The story shifts into a the intrusiveness of the computer, laptop and phone and the idea of being stalked via your device , and a community of ratters , individuals selling access to peoples computers thus allowing them to be watched totally unawares- very creepy.
Added to this Carrigan is under investigation internally for actions he took in the last book .
It was a real page turner as we got to the end although I felt surprisingly that the last 30 pages were rushed and this book could have been 50 pages longer which would have made it more satisfying .
the ending also left me desperate for the next book as something was left hanging .
August 27, 2020
Young women are being drugged, abducted, tortured and murdered by a serial killer, all seemingly unrelated. But, these women had something in common and clues were found in a photograph where all of the victims are in it. The killings were for revenge. But what? Carrigan and Geneva investigate the case which takes them to a hostel and employment agency for clues. This is the third in a series by Stav Sherez, ending in a cliff hanger. Will Carrigan go to jail for conducting an illegal search in the second book? This reader thinks so. Have enjoyed reading all three books
June 23, 2018
A brilliant intense thriller which quite rightly gets compared to Prime Suspect. I was gripped from the start to the very end. Word of warning don’t read the prologue just before you’re about to turn your light off and go to sleep 😱 although that was one ways to grab my attention in the first 10 pages!
Trigger warning for online stalking and violence against women.
Trigger warning for online stalking and violence against women.
March 19, 2019
A well written and gripping story but unfortunately the plot seemed a little unoriginal. So three stars rather than four.
February 13, 2021
Läst svenska utgåvan, Intrång
February 15, 2017
The Intrusions gripped me. Totally, completely hooked me from the outset. I read it in three sittings and each time I had to put down the book (to go and do the day job) I was counting down the minutes until the time when I could pick it up and begin reading again.
What made matters worse was that when I found out what the Intrusions from the title actually were I became more than a little freaked out. Not only was I dying to get back to reading, I was obsessing slightly about plot threads from the story and looking around my environment wondering if there were reasons to worry!
Cryptic? Sorry but once you read the book you will understand why…it is a chilling idea but I have no doubt it is happening all around us.
The Intrusions was my first introduction to Stav Sheraz’s books and there were references to previous stories featuring the lead characters (Carrigan and Miller). Sometimes that can be a frustration for a new reader but in this case I found myself on several occasions thinking “I MUST go back and read the earlier books” as the backstory sounds superb.
The Intrusions begins with an abduction but it is not long before events will spiral into a much bigger challenge for the police. I particularly enjoyed how well the investigation was presented by the author, I really felt I was tracking their footsteps as they hunted down leads. Not every police thriller can capture the sense of urgency and pressure of an active investigation but, as I indicated above, I was gripped.
Without doubt one of the best books I have read for many months and a story I am recommending to anyone that will listen. Do not miss The Intrusions.
What made matters worse was that when I found out what the Intrusions from the title actually were I became more than a little freaked out. Not only was I dying to get back to reading, I was obsessing slightly about plot threads from the story and looking around my environment wondering if there were reasons to worry!
Cryptic? Sorry but once you read the book you will understand why…it is a chilling idea but I have no doubt it is happening all around us.
The Intrusions was my first introduction to Stav Sheraz’s books and there were references to previous stories featuring the lead characters (Carrigan and Miller). Sometimes that can be a frustration for a new reader but in this case I found myself on several occasions thinking “I MUST go back and read the earlier books” as the backstory sounds superb.
The Intrusions begins with an abduction but it is not long before events will spiral into a much bigger challenge for the police. I particularly enjoyed how well the investigation was presented by the author, I really felt I was tracking their footsteps as they hunted down leads. Not every police thriller can capture the sense of urgency and pressure of an active investigation but, as I indicated above, I was gripped.
Without doubt one of the best books I have read for many months and a story I am recommending to anyone that will listen. Do not miss The Intrusions.
February 3, 2024
This is an intelligent, well written book, with a steady pace and develops so that it keeps you interested. I like police procedural books and this does not disappoint. It describes the detectives train of thought so you come to similar conclusions as them.
The only reason it is not a 5 is that I found the subject matter disturbing; stalking, rape, murder of vulnerable young ladies. It feels only too real which makes it more disturbing. I have 3 daughters, a daughter in law, nieces and granddaughters so I went to bed at night thinking what if it happened to them. That said I liked the characters as well. I would have liked to know more about them but maybe if I had read the first two I would have done. I might read other books by this author if they aren’t too dark.
October 21, 2018
2.5 stars.
This was another book club book and so not one I'd chosen to read myself. Despite that, I was intrigued by the blurb on the back and thought I'd rather enjoy it. While there were parts that were quite good, overall it was rather disappointing for a number of reasons.
First off, it was rather predictable. While I was not able to see every twist coming, there were enough to make it rather predictable after the first part of the investigation. The Madison twist for instance, I saw that coming miles away and while there was an excuse used at one point to explain why Geneva couldn't contact her, it was then conveniently dropped so the twist wouldn't come out too soon. This convenience occurred a few times, always working in favour of the author being able to 'surprise' the reader. It would have been far better if a little more effort was put into making the twists less obvious, then convenience wouldn't have been necessary.
Secondly, the writing was not great. While it may have been good enough to vanish if the story were captivating enough, that was not the case here. There were a number of different problems from sentences being unclear enough that they had to be read more than once, to the author slipping into the wrong character's head. What I mean with the latter is that in different chapters we were told from different character's pov, but every so often Stav would slip and we'd get a few lines from a different character's point of view. There were also several times where I was completely incapable of picturing a scene as it had been so poorly described (or done in a way which wasn't physically possible!). This was particularly aggravating in the penultimate scene where the bad guy appeared out of nowhere to suddenly be in the room and the subsequent fight scene which was impossible to follow.
Next, this book was improperly passed off as a regular serial crime novel series. The type where while there are several books written about the same characters you can just drop into any and read the book without having to have read the previous ones. While I generally still do not read those out of order, it is possible to do so if you hadn't realized when buying the book or you're stuck somewhere and that's all there is. This book was marketed as such with no warnings that it was the 3rd in a series which had to be read in order. And it did because Stav did an appaling job of letting new readers know the background being worked with and several important elements from the previous books were vital to this one but were poorly or not at all explained, leaving me floundering and guessing as to what certain things were about. This book also ends with what should be a cliffhanger (if you care enough about the characters), which again is not something which should happen if the book isn't specifically marked as being one in a continuous series.
Finally we have the way Stav chose to divide up the time spent on different bits. We have a lot of thought and pages on things which aren't really relevant for this book but set-up for the next one and then not nearly enough on the actual important bits of the case. The ending for instance was rushed to the point of implausibility with things conveniently falling into place for characters who couldn't add 2 and 2 to get 4 earlier in the book. And then the epiologue happens right when I wanted more about what had just happened, skipping past all kinds of things and hardly even acknowledging them.
The whole thing with characters suddenly knowing things or figuring them out whereas before they couldn't particularly annoyed me as it happened right when one character was supposed to be at their most incapacitated. As I said, convenient and hopelessly implausible.
Altogether not a book I'd recommend despite some intriguing ideas which could have been great if handled well.
This was another book club book and so not one I'd chosen to read myself. Despite that, I was intrigued by the blurb on the back and thought I'd rather enjoy it. While there were parts that were quite good, overall it was rather disappointing for a number of reasons.
First off, it was rather predictable. While I was not able to see every twist coming, there were enough to make it rather predictable after the first part of the investigation. The Madison twist for instance, I saw that coming miles away and while there was an excuse used at one point to explain why Geneva couldn't contact her, it was then conveniently dropped so the twist wouldn't come out too soon. This convenience occurred a few times, always working in favour of the author being able to 'surprise' the reader. It would have been far better if a little more effort was put into making the twists less obvious, then convenience wouldn't have been necessary.
Secondly, the writing was not great. While it may have been good enough to vanish if the story were captivating enough, that was not the case here. There were a number of different problems from sentences being unclear enough that they had to be read more than once, to the author slipping into the wrong character's head. What I mean with the latter is that in different chapters we were told from different character's pov, but every so often Stav would slip and we'd get a few lines from a different character's point of view. There were also several times where I was completely incapable of picturing a scene as it had been so poorly described (or done in a way which wasn't physically possible!). This was particularly aggravating in the penultimate scene where the bad guy appeared out of nowhere to suddenly be in the room and the subsequent fight scene which was impossible to follow.
Next, this book was improperly passed off as a regular serial crime novel series. The type where while there are several books written about the same characters you can just drop into any and read the book without having to have read the previous ones. While I generally still do not read those out of order, it is possible to do so if you hadn't realized when buying the book or you're stuck somewhere and that's all there is. This book was marketed as such with no warnings that it was the 3rd in a series which had to be read in order. And it did because Stav did an appaling job of letting new readers know the background being worked with and several important elements from the previous books were vital to this one but were poorly or not at all explained, leaving me floundering and guessing as to what certain things were about. This book also ends with what should be a cliffhanger (if you care enough about the characters), which again is not something which should happen if the book isn't specifically marked as being one in a continuous series.
Finally we have the way Stav chose to divide up the time spent on different bits. We have a lot of thought and pages on things which aren't really relevant for this book but set-up for the next one and then not nearly enough on the actual important bits of the case. The ending for instance was rushed to the point of implausibility with things conveniently falling into place for characters who couldn't add 2 and 2 to get 4 earlier in the book. And then the epiologue happens right when I wanted more about what had just happened, skipping past all kinds of things and hardly even acknowledging them.
The whole thing with characters suddenly knowing things or figuring them out whereas before they couldn't particularly annoyed me as it happened right when one character was supposed to be at their most incapacitated. As I said, convenient and hopelessly implausible.
Altogether not a book I'd recommend despite some intriguing ideas which could have been great if handled well.
September 26, 2018
“Even if you catch me, there’s hundreds of thousands just like me all over the world, cruising the web, looking for prey…You’ll never feel safe again.”
One of the most chilling thrillers to be published in recent times, The Intrusions gives a sneak peek into what technology can do, how a crime can be committed without being seen or heard, how someone’s entire life can be turned into hell with a single click. In his latest book, Stav Sherez takes the reader for a topsy-turvy, mind nerving ride into a world of darknet where there are no rules.
A hysterical young girl, apparently high on drugs, slams into detective Miller claiming that her friend, Anna has been claimed and her abductor is coming back to claim her. Nobody believes her till a body is found and thus, begins the journey to the modern-day hell created and recreated by netizens for their pleasure. Thrown into a frightening world, detectives Carrigan and Miller discover the modern-day horrors of the deep web, ratting, phishing, stalking, voyeurism, hacking et cetera. All-pervading, technology has become truly the new GOD – omniscient, powerful, invisible – and this is most horrifying as there are no rules to play by.
As the reader plunges deeper into the book, one unravels how one’s entire life can be intruded upon, how every evil can be “endlessly repeated to an audience who could do nothing but watch and seethe” and there’s an audience for every horror imaginable. In the book, Sharez lay out the blueprint for the future where one doesn’t need to watch out just for the government intrusion but also the criminal intrusion, “I wanted more control. I wanted to be able to look into every corner of their lives…”
A police procedural for the digital age, the book explores the complex nature of crime in the internet age where the criminals are shielded with anonymity and the criminal chain get tainted and amplified by the sheer number of people who get involved in it, just to get a kick.
Unravelling the intrusions that has pervaded the life of the girls before being killed, the author also brilliantly depicts the personal life of the lead characters. Troubled and vulnerable, Carrigan and Miller are the blood and flesh characters who are completely relatable unlike the self-righteous goody coppers.
What truly sets the book apart is the detailed psychological exploration of not just the criminals but the seemingly harmless youngsters. “Had too much reality TV and the Internet stripped the world of consequence for this generation.”
Intense and taut, the book seems to be the serial killer mystery on the surface, but goes much deeper than a simple mystery. Creepy, to say the least, the book really brings out the ubiquitous nature of technology that intrudes every aspect of one’s life – privacy has become a thing of the past.
Provocative and gripping, the book remains with the reader a long time after it ends and forces the reader to contemplate about the price that one is truly paying to be a part of the technological world. A fictional version of the Silk Road (dark web marketplace), The Intrusions deserve every award it has gotten.
One of the most chilling thrillers to be published in recent times, The Intrusions gives a sneak peek into what technology can do, how a crime can be committed without being seen or heard, how someone’s entire life can be turned into hell with a single click. In his latest book, Stav Sherez takes the reader for a topsy-turvy, mind nerving ride into a world of darknet where there are no rules.
A hysterical young girl, apparently high on drugs, slams into detective Miller claiming that her friend, Anna has been claimed and her abductor is coming back to claim her. Nobody believes her till a body is found and thus, begins the journey to the modern-day hell created and recreated by netizens for their pleasure. Thrown into a frightening world, detectives Carrigan and Miller discover the modern-day horrors of the deep web, ratting, phishing, stalking, voyeurism, hacking et cetera. All-pervading, technology has become truly the new GOD – omniscient, powerful, invisible – and this is most horrifying as there are no rules to play by.
As the reader plunges deeper into the book, one unravels how one’s entire life can be intruded upon, how every evil can be “endlessly repeated to an audience who could do nothing but watch and seethe” and there’s an audience for every horror imaginable. In the book, Sharez lay out the blueprint for the future where one doesn’t need to watch out just for the government intrusion but also the criminal intrusion, “I wanted more control. I wanted to be able to look into every corner of their lives…”
A police procedural for the digital age, the book explores the complex nature of crime in the internet age where the criminals are shielded with anonymity and the criminal chain get tainted and amplified by the sheer number of people who get involved in it, just to get a kick.
Unravelling the intrusions that has pervaded the life of the girls before being killed, the author also brilliantly depicts the personal life of the lead characters. Troubled and vulnerable, Carrigan and Miller are the blood and flesh characters who are completely relatable unlike the self-righteous goody coppers.
What truly sets the book apart is the detailed psychological exploration of not just the criminals but the seemingly harmless youngsters. “Had too much reality TV and the Internet stripped the world of consequence for this generation.”
Intense and taut, the book seems to be the serial killer mystery on the surface, but goes much deeper than a simple mystery. Creepy, to say the least, the book really brings out the ubiquitous nature of technology that intrudes every aspect of one’s life – privacy has become a thing of the past.
Provocative and gripping, the book remains with the reader a long time after it ends and forces the reader to contemplate about the price that one is truly paying to be a part of the technological world. A fictional version of the Silk Road (dark web marketplace), The Intrusions deserve every award it has gotten.
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