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DI Jon Spicer #1
Killing the Beasts: Death Moves Among Us
First book in the critically-acclaimed Jon Spicer series, also includes the opening of the second novel in the series, Shifting Skin. Reviews
'I'll be downloading more of Chris Simms' books ASAP. I feel like I've found a hidden gem.' (Amazon Reader Review - Pecking Order)
Chris Simms has been quietly building one of the best police procedural series in this country. (CATHOLIC HERALD)
Pacy, gripping and original storytelling (YORKSHIRE POST)
This highly polished study of madness and murder shows how well Simms' talent is maturing. (SHOTS MAGAZINE)
A must-read for those who like their crime fiction psychological (DEADLY PLEASURES MAGAZINE)
The story's dramatic events are drawn out, gradually building to a page-turning, heart-stopping - and totally unexpected - ending. (THE BOOK PLACE)
The novel's high-quality storytelling has an authentic, documentary feel' (CITY LIFE MAGAZINE)
Book description The Commonwealth Games have come to Manchester and the city is buzzing.
Caught up in the commercial feeding frenzy is Tom Benwell, an advertising executive. But the pressure is getting to Tom - too many deals to make and lies to tell. Meanwhile his friend, DI Jon Spicer, is on the fast track, showing a love for the job that borders on obsession, according to his girlfriend, Alice.
Then, in the aftermath of the Games, a string of brutal murders shatters the city's new-found spirit. Spicer gets the case. Each victim has been murdered in the same bizarre and grotesque manner, yet the lack of motive leaves the police utterly baffled.
With the race on to catch the killer, both men find themselves caught up in a nightmare where the most innocent action can cost the highest price.
About the Author Chris Simms' acclaimed first novel in the DI Spicer series, KILLING THE BEASTS was selected as a Best Crime book for 2005 by SHOTS magazine. He was then selected as a Waterstone's Author for the Future, one of 25 writers tipped by publishers, editors and agents, to produce the most impressive body of work over the next quarter century. Since then he has been nominated several times for the THEAKSTON'S CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR and for CRIME WRITERS' ASSOCIATION DAGGERS. Chris lives in Manchester.
Find out more on his official web site, www.chrissimms.info or, for regular postings, see his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AuthorChrisSimms
'I'll be downloading more of Chris Simms' books ASAP. I feel like I've found a hidden gem.' (Amazon Reader Review - Pecking Order)
Chris Simms has been quietly building one of the best police procedural series in this country. (CATHOLIC HERALD)
Pacy, gripping and original storytelling (YORKSHIRE POST)
This highly polished study of madness and murder shows how well Simms' talent is maturing. (SHOTS MAGAZINE)
A must-read for those who like their crime fiction psychological (DEADLY PLEASURES MAGAZINE)
The story's dramatic events are drawn out, gradually building to a page-turning, heart-stopping - and totally unexpected - ending. (THE BOOK PLACE)
The novel's high-quality storytelling has an authentic, documentary feel' (CITY LIFE MAGAZINE)
Book description The Commonwealth Games have come to Manchester and the city is buzzing.
Caught up in the commercial feeding frenzy is Tom Benwell, an advertising executive. But the pressure is getting to Tom - too many deals to make and lies to tell. Meanwhile his friend, DI Jon Spicer, is on the fast track, showing a love for the job that borders on obsession, according to his girlfriend, Alice.
Then, in the aftermath of the Games, a string of brutal murders shatters the city's new-found spirit. Spicer gets the case. Each victim has been murdered in the same bizarre and grotesque manner, yet the lack of motive leaves the police utterly baffled.
With the race on to catch the killer, both men find themselves caught up in a nightmare where the most innocent action can cost the highest price.
About the Author Chris Simms' acclaimed first novel in the DI Spicer series, KILLING THE BEASTS was selected as a Best Crime book for 2005 by SHOTS magazine. He was then selected as a Waterstone's Author for the Future, one of 25 writers tipped by publishers, editors and agents, to produce the most impressive body of work over the next quarter century. Since then he has been nominated several times for the THEAKSTON'S CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR and for CRIME WRITERS' ASSOCIATION DAGGERS. Chris lives in Manchester.
Find out more on his official web site, www.chrissimms.info or, for regular postings, see his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AuthorChrisSimms
352 pages, Paperback
First published July 21, 2014
517 people are currently reading
800 people want to read
About the author
Chris Simms
64 books82 followersI was born and brought up in rural Sussex, three miles from the nearest shop. Childhood holidays – which lasted for weeks as my dad was a teacher – were spent in a secluded spot in the heart of Exmoor. Sitting round the campfire at night, the haunting cries of owls floating in from the blackness beyond the flames, he would read me the ghost stories of MR James. The short walk to the safety of my tent was always taken at a sprint.
Books that interested me growing up? Plenty of mysteries – especially the Alfred Hitchcock and The Three Investigators series. I also loved Roahl Dahl’s Tales of the Unexpected and read plenty of Pan Horror Stories, too.
Later, it was novels that gave insights into unusual minds: the twisted desires of Frederick in John Fowles’, The Collector; the tormented thoughts of Scobie in Graham Greene’s, Heart of the Matter; the violent urges of Francie in Patrick McCabe’s, Butcher Boy all had a major influence.
After school and university came a series of abysmal jobs punctuated by travelling. Quite a lot of travelling, actually. Then, just after my 30th birthday, the idea for my first novel came to me. I was broken down on the hard shoulder of a motorway in the early hours of the morning, waiting for a rescue vehicle to arrive. It’s about the driver of a van who roams the roads in the dead of night, looking for stranded motorists to murder…
Ideas for subsequent novels have occurred at all sorts of odd moments: glimpsing a derelict church from the window of a moving train; browsing a newspaper report about a walker who claimed he’d been attacked by a panther; half-reading a doctor’s surgery article on how some tinnitus sufferers don’t hear whistles or buzzes – they’re tormented by birdsong; listening to a radio program about a flotilla of yellow ducks that fell from a cargo ship and floated slowly across the Atlantic.
Books that interested me growing up? Plenty of mysteries – especially the Alfred Hitchcock and The Three Investigators series. I also loved Roahl Dahl’s Tales of the Unexpected and read plenty of Pan Horror Stories, too.
Later, it was novels that gave insights into unusual minds: the twisted desires of Frederick in John Fowles’, The Collector; the tormented thoughts of Scobie in Graham Greene’s, Heart of the Matter; the violent urges of Francie in Patrick McCabe’s, Butcher Boy all had a major influence.
After school and university came a series of abysmal jobs punctuated by travelling. Quite a lot of travelling, actually. Then, just after my 30th birthday, the idea for my first novel came to me. I was broken down on the hard shoulder of a motorway in the early hours of the morning, waiting for a rescue vehicle to arrive. It’s about the driver of a van who roams the roads in the dead of night, looking for stranded motorists to murder…
Ideas for subsequent novels have occurred at all sorts of odd moments: glimpsing a derelict church from the window of a moving train; browsing a newspaper report about a walker who claimed he’d been attacked by a panther; half-reading a doctor’s surgery article on how some tinnitus sufferers don’t hear whistles or buzzes – they’re tormented by birdsong; listening to a radio program about a flotilla of yellow ducks that fell from a cargo ship and floated slowly across the Atlantic.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
November 19, 2021
Author Chris Simms takes us back to 2002, and to Manchester in the north of England. The Commonwealth games are heading to town, providing lots of opportunities for local companies to make their mark. Amongst those hoping to take advantage is Tom Benwell, accounts manager for an advertising company. However, Tom is finding the pressure too much, and he has to resort to lies and deception, something which will not do him any favours.
His friend and fellow rugby player DI Jon Spicer has concerns of his own. He’s being thrust into the limelight, tasked with being Senior Investigating Officer on his first murder case. On the face of it, a pretty straightforward case, but it proves to be anything but.
With two plot threads at slightly different time periods, Killing The Beasts comes with some great twists, lots of tension and a very original storyline. This is the second book that I’ve read by this author, and I have to say I love his down to earth, gritty style of writing. Recommended.
His friend and fellow rugby player DI Jon Spicer has concerns of his own. He’s being thrust into the limelight, tasked with being Senior Investigating Officer on his first murder case. On the face of it, a pretty straightforward case, but it proves to be anything but.
With two plot threads at slightly different time periods, Killing The Beasts comes with some great twists, lots of tension and a very original storyline. This is the second book that I’ve read by this author, and I have to say I love his down to earth, gritty style of writing. Recommended.
August 18, 2021
I purchased this book back in March and had forgotten it until I was scrolling through books on my Kindle, and I innocently thought...ah, Manchester crime, why not? A rugby theme, a cop who was friends with a "successful" adman type, former teammate, etc.
NO. Nothing normal in this book, though it starts that way. This is XTREME horror. I only read as much as I did because I was having a sleepless night and went to my Kindle. Now I feel ill.
So...this is not a typical police procedural. It is gruesome horror.
NO. Nothing normal in this book, though it starts that way. This is XTREME horror. I only read as much as I did because I was having a sleepless night and went to my Kindle. Now I feel ill.
So...this is not a typical police procedural. It is gruesome horror.
April 13, 2019
There was essentially something a bit awry in the writing of this novel. The idea I found quite interesting and in many ways more relatable than all the standard 'maverick cop tracks down twisted criminal genius evil murderer' crime thrillers there are, and I appreciated the Manchester setting too, though this did date the book somewhat in how it was so strongly grounded in the 2002 Commonwealth Games in the city.
However, I found much of the aspects of this novel that was not directly 'plot' to be flawed. Simms describes a cast of mainly unlikeable characters with plenty of words but no colour - there is description for verisimilitude but this just came over like information as opposed to there being any element of humour, any beautiful language, any attempt to go much deeper than the immediately relevant. I'm sure that as this is a very early book by the author, he will surely have improved his craft with time, but for me this missed the mark overall. It was however a reasonably quick read - I don't think I could have cared much longer for the cast of unpleasant druggies, thieves, vacuous women and fuck-ups for much more time.
However, I found much of the aspects of this novel that was not directly 'plot' to be flawed. Simms describes a cast of mainly unlikeable characters with plenty of words but no colour - there is description for verisimilitude but this just came over like information as opposed to there being any element of humour, any beautiful language, any attempt to go much deeper than the immediately relevant. I'm sure that as this is a very early book by the author, he will surely have improved his craft with time, but for me this missed the mark overall. It was however a reasonably quick read - I don't think I could have cared much longer for the cast of unpleasant druggies, thieves, vacuous women and fuck-ups for much more time.
December 28, 2011
Detective Inspector Jon Spicer is working on Operation Fisherman, investigating a gang of car thieves, when he responds to a call for help from a Community Support Officer. A woman has been murdered and, because there is a prologue, we already know pretty much how, but we don't know why. And, despite the prologue, we don't know whodunit. As the first detective on the scene, Spicer (or 'Jon', as Simms prefers to call his leading man) is made Senior Investigating Officer – it seems a straightforward enough case. So far, so bog standard you might think.
But when Jon gets home at the end of the day, things begin to take a turn for the slightly different. Jon is not an embittered alcoholic loner but a happily almost-married man. Instead of lighting up a cigarette, he chews a stick of gum. Instead of unscrewing the whisky bottle, Jon goes out for an after-work run with his pet boxer. He is career minded, but slightly concerned about being tied down by marriage and by the looming prospect of parenthood. It's Ian Rankin crossed with Nick Hornby.
Over supper, Jon's partner Alice tells him some gossip about his friend Tom Benwell, whom he used to play rugby with (it was Tom who gave up; Jon still plays). Alice has heard that Tom's wife has walked out on him after he lost his job. By all accounts, Tom has become a complete wreck.
The novel then follows Jon's investigation of the murders (for the first is rapidly followed by several more killings of young single women) in parallel to a series of extremely well-handled flashbacks showing why Tom lost his job and his wife, and cataloguing Tom's slow but terrible descent into psychotic mental illness.
Killing the Beasts is the first of the Jon Spicer series of novels. It is set in Manchester at the time of the 2002 Commonwealth Games, and this is significant. Simms has created a great sense of place, but he has also shown how the glitz of the Games impacted on the city of Manchester and, especially, on Tom Benwell. Simms uses the metaphor of fireworks – the sudden shooting up to great heights, the spectacular display, the fall of the burnt-out case.
I have to say I found the female characters too thinly drawn in an otherwise excellent novel. The men are complex, fully-rounded characters. All the women, on the other hand, are little more than victims or potential victims. The only almost-exception is Nikki the Crime Scene Manager who, despite making only brief appearances, seems less of a simple cipher than the rest of her sex. The flirty relationship between her and Jon is expertly handled and deftly introduces another narrative question – will they or won't they take the flirting one step further?
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the main (male) characters. I loved the way Manchester was almost a character in its own right. I loved the depth to the story, and admired the skilful way Simm described the onset and development of Tom's illness. I enjoyed the way the author laid his false trails and red herrings. This is a book that works as an intricately plotted whodunit (the clues are all there) but also as a psychological mystery. And there's a breathless climax, too.
But when Jon gets home at the end of the day, things begin to take a turn for the slightly different. Jon is not an embittered alcoholic loner but a happily almost-married man. Instead of lighting up a cigarette, he chews a stick of gum. Instead of unscrewing the whisky bottle, Jon goes out for an after-work run with his pet boxer. He is career minded, but slightly concerned about being tied down by marriage and by the looming prospect of parenthood. It's Ian Rankin crossed with Nick Hornby.
Over supper, Jon's partner Alice tells him some gossip about his friend Tom Benwell, whom he used to play rugby with (it was Tom who gave up; Jon still plays). Alice has heard that Tom's wife has walked out on him after he lost his job. By all accounts, Tom has become a complete wreck.
The novel then follows Jon's investigation of the murders (for the first is rapidly followed by several more killings of young single women) in parallel to a series of extremely well-handled flashbacks showing why Tom lost his job and his wife, and cataloguing Tom's slow but terrible descent into psychotic mental illness.
Killing the Beasts is the first of the Jon Spicer series of novels. It is set in Manchester at the time of the 2002 Commonwealth Games, and this is significant. Simms has created a great sense of place, but he has also shown how the glitz of the Games impacted on the city of Manchester and, especially, on Tom Benwell. Simms uses the metaphor of fireworks – the sudden shooting up to great heights, the spectacular display, the fall of the burnt-out case.
I have to say I found the female characters too thinly drawn in an otherwise excellent novel. The men are complex, fully-rounded characters. All the women, on the other hand, are little more than victims or potential victims. The only almost-exception is Nikki the Crime Scene Manager who, despite making only brief appearances, seems less of a simple cipher than the rest of her sex. The flirty relationship between her and Jon is expertly handled and deftly introduces another narrative question – will they or won't they take the flirting one step further?
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the main (male) characters. I loved the way Manchester was almost a character in its own right. I loved the depth to the story, and admired the skilful way Simm described the onset and development of Tom's illness. I enjoyed the way the author laid his false trails and red herrings. This is a book that works as an intricately plotted whodunit (the clues are all there) but also as a psychological mystery. And there's a breathless climax, too.
July 18, 2022
Poor
This novel was padded out with lots of trivia and not a lot else. Won't be reading any more of this author's works.
This novel was padded out with lots of trivia and not a lot else. Won't be reading any more of this author's works.
October 14, 2024
My first book by this author i like the police investigation side however found the personal life side tedious and outdated. Will persevere with another couple of books and see if characters grow on me
February 22, 2021
A little hard to follow with all the timeline jumps in the story but oh my gosh! The story just fell into place at seemingly the last moment and my mouth was left hanging open! Definitely worth a read!
February 1, 2023
Really not my thing, the writing was far from enticing. However 3 stars for the plot.
June 23, 2015
I think a big thing that influenced how much I enjoyed this book was the fact that I didn't realize the two plot threads were occurring at different periods of time until honestly over 2/3 of the way through the book. After that, things made a little more sense.
However, even with that cleared up, I had some gripes with the book.
- I didn't particularly like any of the characters. None of them really stuck out to me as good people. Some would say that this is realistic. I would argue that there are plenty of decent people in the world. It's hard for me to like a book if I can't root for or support anyone. I felt kind of ambivalent about the two main characters, Tom and Jon. At times I could genuinely sympathize with them and at times they were d-bags. Again, some would say that's realism. I would say that's big chunks of the book when I didn't give a rip what happened to them. You can have flawed characters without them being unlikable.
ex. a character we're supposed to like drinking when she knows she's pregnant
- Things took a long time to get going. This wasn't a huge issue since things picked up before it got unbearable, but I would have liked things to move along a little faster.
- Tom's decline just seemed a little off to me. He just went from 0 to 60 extremely fast in my opinion. I think the circumstances were right, but I also think that things like that take some time to develop and don't just pop up all of a sudden. Also the whole Masters thing felt like a huge stretch to me. Idk maybe it's because I was never super sucked into the book.
- THE FORMATTING. I was reading a Kindle version, so maybe there was some formatting error or something. But good gravy. Instead of characters talking like this:
"What's for breakfast?" Sarah asked Tom.
"Just toast," he replied.
"Ugh."
It was like this:
'What's for breakfast?' Sarah asked Tom. 'Just toast,' he replied. 'Ugh.'
It was incredibly annoying. Several times I got confused about who was saying what. And what happened to putting double quotation marks around speech?
Ultimately I just think that this book wasn't my thing. However, I think I would have liked it more if it's formatting wasn't so bleeding awful and if the plot had moved along a little more.
However, even with that cleared up, I had some gripes with the book.
- I didn't particularly like any of the characters. None of them really stuck out to me as good people. Some would say that this is realistic. I would argue that there are plenty of decent people in the world. It's hard for me to like a book if I can't root for or support anyone. I felt kind of ambivalent about the two main characters, Tom and Jon. At times I could genuinely sympathize with them and at times they were d-bags. Again, some would say that's realism. I would say that's big chunks of the book when I didn't give a rip what happened to them. You can have flawed characters without them being unlikable.
ex. a character we're supposed to like drinking when she knows she's pregnant
- Things took a long time to get going. This wasn't a huge issue since things picked up before it got unbearable, but I would have liked things to move along a little faster.
- Tom's decline just seemed a little off to me. He just went from 0 to 60 extremely fast in my opinion. I think the circumstances were right, but I also think that things like that take some time to develop and don't just pop up all of a sudden. Also the whole Masters thing felt like a huge stretch to me. Idk maybe it's because I was never super sucked into the book.
- THE FORMATTING. I was reading a Kindle version, so maybe there was some formatting error or something. But good gravy. Instead of characters talking like this:
"What's for breakfast?" Sarah asked Tom.
"Just toast," he replied.
"Ugh."
It was like this:
'What's for breakfast?' Sarah asked Tom. 'Just toast,' he replied. 'Ugh.'
It was incredibly annoying. Several times I got confused about who was saying what. And what happened to putting double quotation marks around speech?
Ultimately I just think that this book wasn't my thing. However, I think I would have liked it more if it's formatting wasn't so bleeding awful and if the plot had moved along a little more.
May 4, 2016
Follow DI Jon Spicer in this crime thriller set around Manchester. People are very busy in Manchester with the opening of the XVII Commonwealth Games in 2002, when a body is discovered.
Okay, this story is set in 2002 but do not let that put you off. People remain the same, the world over and what we have here is a gritty urban drama. This story is not dated, although you should ignore all the smoking in enclosed public spaces, which is now thankfully illegal.
This is a lovely balanced story, it is not purely a police procedural tale. Character development is great with a lovely diverse range of people. The plot is very good and the pace at which this story unfolds is spot on. It was a pleasure to read and DI Jon Spicer is a very likeable chap who does enjoy a pint in a pub giving you a wish to join him for a night out.
Crime thrillers are a crowded market but Chris Simms offers more in his books. You get the regular crime and it’s detection but also lots of local colour and a social life among the characters. Chris details how Manchester was re-generated in the run up to the Commonwealth Games and how the ugly parts of the city were covered up. He gives the reader the impression they were living there at the time. This novel has a very British feel to it and I like how it is set in the real Manchester rather than a fictitious city. There is also lots of social commentary spread throughout this story and I particularly liked the focus on consumerism and all forms of litter.
Chris has done a lot of research for his novel and this is explained at the end of the book in a section entitled “The ideas behind the story”. I got an awful lot from reading this book, pleasure, a method of killing I had not come across before, the importance of the number 7 through history and a shiver whenever I walk past a branch of B&Q. Killing the Beasts is a great book that I am very happy to vote the top score of 5 stars. This book stands the test of time just like a beer Jon was offered in the novel called Summer Lightning, which is not brewed in Manchester but in Downton near Salisbury, an old favourite of mine and a winner of many real ale awards over the years.
Okay, this story is set in 2002 but do not let that put you off. People remain the same, the world over and what we have here is a gritty urban drama. This story is not dated, although you should ignore all the smoking in enclosed public spaces, which is now thankfully illegal.
This is a lovely balanced story, it is not purely a police procedural tale. Character development is great with a lovely diverse range of people. The plot is very good and the pace at which this story unfolds is spot on. It was a pleasure to read and DI Jon Spicer is a very likeable chap who does enjoy a pint in a pub giving you a wish to join him for a night out.
Crime thrillers are a crowded market but Chris Simms offers more in his books. You get the regular crime and it’s detection but also lots of local colour and a social life among the characters. Chris details how Manchester was re-generated in the run up to the Commonwealth Games and how the ugly parts of the city were covered up. He gives the reader the impression they were living there at the time. This novel has a very British feel to it and I like how it is set in the real Manchester rather than a fictitious city. There is also lots of social commentary spread throughout this story and I particularly liked the focus on consumerism and all forms of litter.
Chris has done a lot of research for his novel and this is explained at the end of the book in a section entitled “The ideas behind the story”. I got an awful lot from reading this book, pleasure, a method of killing I had not come across before, the importance of the number 7 through history and a shiver whenever I walk past a branch of B&Q. Killing the Beasts is a great book that I am very happy to vote the top score of 5 stars. This book stands the test of time just like a beer Jon was offered in the novel called Summer Lightning, which is not brewed in Manchester but in Downton near Salisbury, an old favourite of mine and a winner of many real ale awards over the years.
March 7, 2013
I find it quite boring to read a book that ends up being close to what I expected it to be (that’s why I generally don’t like book series) so when an author manages to surprise me, I tend to value it a lot. Chris Simms totally astounded me with his novel “Killing the Beasts”. My rating is very high mainly because of the surprise factor, actually, because of three surprise factors.
First of all, the structure of the book is delightfully unusual. There are two threads: one is quite a standard police procedural (DI Jon Spicer searches for a serial killer who has a weird and distinctive modus operandi in murders of women). The other thread does not have much of a crime component; it is about tribulations of Jon’s friend, Tom, who is in the building wrap business and struggles to cope with much increased demand for his services before the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, UK. In fact, the “non-criminal” thread tends to dominate a large portion of the novel. Of course, an experienced reader knows that the threads will somehow merge at the end. And they do, but in an utterly unexpected (at least to me) way.
The novel undergoes quite a drastic metamorphosis toward its end. It is no longer what it seemed to be in the earlier parts. And I found the sudden switch of premise even more delightful. Sort of like an operatic aria capping a mundane techno music performance.
The third surprise cannot be divulged without spoiling the “mystery”. I can only say that it involves quite a common every day item, and that it, in a sense, illustrates the foreshadowing aspect of the “Chekhov’s gun principle”. The item appears quite early in the novel, then its appearances proliferate in a mystifying way, and finally it plays an absolutely essential role in the denouement.
If not for the various surprises, “Killing the Beasts” would be a mediocre novel. I had quite a hard time focusing on the boring non-criminal thread involving Tom and his wife. The various surprises made the early pain worth bearing.
Four stars.
First of all, the structure of the book is delightfully unusual. There are two threads: one is quite a standard police procedural (DI Jon Spicer searches for a serial killer who has a weird and distinctive modus operandi in murders of women). The other thread does not have much of a crime component; it is about tribulations of Jon’s friend, Tom, who is in the building wrap business and struggles to cope with much increased demand for his services before the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, UK. In fact, the “non-criminal” thread tends to dominate a large portion of the novel. Of course, an experienced reader knows that the threads will somehow merge at the end. And they do, but in an utterly unexpected (at least to me) way.
The novel undergoes quite a drastic metamorphosis toward its end. It is no longer what it seemed to be in the earlier parts. And I found the sudden switch of premise even more delightful. Sort of like an operatic aria capping a mundane techno music performance.
The third surprise cannot be divulged without spoiling the “mystery”. I can only say that it involves quite a common every day item, and that it, in a sense, illustrates the foreshadowing aspect of the “Chekhov’s gun principle”. The item appears quite early in the novel, then its appearances proliferate in a mystifying way, and finally it plays an absolutely essential role in the denouement.
If not for the various surprises, “Killing the Beasts” would be a mediocre novel. I had quite a hard time focusing on the boring non-criminal thread involving Tom and his wife. The various surprises made the early pain worth bearing.
Four stars.
January 1, 2015
Simple to read. The only two problems was that I had figured the murderer and the endings of the sub plots (car thieving) before the author had spilled the beans. Also, the ending was quite abrupt and didn't tie the knots with Alice and Nikki (not sure if it's just a boy thing with Nikki though). The one chapter focusing on this character and vice versa made it a little confusing but the different dates in a new chapter was something different I liked. I enjoyed that the characters had stuck with their consistent attitudes. Loved that the suspects in our perspective crossed over each other's paths to create confusion but it was quite simple to match them up with their crimes. Giving it a three only because I wasn't hung onto every word although the plot was quite intriguing.
edit: I've forgotten to mention Simms has had a few plot holes at the end of the mystery and decided to put that into the final ending (Tom's 'green suit' that appeared near the end which was mentioned that Sly had on and another the gum Sly had stolen 'a while back' just for some examples). I don't mind that in other fictional novels but it bothers me for the mystery genre. I think I'll be back since I've forgotten another topic to raise..
edit: I've forgotten to mention Simms has had a few plot holes at the end of the mystery and decided to put that into the final ending (Tom's 'green suit' that appeared near the end which was mentioned that Sly had on and another the gum Sly had stolen 'a while back' just for some examples). I don't mind that in other fictional novels but it bothers me for the mystery genre. I think I'll be back since I've forgotten another topic to raise..
June 16, 2015
In the end, the overall story was three stars worth, but the moments of 'The Californians' sketch level obsession with Manchester roads and glut of shop names combined with the poorly edited pacing and weakly built out location jumps made the book, at times, aggravating to read. I found my eyes skimming quickly past paragraphs looking for story content at times. Credit should be given for the well done manner of giving multiple potential suspects without definitively revealing the who and why.
DI Spicer was also a bit confusing to read as many of his speaking lines made him appear to be softer spoken and calmer before random outbursts supported by his supposed background rugby position made him seem like a bit of a rage monster (not helped by recent spotlighting of violence and police in recent news here, not the author's fault there). The resolution of the two primary cases tended to come from happenstance occurrences around the main character than actual brilliant police work. If not for the editing problems making the readings chore (and already being told by a friend that book 2 was not any better), I might be willing to read more.
But I won't.
DI Spicer was also a bit confusing to read as many of his speaking lines made him appear to be softer spoken and calmer before random outbursts supported by his supposed background rugby position made him seem like a bit of a rage monster (not helped by recent spotlighting of violence and police in recent news here, not the author's fault there). The resolution of the two primary cases tended to come from happenstance occurrences around the main character than actual brilliant police work. If not for the editing problems making the readings chore (and already being told by a friend that book 2 was not any better), I might be willing to read more.
But I won't.
January 11, 2010
My second Chris Simms book, read out of order, as is my terrible habit.
This one is set around the time of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, in 2002, a time and place I am very familiar with. He evokes the atmosphere and locations really well.
The timeline of the book is different: it jumps between time periods, which helps to paint a more vivid picture of the characters and the events which overtake them.
The story rolls along at a good pace, the characters are involving and the timeline jumps tie up the plot nicely. One or two elements felt a little forced, but taht didn't detract from the book overall.
This one is set around the time of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, in 2002, a time and place I am very familiar with. He evokes the atmosphere and locations really well.
The timeline of the book is different: it jumps between time periods, which helps to paint a more vivid picture of the characters and the events which overtake them.
The story rolls along at a good pace, the characters are involving and the timeline jumps tie up the plot nicely. One or two elements felt a little forced, but taht didn't detract from the book overall.
November 9, 2014
I found this book while looking for new authors. So often when looking for something new you find something not so good. That was not the case with this book. The plot was very original, which I won't give away as that would definitely ruin this book. There were many twists and turns I didn't see coming that kept me reading late into the night to see what would happen next. The characters are real and believable. You find yourself attached to the characters and hoping they find their way.
This is the first book in a series and I will definitely be reading the next one.
A great read that I would recommend to others.
This is the first book in a series and I will definitely be reading the next one.
A great read that I would recommend to others.
July 8, 2022
Not great in my view and found so much boring description of Manchester quite off putting and unnecessary. Some of the chapters were so very long and could have been broken down to make it more snappy and interesting to read. The outcome was really predictable and I’d worked it out well before the end. The ending itself was quite abrupt and failed to tie everything together. I also felt that the tedious parts did nothing to support or enhance character development. Sorry, this just wasn’t for me but doesn’t mean others won’t thoroughly enjoy it as we are all individuals and like different styles.
April 17, 2015
Good detective thriller. I really liked reading the internal thoughts of someone decending into schizophrenia. Truely terrifying stuff. The end wasn't a complete surprise and there were enough other side stories that I wasn't completely certain who the murderer was until the very end. Definitely reading the next one.
December 8, 2018
Having read and enjoyed 'Cut adrift' I expected more of this. In mitigation this was written five years earlier and Chris Simms has in that time learnt much and polished his craft. No doubt the extraneous detail was cut, and certainly the plot did not have so much hanging on it nor play out so ... unsatisfactorily.
October 6, 2014
I found the plot engaging and it certainly kept me guessing until the various threads of the story were brought together. I will certainly look out for more Chris Simms novels.
October 31, 2014
WOW!! Brilliant!
February 12, 2015
nice read... follow along as character slips the cheese off his cracker!
March 11, 2015
Great read. Well written. Very captivating. Two different timelines makes it even more interesting.
March 20, 2015
fantastic gripping story...so did not see that fabulous ending coming!!!
August 19, 2012
Didn't guess the killer until the last bit of the book -- I like that .
August 9, 2021
The story follows two men in their early thirties. While Tom seems to have it all - young wife, lots of stamps in the passport, well paid job working on the advertising and sponsorship side of the Manchester Commonwealth Games 2002 - he’s dissatisfied with his life. Though his wife enjoys spending his money and living the high life in the city, Tom dreams of running a little cafe in Cornwall, out of the rat race and into the fresh air. But how will he ever convince her? And will his sanity stretch all the way to the opening ceremony?
Meanwhile, rugby-playing Detective Inspector Jon Spicer is on the trail of a gang of car thieves, who target high end vehicles in the middle of the night, using a garden cane and an opened letterbox, when the biggest case of his career lands in his lap.
There’s a murderer in their midst. An unknown assailant who attacks women in their homes and stops their breathing with some bizarre-looking cloudy gel. But the women have nothing in common and if Jon wants to keep his position as senior investigating officer on the case, he’ll have to take a step back from the car thefts case - just as they target an old friend.
An absolute rollercoaster. I loved this book. For me, the story took a bit of following - I got so wrapped up in the narrative, I didn't pay proper attention to the timeline. That said, the biggest twist almost knocked me off my chair, which is no bad thing.
The writing is extraordinary and chilling:
"‘God, I feel like I could dance,’ she said urgently, blowing her breath out and running her fingers through her hair once again. ‘Is it hot in here? Are you hot?’
The man looked around the room as if heat was a visible thing. ’No,’ he replied with a little shake of his head.
"‘I feel hot,’ she said, placing her mug on the table, then waving one hand a little too energetically at her cheek and pulling distractedly at the neck of her dressing gown. The man kept his head lowered, pretending to search for a pen in his jacket pocket.
"The girl went to sit down, stumbling against the leg of the coffee table. ‘Whoops!’ She said with a strange giggle, though panic was starting to show in her eyes. ‘I… I’m dizzy.’
"The room had begun to shift in and out of focus and her breath wouldn’t come properly. She leaned forward and tried to steady herself by putting one hand on the arm of the sofa.
"The man watched impassively.
"Now visibly distressed, she attempted a half turn to sit down, but her coordination was going and she missed the sofa, crashing onto the carpet. As she lay on her back, her eyes rolled up into her head and then closed completely.
"The man calmly got to his feet and put his briefcase on the table. After entering the combination for the lock, he opened it up and removed a long pair of stainless steel pincers from inside.”
1% in, Prologue, Killing The Beasts (Di Jon Spicer #1) by Chris Simms
A great set of characters, really well-observed, with crackling dialogue and evocative scenery. I truly admire this author and will look forward to reading the rest of the series. Bravo.
Meanwhile, rugby-playing Detective Inspector Jon Spicer is on the trail of a gang of car thieves, who target high end vehicles in the middle of the night, using a garden cane and an opened letterbox, when the biggest case of his career lands in his lap.
There’s a murderer in their midst. An unknown assailant who attacks women in their homes and stops their breathing with some bizarre-looking cloudy gel. But the women have nothing in common and if Jon wants to keep his position as senior investigating officer on the case, he’ll have to take a step back from the car thefts case - just as they target an old friend.
An absolute rollercoaster. I loved this book. For me, the story took a bit of following - I got so wrapped up in the narrative, I didn't pay proper attention to the timeline. That said, the biggest twist almost knocked me off my chair, which is no bad thing.
The writing is extraordinary and chilling:
"‘God, I feel like I could dance,’ she said urgently, blowing her breath out and running her fingers through her hair once again. ‘Is it hot in here? Are you hot?’
The man looked around the room as if heat was a visible thing. ’No,’ he replied with a little shake of his head.
"‘I feel hot,’ she said, placing her mug on the table, then waving one hand a little too energetically at her cheek and pulling distractedly at the neck of her dressing gown. The man kept his head lowered, pretending to search for a pen in his jacket pocket.
"The girl went to sit down, stumbling against the leg of the coffee table. ‘Whoops!’ She said with a strange giggle, though panic was starting to show in her eyes. ‘I… I’m dizzy.’
"The room had begun to shift in and out of focus and her breath wouldn’t come properly. She leaned forward and tried to steady herself by putting one hand on the arm of the sofa.
"The man watched impassively.
"Now visibly distressed, she attempted a half turn to sit down, but her coordination was going and she missed the sofa, crashing onto the carpet. As she lay on her back, her eyes rolled up into her head and then closed completely.
"The man calmly got to his feet and put his briefcase on the table. After entering the combination for the lock, he opened it up and removed a long pair of stainless steel pincers from inside.”
1% in, Prologue, Killing The Beasts (Di Jon Spicer #1) by Chris Simms
A great set of characters, really well-observed, with crackling dialogue and evocative scenery. I truly admire this author and will look forward to reading the rest of the series. Bravo.
April 6, 2024
I started reading this book a few days ago so I'm not very far into the book. It started really nice with the murder. Then suddenly a new chapter and the ENTIRE chapter was about Jon reliving a moment in time with his friend Tom, going to a Rugby game ending with a bender afterwards with a lot of talking about feelings. Do guys really do this? The entire rugby scene was utterly irritating as I know nothing about rugby, don't understand any of the terms used, and it was not needed to describe the entire rugby game as if the author was a sports commentator on the radio. This was boring AF. I felt I was tagging along with two men that I don't actually know, two men I just met somehow and who ignored me because I wasn't actually there. In real life I do not know anything about rugby or sports in general and I don't drink alcohol nor do I go to pubs or bars or whatever. Fair enough if it's in a book, people do these activities all the time and I can imagine them, but this was dragging so much. I don't think I'll continue reading this book. I don't think I paid for it, probably an Amazon first reads for £0 or just £0 on Kindle store in general, I don't know. I'm always looking for free books to see if an author is any good. If they are, I'll buy the rest of the series but this I will not. I also don't like how the book starts with Jon but then after meeting up with Tom suddenly the story continues with Tom only. I like when the book follows 1 main character. Other characters should only be there when interacting with the main character or if both were there from the beginning ( 2 main characters). Not start with 1, then suddenly switch to another where the first is not even present. Poor writing and utterly boring at this point. I can't comment on the rest of the book because I won't be reading it.
March 23, 2020
DI Jon Spicer is assigned to Operation Fisherman, a case involving a gang of high end car thieves that literally "fish" car keys through the letter boxes of owners that leave them on the hall table. But then DI Spicer gets put in charge of a spate of female murders and is told he needs to leave the stolen cars team.
Tom Benwell is a friend of Jon's from their rugby days. He works for an advertising company It's A Wrap. It is the lead up to the Commonwealth Games in Manchester and Tom is in charge of a load of accounts whereby he puts big wrap around advertising hoardings around derelict buildings. Tom is married to a very young 22 year old who is only with him for his wealth.
It took a while to realise the book was going back and forth over a few months in 2002 but once I did the story started making a bit more sense. Both stories of the friends and the crimes happening are linked.
The premise of the book is good but I found most of the characters unlikeable. Tom's spiral into a drug fueled psychosis hard to read and made me like him even less. His wife was a gold digger. His ex-colleague a slimy piece of work.
Chris Simms has described Manchester in detail and maybe it is because I don't know the city but I found it too much and just added words rather than adding to the enjoyment of the book. He has put in lots of red herrings and without spoiling the conclusion the killer was not who I was expecting until about 3 chapters from the end when I realised who it was even though I didn't want to be right.
If you like gritty crime novels then you will enjoy this.
Tom Benwell is a friend of Jon's from their rugby days. He works for an advertising company It's A Wrap. It is the lead up to the Commonwealth Games in Manchester and Tom is in charge of a load of accounts whereby he puts big wrap around advertising hoardings around derelict buildings. Tom is married to a very young 22 year old who is only with him for his wealth.
It took a while to realise the book was going back and forth over a few months in 2002 but once I did the story started making a bit more sense. Both stories of the friends and the crimes happening are linked.
The premise of the book is good but I found most of the characters unlikeable. Tom's spiral into a drug fueled psychosis hard to read and made me like him even less. His wife was a gold digger. His ex-colleague a slimy piece of work.
Chris Simms has described Manchester in detail and maybe it is because I don't know the city but I found it too much and just added words rather than adding to the enjoyment of the book. He has put in lots of red herrings and without spoiling the conclusion the killer was not who I was expecting until about 3 chapters from the end when I realised who it was even though I didn't want to be right.
If you like gritty crime novels then you will enjoy this.
May 12, 2025
This book captures the disjointed clues that a skilled police officer must consider in order to solve a crime. DI Jon Spicer is currently on a task force to catch a group of criminals stealing high end cars from homes using a tool through the post box hole in the doors of Manchester homes. When a murder occurs Spicer is reallocated to head up a new taskforce but he is seriously close to solving the car ring crimes. The Commonwealth Games are coming to Manchester so its important that as many crimes are solved as possible.
The author, Chris Simms provides the readers with insights to Manchester life just before the Commonwealth Games and the facades that were erected so the rest of the world only saw the best parts. Simms also provides insights into the erratic nature of people that take drugs, not just your stereotype street junkie and the psychotic nature that these drugs can bring on for some people.
I really enjoyed this audio book and the pace at which the twists and turns occurred. Loved the ending which was unexpected and brilliant! The audio book narration was excellent.
The author, Chris Simms provides the readers with insights to Manchester life just before the Commonwealth Games and the facades that were erected so the rest of the world only saw the best parts. Simms also provides insights into the erratic nature of people that take drugs, not just your stereotype street junkie and the psychotic nature that these drugs can bring on for some people.
I really enjoyed this audio book and the pace at which the twists and turns occurred. Loved the ending which was unexpected and brilliant! The audio book narration was excellent.
June 30, 2019
Former rugby player, hot-tempered DI Jon Spicer is diverted from the investigation of the organized thefts of high-end vehicles to a series of bizarre homicides. The victims seem to have no connection and the manner of death is odd and troubling. spicer is, blissfully unaware of the decline of his good friend, PR executive Tom. Burned out from the demands of a job he detests he longs to escape for a sedate life in the country. But his young trophy wife lives on the excitement that comes with city living and lots of money. As his life devolves, he seeks solace in designer drugs. This leads him to a very dark place. The two storylines converge in an exciting climax.
I liked this book although it had some challenges. The biggest is that none of the characters is especially likeable. Tom is at least somewhat relatable at least in the beginning. It is a gritty tale set in Manchester. I enjoyed the portrayal of the city and its urban challenges. Momentum builds during the last third of the book rewarding the patience it takes to get to that point. Overall a pretty decent read.
I liked this book although it had some challenges. The biggest is that none of the characters is especially likeable. Tom is at least somewhat relatable at least in the beginning. It is a gritty tale set in Manchester. I enjoyed the portrayal of the city and its urban challenges. Momentum builds during the last third of the book rewarding the patience it takes to get to that point. Overall a pretty decent read.
May 20, 2019
I bought this for a dollar fifty. Not sure where I am going with that, but for some reason I keep typing that in so in it stays.
This story had .. so many things crammed into it. Two diverging storylines... although one is never resolved. The going back to retell the story is a often a good track but here it just makes things convoluted. I cannot get a read on DI Spicer - or maybe there's just not enough depth to him yet. Possibly something the author was planning to develop in the later books? In any case - I would not call this a police procedural, nor a psychological thriller ... not sure what I would classify this as? The characters in this book I would call one dimensional, the story ok but convoluted (it did have some really good possibilities....) and no atmosphere. I felt like I was walking through the construction sites in downtown Toronto - all boarded up and railed and that's about it.
This story had .. so many things crammed into it. Two diverging storylines... although one is never resolved. The going back to retell the story is a often a good track but here it just makes things convoluted. I cannot get a read on DI Spicer - or maybe there's just not enough depth to him yet. Possibly something the author was planning to develop in the later books? In any case - I would not call this a police procedural, nor a psychological thriller ... not sure what I would classify this as? The characters in this book I would call one dimensional, the story ok but convoluted (it did have some really good possibilities....) and no atmosphere. I felt like I was walking through the construction sites in downtown Toronto - all boarded up and railed and that's about it.
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