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Be My Killer
You set the trap. Now you can’t escape.
When an online prank goes viral and triggers a spate of gruesome murders, documentary maker Hazel Salter watches in horror. But then Hazel’s childhood friend, Meredith Hickman, is the next victim and Hazel knows she has to find out what happened to her.
Is it one killer or more? Random acts of violence, or part of a bigger, twisted plan?
The police have no leads, but Hazel has a theory – one she’ll stop at nothing to prove – and she also has a film crew. She’ll make a documentary, catch the killer, and give Meredith justice.
Her stage is the abandoned amusement park where Meredith was found.
Her cast are the family and friends the killer left behind.
And her crew? They keep disappearing, one by one…
A shocking, ‘just-one-more-page’ thriller with the most twisted killer you’ll ever meet. This book will hook you from the first page and keep you guessing long into the night. PERFECT for fans of James Patterson, Mo Hayder, and Chris Carter.
When an online prank goes viral and triggers a spate of gruesome murders, documentary maker Hazel Salter watches in horror. But then Hazel’s childhood friend, Meredith Hickman, is the next victim and Hazel knows she has to find out what happened to her.
Is it one killer or more? Random acts of violence, or part of a bigger, twisted plan?
The police have no leads, but Hazel has a theory – one she’ll stop at nothing to prove – and she also has a film crew. She’ll make a documentary, catch the killer, and give Meredith justice.
Her stage is the abandoned amusement park where Meredith was found.
Her cast are the family and friends the killer left behind.
And her crew? They keep disappearing, one by one…
A shocking, ‘just-one-more-page’ thriller with the most twisted killer you’ll ever meet. This book will hook you from the first page and keep you guessing long into the night. PERFECT for fans of James Patterson, Mo Hayder, and Chris Carter.
350 pages, Paperback
First published May 26, 2017
110 people are currently reading
412 people want to read
About the author
Richard Jay Parker
13 books168 followersR J Parker's creative career began as a TV script writer, script editor and producer. It was this background that fed into a series of cinematic, high-concept thrillers that grabs the reader from the very first page and doesn't release them until the last. R J Parker now lives in Salisbury. One More Chapter/HarperCollins have published THE DINNER PARTY, WHILE YOU SLEPT and THE GOOD NEIGHBOUR. Out April 29th 2022 -THE REMOVAL MAN.
As Richard Jay Parker he has written the thriller STOP ME and as Richard Parker - SCARE ME, STALK ME, FOLLOW YOU, HIDE AND SEEK, KEEP HER SAFE, NEVER SAY GOODBYE and THE SONGBIRD GIRLS.
Check out: www.richard-parker.com
Insta: bemykiller
Twitter @Bookwalter
As Richard Jay Parker he has written the thriller STOP ME and as Richard Parker - SCARE ME, STALK ME, FOLLOW YOU, HIDE AND SEEK, KEEP HER SAFE, NEVER SAY GOODBYE and THE SONGBIRD GIRLS.
Check out: www.richard-parker.com
Insta: bemykiller
Twitter @Bookwalter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
August 12, 2022
3 out of 5 stars to Be My Killer, a mystery and thriller novel set to release on May 26th, 2017, by Richard Parker. It appears this is Parker's first novel, and for a debut, he shows a lot of potential. I'm curious to see what else he publishes. On to the review...
Why This Book
NetGalley has become my new go-to for selection of ARCs to read and review. But this time, I happen to see this book on my friend Bentley's list of Goodreads' books, and I thought it sounded really interesting. I requested it via NetGalley and was awarded it that day. It was the next book on my list due to be published, which meant I had to squeeze it in this week. Oh, deadlines... Many thanks to the author, NetGalley and the publisher, Bookouture, for the advanced copy in lieu of a fair and honest review.
Overview of Story
A killer is on the loose, propelled by a new Twitter handle called "@BeMyKiller," in which people can suggest names of who should be killed, as well as a witty response to taunt the killer into choosing them. It was only a fun game one man created, but someone took it to heart and killed 3 people in the exact manner suggested on Twitter. The families of the victims are out for blood, but the man who created the Twitter handle has been cleared of any wrongdoing. Enter Hazel, an indie film producer fresh off a prestigious award, looking for her next big break. She's pulled together a crew to interview the family of the last victim, Meredith; however, Hazel is the only person who believes the same killer murdered all the victims, and possibly a 4th and a 5th, which the police are still investigating. As she heads to the sacred ground where Meredith was brutally murdered, Hazel interviews all the families, as well as the guy who created the Twitter handle. Things start getting out of control when people threaten to kill him, but along the path, people's true personalities and hidden agendas begin coming to the surface. Over the course of 4 or 5 days, one by one, each member of the crew or victim's families begin disappearing. The killer is knocking them off for some mysterious reasons. As the story comes to an end, there are only 4 or 5 people left and they begin to realize the others haven't just disappeared (no bodies were ever found until the very end). It all comes to an explosive conclusion in the final chapters when the killer is revealed and Hazel takes a stand to save and protect those who still remain.
Approach & Style
The book is told in the past tense via an omniscient third party narrator, watching over each of the characters as they are brutally murdered. The point of view is consistent, but there is some mystery as you don't always know which character is being tracked by the killer. Pronouns are often used in lieu of him or her, especially when the victim realizes they are about to die and knows who the killer is -- the author doesn't want to give it away, so "they" is quite frequent. It got a little confusing in the beginning, but then you realize you have to go with it, based on how the story is told. It takes place in a small New England town, though the murders happened all over the country, and possibly one in Europe.
I read this on my iPad Kindle reader. Chapters are very short, and even though the book is roughly 300 pages, there is a lot of white space on the screen due to the break in each of the scenes. As a result, it's much shorter, and only took me about 4 hours to read over the course of 2 days.
Strengths
1. For a thriller novel, it's full of suspense and the fear-factor. Given the way the story is told, and the writing style, it has the creep-factor. It almost feels like you are the camera person, following the people and watching the murders happen, but you can't do anything about it. It's also very descriptive and creative in the ways each of the characters die. I love me some horror, but this was very intricate. I felt the pain and shook / squirmed a few times, thinking about the vicious torture the attacker inflicted on "their" victims. Just to give you a flavor of the torture, one of the Twitter followers suggested her brother be killed, the brother responded "Sure, take a piece of me." Well... the killer basically gutted him, chopped him up while he was still alive, into little pieces, and filmed the whole thing for the family to watch. What?????
2. I love when books kill characters one by one, keeping you guessing who is behind it the whole time. This book does well in that capacity. I also am fascinated by the premise of a Twitter stalker who kills people based on suggestions from various followers. It makes for a fun read and makes me a little leary to respond to people I don't know on social media!
3. The characters are strong and real. I didn't like many of them, mostly because they are all spineless jerks who hide behind the walls of the internet. The families of the victims also seemed to be using the death of their loved one as a way to help promote their own objectives. The film crew felt dirty and seedy, given what they were doing and how they treated each other, but it also felt a bit realistic in how this would play out -- as far as the exploitation part.
Open Questions & Concerns
1. The cops seemed way too easy-going about the whole film production setting up in the murder spot. They were missing throughout most of the book, which felt too convenient just to keep the murders happening one by one.
2. I am not sure I believe the FBI couldn't track the killer down through technology. I suppose the killer may not have had his/her own Twitter profiles, and looked at victims thru other means... but it felt like no one had a clue what was going on in that investigation.
3. I didn't care for the ending. It was a surprise, and it made sense; however, it felt like it came a little too far from nowhere. I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll stop there. Key thing to convey is... if you want a truly tidied up, complex and shocking ending, this wasn't it. It definitely was surprising, but I wanted more in terms of the "why." It does make up for the disappointment in the reasoning with a fantastic hide and seek scene in an amusement park.
Author & Other Similar Books
Tough one... I think it's the author's first book, so not much to say here. I am in no way, shape or form comparing him or the book to Agatha Christie; however, the concept of "one by one they die" was very similar to her novel, And Then There Were None.
Final Thoughts
I liked the author's style and the topics in the book. I wasn't a fan of the pronoun usage and think there could have been a better method to accomplishing the mystery goal. Overall, I'd definitely try another book by the author as it had a good amount of suspense, some horrific gore and kept my attention the entire time.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
Why This Book
NetGalley has become my new go-to for selection of ARCs to read and review. But this time, I happen to see this book on my friend Bentley's list of Goodreads' books, and I thought it sounded really interesting. I requested it via NetGalley and was awarded it that day. It was the next book on my list due to be published, which meant I had to squeeze it in this week. Oh, deadlines... Many thanks to the author, NetGalley and the publisher, Bookouture, for the advanced copy in lieu of a fair and honest review.
Overview of Story
A killer is on the loose, propelled by a new Twitter handle called "@BeMyKiller," in which people can suggest names of who should be killed, as well as a witty response to taunt the killer into choosing them. It was only a fun game one man created, but someone took it to heart and killed 3 people in the exact manner suggested on Twitter. The families of the victims are out for blood, but the man who created the Twitter handle has been cleared of any wrongdoing. Enter Hazel, an indie film producer fresh off a prestigious award, looking for her next big break. She's pulled together a crew to interview the family of the last victim, Meredith; however, Hazel is the only person who believes the same killer murdered all the victims, and possibly a 4th and a 5th, which the police are still investigating. As she heads to the sacred ground where Meredith was brutally murdered, Hazel interviews all the families, as well as the guy who created the Twitter handle. Things start getting out of control when people threaten to kill him, but along the path, people's true personalities and hidden agendas begin coming to the surface. Over the course of 4 or 5 days, one by one, each member of the crew or victim's families begin disappearing. The killer is knocking them off for some mysterious reasons. As the story comes to an end, there are only 4 or 5 people left and they begin to realize the others haven't just disappeared (no bodies were ever found until the very end). It all comes to an explosive conclusion in the final chapters when the killer is revealed and Hazel takes a stand to save and protect those who still remain.
Approach & Style
The book is told in the past tense via an omniscient third party narrator, watching over each of the characters as they are brutally murdered. The point of view is consistent, but there is some mystery as you don't always know which character is being tracked by the killer. Pronouns are often used in lieu of him or her, especially when the victim realizes they are about to die and knows who the killer is -- the author doesn't want to give it away, so "they" is quite frequent. It got a little confusing in the beginning, but then you realize you have to go with it, based on how the story is told. It takes place in a small New England town, though the murders happened all over the country, and possibly one in Europe.
I read this on my iPad Kindle reader. Chapters are very short, and even though the book is roughly 300 pages, there is a lot of white space on the screen due to the break in each of the scenes. As a result, it's much shorter, and only took me about 4 hours to read over the course of 2 days.
Strengths
1. For a thriller novel, it's full of suspense and the fear-factor. Given the way the story is told, and the writing style, it has the creep-factor. It almost feels like you are the camera person, following the people and watching the murders happen, but you can't do anything about it. It's also very descriptive and creative in the ways each of the characters die. I love me some horror, but this was very intricate. I felt the pain and shook / squirmed a few times, thinking about the vicious torture the attacker inflicted on "their" victims. Just to give you a flavor of the torture, one of the Twitter followers suggested her brother be killed, the brother responded "Sure, take a piece of me." Well... the killer basically gutted him, chopped him up while he was still alive, into little pieces, and filmed the whole thing for the family to watch. What?????
2. I love when books kill characters one by one, keeping you guessing who is behind it the whole time. This book does well in that capacity. I also am fascinated by the premise of a Twitter stalker who kills people based on suggestions from various followers. It makes for a fun read and makes me a little leary to respond to people I don't know on social media!
3. The characters are strong and real. I didn't like many of them, mostly because they are all spineless jerks who hide behind the walls of the internet. The families of the victims also seemed to be using the death of their loved one as a way to help promote their own objectives. The film crew felt dirty and seedy, given what they were doing and how they treated each other, but it also felt a bit realistic in how this would play out -- as far as the exploitation part.
Open Questions & Concerns
1. The cops seemed way too easy-going about the whole film production setting up in the murder spot. They were missing throughout most of the book, which felt too convenient just to keep the murders happening one by one.
2. I am not sure I believe the FBI couldn't track the killer down through technology. I suppose the killer may not have had his/her own Twitter profiles, and looked at victims thru other means... but it felt like no one had a clue what was going on in that investigation.
3. I didn't care for the ending. It was a surprise, and it made sense; however, it felt like it came a little too far from nowhere. I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll stop there. Key thing to convey is... if you want a truly tidied up, complex and shocking ending, this wasn't it. It definitely was surprising, but I wanted more in terms of the "why." It does make up for the disappointment in the reasoning with a fantastic hide and seek scene in an amusement park.
Author & Other Similar Books
Tough one... I think it's the author's first book, so not much to say here. I am in no way, shape or form comparing him or the book to Agatha Christie; however, the concept of "one by one they die" was very similar to her novel, And Then There Were None.
Final Thoughts
I liked the author's style and the topics in the book. I wasn't a fan of the pronoun usage and think there could have been a better method to accomplishing the mystery goal. Overall, I'd definitely try another book by the author as it had a good amount of suspense, some horrific gore and kept my attention the entire time.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
June 10, 2017
What was to be an online joke or dare, rapidly turns into a very deadly game!
A Twitter post #BeMyKiller asks people to go online and add their name to a list taunting an unknown killer to come after them as the next victim. An innocent joke, right? What right-minded person would take something like that seriously? Well, no one was laughing when folks who posted started dying in the most gruesome ways. The police having no clue who was behind the twitter post and the killings.
I have to give kudos to the author for the devious, inventive ways he concocted to perform the murders. Frightening! Quite the imagination Mr. Parker!
Hazel, a budding film maker and former friend of one of the victims is attempting to make a movie about the killings. Hoping to do what the police can't. Maybe draw the killer out in the open? Careful what you wish for! Now the whole movie shoot is at risk.
I have noticed a lot of people have shied away from this book referring to it as a horror. I actually delayed reading it for a few weeks until I knew my husband would be right next to me in case I was too scared to continue. Well honestly I did not find it scary, just incredibly gory at times. If you’re squeamish, this may not be the best choice for you. But if you’re looking for a very dark thriller, you won’t be disappointed!
My only negative was difficulty in keeping the large cast of characters straight. There was no focused backstory to make the reader clearly remember each character. I wish a little more time was spent on the characters themselves.
Very short chapters keeps the action rolling. Always wanting to read….just one more chapter!! Kept me guessing beginning to end!
May be found on Amazon under an alternate title of Follow You.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Richard Jay Parker.
A Twitter post #BeMyKiller asks people to go online and add their name to a list taunting an unknown killer to come after them as the next victim. An innocent joke, right? What right-minded person would take something like that seriously? Well, no one was laughing when folks who posted started dying in the most gruesome ways. The police having no clue who was behind the twitter post and the killings.
I have to give kudos to the author for the devious, inventive ways he concocted to perform the murders. Frightening! Quite the imagination Mr. Parker!
Hazel, a budding film maker and former friend of one of the victims is attempting to make a movie about the killings. Hoping to do what the police can't. Maybe draw the killer out in the open? Careful what you wish for! Now the whole movie shoot is at risk.
I have noticed a lot of people have shied away from this book referring to it as a horror. I actually delayed reading it for a few weeks until I knew my husband would be right next to me in case I was too scared to continue. Well honestly I did not find it scary, just incredibly gory at times. If you’re squeamish, this may not be the best choice for you. But if you’re looking for a very dark thriller, you won’t be disappointed!
My only negative was difficulty in keeping the large cast of characters straight. There was no focused backstory to make the reader clearly remember each character. I wish a little more time was spent on the characters themselves.
Very short chapters keeps the action rolling. Always wanting to read….just one more chapter!! Kept me guessing beginning to end!
May be found on Amazon under an alternate title of Follow You.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Richard Jay Parker.
May 20, 2017
Unfortunately, I'm underwhelmed.
I'm a huge fan of horror movies. I'll take anything really, but I spent a great deal of my formative teenage years feasting on the great horror slashers of the 80s and 90s. So when I came across this book, which promised a prominent slasher-storyline for horror fans to enjoy, I was definitely intrigued.
Lets start with the good first, because I really want to point out that this is technically quite well written. Richard Parker has an engaging command of prose. It's very descriptive without being overly pretentious or delving into purple prose. I felt like I could envision the story and the characters well, which definitely helped up my enjoyment of the story.
I also appreciated that it's clear Richard Parker is also a fan of the horror genre. There's a lot for horror fans to love here. The murders in particular are inventive and gruesome though it is quite heavy on gore. It felt quite reminiscent of the Saw movies in terms of the creativity behind the crimes, to give you an example of the tone without spoilers. If you're not a fan of horror that relies on gore to scare, consider yourself forewarned.
That being said, there were a few things that let me down. We have to talk about the killer in particular. One of the great things about slasher movies is that the most recognized ones all take the time to craft a striking killer that the audience won't soon forget. Freddy, Jason, and Michael Myers all come to mind when you say "slasher." Unfortunately, the #BeMyKiller figure wasn't memorable enough. He/She has no personality because he/she has no interaction with their victims save for the method by which they pick them. The kills were gruesome, but the killer and victim moments weren't engaging enough.
Not to mention the logistics of the killer being who they were, and using social media technology to track and murder their victims both fell totally flat for me. I couldn't help but think the entire time that the FBI must have safeguards in place that would allow them to easily track people behind accounts if/when things like this happened. That fact was mostly overlooked in favor of just buzzing along with the premise. And as I said, the reveal of who was behind the killer is underwhelming, no matter how you slice it.
Finally, I was pleasantly surprised to see that this book takes place in my home-state of Vermont. However, I can only assume that the author is from the UK, as the dialogue felt very British to me, even among the locals that lived in the town the story took place in. It sort of detracted from the story in my opinion. Why not just set the story in the UK in order to make the colloquialisms fit?
When all is said and done, the mystery and the brutality behind the story was engaging enough for me, but I found the execution at the end in particular lacking.
★★★✯✩ = 3/5 stars
Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for approving a review copy for me! Review to come shortly!
I'm a huge fan of horror movies. I'll take anything really, but I spent a great deal of my formative teenage years feasting on the great horror slashers of the 80s and 90s. So when I came across this book, which promised a prominent slasher-storyline for horror fans to enjoy, I was definitely intrigued.
Lets start with the good first, because I really want to point out that this is technically quite well written. Richard Parker has an engaging command of prose. It's very descriptive without being overly pretentious or delving into purple prose. I felt like I could envision the story and the characters well, which definitely helped up my enjoyment of the story.
I also appreciated that it's clear Richard Parker is also a fan of the horror genre. There's a lot for horror fans to love here. The murders in particular are inventive and gruesome though it is quite heavy on gore. It felt quite reminiscent of the Saw movies in terms of the creativity behind the crimes, to give you an example of the tone without spoilers. If you're not a fan of horror that relies on gore to scare, consider yourself forewarned.
That being said, there were a few things that let me down. We have to talk about the killer in particular. One of the great things about slasher movies is that the most recognized ones all take the time to craft a striking killer that the audience won't soon forget. Freddy, Jason, and Michael Myers all come to mind when you say "slasher." Unfortunately, the #BeMyKiller figure wasn't memorable enough. He/She has no personality because he/she has no interaction with their victims save for the method by which they pick them. The kills were gruesome, but the killer and victim moments weren't engaging enough.
Not to mention the logistics of the killer being who they were, and using social media technology to track and murder their victims both fell totally flat for me. I couldn't help but think the entire time that the FBI must have safeguards in place that would allow them to easily track people behind accounts if/when things like this happened. That fact was mostly overlooked in favor of just buzzing along with the premise. And as I said, the reveal of who was behind the killer is underwhelming, no matter how you slice it.
Finally, I was pleasantly surprised to see that this book takes place in my home-state of Vermont. However, I can only assume that the author is from the UK, as the dialogue felt very British to me, even among the locals that lived in the town the story took place in. It sort of detracted from the story in my opinion. Why not just set the story in the UK in order to make the colloquialisms fit?
When all is said and done, the mystery and the brutality behind the story was engaging enough for me, but I found the execution at the end in particular lacking.
★★★✯✩ = 3/5 stars
Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for approving a review copy for me! Review to come shortly!
May 31, 2017
2☆ Too gruesome for me
I'm afraid I just couldn't finish this book.
I found the scenes to be too graphic I like thriller books but this was border line horror. Really not a horror fan.
I just feel it went over the top on the whole serial killer stalker.
I didn't feel the scenes needed to be so intense.
I can see why as they was intended to shock, draw the reader in to the sick twisted mind of the serial killer. But wow!
If you like graphic gruesome murder descriptive scenes then honestly this is Definetly the book for you!
Not to my taste by I can Definetly see this will be absolutely perfect for some readers.
I received this book from the Publisher in exchange for a honest and fair review via Netgalley.
I'm afraid I just couldn't finish this book.
I found the scenes to be too graphic I like thriller books but this was border line horror. Really not a horror fan.
I just feel it went over the top on the whole serial killer stalker.
I didn't feel the scenes needed to be so intense.
I can see why as they was intended to shock, draw the reader in to the sick twisted mind of the serial killer. But wow!
If you like graphic gruesome murder descriptive scenes then honestly this is Definetly the book for you!
Not to my taste by I can Definetly see this will be absolutely perfect for some readers.
I received this book from the Publisher in exchange for a honest and fair review via Netgalley.
May 26, 2017
Richard Parker is disturbingly creative. The deaths in this book are gruesome, and almost push the book toward the horror genre. If you can make me, a big horror fan, shudder... you're doing something right. Might not be the best book for someone who is overly squeamish. This book is a decent length, but the short snappy chapters make it a pretty quick read. I love short chapters! When real life butts in and makes you put your book down, it's nice to know you can pause at an appropriate point. I can imagine this book making a very exciting and gory horror movie.
An online prank goes viral and results in several deaths. When rich kid Henrik puts up a Twitter account that's supposed to be a way of making a list of potential victims for serial killers, he seems to intend it as a joke. So do the many people who tweet the account and bait him, daring him to come after them. But someone isn't joking. Several of the men and women that put their names on the "list" have been brutally murdered in ways that reference their taunt. The account was soon shut down, but the murderer or murderers remain at large.
Hazel is a documentary maker desperate for a new project. She had some major success with her last film, but things have dried up. When she catches the name of a childhood friend on the news, an idea begins to form. Her old friend has been murdered after tweeting the "Be My Killer" account. It's at times unclear whether she wants to avenge her old mate or is just using the opportunity to create an interesting film she thinks will succeed.
Along with the crew from her last film that she's come to think of as friends, she heads back to her old hometown. She keeps her relationship with the victim a secret, but is scary determined to figure out exactly what happened. She even arranges the man who set up the account to meet with the families of the victims. Hazel believes that the murders were all committed by one opportunist. Whether they are dealing with one psychopath or several, this documentary is going to be explosive... if it ever gets made. Crew members begin to disappear, and strange things begin to happen at the amusement park they're shooting at. Now the question isn't whether they'll identify the killer and create a successful film... it's will any of them make it out alive?
I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
An online prank goes viral and results in several deaths. When rich kid Henrik puts up a Twitter account that's supposed to be a way of making a list of potential victims for serial killers, he seems to intend it as a joke. So do the many people who tweet the account and bait him, daring him to come after them. But someone isn't joking. Several of the men and women that put their names on the "list" have been brutally murdered in ways that reference their taunt. The account was soon shut down, but the murderer or murderers remain at large.
Hazel is a documentary maker desperate for a new project. She had some major success with her last film, but things have dried up. When she catches the name of a childhood friend on the news, an idea begins to form. Her old friend has been murdered after tweeting the "Be My Killer" account. It's at times unclear whether she wants to avenge her old mate or is just using the opportunity to create an interesting film she thinks will succeed.
Along with the crew from her last film that she's come to think of as friends, she heads back to her old hometown. She keeps her relationship with the victim a secret, but is scary determined to figure out exactly what happened. She even arranges the man who set up the account to meet with the families of the victims. Hazel believes that the murders were all committed by one opportunist. Whether they are dealing with one psychopath or several, this documentary is going to be explosive... if it ever gets made. Crew members begin to disappear, and strange things begin to happen at the amusement park they're shooting at. Now the question isn't whether they'll identify the killer and create a successful film... it's will any of them make it out alive?
I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
May 23, 2017
Somehow I don't think this book is in the right genre for me. I'm not a big fan of horror and this veers more towards that than a murder mystery/thriller. I loved the opening premise of the plot and thought it had a lot of potential. Someone has set up a prank twitter account @bemykiller asking people to say how they'd like to be killed. When four people are killed in different locations by the method they tweeted, the police think they may have a serial killer on the loose.
Enter Hazel Salter, an indie film producer hoping to re-ignite her career by making a film based on the killings by interviewing relatives and others involved. But things start to go really wrong when her crew and interview subjects start disappearing one by one. So this sounds really good and should be really creepy. In fact I can see this working really well as a screenplay with some dark lighting and atmospheric sound. But somehow it didn't work that well in the book. There was no build up of suspense or creepiness. There were a lot of characters, mostly flat and poorly developed and the murders were sudden and (overly) graphically violent. The writing wasn't great and the plot didn't really seem to be going anywhere.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Bookouture for a copy of this book to read and review
Enter Hazel Salter, an indie film producer hoping to re-ignite her career by making a film based on the killings by interviewing relatives and others involved. But things start to go really wrong when her crew and interview subjects start disappearing one by one. So this sounds really good and should be really creepy. In fact I can see this working really well as a screenplay with some dark lighting and atmospheric sound. But somehow it didn't work that well in the book. There was no build up of suspense or creepiness. There were a lot of characters, mostly flat and poorly developed and the murders were sudden and (overly) graphically violent. The writing wasn't great and the plot didn't really seem to be going anywhere.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Bookouture for a copy of this book to read and review
May 29, 2017
Be My Killer is definitely one of the darkest books in Bookouture’s repertoire. Following documentary maker Hazel and her team as they investigate the @BeMyKiller murders, they descend into their own living hell.
Richard Parker has a seriously twisted imagination. Some of the killing methods in this book were insane, gruesome and yet so clever. There is more to this book than murder though. Each of the characters have their own issues, and I really liked how the author managed to connect them together even though he was splitting them up at the same time. I found myself rooting for them all, at various points in the book, and other times I just wanted to shout at them for being stupid! But that’s the beauty of books like this, they evoke instant reaction from the readers.
Short and punchy chapters really add to the pace and momentum of the story too. Just when you think everything is ok, boom, no its not! And it happens often in Be My Killer. This constant action and mystery factor lend itself well to this kind of book. It actually reads like a movie at times, especially with the location. Being set in an abandoned play centre, it’s got plenty of creep-factor. You can almost hear the echoes of children’s laughter in the midst of the tension within the compound.
Be My Killer is definitely a book with a novel concept. It’s very current, in that it uses social media for more than just idle scrolling. It becomes a way to nominate people for death by using the Be My Killer hashtag. Twitter is such an instant form of communication, and it just goes to show how crowd mentality works in terms of a wide-reaching hashtag.
This was a fun read for me. Not fun because of the subject matter obviously, but fun in the cat and mouse chase kind of way. There are more twists and turns than a winding road, and I didn’t see any of them coming. I like it when a book surprises me like that!
If you like your thrillers pacy, gripping and more than a little gory, then Be My Killer is one for you!
Richard Parker has a seriously twisted imagination. Some of the killing methods in this book were insane, gruesome and yet so clever. There is more to this book than murder though. Each of the characters have their own issues, and I really liked how the author managed to connect them together even though he was splitting them up at the same time. I found myself rooting for them all, at various points in the book, and other times I just wanted to shout at them for being stupid! But that’s the beauty of books like this, they evoke instant reaction from the readers.
Short and punchy chapters really add to the pace and momentum of the story too. Just when you think everything is ok, boom, no its not! And it happens often in Be My Killer. This constant action and mystery factor lend itself well to this kind of book. It actually reads like a movie at times, especially with the location. Being set in an abandoned play centre, it’s got plenty of creep-factor. You can almost hear the echoes of children’s laughter in the midst of the tension within the compound.
Be My Killer is definitely a book with a novel concept. It’s very current, in that it uses social media for more than just idle scrolling. It becomes a way to nominate people for death by using the Be My Killer hashtag. Twitter is such an instant form of communication, and it just goes to show how crowd mentality works in terms of a wide-reaching hashtag.
This was a fun read for me. Not fun because of the subject matter obviously, but fun in the cat and mouse chase kind of way. There are more twists and turns than a winding road, and I didn’t see any of them coming. I like it when a book surprises me like that!
If you like your thrillers pacy, gripping and more than a little gory, then Be My Killer is one for you!
May 6, 2017
A nice premise for a book that sadly lacked in execution and characterisation.
So the premise of the book is somebody has set up a prank twitter account called @bemykiller and people are tweeting how they would like to be killed using the hashtag #bemykiller. But four people have now died in four different cities and have been murdered in a similar way to their tweets to @bemykiller.
Hazel Slater, our central character, is an award winning documentary film maker, but her career is in the doldrums and her company is facing closure. When she hears the name of the latest victim, Meredith and where she's from, she soon realises she is an old school friend from her home town and decides to try and get a crew together to make one last documentary and investigate the whole phenomenon and see if they can get to the bottom of it.
It was a nice set up and I was looking forward to an exciting and rollercoaster ride of a story but unfortunately that isn't what I got.
The main problem I had with this book was there were too many characters and not enough characterisation. I cared or knew little about any of the characters. Even Hazel the central figure wasn't very well written, wasn't particularly intersting or likeable and just did nothing to hold my attention.
There is a vast array of characters which was hard to keep track of. Because they were also not very well written, it just all got a little confusing as to who was who. Too many little stories going on in this that didn't really lead anywhere, it ended up being a chore to read with little interest in what happened to the characters or how it ended.
Also, I am in no way a prude but, the gratuitous violence seemed well over the top and unneeded. The author seemed to linger on the violent scenes too long for me to serve any real purpose and they became too descriptive and nasty for no real reason other than shock value.
I'm sorry but this one wasn't for me.
Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Richard Parker for and ARC in exchange for an honest review.
So the premise of the book is somebody has set up a prank twitter account called @bemykiller and people are tweeting how they would like to be killed using the hashtag #bemykiller. But four people have now died in four different cities and have been murdered in a similar way to their tweets to @bemykiller.
Hazel Slater, our central character, is an award winning documentary film maker, but her career is in the doldrums and her company is facing closure. When she hears the name of the latest victim, Meredith and where she's from, she soon realises she is an old school friend from her home town and decides to try and get a crew together to make one last documentary and investigate the whole phenomenon and see if they can get to the bottom of it.
It was a nice set up and I was looking forward to an exciting and rollercoaster ride of a story but unfortunately that isn't what I got.
The main problem I had with this book was there were too many characters and not enough characterisation. I cared or knew little about any of the characters. Even Hazel the central figure wasn't very well written, wasn't particularly intersting or likeable and just did nothing to hold my attention.
There is a vast array of characters which was hard to keep track of. Because they were also not very well written, it just all got a little confusing as to who was who. Too many little stories going on in this that didn't really lead anywhere, it ended up being a chore to read with little interest in what happened to the characters or how it ended.
Also, I am in no way a prude but, the gratuitous violence seemed well over the top and unneeded. The author seemed to linger on the violent scenes too long for me to serve any real purpose and they became too descriptive and nasty for no real reason other than shock value.
I'm sorry but this one wasn't for me.
Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Richard Parker for and ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 6, 2017
This is one of those books I find hard to review out of fear I’ll give anything away.
We’ve all heard stories about online pranks on twitter in the news. Sadly with some, there are fatalities. And that’s exactly what this book touches upon, albeit even more disturbing, as this particular online prank triggers a spate of murders. One of the victims is Meredith, a childhood friend of Hazel’s. Hazel is a documentary maker and decides to take her crew to the amusement park where Meredith died, to shoot a film and interview friends and family. She hopes to find out the truth. But then her crew members start disappearing.
This is very remniscent of the old slasher movies so if that’s your thing, you’re bound to enjoy this book. While those movies were not for me because the stupid got on my nerves, I did actually enjoy this book but I think that may have had more to do with the ingenuity in the murders. This author has one sick brain!
There are no likeable characters. Not one! What we do have is a host of brilliant, genius and absolutely gruesome murders. Some scenes I had to read twice, to wrap my head around them and then I cursed my vivid imagination as my stomach churned. And you know what? I totally loved it!
True to form for this genre, I couldn’t figure out who the killer was but ended up suspecting everyone. Well, until I had to check them off my list because they started dropping like flies! I just felt a little disappointed with the conclusion. I can’t quite put my finger on it but I was expecting something different.
However, I really enjoyed this one. All in all, it’s a truly engrossing read with icky gore, that had me on the edge of my seat.
Beware of social media. Think before you type. You never know who’s reading.
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for my advanced copy, which I chose to review.
We’ve all heard stories about online pranks on twitter in the news. Sadly with some, there are fatalities. And that’s exactly what this book touches upon, albeit even more disturbing, as this particular online prank triggers a spate of murders. One of the victims is Meredith, a childhood friend of Hazel’s. Hazel is a documentary maker and decides to take her crew to the amusement park where Meredith died, to shoot a film and interview friends and family. She hopes to find out the truth. But then her crew members start disappearing.
This is very remniscent of the old slasher movies so if that’s your thing, you’re bound to enjoy this book. While those movies were not for me because the stupid got on my nerves, I did actually enjoy this book but I think that may have had more to do with the ingenuity in the murders. This author has one sick brain!
There are no likeable characters. Not one! What we do have is a host of brilliant, genius and absolutely gruesome murders. Some scenes I had to read twice, to wrap my head around them and then I cursed my vivid imagination as my stomach churned. And you know what? I totally loved it!
True to form for this genre, I couldn’t figure out who the killer was but ended up suspecting everyone. Well, until I had to check them off my list because they started dropping like flies! I just felt a little disappointed with the conclusion. I can’t quite put my finger on it but I was expecting something different.
However, I really enjoyed this one. All in all, it’s a truly engrossing read with icky gore, that had me on the edge of my seat.
Beware of social media. Think before you type. You never know who’s reading.
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for my advanced copy, which I chose to review.
June 6, 2017
When the @BeMyKiller account goes viral, people all over the world start taunting the account, thinking it’s a joke. Not long after the account gains popularity, people who have tweeted to the account start dying in ways related to their taunts.
When her childhood friend Meredith becomes the latest victim, documentary filmmaker Hazel decides these murders would be the perfect story for her next film. She has a theory about the killer that’s different from the theory the police are working, and since they have no leads, she gathers a small film crew and heads to the abandoned amusement park in her hometown – the site of Meredith’s murder.
What she doesn’t realize is that the killer is closer than she realizes, and that this documentary might just put her life in danger…
Can I just say…WOW…I was so hooked on this book from the very first page and read it in two sittings! Be My Killer expertly crafted a thriller that was terrifying from all angles – a twisted and depraved killer, and a creepy abandoned amusement part – it doesn’t get better than that! The murders that took place in Be My Killer were some of the most gruesome I’ve read in as long as I can remember, and I loved it! As horrifying as they were, they were inventive and unique. I will say that Be My Killer is not for the faint of heart! If you didn’t like the gory descriptions in Pretty Girls by Karen Slaughter or couldn’t sit through the Saw movies for the same reason, this will not be the book for you, as there are a number of graphic murder scenes.
This book absolutely read like a horror movie, and is definitely something I’d go watch in theaters and be super scared by! Be My Killer was definitely a book that kept my attention to the very last page. The chapters were super short, which made it easy to fly through the book because I kept telling myself “just one more chapter!” and would find myself reading half of the book, instead. I’m a huge fan of short chapters that keep me wanting to turn the pages, and Be My Killer did that perfectly.
There were a lot of characters in the book, and while most of the chapters were told through Hazel’s point of view, there were some chapters that switched to the point of view of the murder victims, some of the crew members, and a young girl named April. I loved how they all tied together in the end.
This was definitely a win for me, and I’d recommend this one to fans of serial killer thrillers and psychological thrillers who don’t mind graphic descriptions of sadistic murders! A huge thank you to Richard Jay Parker, Bookouture, and NetGalley for a copy of the book. It was my pleasure to provide an honest review. Be My Killer is out now, so be sure to pick this one up! I can’t wait to see what else Richard Jay Parker writes – he’s got a new fan in me, and I’m definitely going to pick up his previous books!
When her childhood friend Meredith becomes the latest victim, documentary filmmaker Hazel decides these murders would be the perfect story for her next film. She has a theory about the killer that’s different from the theory the police are working, and since they have no leads, she gathers a small film crew and heads to the abandoned amusement park in her hometown – the site of Meredith’s murder.
What she doesn’t realize is that the killer is closer than she realizes, and that this documentary might just put her life in danger…
Can I just say…WOW…I was so hooked on this book from the very first page and read it in two sittings! Be My Killer expertly crafted a thriller that was terrifying from all angles – a twisted and depraved killer, and a creepy abandoned amusement part – it doesn’t get better than that! The murders that took place in Be My Killer were some of the most gruesome I’ve read in as long as I can remember, and I loved it! As horrifying as they were, they were inventive and unique. I will say that Be My Killer is not for the faint of heart! If you didn’t like the gory descriptions in Pretty Girls by Karen Slaughter or couldn’t sit through the Saw movies for the same reason, this will not be the book for you, as there are a number of graphic murder scenes.
This book absolutely read like a horror movie, and is definitely something I’d go watch in theaters and be super scared by! Be My Killer was definitely a book that kept my attention to the very last page. The chapters were super short, which made it easy to fly through the book because I kept telling myself “just one more chapter!” and would find myself reading half of the book, instead. I’m a huge fan of short chapters that keep me wanting to turn the pages, and Be My Killer did that perfectly.
There were a lot of characters in the book, and while most of the chapters were told through Hazel’s point of view, there were some chapters that switched to the point of view of the murder victims, some of the crew members, and a young girl named April. I loved how they all tied together in the end.
This was definitely a win for me, and I’d recommend this one to fans of serial killer thrillers and psychological thrillers who don’t mind graphic descriptions of sadistic murders! A huge thank you to Richard Jay Parker, Bookouture, and NetGalley for a copy of the book. It was my pleasure to provide an honest review. Be My Killer is out now, so be sure to pick this one up! I can’t wait to see what else Richard Jay Parker writes – he’s got a new fan in me, and I’m definitely going to pick up his previous books!
June 20, 2017
Be My Killer by author Richard Parker is definitely a book with an interesting basis. Current in its uses of social media and in particular Twitter as an instant form of communication. It becomes a way to submit people for death by using the Be My Killer hashtag.
Somebody has set up a prank twitter account called @bemykiller and people are tweeting how they would like to be killed using the hashtag #bemykiller. But four people have now died in four different cities and have been murdered in a similar way to their tweets to @bemykiller.
“When an online prank goes viral and triggers a spate of gruesome murders, documentary maker Hazel Salter watches in horror. But then Hazel’s childhood friend, Meredith Hickman, is the next victim and Hazel knows she has to find out what happened to her.”
Is it one killer or more? This is some sick twisted killer!
“The police have no leads, but Hazel has a theory – one she’ll stop at nothing to prove – and she also has a film crew. She’ll make a documentary, catch the killer, and give Meredith justice.”
Her stage is the abandoned amusement park where Meredith was found. Her cast are the family and friends the killer left behind. And her crew? They keep disappearing, one by one…
I'm not a big fan of horror and this leans more towards that than a murder mystery/thriller. This well written novel might not be the best book for someone who is overly squeamish, as it can be quite graphic in nature. The book is a decent length, with short snappy chapters make it a pretty quick read. I found there were too many characters, and it was difficult to keep track of them all. I would have liked to have seen less characters and more character development.
If you like graphic gruesome murder descriptive scenes then honestly this is definitely the book for you! I can see this will be absolutely perfect for some readers.
Thank you very much to Net Galley, my favourite publishers Bookouture and to the author Richard Parker.
Somebody has set up a prank twitter account called @bemykiller and people are tweeting how they would like to be killed using the hashtag #bemykiller. But four people have now died in four different cities and have been murdered in a similar way to their tweets to @bemykiller.
“When an online prank goes viral and triggers a spate of gruesome murders, documentary maker Hazel Salter watches in horror. But then Hazel’s childhood friend, Meredith Hickman, is the next victim and Hazel knows she has to find out what happened to her.”
Is it one killer or more? This is some sick twisted killer!
“The police have no leads, but Hazel has a theory – one she’ll stop at nothing to prove – and she also has a film crew. She’ll make a documentary, catch the killer, and give Meredith justice.”
Her stage is the abandoned amusement park where Meredith was found. Her cast are the family and friends the killer left behind. And her crew? They keep disappearing, one by one…
I'm not a big fan of horror and this leans more towards that than a murder mystery/thriller. This well written novel might not be the best book for someone who is overly squeamish, as it can be quite graphic in nature. The book is a decent length, with short snappy chapters make it a pretty quick read. I found there were too many characters, and it was difficult to keep track of them all. I would have liked to have seen less characters and more character development.
If you like graphic gruesome murder descriptive scenes then honestly this is definitely the book for you! I can see this will be absolutely perfect for some readers.
Thank you very much to Net Galley, my favourite publishers Bookouture and to the author Richard Parker.
September 20, 2017
Holy shit, this is what a call a thriller. To be honest, did it feel like a slasher horror movie in a book format. You know the one with a group of people travel to a remote place and get killed off one by one. It's an old and used format. But, it sure never gets boring. And, Richard Jay Parker has written a damn good book!
The idea for this book, people tweeting #BeMyKiller and how they wanna get killed and then they are killed is a fabulous modern kind of book plot. The BIG questions are; who is the killer? Or is it more than one killer and why is "he/they" killing off people? Also, how many in the documentary team will live?
Be My Killer is a great thriller, and if you're a thriller/horror fan will you love this book. I did think the end could have been a bit better, sure it was a bit of a surprise, but I part of me wanted a more shocking explanation. A truly WOW kind of ending. Yes, I know, I'm picky and hard to please. Other than that so did I find the book to be great, and there are some really, really awful gruesome killing scenes that even I found really disturbing.
One thing for sure, this is not the last book by Richard Jay Parker I'm going to read!
Btw I love the cover for the book, it's so gorgeous!
4.5 stars
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
The idea for this book, people tweeting #BeMyKiller and how they wanna get killed and then they are killed is a fabulous modern kind of book plot. The BIG questions are; who is the killer? Or is it more than one killer and why is "he/they" killing off people? Also, how many in the documentary team will live?
Be My Killer is a great thriller, and if you're a thriller/horror fan will you love this book. I did think the end could have been a bit better, sure it was a bit of a surprise, but I part of me wanted a more shocking explanation. A truly WOW kind of ending. Yes, I know, I'm picky and hard to please. Other than that so did I find the book to be great, and there are some really, really awful gruesome killing scenes that even I found really disturbing.
One thing for sure, this is not the last book by Richard Jay Parker I'm going to read!
Btw I love the cover for the book, it's so gorgeous!
4.5 stars
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
May 27, 2017
A mahoosive thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for an ARC of this abso-friggin-lutely FANTASTIC book! Eeeeeeek! Richard Parker....where have you been all my life!? You delightfully disturbed, torturously twisted being! Eeeeek, in-bloody-deed!! And if you are easily offended, turn away now, because HOLY SH*TBALLS - this book, well...it freakin' rocked!! And that cover? Hang on...*shudders* - total #Covergasm!!
Set in Fun Central, in a what turns out to be...not so fun...abandoned amusement park, the reader is faced with loss, guilt, sensationalism, narcissism, the impact/effect of social media, attention seeking, manipulation and a search for the truth. Jaaaaaysus.....the things that happen...it is the stuff of nightmares, #bookjunkies!
In terms of this kickass plot, the reader is immediately grabbed by the throat, thrown against the wall and has their eyes taped open to make sure not one page of this messed up but totally addictive read is not missed! In the metaphorical sense of course.... Or was that just me? If graphic violence is not your thing, then steer clear of this bad boy, but if like me- it heightens your interest, and that little devil on your shoulder is saying Do it....Doooooo it....then get comfortable, hang on tight and enjoy the ride.....welcome to Fun Central.....
Character-wise, this book has it all! A diverse bunch that draw you in- whether you love 'em or loathe 'em- you will be wondering what is happening with each and every one! Hazel Salter is filming a documentary (read the synopsis, it will fill you in ) - she seems to have this overwhelming need to right a wrong from the past. She is determined, clever but also does not know when to quit - I mean c'mon Hazel! FFS -sometimes you just got to GO! It took me a bit to warm to her and I did want to slap her silly sometimes, but her heart was in the right place and when put to the test, her courage has no boundaries!
Henrik Fossen- WTF is up with this guy? Is it me, or does even his name sound creepy!? The creator of the #BeMyKiller hashtag has unleashed a monster...and doesn't even seem phased by it! The author cleverly injects social media into this storyline, making it relevant to readers today and oh-so-interesting!
Eve Huber- someone get me a blowtorch....ooops....sorry, can you guess I didn't like her one bit! But OH MY FRIGGIN GOD.....that is all I am saying, no spoilers...but seriously.....DAMN!!! Rena annoyed me too....a few of the characters did....but not in a bad way...they played a part in the story which moved it along nicely! I just hoped they would all end up dead! #MyBad
Poor Poor April - where the hell are her parents!? Loved her! Fiesty yet full of fear....she upped the suspense a few notches and my heart was in my throat a few times when she came onto the pages! You know when you just want to shout at a character...scream....leave it alone little girl! Yeah.....THAT!!!
These were just a whacked out bunch of attention-seeking misfits, thrown into the path of one of THE BEST serial killers I have come across in a book for some time. This killer makes Hannibal Lector seem like a pussy cat! Seriously!! The killing methods....WOW!!!! Is it wrong that I LOVED every single-sickening-second of the murders....probably....but I make no apologies.
In a nutshell...this book EXCITED me- it probably shouldn't....but it did. The more twisted and tense a story is, the more I want to read it...and I DEVOURED this book in one sitting. That may sound strange to some folk, but those of you who dance on the dark side...you know EXACTLY what I am talking about!
Do I recommend this book? Erm....you bet your sweet arse I do! I am sorry to say Richard Parker, but you have now been added to my coveted #AuthorsIStalk list....#PoorPoorYou! So if you LOVE a great serial killer thriller that will excite and horrify you...BUY THIS BOOK! #BOOM!
September 3, 2017
Well, where do I start with this chilling thriller? It is safe to say that from the very fist chapter the book grabbed me, gripped me, throttled me, took my breath and left me for dead. The book is without doubt one of the darkest I have read but not in a sensationalist way. There are murders galore, each one more ingenious and imaginative than the last and I can honestly say I will never view an exhaust pipe the same way again!! I loved Hazel, the main character and the pace of the book held my attention and swept me through to the last page leaving me hungry for more. This is my first book by this author but it won't be my last. Highly recommended.
May 26, 2017
Initially, I really hated the title of this book, it sounds super cheesy and weird, but after finding out it relates to the Twitter Killer plot, I actually thought it was quite cool. The plotline here is that there was Twitter thread called '#BeMyKiller' where you could advertise yourself up to be killed (in a pranky way) but then a few people who responded to this thread were murdered. I thought this was a really unique motivation for the crimes in this and so my hatred for the title dissipated.
This is a fast paced book, with never a dull moment! If you're one of those people who pushes themselves through "just one more chapter", this book is going to stop you from sleeping... There are 130 chapters in this book, with some of them being just a page long!
I liked the plot for this, that they were making a film about the murders, that then turned into more murders. The setting was in the dark and dreary murder place of Meredith, "Fun Central" and because it was an old kids play area, with ball bits and go-kart tracks, it had an eerie feel to it that worked well alongside the gruesome murders. And yes, they were gruesome murders.
Writing was well done. It's not a challenging book to read, there's no amazing descriptive passages or hard-hitting themes, it's just an easy thriller read. One problem I did have with the writing is something so stupid and very specific that it almost seems pointless in saying it, but it got on my nerves enough times that I have to mention it. "So why did you use the #BeMyKiller hashtag?" - how do you read that sentence? I read it as "hashtag Be My Killer hashtag"... yes that's all that's annoyed me, the double use of the hashtag... don't use a # if you're then going to write out hashtag!!!
Our main character in this novel is Hazel, and while she's creating this film to get justice for Meredith's killer, I didn't particularly like her. The blurb makes it sound like Hazel is doing her documentary to get justice for Meredith, but to me, it felt like she was making the film to save her company from going under. She was too deceptive with all the characters about her reasoning behind creating this new film, that her passion to catch the killer felt fake. As for Meredith being a "childhood friend", I'd say that wasn't very realistic, the book makes it feel like they were more acquaintances than anything, and that Hazel just sort of pitied Meredith. It's never good when you don't like the main character, but I was reasonably happy still going along with this novel. Hazel was dislikable but she was tolerable.
I had my suspicions of who the killer might be, which turned out to be wrong, but I think I would have preferred my scenario to play out because the real reveal was pretty dramatic and out there. Although the last 40% of the book was super tense and horror-movie-like it got a little OTT in my opinion.
Overall this is a great thriller if you're looking for a book with non-stop action, but it's not particularly clever and it's very dark, so if you're not into that kinda thing, you won't enjoy this one. It's clear that Parker has a talent for writing and I will definitely look out for more books of his, but this, for me, was a very mediocre thriller novel.
This is a fast paced book, with never a dull moment! If you're one of those people who pushes themselves through "just one more chapter", this book is going to stop you from sleeping... There are 130 chapters in this book, with some of them being just a page long!
I liked the plot for this, that they were making a film about the murders, that then turned into more murders. The setting was in the dark and dreary murder place of Meredith, "Fun Central" and because it was an old kids play area, with ball bits and go-kart tracks, it had an eerie feel to it that worked well alongside the gruesome murders. And yes, they were gruesome murders.
Writing was well done. It's not a challenging book to read, there's no amazing descriptive passages or hard-hitting themes, it's just an easy thriller read. One problem I did have with the writing is something so stupid and very specific that it almost seems pointless in saying it, but it got on my nerves enough times that I have to mention it. "So why did you use the #BeMyKiller hashtag?" - how do you read that sentence? I read it as "hashtag Be My Killer hashtag"... yes that's all that's annoyed me, the double use of the hashtag... don't use a # if you're then going to write out hashtag!!!
Our main character in this novel is Hazel, and while she's creating this film to get justice for Meredith's killer, I didn't particularly like her. The blurb makes it sound like Hazel is doing her documentary to get justice for Meredith, but to me, it felt like she was making the film to save her company from going under. She was too deceptive with all the characters about her reasoning behind creating this new film, that her passion to catch the killer felt fake. As for Meredith being a "childhood friend", I'd say that wasn't very realistic, the book makes it feel like they were more acquaintances than anything, and that Hazel just sort of pitied Meredith. It's never good when you don't like the main character, but I was reasonably happy still going along with this novel. Hazel was dislikable but she was tolerable.
I had my suspicions of who the killer might be, which turned out to be wrong, but I think I would have preferred my scenario to play out because the real reveal was pretty dramatic and out there. Although the last 40% of the book was super tense and horror-movie-like it got a little OTT in my opinion.
Overall this is a great thriller if you're looking for a book with non-stop action, but it's not particularly clever and it's very dark, so if you're not into that kinda thing, you won't enjoy this one. It's clear that Parker has a talent for writing and I will definitely look out for more books of his, but this, for me, was a very mediocre thriller novel.
May 25, 2017
Well worth 5 stars,deserves many more.
Hazel Salter hasn't been back to her home town of Broomfield,Vermont for over twenty years,she never wanted to see the place ever again but her childhood friend Meredith Hickman has been brutally murdered allegedly by the so-called #Be My Killer serial killer. It has been five months since Meredith was killed,the police investigation has hit a brick wall so Hazel decides to return to her home town and make a documentary about the murders. Not long after Hazel and her crew start recording their interviews people start disappearing. Someone doesn't want the truth to be revealed and is prepared to go to any lengths to stop their secrets from being exposed.
This gripping,intense,at times shocking thriller is told from the third person point of view of Hazel and a number of other characters who feature in this twisted story. Although the story is narrated by more than one person the change of characters does not interfere with the flow of the story and it is easy to follow. The characters are well thought out,realistic and believable,some where very likeable and some not so. Hazel and her crew where a mixed bunch of likeable characters but as the story unfolded the reader is never 100% sure whether any one of them might not be a trustworthy as they seemed. Running alongside the story of what was happening to the people connected with the documentary was the intense chapters involving seven year old Alice Weeks who is being hunted by a unknown person in the dark woods that surrounded the creepy,deserted fun centre where Hazel was making her documentary. Why is Alice being chased and is the person who is chasing her also involved in what is happening to Hazel and her crew?.
This is a intense,thrill ride that had me hooked from the shocking first chapter and totally engrossed by the twisty tale that was unfolding as I frantically turned the pages. Spooky,creepy settings,very gory Inventive murders,loads of twists and a couple of laugh out loud moments,I would love to watch a film version of this book and would happily recommend it to anyone who loved the Saw films or a riveting,gripping thriller or if you are like me...someone who loves both.
Many thanks to Bookouture for a arc of this book via netgalley in exchange for a honest review
Merged review:
Well worth 5 stars,deserves many more.
Hazel Salter hasn't been back to her home town of Broomfield,Vermont for over twenty years,she never wanted to see the place ever again but her childhood friend Meredith Hickman has been brutally murdered allegedly by the so-called #Be My Killer serial killer. It has been five months since Meredith was killed,the police investigation has hit a brick wall so Hazel decides to return to her home town and make a documentary about the murders. Not long after Hazel and her crew start recording their interviews people start disappearing. Someone doesn't want the truth to be revealed and is prepared to go to any lengths to stop their secrets from being exposed.
This gripping,intense,at times shocking thriller is told from the third person point of view of Hazel and a number of other characters who feature in this twisted story. Although the story is narrated by more than one person the change of characters does not interfere with the flow of the story and it is easy to follow. The characters are well thought out,realistic and believable,some where very likeable and some not so. Hazel and her crew where a mixed bunch of likeable characters but as the story unfolded the reader is never 100% sure whether any one of them might not be a trustworthy as they seemed. Running alongside the story of what was happening to the people connected with the documentary was the intense chapters involving seven year old Alice Weeks who is being hunted by a unknown person in the dark woods that surrounded the creepy,deserted fun centre where Hazel was making her documentary. Why is Alice being chased and is the person who is chasing her also involved in what is happening to Hazel and her crew?.
This is a intense,thrill ride that had me hooked from the shocking first chapter and totally engrossed by the twisty tale that was unfolding as I frantically turned the pages. Spooky,creepy settings,very gory Inventive murders,loads of twists and a couple of laugh out loud moments,I would love to watch a film version of this book and would happily recommend it to anyone who loved the Saw films or a riveting,gripping thriller or if you are like me...someone who loves both.
Many thanks to Bookouture for a arc of this book via netgalley in exchange for a honest review
Hazel Salter hasn't been back to her home town of Broomfield,Vermont for over twenty years,she never wanted to see the place ever again but her childhood friend Meredith Hickman has been brutally murdered allegedly by the so-called #Be My Killer serial killer. It has been five months since Meredith was killed,the police investigation has hit a brick wall so Hazel decides to return to her home town and make a documentary about the murders. Not long after Hazel and her crew start recording their interviews people start disappearing. Someone doesn't want the truth to be revealed and is prepared to go to any lengths to stop their secrets from being exposed.
This gripping,intense,at times shocking thriller is told from the third person point of view of Hazel and a number of other characters who feature in this twisted story. Although the story is narrated by more than one person the change of characters does not interfere with the flow of the story and it is easy to follow. The characters are well thought out,realistic and believable,some where very likeable and some not so. Hazel and her crew where a mixed bunch of likeable characters but as the story unfolded the reader is never 100% sure whether any one of them might not be a trustworthy as they seemed. Running alongside the story of what was happening to the people connected with the documentary was the intense chapters involving seven year old Alice Weeks who is being hunted by a unknown person in the dark woods that surrounded the creepy,deserted fun centre where Hazel was making her documentary. Why is Alice being chased and is the person who is chasing her also involved in what is happening to Hazel and her crew?.
This is a intense,thrill ride that had me hooked from the shocking first chapter and totally engrossed by the twisty tale that was unfolding as I frantically turned the pages. Spooky,creepy settings,very gory Inventive murders,loads of twists and a couple of laugh out loud moments,I would love to watch a film version of this book and would happily recommend it to anyone who loved the Saw films or a riveting,gripping thriller or if you are like me...someone who loves both.
Many thanks to Bookouture for a arc of this book via netgalley in exchange for a honest review
Merged review:
Well worth 5 stars,deserves many more.
Hazel Salter hasn't been back to her home town of Broomfield,Vermont for over twenty years,she never wanted to see the place ever again but her childhood friend Meredith Hickman has been brutally murdered allegedly by the so-called #Be My Killer serial killer. It has been five months since Meredith was killed,the police investigation has hit a brick wall so Hazel decides to return to her home town and make a documentary about the murders. Not long after Hazel and her crew start recording their interviews people start disappearing. Someone doesn't want the truth to be revealed and is prepared to go to any lengths to stop their secrets from being exposed.
This gripping,intense,at times shocking thriller is told from the third person point of view of Hazel and a number of other characters who feature in this twisted story. Although the story is narrated by more than one person the change of characters does not interfere with the flow of the story and it is easy to follow. The characters are well thought out,realistic and believable,some where very likeable and some not so. Hazel and her crew where a mixed bunch of likeable characters but as the story unfolded the reader is never 100% sure whether any one of them might not be a trustworthy as they seemed. Running alongside the story of what was happening to the people connected with the documentary was the intense chapters involving seven year old Alice Weeks who is being hunted by a unknown person in the dark woods that surrounded the creepy,deserted fun centre where Hazel was making her documentary. Why is Alice being chased and is the person who is chasing her also involved in what is happening to Hazel and her crew?.
This is a intense,thrill ride that had me hooked from the shocking first chapter and totally engrossed by the twisty tale that was unfolding as I frantically turned the pages. Spooky,creepy settings,very gory Inventive murders,loads of twists and a couple of laugh out loud moments,I would love to watch a film version of this book and would happily recommend it to anyone who loved the Saw films or a riveting,gripping thriller or if you are like me...someone who loves both.
Many thanks to Bookouture for a arc of this book via netgalley in exchange for a honest review
May 11, 2017
Received this book free from Netgalley for an honest review.
All I can say is WOW... The premise is incredible and addictive, the characters believable and real. I loved Hazel. This book was tense, thrilling, unputdownable. Absolutely brilliant and very highly recommended.
All I can say is WOW... The premise is incredible and addictive, the characters believable and real. I loved Hazel. This book was tense, thrilling, unputdownable. Absolutely brilliant and very highly recommended.
May 30, 2017
I heard so much hype about this book that I had to pre order it and ended up reading it in one day as soon as it landed on my kindle on publishing day.
The story starts off with a shocking incident. This is just a glimpse of what horrors are in store for the reader. If you are not one for horror films, then this may not be your type of read. Even though it is classed as a crime thriller, there is very much big elements of horror through out the story. To be fair if it was a film I think without a doubt it would be classed as a horror. The murders are extremely twisted and don’t make for pleasant reading. If you are a fan of horror films though or brutal murders in a crime thriller then boy are you in for a treat with Be My Killer.
I like how the author has incorporated the whole hashtag, social media thing in the story line. It makes it a very current read. The whole documentary thing felt a bit Blair Witch Project for me and if anything felt a mixture of that particular film and the Saw films.
Something I particularly enjoyed is how strong the female characters came across in this book. Especially for the story line. Hazel and Rena are characters that both really stood out for many reasons and the reader finds themselves really routing for them.
Be My Killer is with out a doubt an entertaining read that you can easily read in a sitting. There’s plenty to shock the reader and was certainly a whirl wind of a read. If you love a book that will make you squirm whilst keeping you hooked, this is the one for you.
The story starts off with a shocking incident. This is just a glimpse of what horrors are in store for the reader. If you are not one for horror films, then this may not be your type of read. Even though it is classed as a crime thriller, there is very much big elements of horror through out the story. To be fair if it was a film I think without a doubt it would be classed as a horror. The murders are extremely twisted and don’t make for pleasant reading. If you are a fan of horror films though or brutal murders in a crime thriller then boy are you in for a treat with Be My Killer.
I like how the author has incorporated the whole hashtag, social media thing in the story line. It makes it a very current read. The whole documentary thing felt a bit Blair Witch Project for me and if anything felt a mixture of that particular film and the Saw films.
Something I particularly enjoyed is how strong the female characters came across in this book. Especially for the story line. Hazel and Rena are characters that both really stood out for many reasons and the reader finds themselves really routing for them.
Be My Killer is with out a doubt an entertaining read that you can easily read in a sitting. There’s plenty to shock the reader and was certainly a whirl wind of a read. If you love a book that will make you squirm whilst keeping you hooked, this is the one for you.
January 10, 2018
3.5 stars.
I've read a lot of books from Bookouture, but I would have to say that Follow You is by far the most gruesome! The premise pulled me in and I was excited to see how the unique story would unravel. This book was well-written and very descriptive. I could imagine the gruesome murders as scenes from a horror movie. There were a few issues that I found with this one. It was too repetitive and there were a lot of characters to keep track of without much characterization. The end threw me for a loop because the killer came out of left field. However, I now have my eye on Richard Parker and can’t wait to see what else he puts out there.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Richard Parker for the opportunity to read Follow You. It was my pleasure to write an honest review.
I've read a lot of books from Bookouture, but I would have to say that Follow You is by far the most gruesome! The premise pulled me in and I was excited to see how the unique story would unravel. This book was well-written and very descriptive. I could imagine the gruesome murders as scenes from a horror movie. There were a few issues that I found with this one. It was too repetitive and there were a lot of characters to keep track of without much characterization. The end threw me for a loop because the killer came out of left field. However, I now have my eye on Richard Parker and can’t wait to see what else he puts out there.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Richard Parker for the opportunity to read Follow You. It was my pleasure to write an honest review.
May 27, 2017
All of my reviews can be found on www.novelgossip.com
The premise for this one instantly hooked me, even before I read the chilling opening chapter. Social media as the hunting grounds for a serial killer was a really clever basis for this book, @BeMyKiller is a Twitter account that went viral when people that used the hashtag or tweeted the account were murdered based on the taunts they used. Tweet saying the killer is gutless and you may find yourself literally gutted. Many people were scared to use the hashtag for this tour, but I’m being brave!
This has the vibe of an old slasher movie, think 80’s movies like The Nightmare on Elm Street and Child’s Play mixed with the campy feel of 90s horror movies like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. There was the same large cast of characters in a perfect atmospheric setting, this used an old, abandoned amusement park. In fact, this book is begging to be turned into a movie, it would be great!
This is not for the faint of heart, it’s gory, graphic and has some highly original murder scenes. Some of them are seriously twisted, if you’ve read this you’ll know why I’ll never be able to look at a mobility scooter the same way again, yikes! I was constantly on the edge of my seat as I wondered who the next victim would be, the tension was fantastic and there were some parts that were real nail biters.
This was very fast paced and creepy with plenty of twists and turns along the way. I had heard before I read it that it was one of Bookouture’s darkest books to date and I would have to agree, it’s pretty depraved! It was also a whole lot of fun, highly entertaining and left me guessing up until the end.
The premise for this one instantly hooked me, even before I read the chilling opening chapter. Social media as the hunting grounds for a serial killer was a really clever basis for this book, @BeMyKiller is a Twitter account that went viral when people that used the hashtag or tweeted the account were murdered based on the taunts they used. Tweet saying the killer is gutless and you may find yourself literally gutted. Many people were scared to use the hashtag for this tour, but I’m being brave!
This has the vibe of an old slasher movie, think 80’s movies like The Nightmare on Elm Street and Child’s Play mixed with the campy feel of 90s horror movies like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. There was the same large cast of characters in a perfect atmospheric setting, this used an old, abandoned amusement park. In fact, this book is begging to be turned into a movie, it would be great!
This is not for the faint of heart, it’s gory, graphic and has some highly original murder scenes. Some of them are seriously twisted, if you’ve read this you’ll know why I’ll never be able to look at a mobility scooter the same way again, yikes! I was constantly on the edge of my seat as I wondered who the next victim would be, the tension was fantastic and there were some parts that were real nail biters.
This was very fast paced and creepy with plenty of twists and turns along the way. I had heard before I read it that it was one of Bookouture’s darkest books to date and I would have to agree, it’s pretty depraved! It was also a whole lot of fun, highly entertaining and left me guessing up until the end.
May 26, 2017
https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...
I really enjoyed this book after I got in to it, I thought it was a little but slow to start but it did ramp up the pace and turned in to a real page turner towards the end. I wasn't a massive fan of any of the characters but the plot was strong enough that it carried the book forward with just the storyline. Definitely a creepy book, just the right amount of graphic in places and an excellent thriller overall. 4 stars from me for this one.
I really enjoyed this book after I got in to it, I thought it was a little but slow to start but it did ramp up the pace and turned in to a real page turner towards the end. I wasn't a massive fan of any of the characters but the plot was strong enough that it carried the book forward with just the storyline. Definitely a creepy book, just the right amount of graphic in places and an excellent thriller overall. 4 stars from me for this one.
May 31, 2017
All my reviews can be found at http://thebookreviewcafe.com
Be My Killer by Richard Parker should come with the tag line “be afraid, be very afraid”, this novel reads like one of the scariest movies you watch, you know the slasher movies where you spend half the time peering from behind your fingers, you want to watch it but it’s making you anxious, your hearts pounding, that’s exactly how this novel made me feel whilst reading it. From the blood curdling first chapter you know it’s going to be a hell of a read. If you are expecting Be My Killer to be a conventional crime thriller forget it, as this book reminded me very much of the horror books I use to love reading in my younger days.
Be My Killer by Richard Parker is set in a derelict amusement park called Fun Central, a perfect setting for the most gruesome and original killings I’ve read about in a long time. I have to say the author has a twisted and warped imagination, but I mean that in the nicest possible way, as he’s certainly created one twisted killer, and as to the actual killings let’s just say they are very unique. Crime thrillers based around social media seem to be a popular theme for crime writers and I can definitely see why. The author uses Twitter and the #BeMyKiller hash tag which is pivotal to the plot, and it certainly works, in fact it adds a new level of terror to a gory and sometimes graphic read, this definitely isn’t one for the faint hearted.
I’m not going to go into plot details as the book description tells you all you need to know, but the concept of using a film crew to record a documentary based on Meredith Hickman one of the victims, was sheer genius and highly original. Be My Killer has the makings of a movie, there are so many “heart in your mouth” moments, a constant sense of unease, you are just waiting for the killer to strike again. I found myself constantly thinking Why? Whose next? which for me made for a truly heart pounding read.
If I had one small niggle with this book it was the array of characters the author introduces to the plot, at times I struggled to remember who they all were, which slightly distracted from my enjoyment of this book, but on the plus side Richard Parker has devised a very clever ploy and delivered this seriously twisted tale in short, snappy chapters which meant I kept on reading “one more chapter” long after I should have gone to bed! Be My Killer races along, spattering blood and body parts on the way, so if your squeamish this book may not be for you, but if like me you love the darker crime thriller with an intriguing plot and a serial killer who will give you nightmares then I would highly recommend you buy yourself a copy today.
Be My Killer by Richard Parker should come with the tag line “be afraid, be very afraid”, this novel reads like one of the scariest movies you watch, you know the slasher movies where you spend half the time peering from behind your fingers, you want to watch it but it’s making you anxious, your hearts pounding, that’s exactly how this novel made me feel whilst reading it. From the blood curdling first chapter you know it’s going to be a hell of a read. If you are expecting Be My Killer to be a conventional crime thriller forget it, as this book reminded me very much of the horror books I use to love reading in my younger days.
Be My Killer by Richard Parker is set in a derelict amusement park called Fun Central, a perfect setting for the most gruesome and original killings I’ve read about in a long time. I have to say the author has a twisted and warped imagination, but I mean that in the nicest possible way, as he’s certainly created one twisted killer, and as to the actual killings let’s just say they are very unique. Crime thrillers based around social media seem to be a popular theme for crime writers and I can definitely see why. The author uses Twitter and the #BeMyKiller hash tag which is pivotal to the plot, and it certainly works, in fact it adds a new level of terror to a gory and sometimes graphic read, this definitely isn’t one for the faint hearted.
I’m not going to go into plot details as the book description tells you all you need to know, but the concept of using a film crew to record a documentary based on Meredith Hickman one of the victims, was sheer genius and highly original. Be My Killer has the makings of a movie, there are so many “heart in your mouth” moments, a constant sense of unease, you are just waiting for the killer to strike again. I found myself constantly thinking Why? Whose next? which for me made for a truly heart pounding read.
If I had one small niggle with this book it was the array of characters the author introduces to the plot, at times I struggled to remember who they all were, which slightly distracted from my enjoyment of this book, but on the plus side Richard Parker has devised a very clever ploy and delivered this seriously twisted tale in short, snappy chapters which meant I kept on reading “one more chapter” long after I should have gone to bed! Be My Killer races along, spattering blood and body parts on the way, so if your squeamish this book may not be for you, but if like me you love the darker crime thriller with an intriguing plot and a serial killer who will give you nightmares then I would highly recommend you buy yourself a copy today.
May 9, 2017
Thank you very much to Net Galley, my favourite publishers Bookouture and to the author Richard Parker.
The difficult think is to be rewarded/approved for a book, that seems to have a lot of hype and you expect so much from. The author explains how important good reviews are and I agree, but here I have to give a honest review, which is not a good review...
I just did not really enjoy this book !!
You set the trap. Now you can’t escape.
So the premise of the book is somebody has set up a prank twitter account called @bemykiller and people are tweeting how they would like to be killed using the hashtag #bemykiller. But four people have now died in four different cities and have been murdered in a similar way to their tweets to @be my killer.
When an online prank goes viral and triggers a spate of gruesome murders, documentary maker Hazel Salter watches in horror. But then Hazel’s childhood friend, Meredith Hickman, is the next victim and Hazel knows she has to find out what happened to her.
Is it one killer or more? Random acts of violence, or part of a bigger, twisted plan?
The police have no leads, but Hazel has a theory – one she’ll stop at nothing to prove – and she also has a film crew. She’ll make a documentary, catch the killer, and give Meredith justice.
Her stage is the abandoned amusement park where Meredith was found.
Her cast are the family and friends the killer left behind.
And her crew? They keep disappearing, one by one…
Faults with this book...
Story very slow and very heavy going..
The murders are over brutal...yes I understand why?
The characters are not defined or strong enough, no characters to really like either, and just too many characters to follow
Overall story just does not build any tension, suspense, no great surprises.
Just lacks a solid story, only just finished this book, as just lost interest.
Only two stars from me. My apologies to the author and to the publishers.
Just not for me, although I know many have enjoyed the book
The difficult think is to be rewarded/approved for a book, that seems to have a lot of hype and you expect so much from. The author explains how important good reviews are and I agree, but here I have to give a honest review, which is not a good review...
I just did not really enjoy this book !!
You set the trap. Now you can’t escape.
So the premise of the book is somebody has set up a prank twitter account called @bemykiller and people are tweeting how they would like to be killed using the hashtag #bemykiller. But four people have now died in four different cities and have been murdered in a similar way to their tweets to @be my killer.
When an online prank goes viral and triggers a spate of gruesome murders, documentary maker Hazel Salter watches in horror. But then Hazel’s childhood friend, Meredith Hickman, is the next victim and Hazel knows she has to find out what happened to her.
Is it one killer or more? Random acts of violence, or part of a bigger, twisted plan?
The police have no leads, but Hazel has a theory – one she’ll stop at nothing to prove – and she also has a film crew. She’ll make a documentary, catch the killer, and give Meredith justice.
Her stage is the abandoned amusement park where Meredith was found.
Her cast are the family and friends the killer left behind.
And her crew? They keep disappearing, one by one…
Faults with this book...
Story very slow and very heavy going..
The murders are over brutal...yes I understand why?
The characters are not defined or strong enough, no characters to really like either, and just too many characters to follow
Overall story just does not build any tension, suspense, no great surprises.
Just lacks a solid story, only just finished this book, as just lost interest.
Only two stars from me. My apologies to the author and to the publishers.
Just not for me, although I know many have enjoyed the book
May 1, 2017
It all starts when someone with a lot of time on his hands sends out a tweet .... #BeMyKiller. When the prank goes viral, people begin to die. Coincidence? Or is there really someone out there killing those who leave responses about how they would want to be killed?
Hazel Salter is a film maker of documentaries. One of those who were found dead was a childhood friend. She decides to make a documentary with her murdered friend as a centerpiece to find out what happened and who the killer is.
She and her crew set up shop in the abandoned amusement park where her friend was found. The cast are the family and friends that knew her.
Her crew? Well they keep disappearing.
Over the years I have read thousands of stories about serial killers ... but kudos to the author who came up with the most original ideas on how to kill people. I thought I'd seen everything, but even these deaths made me cringe.
The story line is good, characters are cleverly written. I can't honestly say I liked the characters overmuch, but they do come across as credible.
I have read this author's other books but this one tops them all.
Many thanks to the author / Bookoutre / Netgalley for the advance digital copy of this book. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Hazel Salter is a film maker of documentaries. One of those who were found dead was a childhood friend. She decides to make a documentary with her murdered friend as a centerpiece to find out what happened and who the killer is.
She and her crew set up shop in the abandoned amusement park where her friend was found. The cast are the family and friends that knew her.
Her crew? Well they keep disappearing.
Over the years I have read thousands of stories about serial killers ... but kudos to the author who came up with the most original ideas on how to kill people. I thought I'd seen everything, but even these deaths made me cringe.
The story line is good, characters are cleverly written. I can't honestly say I liked the characters overmuch, but they do come across as credible.
I have read this author's other books but this one tops them all.
Many thanks to the author / Bookoutre / Netgalley for the advance digital copy of this book. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
May 19, 2017
"Be My Killer," is a book that has a great premise to live up to: What would happen if people put themselves out there on social media as potential targets for psychopaths? Who would be responsible for their deaths if they did die?
Fortunately, the book lives up to the "hype," in my opinion, with the gore of a slasher movie and the suspense of a good detective story.
The novel follows Hazel, a documentary filmmaker who sees that a childhood friend has become the fourth victim of a ruthless killer who took people up on their tweet "requests" to be murdered. Hazel and her film crew set up shop in the abandoned amusement facility where Meredith was murdered to seek some answers about the killings. Then, people attached to the project begin to disappear.
This book is a great, creepy read. From the setting - an abandoned amusement park called the "Fun Zone" - to the eccentric cast of characters that knew the victims and have agreed to take part in the film, this book is nonstop suspense. The death scenes are a little gory, but nothing you wouldn't see in a typical slasher movie. If you can't stomach those, this isn't the book for you.
I didn't see the ending coming. In fact, I had no idea where the novel was going because there were enough moving parts and characters to create multiple plausible villains. Without a doubt, some of the side characters - like one victim's social-media-obsessed stepbrother, or the creator of the @BeMyKiller Twitter account - really make the book great. You just want to know how they all fit into the story.
At the same time, the only downfall of the book is in the myriad of characters that can become confusing at points, especially toward the end at "the reveal" scene, when the fates of the characters is decided. Some of the names made me pause and think, "Oh yeah, that's so-and-so."
Overall, this was a very good thriller that will give you goosebumps. I thoroughly enjoyed it - it's a must read for horror movie fans or anyone looking for a good creep-fest!
Fortunately, the book lives up to the "hype," in my opinion, with the gore of a slasher movie and the suspense of a good detective story.
The novel follows Hazel, a documentary filmmaker who sees that a childhood friend has become the fourth victim of a ruthless killer who took people up on their tweet "requests" to be murdered. Hazel and her film crew set up shop in the abandoned amusement facility where Meredith was murdered to seek some answers about the killings. Then, people attached to the project begin to disappear.
This book is a great, creepy read. From the setting - an abandoned amusement park called the "Fun Zone" - to the eccentric cast of characters that knew the victims and have agreed to take part in the film, this book is nonstop suspense. The death scenes are a little gory, but nothing you wouldn't see in a typical slasher movie. If you can't stomach those, this isn't the book for you.
I didn't see the ending coming. In fact, I had no idea where the novel was going because there were enough moving parts and characters to create multiple plausible villains. Without a doubt, some of the side characters - like one victim's social-media-obsessed stepbrother, or the creator of the @BeMyKiller Twitter account - really make the book great. You just want to know how they all fit into the story.
At the same time, the only downfall of the book is in the myriad of characters that can become confusing at points, especially toward the end at "the reveal" scene, when the fates of the characters is decided. Some of the names made me pause and think, "Oh yeah, that's so-and-so."
Overall, this was a very good thriller that will give you goosebumps. I thoroughly enjoyed it - it's a must read for horror movie fans or anyone looking for a good creep-fest!
October 23, 2017
Review to follow
June 29, 2017
this was quite compelling at the beginning but as the novel went on, it just began to get more and more repetitive. i thought the identity of the killer didn't really make much sense; it was clear Parker was going for the whole 'let's do someone nobody would expect' thing, but i don't think that worked very well at all in this case. there were a lot of characters, which isn't an intrinsic flaw but in this case there wasn't enough characterisation for any of them, even hazel, so everyone just seemed pretty flat.
the murder scenes were very gruesome which didn't bother me (even if i thought they were more for shock value rather than anything else), but if that sort of thing does bother you then you should probably stay away from this book.
i didn't think it was badly written, and the concept was pretty good. i enjoyed reading it, but i'll probably forget all about it in a week's time.
the murder scenes were very gruesome which didn't bother me (even if i thought they were more for shock value rather than anything else), but if that sort of thing does bother you then you should probably stay away from this book.
i didn't think it was badly written, and the concept was pretty good. i enjoyed reading it, but i'll probably forget all about it in a week's time.
May 14, 2017
An online prank goes viral and triggers a spate of gruesome murders. Documentary maker Hazel Salter watches in horror. Then Hazels childhood friend, Meredith Hickman is the next victim. Hazel knows she has to find out what happened to her.
The story has a lot of gruesome scenes in it and this might put some readers off. The plot line is believable as we hear of so many events (good & bad) through social media and so many of us get caught up and involved easily. There is a lot of characters as well and I found it hard to keep up with them. It's pace is slow to begin with but then picks up and maintains its pace through the rest of the book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Richard Parker for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story has a lot of gruesome scenes in it and this might put some readers off. The plot line is believable as we hear of so many events (good & bad) through social media and so many of us get caught up and involved easily. There is a lot of characters as well and I found it hard to keep up with them. It's pace is slow to begin with but then picks up and maintains its pace through the rest of the book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Richard Parker for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 14, 2017
3.5 stars
The premise of this pulled me in, with social media being the huge platform it now is I enjoy reading about how it could go wrong, with how much information people post online about where they are, what they're doing, selfies, pictures of food etc and then how much hate spews from other people for no reason other than to make themselves feel better and make the other person feel worse or suicidal.
We have a Twitter killer, @bemykiller, who, if you send them a message will pick someone to kill, the #bemykiller trends and people die. When Hazel, who makes documentaries and is our main character, finds out that an old friend of hers, Meredith, has been killed by the Twitter killer, she decides to investigate and try to find out what happened. Shenanigans ensue and it gets violent.
There are a lot of characters to contend with in this, most of the notes I made are names and who people are and how they connect to the story, it's a slow start and the violence is quite extreme considering this is a mystery/thriller rather than a horror.
I did enjoy the story as a whole but it can get confusing with all those people and I would've loved to see Fun Central, the abandoned amusement park where they go to film a documentary, be more of a character, as that's what kept me reading, thinking more would happen there that would take this from a 3.5 star book to a huge 5 star book. Alas, that did not happen.
Will still keep my eyes open for more by this author as he does write well and I'm hoping I'll enjoy one of those more than this.
*Huge thanks to Richard Parker, Bookouture and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own*
The premise of this pulled me in, with social media being the huge platform it now is I enjoy reading about how it could go wrong, with how much information people post online about where they are, what they're doing, selfies, pictures of food etc and then how much hate spews from other people for no reason other than to make themselves feel better and make the other person feel worse or suicidal.
We have a Twitter killer, @bemykiller, who, if you send them a message will pick someone to kill, the #bemykiller trends and people die. When Hazel, who makes documentaries and is our main character, finds out that an old friend of hers, Meredith, has been killed by the Twitter killer, she decides to investigate and try to find out what happened. Shenanigans ensue and it gets violent.
There are a lot of characters to contend with in this, most of the notes I made are names and who people are and how they connect to the story, it's a slow start and the violence is quite extreme considering this is a mystery/thriller rather than a horror.
I did enjoy the story as a whole but it can get confusing with all those people and I would've loved to see Fun Central, the abandoned amusement park where they go to film a documentary, be more of a character, as that's what kept me reading, thinking more would happen there that would take this from a 3.5 star book to a huge 5 star book. Alas, that did not happen.
Will still keep my eyes open for more by this author as he does write well and I'm hoping I'll enjoy one of those more than this.
*Huge thanks to Richard Parker, Bookouture and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own*
May 20, 2017
Finished reading: May 17th 2017
"That's the reality of it. It's not fodder for entertainment; it's a chunk of me gone. It's just pain and emptiness, and there's nothing remotely sensational about it."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
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