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Nick Belsey #1
London Killing
Im reichsten Stadtteil Londons wird ein russischer Oligarch vermisst. Detective Nick Belsey, hoch verschuldet und mit einem Disziplinarverfahren am Hals, wittert die Chance, sich mithilfe der Identität des Vermissten abzusetzen. Als er bemerkt, dass er nicht der Einzige ist, der diese Idee hatte, steckt er bereits mittendrin in einer Spirale aus Lügen, Korruption und Finanzbetrug.
478 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
220 people are currently reading
1797 people want to read
About the author
Oliver Harris
14 books237 followersOliver Harris's novels to date are The Hollow Man, Deep Shelter, The House of Fame, A Season in Exile - all featuring Detective Constable Nick Belsey - and A Shadow Intelligence, Ascension and The Shame Archive featuring MI6 officer Elliot Kane.
Oliver was born in north London. He has an MA in Shakespeare Studies from UCL, and an MA in creative writing from UEA. His PhD on psychoanalysis and Greek philosophy was published by Routledge in 2016 (Lacan's Return to Antiquity). He currently teaches creative writing at Manchester Metropolitan University.
His Facebook page can be found by clicking here.
Oliver was born in north London. He has an MA in Shakespeare Studies from UCL, and an MA in creative writing from UEA. His PhD on psychoanalysis and Greek philosophy was published by Routledge in 2016 (Lacan's Return to Antiquity). He currently teaches creative writing at Manchester Metropolitan University.
His Facebook page can be found by clicking here.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
April 22, 2014
My good luck of reading nothing but excellent books continues with this one. I recently discovered this author on Twitter when I read about his second book, Deep Shelter. The blurb immediately jumped out at me as something I would love reading. Oliver very kindly sent me a copy of Deep Shelter but first I bought this book as even though some people just jump into series without reading other books, I felt it would be better to read this first book to acquaint myself with Nick Belsey. And am I glad I did! This book was absolutely fantastic and from start to finish I struggled to part with it!
One of my favourite things about crime fiction is detectives who don't play by the book. It doesn't always have to be in an illegal way, but when it is it is all the more enjoyable. I can say that I haven't enjoyed that aspect of a crime story as much as I did with this one. At the start of the book I was just in shock at what Nick was getting up to but loving it at the same time. First off when we are introduced to him he is covered in blood and soaking wet and he has abandoned a police car. Planning on running away he sees a MisPer for someone living on one of the richest streets in London and decides to go and have a look. Upon arriving at the house Nick helps himself to the clothing and food of the missing person.
We learn that Nick Belsey is pretty much bankrupt and all he has left to lose is his job. He comes up with a plan to get out of the UK by assuming the identity of Alexei Devereux (the MisPer who isn't missing for long...) and this is where the story really picked up and became amazing. Oliver Harris has really written a unique, interesting and gripping story which in this genre isn't an easy thing to do. Belsey was certainly a unique character and one that I just loved reading about. In terms of the actual story itself I had no idea where it was going to lead, usually you might have an idea of what's going to happen if it's a fairly predictable read but this book literally left me guessing with the end of each chapter.
And the writing! It's been a while since I've read a book written as well as this one, the words smooth as silk definitely apply here. Oliver Harris is a very talented writer. Another thing as well is the setting, I love books set in London but especially books where you can really feel the setting, the city came alive in this book and I really felt as if I was a part of it. Some authors set their books in cities but there isn't anything distinguishing in how they write about it, not the case here however and it was great.
I am just kicking myself at not discovering this author sooner and am now itching to read Deep Shelter, it is definitely at the top of my to read list. I am just wondering where Belsey will go as a character especially after the events of this book. However if Deep Shelter is even half as good as The Hollow Man then after reading it I should imagine I will be listing Belsey amongst my favourite fictional characters and Oliver Harris amongst my favourite crime authors.
One of my favourite things about crime fiction is detectives who don't play by the book. It doesn't always have to be in an illegal way, but when it is it is all the more enjoyable. I can say that I haven't enjoyed that aspect of a crime story as much as I did with this one. At the start of the book I was just in shock at what Nick was getting up to but loving it at the same time. First off when we are introduced to him he is covered in blood and soaking wet and he has abandoned a police car. Planning on running away he sees a MisPer for someone living on one of the richest streets in London and decides to go and have a look. Upon arriving at the house Nick helps himself to the clothing and food of the missing person.
We learn that Nick Belsey is pretty much bankrupt and all he has left to lose is his job. He comes up with a plan to get out of the UK by assuming the identity of Alexei Devereux (the MisPer who isn't missing for long...) and this is where the story really picked up and became amazing. Oliver Harris has really written a unique, interesting and gripping story which in this genre isn't an easy thing to do. Belsey was certainly a unique character and one that I just loved reading about. In terms of the actual story itself I had no idea where it was going to lead, usually you might have an idea of what's going to happen if it's a fairly predictable read but this book literally left me guessing with the end of each chapter.
And the writing! It's been a while since I've read a book written as well as this one, the words smooth as silk definitely apply here. Oliver Harris is a very talented writer. Another thing as well is the setting, I love books set in London but especially books where you can really feel the setting, the city came alive in this book and I really felt as if I was a part of it. Some authors set their books in cities but there isn't anything distinguishing in how they write about it, not the case here however and it was great.
I am just kicking myself at not discovering this author sooner and am now itching to read Deep Shelter, it is definitely at the top of my to read list. I am just wondering where Belsey will go as a character especially after the events of this book. However if Deep Shelter is even half as good as The Hollow Man then after reading it I should imagine I will be listing Belsey amongst my favourite fictional characters and Oliver Harris amongst my favourite crime authors.
July 29, 2019
Dosť dobrá knižka na pomedzí detektívky a thrilleru. Hlavný hrdina je absolútne nesympatický blb, ale napriek tomu mu človek drží palce, nech to s ním dobre dopadne. Prípad je zaujímavý, plný ľudí s dvoma tvárami, tajných dohôd a zákulisných intríg. Teším sa na druhý diel.
October 7, 2012
My favorite Easter candy!
Can't wait to read this!
Can't wait to read this!
September 11, 2011
This was a great read. I know nothing about the author and it was a random selection but the writing was really really good. Smooth as silk prose, some lovely descriptive pieces, some great one liners and I thought the whole play on hollowness - the corrupt cops, the seedy images of London, the lead detective's hollowed out complacency and gambling debts etc was spot on, zeitgeist stuff. Oliver Harris is going to go on to big things, is my guess, if he keeps up this standard.
November 3, 2012
It is funny how when you really have nothing else to lose it seems to make sense to double down and go for broke. Nick Belsey is a police detective with problems. He drinks too much, he gambles, he is broke and homeless. We find him waking up with a crashed police car, which he stole, hung-over, and most likely to be shortly unemployed. All in all his life is crap.
But as the hammer is about to fall he avoids his bosses with one last call, a missing person case. And were off on the wild ride involving reclusive Russian billionaires, teenage prostitutes, high finance, assassinations, and behind the scenes deals. Detective Belsey is definitely a man who believes the ends do justify the means; and the end in mind is to step out of his life and disappear with the nice parts of the victims.
You get a sense Belsey wasn’t just having a bad night from the moment he steps into the victims house. His true nature comes out while suffering from ruined wet shoes he spots a very expensive pair of shoes in the closet are his size and he changes into them. Next on is the pricey suit followed by the Porsche from the garage. The very wealthy victim is missing, presumed dead from suicide, and has nobody in his life to claim him. Instead of a crime, Belsey sees an opportunity to get his life back on track again. He just needs to figure out a few first, and then he is gone.
Told in quick choppy chapters with concise witty dialogue, Oliver Harris leads you through a compelling crime at breakneck speed. Introducing the true anti-hero, the detective you hate to love, Harris has opened up a London you never knew existed. I was so glad to hear this is book one of a projected series; which can only get even better with time.
But as the hammer is about to fall he avoids his bosses with one last call, a missing person case. And were off on the wild ride involving reclusive Russian billionaires, teenage prostitutes, high finance, assassinations, and behind the scenes deals. Detective Belsey is definitely a man who believes the ends do justify the means; and the end in mind is to step out of his life and disappear with the nice parts of the victims.
You get a sense Belsey wasn’t just having a bad night from the moment he steps into the victims house. His true nature comes out while suffering from ruined wet shoes he spots a very expensive pair of shoes in the closet are his size and he changes into them. Next on is the pricey suit followed by the Porsche from the garage. The very wealthy victim is missing, presumed dead from suicide, and has nobody in his life to claim him. Instead of a crime, Belsey sees an opportunity to get his life back on track again. He just needs to figure out a few first, and then he is gone.
Told in quick choppy chapters with concise witty dialogue, Oliver Harris leads you through a compelling crime at breakneck speed. Introducing the true anti-hero, the detective you hate to love, Harris has opened up a London you never knew existed. I was so glad to hear this is book one of a projected series; which can only get even better with time.
December 29, 2016
Nick Belsey is a crack detective. He is also at the end of his tether, ruined by drinking and a gambling addiction. So when a missing persons report comes in on a wealthy Russian expatriate, Nick sees his opportunity: he will occupy the man's mansion and inhabit his life long enough to get cash and a passport together to walk away from his forthcoming humiliation.
But then, Nick finds himself getting interested in what actually happened to Alexei Devereux, especially after his body is discovered in a safe room, throat slashed. Not long after, Nick finds himself following a schoolgirl away from the house because she is vaguely familiar, and at a Starbucks, an assassin opens fire.
That is when Nick's audacious plan turns into a mesmerizing combination of trying to solve the case of Alexei Devereux and still find a way out for himself. Along the way, there will be shady oligarchs, gambling consortiums, contract killers, compromised cops, corrupt financiers and a half dozen twists and turns.
Belsey is the kind of cop that you end up rooting for despite his flaws, or maybe because of them, and the action is nonstop. It is probably also the kind of tale where some of the bumbling of the other police shouldn't be examined too closely, and Nick's ability to lie his way through almost any situation is also not up for close scrutiny, and that was the only reason I couldn't add a fifth star.
But enjoyable and fast moving -- OMG, yes.
But then, Nick finds himself getting interested in what actually happened to Alexei Devereux, especially after his body is discovered in a safe room, throat slashed. Not long after, Nick finds himself following a schoolgirl away from the house because she is vaguely familiar, and at a Starbucks, an assassin opens fire.
That is when Nick's audacious plan turns into a mesmerizing combination of trying to solve the case of Alexei Devereux and still find a way out for himself. Along the way, there will be shady oligarchs, gambling consortiums, contract killers, compromised cops, corrupt financiers and a half dozen twists and turns.
Belsey is the kind of cop that you end up rooting for despite his flaws, or maybe because of them, and the action is nonstop. It is probably also the kind of tale where some of the bumbling of the other police shouldn't be examined too closely, and Nick's ability to lie his way through almost any situation is also not up for close scrutiny, and that was the only reason I couldn't add a fifth star.
But enjoyable and fast moving -- OMG, yes.
January 22, 2024
What an amazing series and it starts with a tale of corruption and deceit like no other, not only the corruption comes from the ones you expect but also from this great but amoral and unorthodox detective. What an excellent start to the Nick Belsey’s series!
This is an extremely well written mystery thriller. I was trying to find the words to describe Belsey but a “beguiling bastard of a hero” as McDermid describes him fits the bill. I like the detectives that do not play by the rules, that investigate what they want, no respect for the authority that are in the pockets of politicians but detectives that care, well Mr. Harris did that and took the central character to a whole different level of devious and unethical….still I was rooting for him.
Not only the characters were multi-dimensional but the plot was rich, full of sub-plots equally interesting that interlocked with the main plot as one.
Nick Belsey has his own sense of justice and I loved it. I already have the second book of the series and I cannot wait to read it.
This is an extremely well written mystery thriller. I was trying to find the words to describe Belsey but a “beguiling bastard of a hero” as McDermid describes him fits the bill. I like the detectives that do not play by the rules, that investigate what they want, no respect for the authority that are in the pockets of politicians but detectives that care, well Mr. Harris did that and took the central character to a whole different level of devious and unethical….still I was rooting for him.
Not only the characters were multi-dimensional but the plot was rich, full of sub-plots equally interesting that interlocked with the main plot as one.
Nick Belsey has his own sense of justice and I loved it. I already have the second book of the series and I cannot wait to read it.
August 23, 2022
This is certainly an unusual crime novel. Nick Belsey is definitely an anti-hero, and for most of the book I disliked him intensely. Surprisingly, I found myself warming to him towards the end.
The plot is about as realistic as Batman and Robin. Nick is a police detective who seems to operate completely on his own, with no superior taking any interest in what he is doing while he pursues his own agenda. The plot is complex, with a plethora of characters, and there are plenty of red herrings. Having said that, it moves very quickly and I had to read to the end to see what was going to happen.
I can't quite make up my mind whether I am relieved to get shot of it or if I want to read the next one, although on balance and rather to my surprise, it may well be the latter.
The plot is about as realistic as Batman and Robin. Nick is a police detective who seems to operate completely on his own, with no superior taking any interest in what he is doing while he pursues his own agenda. The plot is complex, with a plethora of characters, and there are plenty of red herrings. Having said that, it moves very quickly and I had to read to the end to see what was going to happen.
I can't quite make up my mind whether I am relieved to get shot of it or if I want to read the next one, although on balance and rather to my surprise, it may well be the latter.
February 8, 2012
The Big Question: To finish or not to finish. I don't like the main character AT ALL, I find the setting (Hampstead) familiar but nothing new so not very compelling and the whole thing is a look into the underworld / slimy life that I'm not sure I want to pursue. Especially as the guy is a jerk!
Decided: Life's too short.... Time to move on and store this one for another year.
Decided: Life's too short.... Time to move on and store this one for another year.
October 14, 2017
Can't quite remember how I got to this, but it rattled along at a fair pace even as the convoluted plot became more and more absurd. The author tried to make London one of the characters in the story, but he may have been trying a little too hard. Still there were plenty of references to places I recognized - shout-outs to Edgware, Hampstead High Street and the Finchley Road. Pleasantly surprised to find this is the first of a series, so I might see if I can pick up the next one from one of London's cheapo charity shops.
October 13, 2021
Richtig guter Krimi mit einem ziemlich kaputten Detective, was irre Spaß macht.
November 11, 2012
The Hollow Man by Oliver Harris is a noir police procedural featuring Detective Constable Nick Belsey. This is a procedural novel with a twist: Belsey is an antihero. He's broke, homeless, corrupt, and on the verge of unemployment. He just wants to find a way out of London and his life. When he is sent to investigate a missing person case and discovers the apparent suicide of enigmatic Russian millionaire Alexei Devereux he sees a way out. No one really seems to know the elusive Devereux. Belsey could create a new identity for himself and a new life, all financed by the dead man's assets.
As Belsey investigates Devereux, however, things are not quite as simple as he first thought and Devereux's life is much more complex than it seemed at first glance. Even as Belsey sleeps at the dead man's luxurious home and schemes to take over his money, he continues to investigate the tangled web surrounding the Russian and his personal and business dealings. And then people that may have been involved in Devereux's life are starting to be murdered, making Belsey's plans more complicated.
Belsey is determined to uncover exactly what was going on, even while he lies and schemes to everyone.
This is Harris's first novel and hopefully not his last featuring D.C. Nick Belsey. While the beginning moved much slower than the end, once Belsey's plans began to firm up even as he continued his investigation, the tension began to mount. Toward the end of the novel I was reading with a frantic intensity as pieces of the complicated puzzle were falling into place. Harris had a strong supporting cast of characters that could be further developed along with Belsey in another novel.
The Hollow Man by Oliver Harris is certainly worth reading, especially if you enjoy police procedurals. It sort of reminded me of an old film noir movie (like The Maltese Falcon or Key Largo, with a skilled but world-weary investigator). In other words, I could really see The Hollow Man being made into a movie.
Highly Recommended - as a noir police procedural with a twist.
The Hollow Man is another novel being released by HarperCollins US, in their new Bourbon Street Books imprint.
Disclosure: I received an advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher and TLC for review purposes.
As Belsey investigates Devereux, however, things are not quite as simple as he first thought and Devereux's life is much more complex than it seemed at first glance. Even as Belsey sleeps at the dead man's luxurious home and schemes to take over his money, he continues to investigate the tangled web surrounding the Russian and his personal and business dealings. And then people that may have been involved in Devereux's life are starting to be murdered, making Belsey's plans more complicated.
Belsey is determined to uncover exactly what was going on, even while he lies and schemes to everyone.
This is Harris's first novel and hopefully not his last featuring D.C. Nick Belsey. While the beginning moved much slower than the end, once Belsey's plans began to firm up even as he continued his investigation, the tension began to mount. Toward the end of the novel I was reading with a frantic intensity as pieces of the complicated puzzle were falling into place. Harris had a strong supporting cast of characters that could be further developed along with Belsey in another novel.
The Hollow Man by Oliver Harris is certainly worth reading, especially if you enjoy police procedurals. It sort of reminded me of an old film noir movie (like The Maltese Falcon or Key Largo, with a skilled but world-weary investigator). In other words, I could really see The Hollow Man being made into a movie.
Highly Recommended - as a noir police procedural with a twist.
The Hollow Man is another novel being released by HarperCollins US, in their new Bourbon Street Books imprint.
Disclosure: I received an advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher and TLC for review purposes.
January 18, 2016
Start of a new crime series which introduces us to anti Hero bad cop, Nick Belsey.
Starts in a totally breathless style, with Nick waking up on Hampstead Heath, having crashed his stolen police car the night before and in a confused and hungover state.
He pieces together the elements of the night before by nicking the change in the tip jar of a coffee house to get this thoughts together. My the time the recollection has been completed, I thought he may have stolen a blind man's white stick. He is that low.
The book then loses its way a bit. He has a suicide to resolve - a rich man in the poshest part of London is found dead. He takes the man's identity to try and get away from his problems.
The rest of the book is a breathless Carlito's Way type escape from his past, as it tries to drag him back in.
Plus we have the investigation of the man who's identity he has stolen to unravel. Things are compounded when a Schoolgirl is shot by a sniper in an NW3 Starbucks.
It's that kind of bombastic book that is all rather OTT.
A fresh voice and a more unusual police procedural. I have a decision to make with whether to continue in the series.
Starts in a totally breathless style, with Nick waking up on Hampstead Heath, having crashed his stolen police car the night before and in a confused and hungover state.
He pieces together the elements of the night before by nicking the change in the tip jar of a coffee house to get this thoughts together. My the time the recollection has been completed, I thought he may have stolen a blind man's white stick. He is that low.
The book then loses its way a bit. He has a suicide to resolve - a rich man in the poshest part of London is found dead. He takes the man's identity to try and get away from his problems.
The rest of the book is a breathless Carlito's Way type escape from his past, as it tries to drag him back in.
Plus we have the investigation of the man who's identity he has stolen to unravel. Things are compounded when a Schoolgirl is shot by a sniper in an NW3 Starbucks.
It's that kind of bombastic book that is all rather OTT.
A fresh voice and a more unusual police procedural. I have a decision to make with whether to continue in the series.
October 24, 2013
I,ve reached the age where it is hard to finish a book once the spark has gone. Much of this is to do with reading the last page before time.
I have read the last page of this book. I know what happens at the end. BUT it is a totally compelling read and I am absrobed by the story of Baseley the anti hero who teeters on the edge of oblivion or escape or discovery of his failings or a solution to the mystery he finds himself involved with.
I urge all crime fans to read The Hollow Man. As a story it is brutal and driven, as the story of a man leaping up and down on his own self destruct button it is brilliant.
I have read the last page of this book. I know what happens at the end. BUT it is a totally compelling read and I am absrobed by the story of Baseley the anti hero who teeters on the edge of oblivion or escape or discovery of his failings or a solution to the mystery he finds himself involved with.
I urge all crime fans to read The Hollow Man. As a story it is brutal and driven, as the story of a man leaping up and down on his own self destruct button it is brilliant.
March 2, 2020
This debut novel isn't badly written, at all, but Harris is yet another in a line of young English crime writers who hasn't been within 100 yards of a criminal. Consequently the criminal characters here are cardboard cutouts and the dialogue is flat and dull. Harris's grasp of police procedure is nonexistent, and there is nothing gritty about the novel; it is anodyne in the way so many recent English crime novels are. And to make things worse the plot is not involving.
In short, crime writing for snowflakes.
In short, crime writing for snowflakes.
February 7, 2022
Oliver Harris take a bow. Just like his forthright, battering ram of a DCI Nick Belsey, this book grabs you by the lapels and shakes you until you've finished the final page. What a debut! You know you shouldn't like Belsey - he starts off as a corrupt copper who is intent on digging himself out of a self-made jam by masquerading as a missing person and stealing his fortune. But pretty soon you are rooting for Belsey and realise that there are plenty of people in higher positions than him who are far more corrupt. The thing about Belsey is he has such charm that he can persuade anyone he comes into contact with him to do his bidding, despite the fact they should run a mile. A totally unique character and I'm so glad I have discovered him and Oliver Harris. I came across this book totally by chance, having watched reviewers on the Between The Covers TV show talk about one of his latest novels Ascension. I thought I would start at the beginning and have now discovered a brand new writer to follow. Always a joy.
April 19, 2020
Nick Belsey is a morally questionable police officer with a multitude of problems. Money, drinking and bad decisions leading to trouble at work. A very unlikely hero. He finds himself in the middle of a complicated financial scheme, and people keep ending up dead.
This was fun, engaging and completely entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed this degenerate cop.
This was fun, engaging and completely entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed this degenerate cop.
March 1, 2023
I'm not sure how I feel about this book: it's an interesting police procedural with some very unusual twists. However, it seems that the cops are, at best, incompetent, and at worst, alarmingly corrupt; and the main protagonist, while being a brilliant detective, is cynical and a glaring example of the entrenched police dishonesty. So, although well-written, this is not my favourite read.
December 31, 2019
Fast paced police thriller chase through London.
May 4, 2022
Typ detektíva, ktorý je vám odporný a zároveň mu veľmi fandíte. Typ zločinu, ktorému vôbec nerozumiete a zároveň ste zvedaví ako to dopadne. Hrubá kniha, ktorá ale odsypa veľmi rýchlo. Toto je detektívka, ktorú si určite dajte. Minimálne kvôli prehľadu v detektívkach :)
November 22, 2014
Nick Belsey is a detective with an unusual ability of deduction. This would make him an ideal policeman but he is also morally and ethically flawed. He is a gambler going bankrupt, a drinker, a drug user and stretches the limits of his authority to the maximum edge. He is at the end of his rope and about to get fired. So what does he do? Assume somebody else's identity of course, that seems obvious. The catch is that the individual he chooses has more problems than he does.
A dark tale with so many twist that it looks like a Gordian knot. There are crooks, swindlers, prostitutes and all assorted characters that populate the novel. There are fine historical descriptions of London including some dating back to 60 AD. Hiding underneath all this is a fine police procedural with solid forensics points. If it has one shortcoming it is the character development. Other than Nick's age very little is described about him. No physical or background detail. Some of the other characters are also weak. Do not let that discourage from reading this book. It is a fine and humorous mystery.
A dark tale with so many twist that it looks like a Gordian knot. There are crooks, swindlers, prostitutes and all assorted characters that populate the novel. There are fine historical descriptions of London including some dating back to 60 AD. Hiding underneath all this is a fine police procedural with solid forensics points. If it has one shortcoming it is the character development. Other than Nick's age very little is described about him. No physical or background detail. Some of the other characters are also weak. Do not let that discourage from reading this book. It is a fine and humorous mystery.
September 27, 2015
I think that I read somewhere , a very positive review of the authors next book - and that is how I came to find this one.
It was an exciting enough tale which kept you turning the pages but whereas with other novels I felt the need to know who everyone was, here I wasnt really bothered. Perhaps because I felt the characters were inadequately drawn they didnt register and it became a bit of a 'surface' read.
Throughout the story I had the feeling 'but would you do that?'. If you looked too closely, you would see other problems about to hit Nick Belsey
This was one of those stories that sweeps you along and it isnt until you stop to take a breath that you realise all the holes it has opened up.
Enjoyable, yes. But I wont be chasing the follow up.
It was an exciting enough tale which kept you turning the pages but whereas with other novels I felt the need to know who everyone was, here I wasnt really bothered. Perhaps because I felt the characters were inadequately drawn they didnt register and it became a bit of a 'surface' read.
Throughout the story I had the feeling 'but would you do that?'. If you looked too closely, you would see other problems about to hit Nick Belsey
This was one of those stories that sweeps you along and it isnt until you stop to take a breath that you realise all the holes it has opened up.
Enjoyable, yes. But I wont be chasing the follow up.
November 10, 2019
Temné srdce Londýna odo mňa za svoju originalitu získalo 5 hviezdičiek, a min. 4 z nich patria práve hlavnej postave, Belseymu. Nepredvídateľnosť jeho skutkov v spojení s tým, že si aj v službe robí prakticky čo chce, v kombinácii s podivným prípadom týkajúcim sa ruského milionára Devereuxa, ženie čitateľa stále dopredu.
Knihu odporúčam najmä tým, ktorí ocenia netypickú, no inteligentnú detektívku a už ich neveľmi lákajú klišéovité prípady a ich vyšetrovatelia.
Celá recenzia tu: http://www.monicqa.sk/knihy/oliver-ha...
Knihu odporúčam najmä tým, ktorí ocenia netypickú, no inteligentnú detektívku a už ich neveľmi lákajú klišéovité prípady a ich vyšetrovatelia.
Celá recenzia tu: http://www.monicqa.sk/knihy/oliver-ha...
March 10, 2012
Nachdem ich so gute Kritiken gelesen habe, war ich auf einen ungewöhnlichen Krimi gefasst. Aber mal abgesehen davon, dass der Ortsteil Hampstead für einen Londoner Roman mal eine abweichende Umgebung bieten, ist das Ganze doch etwas träge und wenig überraschend. Auch das Motiv der korrupten, runtergkommenen Polizisten zieht nicht mehr wirklich, ebensowenig das Thema Identitätsdiebstahl. Die Charaktere bleiben indes eher blass.
December 29, 2017
2.25 stars. Yes, quarter stars. I yelled at this book a lot. The protagonist is wildly unlikable, and that's a problem for me. Sure, I was over the trendy overdone anti-hero / flawed human pap before it even started, but this is not that. This is just a plain unlikable, ethically challenged, bumbles into doing the right thing for the wrong reasons festival of nonsense.
April 14, 2016
I must say that I am a little disappointed here. Although a gal tends to like a bad boy, this cop didn't really win my favour. He is an out-and-out crook yet still sort-of the hero. Maybe it's just me.
October 22, 2014
Intricate plotting is satisfying while somewhat tiring, following our antihero as he races around London. The site description is intensive, gives a real feel for the setting.
August 7, 2023
Nick Belsey has had a huge night out. Details are hazy, but he's lying in a ditch, his watch is missing, his shoes are wet and there is a crashed squad car nearby. Memories start flooding back; of mounting debt, defaulted credit cards and no longer having a fixed abode.
Expecting to get the boot, he shuffles to Hampstead CID to collect his belongings. His boss is out but there's a missing person report on his desk: a Russian oligarch has disappeared from his mansion at 'The Bishops Avenue', one of London's premier streets. Nick's curiosity is stronger than his hangover so he goes to investigate. He finds a polite suicide note, a - possibly fake - Rolex as well as a luxury car in the garage and an idea starts to form...
But to realise his vision of easy wealth and a new identity, Nick must find out more about the missing man. In doing so, he soon realises that he's not the only one with an interest in the mysterious Russian and his business dealings - and that he is not wanted on the scene at all.
If you're able to suspend disbelief about - even shoddy - police procedure, this is a rollicking read: fast-paced, twisty and a wee bit gritty. It's also homage to London, with the city being a protagonist in its own right. Nick Belsey is as cunning, cynical and verging on corrupt as they come but you cannot help rooting for him in the end.
If you love Mick Herron's 'Slough House' novels, this one's for you!
Expecting to get the boot, he shuffles to Hampstead CID to collect his belongings. His boss is out but there's a missing person report on his desk: a Russian oligarch has disappeared from his mansion at 'The Bishops Avenue', one of London's premier streets. Nick's curiosity is stronger than his hangover so he goes to investigate. He finds a polite suicide note, a - possibly fake - Rolex as well as a luxury car in the garage and an idea starts to form...
But to realise his vision of easy wealth and a new identity, Nick must find out more about the missing man. In doing so, he soon realises that he's not the only one with an interest in the mysterious Russian and his business dealings - and that he is not wanted on the scene at all.
If you're able to suspend disbelief about - even shoddy - police procedure, this is a rollicking read: fast-paced, twisty and a wee bit gritty. It's also homage to London, with the city being a protagonist in its own right. Nick Belsey is as cunning, cynical and verging on corrupt as they come but you cannot help rooting for him in the end.
If you love Mick Herron's 'Slough House' novels, this one's for you!
September 22, 2019
Dies wird nur eine kurze Rezension werden. Ich hatte aufgrund der Inhaltsangabe ehrlich gesagt etwas völlig anderes erwartet: mehr Humor vor allem. Deshalb war ich anfangs überrascht, einen bierernsten Kriminalroman zu lesen. Was das Tempo des Thrillers betrifft, empfinde ich "London Killing" ehrlich gesagt eher als Krimi und weniger als Thriller, obwohl es gerade zum Ende hin sicher einige Thriller-Elemente gibt.
Mir hat "London Killing" letztendlich sehr gefallen. Der Roman ist super geschrieben und hat mich oft an die Romane der so genannten "Schwarzen Serie" erinnert. Londons Finanzdistrikt ist ein Moloch und alle haben Dreck am Stecken - selbst unser Protagonist. Das hat mir sehr gefallen, zumal die Charakterisierung der im Roman auftauchenden Personen passend ist.
Gut gefallen hat mir auch, dass die Leser*innen nicht für dumm verkauft werden und dass sich Harris Mühe mit dem Aufbau des Romans gegeben hat. Die Auflösung am Ende ergibt Sinn und auch, dass Belsey nicht plötzlich eine 180-Grad-Wende hinsichtlich seines Charakters hinlegt, hat mir zugesagt. Am Ende musste ich grinsen.
"London Killing" macht es sicher nicht allen recht: Dazu ist der Roman teilweise zu sperrig und schlicht zu unspektakulär und für viele wegen der Art des Verbrechens auch nicht so einfach nachvollziehbar wie ein simpler Mord aus Leidenschaft. Mir hat das Konstrukt aber sehr zugesagt und ich empfand die Hintergründe des Verbrechens als eine sehr angenehme Abwechslung zum sonstigen Serienmörder-Einerlei, das sonst geboten wird.
Mir hat "London Killing" letztendlich sehr gefallen. Der Roman ist super geschrieben und hat mich oft an die Romane der so genannten "Schwarzen Serie" erinnert. Londons Finanzdistrikt ist ein Moloch und alle haben Dreck am Stecken - selbst unser Protagonist. Das hat mir sehr gefallen, zumal die Charakterisierung der im Roman auftauchenden Personen passend ist.
Gut gefallen hat mir auch, dass die Leser*innen nicht für dumm verkauft werden und dass sich Harris Mühe mit dem Aufbau des Romans gegeben hat. Die Auflösung am Ende ergibt Sinn und auch, dass Belsey nicht plötzlich eine 180-Grad-Wende hinsichtlich seines Charakters hinlegt, hat mir zugesagt. Am Ende musste ich grinsen.
"London Killing" macht es sicher nicht allen recht: Dazu ist der Roman teilweise zu sperrig und schlicht zu unspektakulär und für viele wegen der Art des Verbrechens auch nicht so einfach nachvollziehbar wie ein simpler Mord aus Leidenschaft. Mir hat das Konstrukt aber sehr zugesagt und ich empfand die Hintergründe des Verbrechens als eine sehr angenehme Abwechslung zum sonstigen Serienmörder-Einerlei, das sonst geboten wird.
April 28, 2021
✅ Ingenious
✅ Suspenseful
✅ Well-written
✅ Insouciant
What more could you ask for in a suspense-thrilller? The Hollow Man is the 1st in what has become “the Nick Belsey series”. And what a great character he is: detective constable investigating his own con; a bad-boy with a good heart; an imposter who feels pulled between investigation and escape. As he puts it at one point, “if he was going to be born again it would be nice to be someone rich.” And so Nick slips into Alexei Devereux’s life as easily as into a pair of shoes (snakeskin loafers, at that). The story is elaborately plotted, with Nick barely one step ahead of the dead man as he tries to defraud him at the same time he’s being played. But even as “new waves of misgivings rolled over him there was a quiet thrill at... what he’d set in motion.” He’s not the only one morbidly fascinated with his predicament. The reader is gripped, too. The humor is dark, the sting clever, and the plot complex. The hero is wonderfully human, and I found it very easy to relate to his desire to throw over everything and run off somewhere with no extradition treaties, relaxed banking laws, and long, porous borders... My only quibble is the opening which has Nick waking up on Hampstead Heath, mid winter, unable to remember how he got there, making me think this was going to be a story about a cop with amnesia, not a hangover.🤦🏻♀️
✅ Suspenseful
✅ Well-written
✅ Insouciant
What more could you ask for in a suspense-thrilller? The Hollow Man is the 1st in what has become “the Nick Belsey series”. And what a great character he is: detective constable investigating his own con; a bad-boy with a good heart; an imposter who feels pulled between investigation and escape. As he puts it at one point, “if he was going to be born again it would be nice to be someone rich.” And so Nick slips into Alexei Devereux’s life as easily as into a pair of shoes (snakeskin loafers, at that). The story is elaborately plotted, with Nick barely one step ahead of the dead man as he tries to defraud him at the same time he’s being played. But even as “new waves of misgivings rolled over him there was a quiet thrill at... what he’d set in motion.” He’s not the only one morbidly fascinated with his predicament. The reader is gripped, too. The humor is dark, the sting clever, and the plot complex. The hero is wonderfully human, and I found it very easy to relate to his desire to throw over everything and run off somewhere with no extradition treaties, relaxed banking laws, and long, porous borders... My only quibble is the opening which has Nick waking up on Hampstead Heath, mid winter, unable to remember how he got there, making me think this was going to be a story about a cop with amnesia, not a hangover.🤦🏻♀️
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