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Night Driver
Heavily pregnant Frannie is facing a crisis. An English woman living in Germany, her marriage is failing, her language skills are hopeless, and she feels like a fish out of water in a foreign country. In a positive effort to tackle her problems she learns to drive so she can cope when her baby is born and build a sense of independence. After passing her driving test she drives in the early hours of the morning to gain experience on the eerily empty streets. But when she encounters a Polish motorcyclist looking for his missing sister, she becomes sucked into a terrifying world of shady nightclubs, autobahn prostitutes and organ trafficking. And when she crosses serial-killing truck driver Stigelegger, there's no turning back. A most unlikely heroine, this nervous Night Driver must stay one step ahead of her pursuer on the darkest of roads in order to survive.
376 pages, Paperback
First published August 2, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 15, 2018
Well that was one twisted, dark and thoroughly entertaining read, so much so that I felt I needed a good wash when I'd finished reading it! Skin crawling, creepy and quite menacing, the characters in this book are really quite terrifying. Set in Germany and mostly at night we are introduced to serial killing lorry driver Lars Stigelegger early on and his impromptu road trip with a young, unsuspecting lad really draws you into the story and doesn't let you go. Lars' partner, nightclub owner Hans Grans is equally frightening, especially when he quoted from real life serial killers and at times I felt as though it had the sinister undercurrents of Silence of the Lambs - the characters were so normal one minute then quite unreal the next. The main protagonist Frannie is heavily pregnant and I can't recall a story where this has been a major feature before. Having had three children myself I could very much relate to how Frannie constantly felt and to go through all that she did whilst carrying a child was quite unbelievable. Her continued devotion to finding out the truth about what had happened to Tomek and his sister Anna was commendable and something I'm not sure I'd have done in the same position. Frannie (who is English living in Germany with her German husband) is immensely nervous driving on her own having only just 'passed' her test and being a nervous driver myself I was on edge every time she got in the car - I certainly won't be driving on any Autobahns anytime soon!
The author Marcelle Perks is truly exceptional with her imagination and ability to engage the reader, the chapters seamlessly flowed together from one character and situation to the next and all the diverse characters were excellently portrayed. I did in the end get to like one of 'bad' characters and thought the ending was just superb, the way the author tied it all together was brilliant and towards the conclusion I really couldn't put the book down.
Considering the nature of the subject matters - prostitution, organ trafficking, drug taking and sick and twisted serial killers - these were quite explicit at times, so if easily offended or if a younger reader then be warned but they were all very much appropriate and necessary to the story in order to create its unique ambience.
I loved every minute of this tense crime mystery, beautifully printed too by Urbane Publications I'd happily recommend this suspenseful, twisted and original book and would love to read more like this again by Marcelle in the future.
An excellent 5 stars!
The author Marcelle Perks is truly exceptional with her imagination and ability to engage the reader, the chapters seamlessly flowed together from one character and situation to the next and all the diverse characters were excellently portrayed. I did in the end get to like one of 'bad' characters and thought the ending was just superb, the way the author tied it all together was brilliant and towards the conclusion I really couldn't put the book down.
Considering the nature of the subject matters - prostitution, organ trafficking, drug taking and sick and twisted serial killers - these were quite explicit at times, so if easily offended or if a younger reader then be warned but they were all very much appropriate and necessary to the story in order to create its unique ambience.
I loved every minute of this tense crime mystery, beautifully printed too by Urbane Publications I'd happily recommend this suspenseful, twisted and original book and would love to read more like this again by Marcelle in the future.
An excellent 5 stars!
August 13, 2018
4☆ Dark & Sinister Thriller
Night Driver is a Dark Thriller that delves into the darkness.
It took me a little while to get my head around the characters and the plot as I felt a little confused at times.
But once I got the gist of which characters was telling the story. I became embroiled in the dark thriller.
Frannie is a soon to be Mummy, she is determined to gain some independence when her baby arrives.
So she takes to driving alone at night for practice.
I know right... she's crazy! Driving alone at night, heavily pregnant!
But it's here she meets a young Polish man, desperately trying to track down his missing sister.
What Frannie doesn't realise is that this encounter is about to lead her into a dark sadistic underworld.
I won't say too much more about the plot as there is lots going on I don't want to risk giving anything away.
Night Driver is sinister, dark, hard hitting, twisty and draws you in.
Perks has covered a variety of difficult subjects such as murder, prostitution, drugs, human trafficking, violence towards both male and female, and sex which some readers may find difficult.
The pace is thrilling, the suspense grows as Frankie delves deeper into the dark.
The characters are deeply flawed and well written.
It did take me a while to get used to the writing style and work out who was who, but once I did I was gripped.
But don't let that stop you picking up Night Driver. Especially if you love Dark Sinister Thrillers that pull you in.
Thank you to Love Book Group Tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/0...
Night Driver is a Dark Thriller that delves into the darkness.
It took me a little while to get my head around the characters and the plot as I felt a little confused at times.
But once I got the gist of which characters was telling the story. I became embroiled in the dark thriller.
Frannie is a soon to be Mummy, she is determined to gain some independence when her baby arrives.
So she takes to driving alone at night for practice.
I know right... she's crazy! Driving alone at night, heavily pregnant!
But it's here she meets a young Polish man, desperately trying to track down his missing sister.
What Frannie doesn't realise is that this encounter is about to lead her into a dark sadistic underworld.
I won't say too much more about the plot as there is lots going on I don't want to risk giving anything away.
Night Driver is sinister, dark, hard hitting, twisty and draws you in.
Perks has covered a variety of difficult subjects such as murder, prostitution, drugs, human trafficking, violence towards both male and female, and sex which some readers may find difficult.
The pace is thrilling, the suspense grows as Frankie delves deeper into the dark.
The characters are deeply flawed and well written.
It did take me a while to get used to the writing style and work out who was who, but once I did I was gripped.
But don't let that stop you picking up Night Driver. Especially if you love Dark Sinister Thrillers that pull you in.
Thank you to Love Book Group Tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/0...
August 7, 2018
WOW and WOW again,this is a fast paced,action packed,nail biting,gripping thriller that had me hooked in from the first page right through to the jaw dropping,shocking unexpected epilogue. Marcelle Perks has informed me that it took over seven and a half years and 170 rejections from other publishers before Urbane Publications agreed to publish Night Driver. It was called dark,perverse and overly graphic,one publisher even rejected it because one of the killers was gay. Having read this book I honestly don't understand why it was rejected so many times. Yes its a story about prostitution,people and organ trafficking,drugs,a gay killer and violent attacks on both men and women.But I wouldn't say it was overly graphic,I have read loads of books that were far more graphic than this one.
All heavily pregnant Francesca Snell had ever wanted was security,a partner and to have children,she hadn't wanted this stilled life,stuck in the suburbs of a foreign country where she struggles to understand and speak the language,has no friends and a husband who has changed from the loving,attentive personal he was before they married and moved to Germany into a cold,controlling bully. In an effort to get herself more mobile and also because she will need to be able to get provisions for their baby once it is born she starts taking driving lessons.It is during one of these lessons that she has her first terrifying encounter with lorry driving serial killer Lars Stigelegger,a huge man who thinks intimidating other drivers with his lorry is hilarious.After Frannie miraculously passes her test,she decides to try some night driving to gain experience on the eerie roads. But after a early morning encounter with a Polish motorcyclist who is searching for his missing sister,Frannie finds herself becoming sucked into the terrifying world of shady nightclubs,autobahn prostitutes,organ trafficking and into the sights of Lars and his twisted psychotic boss Hans Grans
This heart pounding thriller is voiced by a number of characters including Frannie,Lars,Hans and Dorcas,a prostitute with whom Frannie strikes up an uneasy alliance. Frannie was a feisty,stubborn,likable character who refused to let the fact that she was heavily pregnant stop her helping Tomek find his missing sister.You couldn't help admiring her guts and determination and I spent the whole book in a heightened sense of anxiety and fear for the lives of Frannie and her unborn baby. I had mixed feelings about Dorcas and wasn't always sure wether Frannie could really trust her. The villains in this book are evil,spine chilling,twisted individuals although I surprisingly found myself feeling a tiny bit of empathy for one of them by the time I finished the book.
I absolutely loved this adrenaline ride of a thriller.The authors descriptions of Frannie`s health issues due to her pregnancy and her nervousness when she was driving were realistic and believable. I love being in a car at night but I have never learned to drive myself,I'm nervous enough as a passenger.The characters were vivid and well rounded and the story told in chapters that vary in length held my attention throughout. In my opinion this book is worth far more than five stars and I look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.
Many thanks to Urbane publications and Kelly Lacey of Love Books Group Tours for the opportunity to read and review this heart pounding thriller
All heavily pregnant Francesca Snell had ever wanted was security,a partner and to have children,she hadn't wanted this stilled life,stuck in the suburbs of a foreign country where she struggles to understand and speak the language,has no friends and a husband who has changed from the loving,attentive personal he was before they married and moved to Germany into a cold,controlling bully. In an effort to get herself more mobile and also because she will need to be able to get provisions for their baby once it is born she starts taking driving lessons.It is during one of these lessons that she has her first terrifying encounter with lorry driving serial killer Lars Stigelegger,a huge man who thinks intimidating other drivers with his lorry is hilarious.After Frannie miraculously passes her test,she decides to try some night driving to gain experience on the eerie roads. But after a early morning encounter with a Polish motorcyclist who is searching for his missing sister,Frannie finds herself becoming sucked into the terrifying world of shady nightclubs,autobahn prostitutes,organ trafficking and into the sights of Lars and his twisted psychotic boss Hans Grans
This heart pounding thriller is voiced by a number of characters including Frannie,Lars,Hans and Dorcas,a prostitute with whom Frannie strikes up an uneasy alliance. Frannie was a feisty,stubborn,likable character who refused to let the fact that she was heavily pregnant stop her helping Tomek find his missing sister.You couldn't help admiring her guts and determination and I spent the whole book in a heightened sense of anxiety and fear for the lives of Frannie and her unborn baby. I had mixed feelings about Dorcas and wasn't always sure wether Frannie could really trust her. The villains in this book are evil,spine chilling,twisted individuals although I surprisingly found myself feeling a tiny bit of empathy for one of them by the time I finished the book.
I absolutely loved this adrenaline ride of a thriller.The authors descriptions of Frannie`s health issues due to her pregnancy and her nervousness when she was driving were realistic and believable. I love being in a car at night but I have never learned to drive myself,I'm nervous enough as a passenger.The characters were vivid and well rounded and the story told in chapters that vary in length held my attention throughout. In my opinion this book is worth far more than five stars and I look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.
Many thanks to Urbane publications and Kelly Lacey of Love Books Group Tours for the opportunity to read and review this heart pounding thriller
August 9, 2018
From Wikipedia: Fritz Haarmann (1879 – 1925) was a German serial killer known as the Butcher of Hanover, the Vampire of Hanover and the Wolf-Man, who committed the sexual assault, murder, mutilation and dismemberment of a minimum of 24 boys and young men. Described by the judge at his trial as being “forever degraded as a citizen”, Haarmann was found guilty of 24 of the 27 murders for which he was tried and sentenced to death. A known homosexual and police informant, his preferred murder method was biting into or through his victims’ throats.
Marcelle Perks has taken Haarmann’s story and reimagined it in a contemporary setting. Her serial killer is called Lars, a lorry driver who seeks the intense sexual thrill he gains from murdering young men picked up on his travels. Lars and his lover, Hans, co-own a nightclub that offers clients drugs and the services of prostitutes. Hans cleans up after Lars, making money from the bodies disposed of. Hans also enjoys the services of the women they employ, his handsome good looks and attentions leading each to believe he cares for them.
Into this murky environment enters Fran, an English woman living in Hanover who is eight months pregnant. She met her husband, Kurt, on a business trip to the Cayman Islands where he was working as an engineer. At the time Fran had a well paid job and a house in London. She was drawn to Kurt by his old-fashioned, movie star good looks, his charm, attentiveness and dry humour. When Fran lost her job she sold her house and moved to be with Kurt. They married and returned to his native Germany, to a suburb where he expected Fran to keep house. Since she fell pregnant Kurt has lost interest in his wife. Alone and frustrated by the limits on integration imposed by the language barrier, Fran is determined to learn to drive that she may regain a little independence. Despite daily lessons she is struggling to master the skills required.
Lars in his lorry comes across Fran on one of her lessons, hassling her slow progress until she loses control. Fran’s instructor reports him to the police but they take no action. In her current state there is a risk to the unborn child leading to leniency from the examiner on her driving test. Shaken by events, Fran has no confidence behind the wheel. Determined to overcome her fear she decides to take Kurt’s car without telling him and practice while he sleeps and the roads are quiet.
On her first night drive Fran meets a young Polish man, Tomek, who is trying to track down his sister, Anna. He is kind to the lonely woman and she is attracted to him. She decides to help in his quest as a reason for them to meet again.
Fran and Tomek visit Dorcas, a prostitute and friend of Anna’s. Both women work for Hans. When Tomek goes missing Fran grows concerned and asks for Dorcas’s help. Neither women are yet aware that the focus of the nightclub’s criminal activity has moved to a more lucrative use of the bodies they dispose of. Their dogged interest in the missing siblings makes them a liability that Hans and Lars come to realise they must deal with.
The structure of the story is episodic as in TV dramas with short chapters divided into scenes shown from key characters’ points of view. The narration is clipped in style which suits the typically British portrayal of the German language and efficient attitude. This idiosyncratic presentation was easier to read in short spurts than one sitting.
Descriptions are vivid and often bloody. Sex is perfunctory. I found Fran’s limited concern for her unborn child difficult to empathise with but her isolation in the face of Kurt’s lack of interest for her well-being was well portrayed. The men at the nightclub are chillingly authentic, their treatment of women as property to be used and then discarded believable. The sociopathic tendencies of the killers was unsettling but fitted well in explaining their warped reasoning.
This is a disturbing tale but one that maintained engagement. That it is inspired by true events gives it an added edge.
Marcelle Perks has taken Haarmann’s story and reimagined it in a contemporary setting. Her serial killer is called Lars, a lorry driver who seeks the intense sexual thrill he gains from murdering young men picked up on his travels. Lars and his lover, Hans, co-own a nightclub that offers clients drugs and the services of prostitutes. Hans cleans up after Lars, making money from the bodies disposed of. Hans also enjoys the services of the women they employ, his handsome good looks and attentions leading each to believe he cares for them.
Into this murky environment enters Fran, an English woman living in Hanover who is eight months pregnant. She met her husband, Kurt, on a business trip to the Cayman Islands where he was working as an engineer. At the time Fran had a well paid job and a house in London. She was drawn to Kurt by his old-fashioned, movie star good looks, his charm, attentiveness and dry humour. When Fran lost her job she sold her house and moved to be with Kurt. They married and returned to his native Germany, to a suburb where he expected Fran to keep house. Since she fell pregnant Kurt has lost interest in his wife. Alone and frustrated by the limits on integration imposed by the language barrier, Fran is determined to learn to drive that she may regain a little independence. Despite daily lessons she is struggling to master the skills required.
Lars in his lorry comes across Fran on one of her lessons, hassling her slow progress until she loses control. Fran’s instructor reports him to the police but they take no action. In her current state there is a risk to the unborn child leading to leniency from the examiner on her driving test. Shaken by events, Fran has no confidence behind the wheel. Determined to overcome her fear she decides to take Kurt’s car without telling him and practice while he sleeps and the roads are quiet.
On her first night drive Fran meets a young Polish man, Tomek, who is trying to track down his sister, Anna. He is kind to the lonely woman and she is attracted to him. She decides to help in his quest as a reason for them to meet again.
Fran and Tomek visit Dorcas, a prostitute and friend of Anna’s. Both women work for Hans. When Tomek goes missing Fran grows concerned and asks for Dorcas’s help. Neither women are yet aware that the focus of the nightclub’s criminal activity has moved to a more lucrative use of the bodies they dispose of. Their dogged interest in the missing siblings makes them a liability that Hans and Lars come to realise they must deal with.
The structure of the story is episodic as in TV dramas with short chapters divided into scenes shown from key characters’ points of view. The narration is clipped in style which suits the typically British portrayal of the German language and efficient attitude. This idiosyncratic presentation was easier to read in short spurts than one sitting.
Descriptions are vivid and often bloody. Sex is perfunctory. I found Fran’s limited concern for her unborn child difficult to empathise with but her isolation in the face of Kurt’s lack of interest for her well-being was well portrayed. The men at the nightclub are chillingly authentic, their treatment of women as property to be used and then discarded believable. The sociopathic tendencies of the killers was unsettling but fitted well in explaining their warped reasoning.
This is a disturbing tale but one that maintained engagement. That it is inspired by true events gives it an added edge.
August 12, 2018
Wow, what did I just read? I am not sure how to classify this book, it was one thrill-seeking intense crazy crazy, did I say crazy?! ride.
Putting it plainly in my terms, this book was blinking mental!
I want to start with the cute end of chapters pictures and bottom of the page pictures. I thought they were an amazing addition to the book and a constant reminder of the darkness in this book and the horror to come.
I also spent a bit of the book, being in the dark like Frannie with conversations happening as they were speaking in German, a good thing for google!! I loved all the small details like this.
So on to the story….
You have a woman who’s moved to Germany for her husband and is heavily pregnant. She can not speak the language and she is trying to learn to drive. Frannie is trying to be a dutiful wife and mother to be, her husband Kurt is withdrawing from her and is angry all the time. He has zero redeeming features whatsoever and thank god I don’t have to worry about him anymore.
We then meet Lars, the big (not so) friendly giant, a gay serial killer truck driver trying to sedate his compulsions. You have Hans his sadistic lover who runs a club and has a VIP room locked off from everyone apart from Lars. The room is there to help Lars, and to feed Hans Secret fetish.
You have Dorcas, a prostitute who is in love with Hans, and best friends to Lars. The perfect wife for Lars, if he could do normal. Dorcas befriends (putting it lightly) Frannie, who is looking for a missing guy Tomek, who she met one random night when our driving.
Frannie tries to drive at night so she can learn to drive around with her baby and not be dependant on her controlling husband. Meeting Tomek, whose searching for his sister, changes the course of her life. Whilst Frannie is out playing detective, involved in things she shouldn’t be, she is also heavily pregnant, ready to drop in fact! I spent a lot of the book worried when it was Frannie’s turn in the story. I was worried about the baby! She gets caught up in everything dark and horrifying whilst carrying something so pure and innocent in her belly.
The book flits between the main characters of Lars, Frannie, Dorcas and occasionally Hans. It was intense when you were changing characters as it left you hanging with the other characters wanting to get back them, to make sure they are ok! I had my heart in my throat a lot of the time, and I felt like I was wired up like a snake ready to attack, there was no release, it was horrifying.
This book has everything terrifying in it and the things you hear about happening! Missing people, drug abuse, sex-trafficking and organ harvesting, I mean one maybe two is awful but all four, Jesus!! It was hard who to believe was a bad guy and who was a good guy, the lines become really REALLY blurry, the bad guy crosses the line over to the good guy, but they jump back way over the line, yet you felt at times you should cheer in a way for them.
This book was dark and gritty and damn right shocking, if I bit my nails I would! But within the story with the pregnancy, you are constantly reminded of the innocent and the purity in this world and the hope for something better.
Remind me never to go Germany on my own!!!
Putting it plainly in my terms, this book was blinking mental!
I want to start with the cute end of chapters pictures and bottom of the page pictures. I thought they were an amazing addition to the book and a constant reminder of the darkness in this book and the horror to come.
I also spent a bit of the book, being in the dark like Frannie with conversations happening as they were speaking in German, a good thing for google!! I loved all the small details like this.
So on to the story….
You have a woman who’s moved to Germany for her husband and is heavily pregnant. She can not speak the language and she is trying to learn to drive. Frannie is trying to be a dutiful wife and mother to be, her husband Kurt is withdrawing from her and is angry all the time. He has zero redeeming features whatsoever and thank god I don’t have to worry about him anymore.
We then meet Lars, the big (not so) friendly giant, a gay serial killer truck driver trying to sedate his compulsions. You have Hans his sadistic lover who runs a club and has a VIP room locked off from everyone apart from Lars. The room is there to help Lars, and to feed Hans Secret fetish.
You have Dorcas, a prostitute who is in love with Hans, and best friends to Lars. The perfect wife for Lars, if he could do normal. Dorcas befriends (putting it lightly) Frannie, who is looking for a missing guy Tomek, who she met one random night when our driving.
Frannie tries to drive at night so she can learn to drive around with her baby and not be dependant on her controlling husband. Meeting Tomek, whose searching for his sister, changes the course of her life. Whilst Frannie is out playing detective, involved in things she shouldn’t be, she is also heavily pregnant, ready to drop in fact! I spent a lot of the book worried when it was Frannie’s turn in the story. I was worried about the baby! She gets caught up in everything dark and horrifying whilst carrying something so pure and innocent in her belly.
The book flits between the main characters of Lars, Frannie, Dorcas and occasionally Hans. It was intense when you were changing characters as it left you hanging with the other characters wanting to get back them, to make sure they are ok! I had my heart in my throat a lot of the time, and I felt like I was wired up like a snake ready to attack, there was no release, it was horrifying.
This book has everything terrifying in it and the things you hear about happening! Missing people, drug abuse, sex-trafficking and organ harvesting, I mean one maybe two is awful but all four, Jesus!! It was hard who to believe was a bad guy and who was a good guy, the lines become really REALLY blurry, the bad guy crosses the line over to the good guy, but they jump back way over the line, yet you felt at times you should cheer in a way for them.
This book was dark and gritty and damn right shocking, if I bit my nails I would! But within the story with the pregnancy, you are constantly reminded of the innocent and the purity in this world and the hope for something better.
Remind me never to go Germany on my own!!!
February 18, 2019
NIGHT DRIVER by MARCELLE PERKS
This is a brilliant read. Straight away as soon as I saw the cover and read the blurb, I was very curious. A fast actioned thriller and quite gruesome at times, but a hell of a ride.
I thought the writing is sharp and punchy and manages to maintain this throughout the book. At no point did I feel the story has been dragged out at all and the pace is very generous.
Averagely sized chapters so the book keeps you turning the pages. For a debut, this is a super, thrilling read with very sinister edges. If you like a dark, twisty and pacey thriller, then I would highly recommend this book.
This is a brilliant read. Straight away as soon as I saw the cover and read the blurb, I was very curious. A fast actioned thriller and quite gruesome at times, but a hell of a ride.
I thought the writing is sharp and punchy and manages to maintain this throughout the book. At no point did I feel the story has been dragged out at all and the pace is very generous.
Averagely sized chapters so the book keeps you turning the pages. For a debut, this is a super, thrilling read with very sinister edges. If you like a dark, twisty and pacey thriller, then I would highly recommend this book.
August 9, 2018
Even bad guys seem to have a heart ...
Wow, I have to catch my breath first. It was a very difficult for me. Let me explain you why.
When I read a book or watch something on tv, I always seem to feel what the victims are going through and I can assure you, the main character here was on a hell of a roller coaster. I wanted to keep on reading but regularly I had to put the book aside for a few moments because it was too much. The whole time I felt on edge. There was always a cloud of danger and menace hanging above and it was very dark.
The end of the story brought tears to my eyes. Some find their happiness in life, some take a different path ...
If you are looking for a book that keeps you awake when you are a sensitive soul like me, you know which one to pick. 3,5 stars.
Thank you, Marcelle Perks, Urbane Publications and Love Books Group
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
Wow, I have to catch my breath first. It was a very difficult for me. Let me explain you why.
When I read a book or watch something on tv, I always seem to feel what the victims are going through and I can assure you, the main character here was on a hell of a roller coaster. I wanted to keep on reading but regularly I had to put the book aside for a few moments because it was too much. The whole time I felt on edge. There was always a cloud of danger and menace hanging above and it was very dark.
The end of the story brought tears to my eyes. Some find their happiness in life, some take a different path ...
If you are looking for a book that keeps you awake when you are a sensitive soul like me, you know which one to pick. 3,5 stars.
Thank you, Marcelle Perks, Urbane Publications and Love Books Group
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
July 20, 2018
Frannie is learning to drive whilst heavily pregnant so that when the baby arrives she is not stuck in the village with no shops or cafes. She is in a foreign country and although can understand some of the language it doesn’t come easy to her. Frannie and her husband Kurt appear to have grown apart since she fell pregnant and he doesn’t appear to care what happens to her- as is shown when having her final driving lesson before her test. She hates and is frightened of driving when it’s busy so once she gets her licence she finds the best time to drive is at night when the road’s are clearer. She finds a friend searching for his sister and so gets inveigle into a web- a web she can’t see her way out of. There are occasional words in German which I felt could have done with a translation even if just the once. Some I got the gist of, others I had to guess. There are some dark scenes of sex and violence - not my cup of tea. A story of deceit and murders, of lies and lives. Of the good in someone wanting to help their fellow man.
August 2, 2018
Lustmord and more in the twilight world around HANOVER
The author is clearly familiar with the landscape around Hanover and with the Autobahn network that supports out-of-town clubs where prostitution, drugs and nefarious undertakings are rife. This twilight milieu forms the backdrop to Night Driver.
I took this book to read whilst in Germany and felt the bleak landscape of the Autobahn network was well observed.
The printed book has nice touches, black and the white images of a street disappearing into the distance add to the darkness, and each page corner has a blurred image of a road, which remind the reader of motion and driving.
Frannie is nearly full term in her pregnancy, married to Kurt who has lost interest in her. With his escalating ambivalence she realises she needs to be able to drive so that she can source nappies and be generally mobile with a baby in tow. She only just passes her driving test and decides to hone her driving skills at night, whilst Kurt sleeps, as the roads are less populated. She nevertheless has a few scrapes. Are there any cars left unscathed in this part of Lower Saxony after she has been out, I wonder? Even with practise you still would not like to meet her on the road, and her husband Kurt really is not in favour of her driving, especially in her condition – and more pertinently, driving in his precious car.
Whilst she is still being taught, she has a very unnerving encounter with a lorry driver, who seems to take pleasure in aggressively tailgating her. The driver is Lars of whom we learn more, much more as the book unfolds. In cahoots with Hans, the reader is soon initiated into the darker side of Moonlights Club, a front for all kinds of businesses.
Off she sets one evening, in order to get more experience, but encounters a Polish man, a motorcyclist who happens to be looking for his sister. He hasn’t heard from her in a while. All roads ultimately lead to….. Moonlights Club.
Throw into a pot a combination of sex, prostitution, organ harvesting, lorry driving, mass murder, drugs, human trafficking and a heavily pregnant protagonist who is a nervous driver (the night driver of the novel), give the pot a good shake and see what comes out, just like the spread of dice that fall away in a random fashion. The book is over-reliant on similes in order to enrich some of the descriptions. In essence there is too much ‘telling’ of the story and not enough ‘showing’ and thus the characters, pregnant Frannie, and Hans, the psychopath/sociopath (they tend fo fall from the same psychological tree), together with his partner Lars, who kills as “an act of love” all feel fairly two dimensional. Lars in particular is inspired by a serial killer from the 19th Century, who was dubbed the Butcher of Hanover. There is, however, little fleshing out of the personas, they are more manifestations of their conditions.
Frannie, as mentioned, is pregnant (a bold choice for a protagonist who hurtles around the countryside like a bat out of hell, risking life and limb) and even in the early stages of labour is dodging the perpetrators. She is not one to give up and she doggedly continues her quest to find the missing woman.
The author peppers the story with German words, to make the locale feel more immediate and real. The usual contenders appear like Schweinehund, Scheisse and so forth, and there is one point where Frannie’s driving instructor urges her to put her foot down (as Lars’s truck is thundering down on them from behind), Gehen, Gehen exhorts her driving instructor, which means go go (but on foot. It maybe should have been los, los – go, go – or fahren, fahren – drive, drive). It might have been better if she had indeed got out of the car at that point and walked away on foot.
The style of writing is unusual. It may well be intentional to give the English just a foreign twang on occasion to underline that the action is set in Germany, but at times it can feel felt just a little odd. For me, for example, ‘the blood started to fall out’‘ of a wound sounded like bad translation – blood is liquid and therefore I might have anticipated a verb to reflect its nature
As you may have guessed I wasn’t too fazed by the subject matter but the construct and style just didn’t hang together for me, and at times the storyline just got preposterous and felt oftentimes out of control, which I guess in many ways reflects Frannie’s situation. It is nevertheless a pacy read.
The author is clearly familiar with the landscape around Hanover and with the Autobahn network that supports out-of-town clubs where prostitution, drugs and nefarious undertakings are rife. This twilight milieu forms the backdrop to Night Driver.
I took this book to read whilst in Germany and felt the bleak landscape of the Autobahn network was well observed.
The printed book has nice touches, black and the white images of a street disappearing into the distance add to the darkness, and each page corner has a blurred image of a road, which remind the reader of motion and driving.
Frannie is nearly full term in her pregnancy, married to Kurt who has lost interest in her. With his escalating ambivalence she realises she needs to be able to drive so that she can source nappies and be generally mobile with a baby in tow. She only just passes her driving test and decides to hone her driving skills at night, whilst Kurt sleeps, as the roads are less populated. She nevertheless has a few scrapes. Are there any cars left unscathed in this part of Lower Saxony after she has been out, I wonder? Even with practise you still would not like to meet her on the road, and her husband Kurt really is not in favour of her driving, especially in her condition – and more pertinently, driving in his precious car.
Whilst she is still being taught, she has a very unnerving encounter with a lorry driver, who seems to take pleasure in aggressively tailgating her. The driver is Lars of whom we learn more, much more as the book unfolds. In cahoots with Hans, the reader is soon initiated into the darker side of Moonlights Club, a front for all kinds of businesses.
Off she sets one evening, in order to get more experience, but encounters a Polish man, a motorcyclist who happens to be looking for his sister. He hasn’t heard from her in a while. All roads ultimately lead to….. Moonlights Club.
Throw into a pot a combination of sex, prostitution, organ harvesting, lorry driving, mass murder, drugs, human trafficking and a heavily pregnant protagonist who is a nervous driver (the night driver of the novel), give the pot a good shake and see what comes out, just like the spread of dice that fall away in a random fashion. The book is over-reliant on similes in order to enrich some of the descriptions. In essence there is too much ‘telling’ of the story and not enough ‘showing’ and thus the characters, pregnant Frannie, and Hans, the psychopath/sociopath (they tend fo fall from the same psychological tree), together with his partner Lars, who kills as “an act of love” all feel fairly two dimensional. Lars in particular is inspired by a serial killer from the 19th Century, who was dubbed the Butcher of Hanover. There is, however, little fleshing out of the personas, they are more manifestations of their conditions.
Frannie, as mentioned, is pregnant (a bold choice for a protagonist who hurtles around the countryside like a bat out of hell, risking life and limb) and even in the early stages of labour is dodging the perpetrators. She is not one to give up and she doggedly continues her quest to find the missing woman.
The author peppers the story with German words, to make the locale feel more immediate and real. The usual contenders appear like Schweinehund, Scheisse and so forth, and there is one point where Frannie’s driving instructor urges her to put her foot down (as Lars’s truck is thundering down on them from behind), Gehen, Gehen exhorts her driving instructor, which means go go (but on foot. It maybe should have been los, los – go, go – or fahren, fahren – drive, drive). It might have been better if she had indeed got out of the car at that point and walked away on foot.
The style of writing is unusual. It may well be intentional to give the English just a foreign twang on occasion to underline that the action is set in Germany, but at times it can feel felt just a little odd. For me, for example, ‘the blood started to fall out’‘ of a wound sounded like bad translation – blood is liquid and therefore I might have anticipated a verb to reflect its nature
As you may have guessed I wasn’t too fazed by the subject matter but the construct and style just didn’t hang together for me, and at times the storyline just got preposterous and felt oftentimes out of control, which I guess in many ways reflects Frannie’s situation. It is nevertheless a pacy read.
August 11, 2018
What do you get when you take an unhappy, “fish-out-of-water” pregnant woman learning how to drive the Autobahn at night, a 40-year-old gay serial killer with a conscious, a manipulative drug-addled hooker, and a narcissistic strip club manager who quotes infamous serial killers? You get a suspense-filled, head-rush of a thrill ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
The author’s character development is well done. She pulls out their strengths and vulnerabilities making the reader question whether they should truly loathe or feel pity for such despicable and reckless individuals.
Without a doubt, this is a unique psychological thriller with an unusual protagonist and antagonist. If you like unusual thrillers with a twist, give this one a try.
I received a free copy of this book that I voluntarily chose to review.
The author’s character development is well done. She pulls out their strengths and vulnerabilities making the reader question whether they should truly loathe or feel pity for such despicable and reckless individuals.
Without a doubt, this is a unique psychological thriller with an unusual protagonist and antagonist. If you like unusual thrillers with a twist, give this one a try.
I received a free copy of this book that I voluntarily chose to review.
August 2, 2018
I was lucky enough to be sent a proof copy of this book.
I always worry about trying a new author/genre as sometimes they can take a while to get into as you get used to the way the author writes but this did not happen. Was easy to get into and kept you gripped.
It tells the story of Frankie who is English married and living in Germany, learning to drive, not speaking much of the language and heavily pregnant. After passing her test she starts to drive at night to get used to driving when the traffic is lighter. This leads her into a world of nightclubs, drugs, sex workers, and serial killers!
Was up to 1am to finish it as I wanted to make sure our heroine was safe. Won’t spoil it for you, you will have to read it.
When I get a proof copy I always ask myself would I have paid for it? Yes it is worth the money. Really enjoyed it even though it is quite dark.
I always worry about trying a new author/genre as sometimes they can take a while to get into as you get used to the way the author writes but this did not happen. Was easy to get into and kept you gripped.
It tells the story of Frankie who is English married and living in Germany, learning to drive, not speaking much of the language and heavily pregnant. After passing her test she starts to drive at night to get used to driving when the traffic is lighter. This leads her into a world of nightclubs, drugs, sex workers, and serial killers!
Was up to 1am to finish it as I wanted to make sure our heroine was safe. Won’t spoil it for you, you will have to read it.
When I get a proof copy I always ask myself would I have paid for it? Yes it is worth the money. Really enjoyed it even though it is quite dark.
January 23, 2019
Had me hooked
A very dark book, gripping and it had me hooked. Some interesting characters with some interesting secrets. I'd recommend it.
A very dark book, gripping and it had me hooked. Some interesting characters with some interesting secrets. I'd recommend it.
April 29, 2020
Bailed out of this after 30% just wasn't feeling it at all. Nothing about any of the characters or story line was engaging me so felt it best for all parties to call it a day.
October 17, 2018
Frannie left her life and her country behind to live with her husband in Germany, but now, heavily pregnant, she sees Kurt isn’t who she thought he was and that their relationship is crumbling. Meanwhile, she knows she has to learn to drive so she can take care of her baby, but the classes are ruining her nerves and it all gets worse when a seriously bad driver crosses her path. Much worse, for Lars isn’t only an insane driver. He has a compulsion for killing. And, when Frannie tries to help a new friend find his missing sister, her path crosses with Lars’ in a much more dangerous road.
One of the first things worth saying about this book is that it’s full of surprises. In the beginning we are led to think that the traffic situation will be the trigger for a much darker conflict. And then everything expands. Lars in not only a serial killer, but also a man of influence in the dark world of drugs and prostitution. And his associate, Hans, is even worse. It is their relationship, however, that makes for the biggest surprises in the story. For Hans has his very own brand of wickedness and, when things start to get complicated… well, they get dark too.
Also quite impressive is that the story begins with a relatively slow, albeit intriguing, rhythm, then proceeding to grow in intensity. It starts in relative calm, although there are moments of tension, and then things seem to get out of control for all the main characters. A route is set, plans are made… and the search for answers leads everyone into danger. Frannie and Dorcas try to find what happened to Tomek. Lars… well, tries to get back on the wheel of his twisted life. And, as these two paths converge, the story becomes addictive. And, by the end, everything is unexpected.
This leads me to another unexpected thing: Lars. He’s a serial killer, he’s been killing for a while. But he isn’t necessary the greater evil in this story, which is in itself also a new surprise. Besides, there is an underlying complexity in his motives and it puts him on a path to the only two possibilities in his future: total damnation or the possible redemption. This is also part of what makes that ending so strong: nobody was exactly who they seems. But Lars? He was that, but also more.
With a setting as dark and intriguing as the minds of some of its characters, in the end, it all comes down to this: an intense and intriguing narrative, with intricate relationships and a complex and quite impressive cast of characters. A great read, overall.
** I received this book from Urbane Publications in exchange for an honest review
One of the first things worth saying about this book is that it’s full of surprises. In the beginning we are led to think that the traffic situation will be the trigger for a much darker conflict. And then everything expands. Lars in not only a serial killer, but also a man of influence in the dark world of drugs and prostitution. And his associate, Hans, is even worse. It is their relationship, however, that makes for the biggest surprises in the story. For Hans has his very own brand of wickedness and, when things start to get complicated… well, they get dark too.
Also quite impressive is that the story begins with a relatively slow, albeit intriguing, rhythm, then proceeding to grow in intensity. It starts in relative calm, although there are moments of tension, and then things seem to get out of control for all the main characters. A route is set, plans are made… and the search for answers leads everyone into danger. Frannie and Dorcas try to find what happened to Tomek. Lars… well, tries to get back on the wheel of his twisted life. And, as these two paths converge, the story becomes addictive. And, by the end, everything is unexpected.
This leads me to another unexpected thing: Lars. He’s a serial killer, he’s been killing for a while. But he isn’t necessary the greater evil in this story, which is in itself also a new surprise. Besides, there is an underlying complexity in his motives and it puts him on a path to the only two possibilities in his future: total damnation or the possible redemption. This is also part of what makes that ending so strong: nobody was exactly who they seems. But Lars? He was that, but also more.
With a setting as dark and intriguing as the minds of some of its characters, in the end, it all comes down to this: an intense and intriguing narrative, with intricate relationships and a complex and quite impressive cast of characters. A great read, overall.
** I received this book from Urbane Publications in exchange for an honest review
December 2, 2018
Night Driver is an interesting, fast-paced tale that steps cleverly outside the norms of most genre fiction. The protagonist is Frannie, a woman unsure of herself, living in a foreign land where she's not fully bilingual, with a husband who is not the most responsive guy in the world, and on top of that, she's heavily pregnant. Out of necessity, she's learning to drive, and very insecure about her abilities, especially on the fearsome German autobahn with its long stretches where drivers can go as fast as they want with no speed limit. Blended in is a modernization of a real-life infamous 1920s German 'vampire'. Set in the Hanover area where Fritz Haarmann and his accomplice Hans Grans were located, their story takes place in the present, and involves the seedy underbelly of society, full of manipulation, and culminating in a series of murders. The two tales intersect quickly and easily as tension builds. While Perks is not a new writer, she is new to novel writing. This, her first book, is a real success. I recommend Night Driver!
October 7, 2018
Review originally published here: https://joyfulantidotes.com/2018/08/0...
This book really gave me this creeps. That is a good thing, of course! What made it even creepier for me is the fact that I am a foreign woman living in Germany and I have actually been considering learning how to drive here. Might put that on hold for now… Still, I am familiar with the loneliness that can come with living abroad and I certainly know how the open Autobahn can chill you to the core. Even if I didn’t share some (slight) similarities with Frannie, the language of this book was more than enough to make me feel and almost experience the horrors that occur.
Night Driver has the same grimy underground setting as Tubing and the feelings both books gave me were similar. However, even if Night Driver focuses heavily on prostitution, it doesn’t have the erotica that Tubing has. What Night Driver has that makes for a more nail-biting read is the sense of anticipation. As different chapters focus on different characters, we not only see Frannie’s mayhem unravelling, but we also see just what killer Lars is up to. It makes it worse knowing what Frannie is up against and what her possible ending could be.
Frannie and Lars are my favourite characters in this book but not because they are likeable. Lars, for obvious reasons, and Frannie because it is frustrating how she puts herself deeper into this underground with what seems like little regard for her unborn child. No, why I like these characters is because of the contrast they apply, good against evil. In fact, none of the characters in this book are really in any way likeable but they all but they all add something of value, especially club owner Hans and prostitute Dorcas.
Overall, I can’t do much other than totally recommend Night Driver. It had me glued and I would 100% love a follow-up. If you want an extra bit of a thrill, read it at nighttime like I did.
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book really gave me this creeps. That is a good thing, of course! What made it even creepier for me is the fact that I am a foreign woman living in Germany and I have actually been considering learning how to drive here. Might put that on hold for now… Still, I am familiar with the loneliness that can come with living abroad and I certainly know how the open Autobahn can chill you to the core. Even if I didn’t share some (slight) similarities with Frannie, the language of this book was more than enough to make me feel and almost experience the horrors that occur.
Night Driver has the same grimy underground setting as Tubing and the feelings both books gave me were similar. However, even if Night Driver focuses heavily on prostitution, it doesn’t have the erotica that Tubing has. What Night Driver has that makes for a more nail-biting read is the sense of anticipation. As different chapters focus on different characters, we not only see Frannie’s mayhem unravelling, but we also see just what killer Lars is up to. It makes it worse knowing what Frannie is up against and what her possible ending could be.
Frannie and Lars are my favourite characters in this book but not because they are likeable. Lars, for obvious reasons, and Frannie because it is frustrating how she puts herself deeper into this underground with what seems like little regard for her unborn child. No, why I like these characters is because of the contrast they apply, good against evil. In fact, none of the characters in this book are really in any way likeable but they all but they all add something of value, especially club owner Hans and prostitute Dorcas.
Overall, I can’t do much other than totally recommend Night Driver. It had me glued and I would 100% love a follow-up. If you want an extra bit of a thrill, read it at nighttime like I did.
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 21, 2018
A terrific debut novel
Night Driver is such a dark thriller of a ride. I was really not expecting the content of the storyline, however it makes for an exceptional read. A chilling storyline involving an ordinary woman getting involved in a disturbing and unimaginable world of criminal activity. It’s a thrilling read that keeps you on the edge.
Night Driver is such a dark thriller of a ride. I was really not expecting the content of the storyline, however it makes for an exceptional read. A chilling storyline involving an ordinary woman getting involved in a disturbing and unimaginable world of criminal activity. It’s a thrilling read that keeps you on the edge.
January 16, 2019
Was an ok book. Sort of in the middle for me. Some bits were a bit silly.
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