The Death Messenger

Matthew Ryan #2

by Mari Hannah

Track a stalker. Catch a killer.

When a mysterious DVD is delivered to Northumbria Police Headquarters, DS Matthew Ryan and Detective Superintendent Eloise O’Neil are among the few to view its disturbing content. With little to go on the only lead comes from the anonymous and chilling woman’s voice narrating the blood-soaked lock-up depicted on screen.

But with no victim visible, nor any indication of where the unidentifiable crime scene is located, Ryan and O’Neil get the distinct feeling someone is playing with them. What is certain is that the newly formed special unit has just taken on its first challenging case.

As further shocking videos start arriving at police stations around the country, the body count rises. But what connects all the victims? And why are they being targeted? As the investigation deepens, the team is brought to breaking point as secrets from the past threaten to derail their pursuit of a merciless killer . . .

The Death Messenger is a tense police procedural follows The Silent Room in the thrilling Matthew Ryan series by Mari Hannah.

Genres: Crime, Fiction, Procedural, Audiobook, Mystery, Thriller

448 pages, Hardcover

First published November 16, 2017

About the author

When an injury on duty ended my career as Probation Officer, I began writing. I am the author of the Kate Daniels and Ryan & O’Neil series published by Pan Macmillan and the Stone & Oliver series published by Orion. My debut, The Murder Wall, was written as a TV pilot for a BBC Drama Development Scheme - before the adaption. The novel won the Polari First Book Prize. Before becoming an author, I fell in love with scriptwriting and submitted speculative original dramas to the BBC Writersroom. I've also written a romantic comedy feature film that I hope will find a producer one day. In 2010, I won the Northern Writers' Award for my second novel, Settled Blood. And in 2017, I won the Dagger in the Library for my body of work. I'm represented by AM Heath literary agent, Oli Munson, and live in Northumberland with my partner, a former murder detective.

Reviews

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Death Messenger is the second novel in the DS Matthew Ryan and DS Eloise O'Neil series based in Northumberland, the area in which I live, and once again Ms Hannah has absolutely smashed it. Although part of a series the book works well as a standalone, however, you will miss out on the characters evolution and growth from The Silent Room. Here, a depraved and heinous killer taunts the police by sending disturbing DVDs of their kills to police headquarters. The killer escalates and begins killing more and more and sending each of the videos to police forces around the country. It was interesting to learn about the newly-formed Specialist Investigative Unit who are having trouble finding anything that links the victims, identifies the location of the kills or determining who the brutal killer may be. Can they discover something that breaks the case before more innocent lives are taken?

As always with Ms Hannah, the writing pulls you into the story almost immediately, and from then on putting it down is simply not an option. There were twists and turns galore and plenty to keep the reader riveted. The chemistry between DS Ryan and DS O'Neil is excellent, there may even be some romance between them in upcoming books. Together they are tenacious and like a dog with a bone, they go after their target regardless of how little information they have to go on. It's elaborately plotted with wonderful attention to detail and flows smoothly from one page to the next; there's no question about this being a page-turner! This is a dark, disturbing, intense, brutal and hard-hitting police procedural that is full of nail-biting moments. Bravo!

Many thanks to Minotaur Books for an ARC.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Death Messenger is a police procedural with a bizarre serial killer sending videos of her kills. Ryan and O'Neil are the oddly matched set of British investigators who work well together despite all kinds of tensions between them. The book seems really well written and the characters well fleshed out. Yet, for some reason, it was a struggle to stay interested and to actually finish it. Might be worth another read later on.

[Thebooktrail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Visit the locations in the novel Meet the Death Messenger

Ryan and O'Neil are back ....with a bang. A complicated case of videos being sent to police up and down the country, victims left right and centre and with no obvious links.. this is a meaty thriller to really get those teeth into.

Ryan and O'Neil really shine in this book - their relationship, arguments, mutual respect yet love hate relationship develops and is at the centre of this case. There's backstory which builds up a very interesting picture of them both and I loved the way they interacted with each other through the lighter moments as well as the darker ones. A tough investigation this one, so when they bring in someone to help them, the Silent Room of book one comes into play allowing for some very exciting police work and insight into a troubling investigation.

There was no let up in this book - fast paced, meaty detail on each page. It's a twisty case and chapters from the killer;'s point of view work really well. There's many moments of light hearted banter too such as, when the case takes them to Copenhagen( Not a spoiler) they observe that the officer "is no Sarah Lund". Lisbeth Salander seems to be hanging round the edges of this case.

Locations wise, it's Newcastle to North Shields, Lewes and Scotland then off to Copenhagen. The real gem of this book is as if you're getting an insight into what it's really like working in a small cell of officers on a very tough case. Secrecy is the order of the day. It's gripping, seemingly very authentic in language and procedures and a gritty and fascinating case which unravels before your eyes. I was captivated by the relationship between Ryan and O'Neil in many ways and I NEED book three now to see what happens next. They've been through the ringer with this case.

Mari's wit and style comes through the gripping story with such events as when Ryan stops off en route to an investigation to visit the Rebus pub, and someone picks up an Yrsa Sigurðardóttir novel...

The banter between the four main characters - love it. Dialogue is some of the best I'd read in a novel of this kind - it's so real you can hear the stutters, hesitations, feel the breath in your ear.

Kick ass fiction I'm calling this. A favourite line which stands out - This was serious sh*t, not Marks and f***king Spencer."

Apt, as this is not just not any kind of thriller, it's a Mari Hannah thriller.

[Denise]

Excellent crime thriller/police procedural featuring a killer with a very unique motive.

This second in the series (regretfully, I missed the first one), starts as Detective Superintendent Eloise O'Neil and Detective Sergeant Matthew Ryan of the Northumbria Police are setting up a newly formed unit that could have the potential to deal with international issues or really hot assignments. Their first case starts when they receive a DVD depicting a bloody murder scene in a lock-up close to the River Tyne. There is no body, but the detectives don't imagine for an instant that this is a hoax. From the beginning, the pair is stymied by a lack of evidence, motive and suspects. They are joined by husband and wife Frank and Grace Newman -- both with the type of experience and skills needed by this new team to figure out what's going on as several high profile murders subsequently take place -- all seemingly at the hands of the videographer sending the DVDs. The team gears up and follows where the few leads take them to seek out the person or persons behind these deaths where the victims appear to have no connection. What is the link and, despite being thwarted by higher ups in the government, how in the world is this new unit going to work it all out. NO SPOILERS

I enjoyed this and definitely will want to read the next in the series. The major drawback for me, and what really detracted from my overall rating, is the constant and ridiculous crushing that Matt is doing on Eloise. Give me a break! If he'd spend less time thinking about and mooning over her and worrying about her safety and mental well-being, he might be a better, more effective sleuth! It got old really fast and if that romantic pap was left out of the story, it would have hummed along at a better pace instead of dragging with all that sappy stuff. She's his boss, they are a two-person team with support personnel, so either get it on or let's get over it. It really diminished my perception of Eloise as a super duper strong leader with all her mopey sensitivities and he was like a love-sick puppy around her. ENOUGH! That said, when all that wasn't being focused on over and over, I liked the premise and the complexity of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-book ARC to read and review.

[Kaye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let's see: Good news first, or bad? Let's go for the good. The Death Messenger delivered a motley but frighteningly competent crew of investigators and an unusual medical plot thread. It was rich in atmosphere and geographic detail.

Not only are the detectives playing a bizarre cat-and-mouse game with their perpetrator(s), who deliver high-quality video of the crime scenes, but they are also being toyed with by those above them in the chain of command.

The bad: The book was way longer than it needed to be, perhaps due to a complicated, even convoluted plot. Or maybe it was those countless passages that were downright romancey -- Detective Superintendent Eloise O'Neil is quite a dish, and Detective Sergeant Matthew Ryan is the very epitome of a Sensitive New Age Guy, who agonizes over his feelings for his boss. Again. And Again. And Again.

This is Book 2 in the series featuring these two, and I might have enjoyed it more had I read the first book. Thanks to NetGalley for an advance readers copy of the book.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series following The Silent Room. This is the perfect novel for true crime thriller fans. It’s intense, following the capture of a potential female serial killer sending videos of what looks like the aftermath of a murder scene. A little dark, but an addicting read. I'm usually not into reading books that were first released in Europe because I feel like I can't connect to some of the lingo in those kind of books, but this was not hard for me to follow at all. This book is even better than watching a true crime tv show such as Law and Order or Without a Trace. Such a well written story!

4/5 Stars

Thank you Minotaur books for my copy.
From my blog and instagram account @livereadandprosper

[Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know I baulk every time I read the strapline, that so and so author is 'at the height of their powers' but, I think in Mari Hannah's case this is absolutely fair. Not only the author of the brilliant DI Kate Daniels series, but onto a winner with this, the follow up to The Silent Room which first introduced us to Ryan and O'Neill.
Obviously you will discover for yourselves the extremely well crafted storyline, and the highly original compunction the killers have for committing the crimes they do (as usual no spoilers here), but I just wanted to highlight something else. The thing above all else that I admire about Hannah's books is her way of really fleshing out, and roundly depicting her characters, their fears, their flaws, their missteps in communication, but also their moments of empathy, comradeship and loyalty. Every character in this book works seamlessly with the others, with fluctuating levels of trust, professionalism and friendship. Although there was a significant gap between The Silent Room and this one, I was instantly back in the groove with O'Neill and Ryan, and the brilliant Grace and Newman, who make up their merry band, as if there were just friends that I hadn't bumped into for a while, but instantly recalling when I had last seen them, and what they'd been up to! Obviously, with my affection for the North East, I was once again, transported effortlessly to my old stomping ground of Newcastle, and the sublime, rugged beauty of Northumberland and beyond.
Cracking story, equally cracking characters, and plenty of thrills, tension and heartache along the way.
Superb.

[Louise Beilby · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise of this book is great - the DVD of the crime scene with the chilling voiceover, the Newcastle setting... but the idea is largely squandered through poor execution. The crimes themselves are treated almost as an afterthought. We never get told directly what was on the DVDs exactly, nor what the woman says on her voiceover. Instead, we have to make do with hearing about it second hand via the oddly unengaging police characters.

The author is clearly pretty enamoured of the people she created here, making frequent reference to how brilliant they all are (despite how many mistakes they seem to make). But they are roughly archetypal - there's the no-nonsense ballsy older broad, the quiet and slick spook, the seemingly tough female detective with a tragic past, and the swoony younger guy with a strong moral compass who will nevertheless bend the rules in order to do the right thing. They're a real bunch of drama llamas too, always having boring arguments about politics and who did what 10 years ago.

In the end, the intriguing story comes second to examining the inner lives of the detectives, and in possibly setting up for more books to come. It reminds me a little of picking up a Sophie Hannah book in that respect, unfortunately.

[Wendy Greenberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had read The Silent Room a while back, but didn't struggle recognising the characters, despite the different context.

The plotting is razor sharp and moves along at breakneck pace. Unusual range of victims and suspects which gives the reader work to do. I enjoyed the layering of personal relationships between the investigators amid the diverse locations and plot strands.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a writer Mari Hannah is! A brilliant follow up to The Silent Room.

[Tasha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Some of it was okay and most of it seemed to plod on for me.

[Stargazer · Rating 3 out of 5]

yet again, i was interested for a god while but got bored by the end. unmemorable.

[CarolineFromConcord · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this page-turning mystery by former probation officer Mari Hannah, who seems to understand the motivations and territorial mindset of police officers at a deep level. I did find it difficult to keep all the murder locations straight, though, probably because I don't have a mental image of most of the UK locations mentioned. I was also confused by the shorthand of the dialogue. For example, who is the antecedent of "she" when there's a Detective Superintendent Eloise O'Neil talking to Detective Sergeant Matthew Ryan about both a female deceased and a female perp?

The plot was convoluted but interesting enough to overcome the fact that some key suspects emerged very late in the book. The psychology is what was interesting and the medical issues I knew nothing about. Wendy Greenberg at GoodReads, https://www.goodreads.com/review/list..., is an awesome source of author ideas that suit my taste, and she's the one who got me interested in Mari Hannah. Wendy reads mysteries and other books incredibly fast and writes reviews of everything.

The detectives in this novel work out of Northumerland, but a special assignment takes them around the UK and abroad. Powerful people are being murdered, with no apparent link among them. Videos of the murder scenes are being sent to the police by a woman, but high levels of the spy agencies are keeping the videos from the public. In fact, the secrecy extends to calling the first murder a robbery.

Once I got over O'Neil's mysterious behavior about something she insists has nothing to do with the case, I just went with the flow. There's still a lot I don't quite get, but I really did enjoy the ride.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a good procedural, but it lost its way somewhat, when the focus became character back story.

I like this book series. I will definitely look for the next book to come out.

[Helen Stead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good book from this author. Although it's the second in the series, it was easy to read as a standalone book. Must look out for The silent room now.

[Allison · Rating 1 out of 5]

i hate to leave bad reviews, but this was hardly a thriller. virtually no action whatsoever, mainly banter among poorly constructed characters in my opinion. i think this is a series and i jumped into a book at the wrong time. maybe it’s better if you read them in order, but this is a 400+ page book that could’ve been condensed into a 100 page book. very dull and i found myself waiting to be done. i really wanted to enjoy it and i’m sad i didn’t

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

First book I have read of this author. It sounded intriguing and thrilling but did not turn out that way for me. I felt there were too many main characters and that all four of them were constantly fighting instead of getting on with their job of catching a murderer. And Ryan was so sappy and love sick! It is a no from me. Obviously written by a competent author but this book did not speak to me.

[Hana Correa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Death Messenger, by Mari Hannah, is a police procedural novel set in the UK. This is a second novel in this series follows O’Neill and Ryan. There are several references to the first storyline, and it might have been helpful to have had some experience with the first novel.

In this novel, O’Neill and Ryan have joined forces on an elite squad known as the shadow squad. The Shadow squad investigates crimes that are unusual or exceptional. They catch their first case in the form of a series of high profile disappearances. The bodies soon start to stack up, and it becomes clear that the cases are linked when cryptic videos show up linking all the cases to an unknown woman, and her accomplice. Because of her knack with technology, the team nicknames her Spielberg, and coins her the Death Messenger. Ryan and O’Neill are joined in their efforts to apprehend the Death Messenger by a bullish retired detective named Grace, and her slick, covert spy husband Newman. Together the four of them must track down the killer and her accomplice as the bodies stack up.

The storyline was fresh and interesting. I would like to read the previous novel in the series to gain a little more understanding into the characters. The villain in the story is unique. The storyline does unfold on the slow side. Overall, a worthwhile read. Novel supplied by Netgalley.

[Kirsten · Rating 2 out of 5]

Das Hauptquartier der Northunbria Polizei bekommt eine verstörende Lieferung. Es ist eine DVD, auf der der Schauplatz eines Verbrechens gezeigt wird. Perfekt inszeniert und mit einer so kalten Stimme kommentiert, die jedem, der den Film ansieht, die Haare zu Berge stehen lässt. DS Matthew Ryan und DS Eloise O'Neil werden mit den Ermittlungen betraut. Sie merken schnell, dass die DVD nicht die Erste ihrer Art ist.

Nachdem mir der erste Fall für Matthew Ryan The silent room gefallen hat, konnte der nächste Fall mich nicht ganz überzeugen. Die Ermittlungen kamen nur schleppend in Gang, hauptsächlich deshalb weil dem Team immer wieder Steine in den Weg gelegt wurden.

Das Verhältnis zwischen Matthew Ryan und Eloise O'Neil ist aus vielen Gründen angespannt. Die Art wie die Beiden miteinander umgehen, hatte etwas Künstliches an sich. Der Rest des Teams hat mir deutlich besser gefallen.

Täter und Motiv fand ich interessant gewählt. Allerdings hat mich auch hier gestört, wie die Charaktere dargestellt wurden. Ich fand sie nicht, so als ob sich die Autorin nicht sicher war, in welche Richtung sie sich noch entwickeln würden.

Die Erwartungen, die der erste Teil der Reihe geweckt hat, konnte The death messenger nicht erfüllen.

[gem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect for fans of Fiona Cummings and Jane Casey.

I hadn’t read book one in this series but that didn’t matter as I was instantly caught up Detective Ryan and O’Neil’s latest case.

The action kicks in immediately and the detectives are caught up in a case which seems impossible to solve; how are they going to find a murderer when they only have a video with a crime scene, but no body and no clue where the crime took place.?!
And then things take an even darker turn...

This story is full of twists and turns and I loved the interaction between Ryan and O’Neil as they raced to solve this string of horrific crimes. It’s the perfect t level of action and intensity combined with the procedural police work.

I’ll definitely be going back to read book 1 and all the other books by this author.

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Death Messenger sends videos of crime scenes with an narration. Each crime scene has no physical evidence only the narration and what's on the videos. The detectives only have a voice to go on.

The story and person behind the killings is unusual, I didnt see it coming and loved the suspense aspect of the book towards the end. This book is fast-paced with great characters that you really come to love. I haven't read any of the other books with the same characters but would consider it now.

There is a lot of backstory to unpiece around the characters. I felt at times this took a large proportion of the story but now I've read the whole thing I wouldn't say it was overpowering. Initially, I thought the case impossible to unravel but it was done well with enough details and suspense throughout.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit to being a Mari Hannah fan. I very much enjoyed the first Matthew Ryan novel but I don't think you need to have read it to appreciate this cat and mouse game with a clever serial killer. Ryan is now working with DS Eloise O'Neill, who's a cracker of an investigator. They are up against a woman who is sending DVDs of the murders- which take place across the UK. Tying things together and figuring out what's going on is tough but these two, along with others on the team, are good at what they do. The. mystery is just twisty enough. I also liked that there are references to several other mystery writers and characters. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For fans of British procedurals.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ryan and O’Neill are back, with a seemingly impossible case to crack. Hannah reunites all of the favourite characters from The Silent Room, and they work together in a brand new team.. Detective Superintendent Eloise O’Neill heads this unit. The unit is designed to tackle the trickiest of cases. The most challenging cases, wherever they occur. The cases that need a bit of thinking outside of the box. That is the brief.
Enjoyable fast paced read with twists and turns.
Good characters. with good dialogue. hope there is a book 3

[Alya Atiera · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Wow, the mystery in this book made me want to read more of books with investigation case! I love the story though I felt like the romance shouldn't be inside the book. However, it was intriguing enough with challenging case to be solved immediately.

I would love to read another police investigation case that are mystery and challenging. Let me know if you guys know any! 😃 This book can be read without reading the first book because it is standalone. In fact, I did not even read the first book because I did not know this is the second one lol.

[Andy Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second Ryan and O’Neill novel is as readable as the first and full of intrigue and finely plotted interest. A series of murders accompanied by taunting DVDs from the killer set our two detective sergeants on the trail of a killer who has revenge on their mind and the means to carry it out to a deathly conclusion. As ever, Hannah makes you care about her key characters and writes in a style that keeps the reader glued to the page long after the bedroom light ought to have gone out. It’s another outstanding piece of work from the north’s high priestess of crime fiction.

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book in a series and reading the first book would have helped because some of the relationships were formed earlier. It was quite an interesting police procedural to start with as a special crime force is searching for a serial killer who sends videos before the bodies are discovered. I lost interest as it went on, partly because of all the driving around the country the characters did in the course of their investigation. It dragged on at the end. Could have been shorter and left out all the teenage romancy angst between Ryan and O'Neil.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book for a long train journey. It was cleverly constructed in that we meet the mysterious, clever, taunting murderer before we meet any of the good guys. And we are as in the dark about her identity as anybody. This was a complex plot, too complex for me to be sure I'd followed it in detail, but it never stopped me reading on. However, I am bound to admit that three days after finishing this book, I can barely remember the first thing about it.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was Book 2 of a series (I did not read Book 1, The Silent Witness), but I really don't think that was a problem. It may have helped with the character development but did not distract.

The book held my interest throughout, but did not blow me away. Police Detectives Mathew Ryan and Eloise O'Neil receive a very disturbing video and must unravel the clues before more victims start to pile up.

Many thanks to Netgalley and St Martins Press for this advanced readers copy.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a follow-up to "The silent room", but not necessary to read the other book to enjoy this one. A thriller with some special branch/MI5/freelance spookery, good plot, quite complicated in terms of personal relationships (can the team actually trust each other, for a start?) and a satisfying outcome.

[Jenny L · Rating 3 out of 5]

This made a change to the usual police crime novel, in as much as it was a steady read with the lead characters methodically working their way to solving the multiple murders. I will look to read more by Mari Hannah.