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Katie Maguire #10
Begging to Die
AN ABANDONED CHILD
A young girl has been found in a deserted cemetery. She speaks a foreign language, and she cries for her mother. But nobody claims her. Nobody knows who she is. A MURDERED BEGGAR
On the streets of Cork, homeless men and women are being murdered. It's up to DS Katie Maguire to find out. A CRUSADER AGAINST CRUELTY
Katie's fiancé is embroiled in a dangerous against illegal dog fighting, a black market run by Ireland's most fearsome gangs. When the investigations collide, who will Katie save first? She knows that for those left behind, there's only one START BEGGING TO DIE .
A young girl has been found in a deserted cemetery. She speaks a foreign language, and she cries for her mother. But nobody claims her. Nobody knows who she is. A MURDERED BEGGAR
On the streets of Cork, homeless men and women are being murdered. It's up to DS Katie Maguire to find out. A CRUSADER AGAINST CRUELTY
Katie's fiancé is embroiled in a dangerous against illegal dog fighting, a black market run by Ireland's most fearsome gangs. When the investigations collide, who will Katie save first? She knows that for those left behind, there's only one START BEGGING TO DIE .
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 10, 2018
172 people are currently reading
505 people want to read
About the author
Graham Masterton
422 books1,971 followersGraham Masterton was born in Edinburgh in 1946. His grandfather was Thomas Thorne Baker, the eminent scientist who invented DayGlo and was the first man to transmit news photographs by wireless. After training as a newspaper reporter, Graham went on to edit the new British men's magazine Mayfair, where he encouraged William Burroughs to develop a series of scientific and philosophical articles which eventually became Burroughs' novel The Wild Boys.
At the age of 24, Graham was appointed executive editor of both Penthouse and Penthouse Forum magazines. At this time he started to write a bestselling series of sex 'how-to' books including How To Drive Your Man Wild In Bed which has sold over 3 million copies worldwide. His latest, Wild Sex For New Lovers is published by Penguin Putnam in January, 2001. He is a regular contributor to Cosmopolitan, Men's Health, Woman, Woman's Own and other mass-market self-improvement magazines.
Graham Masterton's debut as a horror author began with The Manitou in 1976, a chilling tale of a Native American medicine man reborn in the present day to exact his revenge on the white man. It became an instant bestseller and was filmed with Tony Curtis, Susan Strasberg, Burgess Meredith, Michael Ansara, Stella Stevens and Ann Sothern.
Altogether Graham has written more than a hundred novels ranging from thrillers (The Sweetman Curve, Ikon) to disaster novels (Plague, Famine) to historical sagas (Rich and Maiden Voyage - both appeared in the New York Times bestseller list). He has published four collections of short stories, Fortnight of Fear, Flights of Fear, Faces of Fear and Feelings of Fear.
He has also written horror novels for children (House of Bones, Hair-Raiser) and has just finished the fifth volume in a very popular series for young adults, Rook, based on the adventures of an idiosyncratic remedial English teacher in a Los Angeles community college who has the facility to see ghosts.
Since then Graham has published more than 35 horror novels, including Charnel House, which was awarded a Special Edgar by Mystery Writers of America; Mirror, which was awarded a Silver Medal by West Coast Review of Books; and Family Portrait, an update of Oscar Wilde's tale, The Picture of Dorian Gray, which was the only non-French winner of the prestigious Prix Julia Verlanger in France.
He and his wife Wiescka live in a Gothic Victorian mansion high above the River Lee in Cork, Ireland.
At the age of 24, Graham was appointed executive editor of both Penthouse and Penthouse Forum magazines. At this time he started to write a bestselling series of sex 'how-to' books including How To Drive Your Man Wild In Bed which has sold over 3 million copies worldwide. His latest, Wild Sex For New Lovers is published by Penguin Putnam in January, 2001. He is a regular contributor to Cosmopolitan, Men's Health, Woman, Woman's Own and other mass-market self-improvement magazines.
Graham Masterton's debut as a horror author began with The Manitou in 1976, a chilling tale of a Native American medicine man reborn in the present day to exact his revenge on the white man. It became an instant bestseller and was filmed with Tony Curtis, Susan Strasberg, Burgess Meredith, Michael Ansara, Stella Stevens and Ann Sothern.
Altogether Graham has written more than a hundred novels ranging from thrillers (The Sweetman Curve, Ikon) to disaster novels (Plague, Famine) to historical sagas (Rich and Maiden Voyage - both appeared in the New York Times bestseller list). He has published four collections of short stories, Fortnight of Fear, Flights of Fear, Faces of Fear and Feelings of Fear.
He has also written horror novels for children (House of Bones, Hair-Raiser) and has just finished the fifth volume in a very popular series for young adults, Rook, based on the adventures of an idiosyncratic remedial English teacher in a Los Angeles community college who has the facility to see ghosts.
Since then Graham has published more than 35 horror novels, including Charnel House, which was awarded a Special Edgar by Mystery Writers of America; Mirror, which was awarded a Silver Medal by West Coast Review of Books; and Family Portrait, an update of Oscar Wilde's tale, The Picture of Dorian Gray, which was the only non-French winner of the prestigious Prix Julia Verlanger in France.
He and his wife Wiescka live in a Gothic Victorian mansion high above the River Lee in Cork, Ireland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
August 27, 2022
Forging onwards with Graham Masterton’s Irish police procedurals, I have reached the penultimate novel. Masterton dazzles with great crime stories and the stellar work of a handful of strong detectives. The writing shows wonderful flow and has significant Irish flavouring, which pulls the reader into the middle of the story and leaves them to feel as though they, too, are in Cork. A great read that has me eager to reach for the final novel in this series, especially with a stunning cliffhanger!
When a young girl is found begging on the streets of Cork, many wonder about her family. As she cannot speak English, the Garda are baffled as to how they will get any information. Even Detective Superintendent Katie Macguire is scratching her head, until a Romanian translator can be located. Though the information is slow to trickle out, DS Macguire and her team soon learn that the girl is alone and was brought to Ireland with a group of others to beg on the streets and given a merger cut of what they collect. A ruthless man, someone who has instilled fear into others, heads up this group, but his whereabouts remains a mystery.
Meanwhile, DS Macguire’s lover, Connor, takes on an undercover investigation to uproot an illegal puppy farm. He asks one too many questions and is severely beaten, to the point that his relationship with DS Macguire is put in jeopardy. The struggle is real, though no one is sure how to act and ensure a conviction is secured.
While DS Macguire inches closer to learning about the Romanian kingpin, she sees just how ruthless he can be, as bodies of other beggars are found with holes from a drill bit in their necks. Fear is an understatement and DS Macguire cannot convince anyone to break their silence. All the while, sick patients requiring emergency services are found dead, their life savings drained. There’s no shortage of work for DS Macguire and her team in this thrilling penultimate novel, which includes a stunning ending sure to shock many readers.
Graham Masterton shows his abilities with this well-paced novel, which keeps the readers on their toes until the very end. With a strong central plot line, the piece evolves effectively throughout and leaves the reader to wonder where things will end up by the final page turn. The series is rich with Irish references and idioms, such that there is no way the reader can deny feeling as though they are tucked in the corner of a Cork pub, watching things progress.
Masterton provides a strong horror background as he develops the crimes for this series, which may turn some readers away with their graphic depictions. Strong narrative development throughout helps build on an already great story, where characters find themselves developing with ease. Personal growth occurs for many of the characters, with DS Katie Macguire at the centre. Series fans will know she has overcome a number of hurdles from the first novel to this present story. There is so much Katie Macguire has shows readers and I am curious to see how Masterton chooses to tie things off with his star protagonist. Masterton weaves plot twists and cliffhangers into each story to keep the series evolving. I cannot believe how far things have come since I began reading this books earlier in the summer. Bring on the final novel and more crimes sure to chill the blood of many who are involved!
Kudos, Mr. Masterton, for keeping me enthralled at every turn.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
When a young girl is found begging on the streets of Cork, many wonder about her family. As she cannot speak English, the Garda are baffled as to how they will get any information. Even Detective Superintendent Katie Macguire is scratching her head, until a Romanian translator can be located. Though the information is slow to trickle out, DS Macguire and her team soon learn that the girl is alone and was brought to Ireland with a group of others to beg on the streets and given a merger cut of what they collect. A ruthless man, someone who has instilled fear into others, heads up this group, but his whereabouts remains a mystery.
Meanwhile, DS Macguire’s lover, Connor, takes on an undercover investigation to uproot an illegal puppy farm. He asks one too many questions and is severely beaten, to the point that his relationship with DS Macguire is put in jeopardy. The struggle is real, though no one is sure how to act and ensure a conviction is secured.
While DS Macguire inches closer to learning about the Romanian kingpin, she sees just how ruthless he can be, as bodies of other beggars are found with holes from a drill bit in their necks. Fear is an understatement and DS Macguire cannot convince anyone to break their silence. All the while, sick patients requiring emergency services are found dead, their life savings drained. There’s no shortage of work for DS Macguire and her team in this thrilling penultimate novel, which includes a stunning ending sure to shock many readers.
Graham Masterton shows his abilities with this well-paced novel, which keeps the readers on their toes until the very end. With a strong central plot line, the piece evolves effectively throughout and leaves the reader to wonder where things will end up by the final page turn. The series is rich with Irish references and idioms, such that there is no way the reader can deny feeling as though they are tucked in the corner of a Cork pub, watching things progress.
Masterton provides a strong horror background as he develops the crimes for this series, which may turn some readers away with their graphic depictions. Strong narrative development throughout helps build on an already great story, where characters find themselves developing with ease. Personal growth occurs for many of the characters, with DS Katie Macguire at the centre. Series fans will know she has overcome a number of hurdles from the first novel to this present story. There is so much Katie Macguire has shows readers and I am curious to see how Masterton chooses to tie things off with his star protagonist. Masterton weaves plot twists and cliffhangers into each story to keep the series evolving. I cannot believe how far things have come since I began reading this books earlier in the summer. Bring on the final novel and more crimes sure to chill the blood of many who are involved!
Kudos, Mr. Masterton, for keeping me enthralled at every turn.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
March 1, 2019
It was 5 stars until Masterton wrote in another cringe-worthy sex scene in the penultimate chapter. He really needs to quit that part. The rest of the book was fantastic.
July 24, 2019
I'm really getting quite sick of these books. The stories are good, but the story of Kate Maguire's life is not. I mean how far fetched is it that every single one of the people she gets involved with, within the span of like 5 years, ends up dead. I really didn't like what happened to Connor. I thought it was stupid and a really dumb way to get rid of a character. Than this new chief guy is someone she dated, and grossly flirts with her, and then after she just finds out her fiance has dead, he rapes her. Then she decides not to tell her superiors, but lord it over him so that she can get what she wants. I think these series of book should be finished, they just aren't good anymore.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2022
I was a huge fan (couldn't get enough) of this series to start with. I just loved Katie Maquire and Graham's writing style. As the books have progressed I lost interest as it felt like more of the same and that it had lost the graphic yet realistic horror of the early novels. Now they just feel like shock for shock's sake. And poor Katie, poor girl can't get a break. I agree the sex scenes are very cringe worthy, and I haven't liked any of Katie's relationships, except for Kyna but even then it makes me so mad. The end of this was spoiled for me so I went in knowing what would happen and I am kind of glad I was prepared otherwise I might have thrown my book across the room.
Graham Masterson is still a genius and I still love his books, but this one could have been stronger and offered a bit more than delivered.
Graham Masterson is still a genius and I still love his books, but this one could have been stronger and offered a bit more than delivered.
February 22, 2019
Bleak, sad, horrific, nasty - all the terms you can use to describe what happens in this book - the feeling, emotions & happenings. As always, the author dabbles in the gut-curdling crimes and handles it well. The puppy farm had me cringing, though, more than the murders, because I love animals and puppy farms can be so cruel. But they get their come-uppance, so... Meanwhile, as always, poor old Katie doesn't come out of this unscathed with her love life, and her fellow cops don't come out completely unscathed, either, though better than they did in previous books! Good story, a page-turner.
November 5, 2021
Najsłabsza z całej serii. Najmniej szokująca. Przez wszystkie książki z Katie zdążyłam się przyzwyczaić do często makabrycznych scen, a tutaj tego mi zabrakło. Jasne, opisy śmierci żebraków były przerażające, ale nie aż tak jak np. opis okrutnych praktyk lekarza w "Martwi za życia".
May 16, 2022
Another good police story from Cork, with Romanian gangs threatening the peace of the city.
August 25, 2022
Oh dear, I have missed book nine - reading one out of sequence. I will have to go back.
I think I got excited, as I noticed book 11 is the last in the series - that's a nice touch. Not many crime series seem to have a defined end and other writers, like Rankin, seem unable to leave major characters behind.
This is a densely packed book that took a little too long to read for a formulaic crime page turner but the strengths of the previous books were all present. Superb Irish dialogue, over the top violence, breathless pace, good characters. This time we have the begging community being driller killer victims to a OTT foreign modern slavery gang. A ring that turns up in mincemeat. Katies lover who pokes his nose into puppy farming and comes out with something missing that Katie won't like.
No sex in a Katie Maguire book? Well, not until the final page and then its grim.
I think I got excited, as I noticed book 11 is the last in the series - that's a nice touch. Not many crime series seem to have a defined end and other writers, like Rankin, seem unable to leave major characters behind.
This is a densely packed book that took a little too long to read for a formulaic crime page turner but the strengths of the previous books were all present. Superb Irish dialogue, over the top violence, breathless pace, good characters. This time we have the begging community being driller killer victims to a OTT foreign modern slavery gang. A ring that turns up in mincemeat. Katies lover who pokes his nose into puppy farming and comes out with something missing that Katie won't like.
No sex in a Katie Maguire book? Well, not until the final page and then its grim.
November 12, 2019
Katie comes across an apparently abandoned and distraught young girl in a cemetery who speaks no English. Off we go on another tale of the trials and tribulations of law enforcement in Cork, featuring illegal immigrants, murdered beggars and the cruelty of puppy farms. As usual, anyone in Katie's professional or personal life is likely to endure suffering or death at any moment. Regular readers of Masterton will know that he pulls no punches whatever is happening, so those of a sensitive disposition need not apply. More of the same really, good news for fans of the Katie Maguire series, which certainly includes me.
December 9, 2019
Audio version of this book 📚- Brilliant! Loved this one! Looking forward to the next one in the series
June 9, 2023
Wciągająca jak zawsze 💅🏼😍
September 1, 2019
I’m taking away a star because I didn’t get closure on the Brianna story.
February 11, 2023
*WARNING! This rant review contains spoilers*
I've had to leave it a couple of days to write this review, waiting for my disappointment & anger to abate & consequently it's with a heavy heart that I review this book.
As a die hard Masterton fan I'm finding it difficult to come to terms with the fact that it's almost possible that I'm done with this series. While I've enjoyed (although "enjoyed" seems an odd word to use considering much of the subject matter) the series overall I've never made a secret of my dislike for the character that is Katie Maguire. In this instalment, I found her no more irritating than before but couple that with the rest of the book & I'm really struggling to justify 2 stars.
So what was the problem? Well the storyline involving beggars on the street just wasn't up to the standard I expect from Masterton & wasn't one that convinced me. It was patchy & didn't come together as a whole particularly well. There was a side story about a killer paramedic which just seemed shoved in as a bit of a filler. While it had potential to be developed further, it was too brief to get really involved in & as such as it wouldn't have made any difference if it had been dropped. All it did was add a few more pages to a book that could have already done with a few cutting out. (did I really say that?! That's a first for this author, usually I don't want them to end!)
But my big...& I mean BIG...gripe, is the on going disaster that is Katie's life - work or personal, it doesn't matter as they both seem to be on a recurring loop of tragedy. Had I found the storyline more engrossing maybe I could/would have overlooked the repetitiveness that occurs in Katie's life but I'm getting tired of the same things happening to her over & over.
Case in point - Katie's love life. Now this has been less than successful to say the least. Her last two lovers have ended up crippled or maimed with both, understandably, having trouble coming to terms with their disability & their perception of how Katie now sees them. Not that anyone has chance to adapt to the new situations as before you know it they're dead as a doornail. Anyone NOT see Con's demise coming? Thought not. Watch out Kyna, you could be next.....
Work for Katie isn't without its problems either. After having finally seen off one Maguire-hating-stereotypical boss (yeah!- glad he went, that was getting old & rather trite), Katie's new boss is an ex from way back. Now this so-called high ranking officer sees fit to take advantage of Katie when Con's just died & she's at her lowest. How does he he do that? By bonking her while she's asleep! Is she going to report him? No of course not, she's obviously got something else in mind. She'd do best dating him a couple of times, with her track record it should be good for some form of disfigurement. ;o)
Now this final chapter had me throwing the book down in disgust (literally!), good job it was the end of the book as I'm not sure could've taken much more. I really can't explain how disgusted/furious/disappointed etc I feel about this ending - I'm pretty much lost for words.
All of which leaves me torn. I know damn well that however much I might whinge & moan I will carry on reading the series, I need my fix of new Masterton after all & even Katie Maguire is better than nothing.
At least I've got that off my chest....
I've had to leave it a couple of days to write this review, waiting for my disappointment & anger to abate & consequently it's with a heavy heart that I review this book.
As a die hard Masterton fan I'm finding it difficult to come to terms with the fact that it's almost possible that I'm done with this series. While I've enjoyed (although "enjoyed" seems an odd word to use considering much of the subject matter) the series overall I've never made a secret of my dislike for the character that is Katie Maguire. In this instalment, I found her no more irritating than before but couple that with the rest of the book & I'm really struggling to justify 2 stars.
So what was the problem? Well the storyline involving beggars on the street just wasn't up to the standard I expect from Masterton & wasn't one that convinced me. It was patchy & didn't come together as a whole particularly well. There was a side story about a killer paramedic which just seemed shoved in as a bit of a filler. While it had potential to be developed further, it was too brief to get really involved in & as such as it wouldn't have made any difference if it had been dropped. All it did was add a few more pages to a book that could have already done with a few cutting out. (did I really say that?! That's a first for this author, usually I don't want them to end!)
But my big...& I mean BIG...gripe, is the on going disaster that is Katie's life - work or personal, it doesn't matter as they both seem to be on a recurring loop of tragedy. Had I found the storyline more engrossing maybe I could/would have overlooked the repetitiveness that occurs in Katie's life but I'm getting tired of the same things happening to her over & over.
Case in point - Katie's love life. Now this has been less than successful to say the least. Her last two lovers have ended up crippled or maimed with both, understandably, having trouble coming to terms with their disability & their perception of how Katie now sees them. Not that anyone has chance to adapt to the new situations as before you know it they're dead as a doornail. Anyone NOT see Con's demise coming? Thought not. Watch out Kyna, you could be next.....
Work for Katie isn't without its problems either. After having finally seen off one Maguire-hating-stereotypical boss (yeah!- glad he went, that was getting old & rather trite), Katie's new boss is an ex from way back. Now this so-called high ranking officer sees fit to take advantage of Katie when Con's just died & she's at her lowest. How does he he do that? By bonking her while she's asleep! Is she going to report him? No of course not, she's obviously got something else in mind. She'd do best dating him a couple of times, with her track record it should be good for some form of disfigurement. ;o)
Now this final chapter had me throwing the book down in disgust (literally!), good job it was the end of the book as I'm not sure could've taken much more. I really can't explain how disgusted/furious/disappointed etc I feel about this ending - I'm pretty much lost for words.
All of which leaves me torn. I know damn well that however much I might whinge & moan I will carry on reading the series, I need my fix of new Masterton after all & even Katie Maguire is better than nothing.
At least I've got that off my chest....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2020
Nazwisko Graham Masterton zobowiązuje. Autor przyzwyczaił czytelnika do tego, że w jego thrillerach dużo się dzieje, a ofiary giną krwawo i brutalnie. Forma pozbawiania ich życia jest naprawdę przerażająca i spektakularna jednocześnie. Ale tym razem w ich liczbie autor przeszedł samego siebie. Tyle trupów ile pojawia się w tej części, mogłoby swobodnie obdarzyć co najmniej ze trzy powieści.
Czy to dlatego, że wartość życia osoby bezdomnej wydaje się mniejsza, niż innego człowieka? Z pewnością nie dla nadkomisarz Katie Maquire. Z niesłabnącą pasją i narażając własne życie angażuje się w śledztwo, a główny trop prowadzi do gangów czerpiących korzyści z żebractwa. Czuje jednak presję czasu, rosnącą z każdą kolejną ofiarą.
Również nad życiem osobistym Katie zbierają się burzowe chmury. Jej narzeczony angażuje się w bezpardonową walkę z nielegalnymi hodowlami psów, a komendantem Katie zostaje jej były kochanek.
Jak zwykle z przyjemnością śledziłam poczynania Katie. Gdyby to był film, to z pewnością na niektóre brutalne sceny patrzyłabym przez palce. Lecz ponad wszystkie wątki kryminalne, tym razem przebijał się ten osobisty, pełen smutku i utraconych szans. I po takim, a nie innym zakończeniu nie mogę doczekać się już polskiego wydania jedenastej, finałowej części serii (czy naprawdę będzie to ostatnia???), która zbiera wiele dobrych opinii.
Jeśli jeszcze nie znacie tej serii, to zachęcam. Naprawdę mocna lektura i nie trzeba czytać chronologicznie
Czy to dlatego, że wartość życia osoby bezdomnej wydaje się mniejsza, niż innego człowieka? Z pewnością nie dla nadkomisarz Katie Maquire. Z niesłabnącą pasją i narażając własne życie angażuje się w śledztwo, a główny trop prowadzi do gangów czerpiących korzyści z żebractwa. Czuje jednak presję czasu, rosnącą z każdą kolejną ofiarą.
Również nad życiem osobistym Katie zbierają się burzowe chmury. Jej narzeczony angażuje się w bezpardonową walkę z nielegalnymi hodowlami psów, a komendantem Katie zostaje jej były kochanek.
Jak zwykle z przyjemnością śledziłam poczynania Katie. Gdyby to był film, to z pewnością na niektóre brutalne sceny patrzyłabym przez palce. Lecz ponad wszystkie wątki kryminalne, tym razem przebijał się ten osobisty, pełen smutku i utraconych szans. I po takim, a nie innym zakończeniu nie mogę doczekać się już polskiego wydania jedenastej, finałowej części serii (czy naprawdę będzie to ostatnia???), która zbiera wiele dobrych opinii.
Jeśli jeszcze nie znacie tej serii, to zachęcam. Naprawdę mocna lektura i nie trzeba czytać chronologicznie
November 1, 2019
Well yet again Graham Masterton manages to keep you on your toes, with his thrilling and sometimes quite frightening stories about the DS Katie McGuire. It was a fabulous book and the things other humans to to others makes me cringe, but I realise that some of the things in the book do actually happen and I think thats what makes this book such an excellent read.
The only thing I do wish is that the author could find some way to make Katie happy and still be the forthright touch cop she is made out to be. Ten books in and she has had so much heartache, whilst I appreciate that, that is what makes good reading, I still wish her a happy ever after.
Highly recommended.
The only thing I do wish is that the author could find some way to make Katie happy and still be the forthright touch cop she is made out to be. Ten books in and she has had so much heartache, whilst I appreciate that, that is what makes good reading, I still wish her a happy ever after.
Highly recommended.
September 25, 2020
I should start off by saying that, to any fans of this author, this review is going to sound harsh. Unfortunately, it is honestly how I felt about the book.
It’s worth saying that crime fiction is my favourite genre with police procedurals being a particular favourite.
This story is set in Cork and a strong flavour of Irish quirkiness, grit and humour rolls off the pages in the descriptions of the setting and in the turns of phrase. The main character, DS Katie Maguire, knows her mind and her job. She’s fearless and it’s good to see female protagonists portrayed in this empowered way. However, for me, there end the positives.
It has to be said, the premise of the story isn’t far-fetched in the world we live in, where people-trafficking and organised crime are rife – there seem to be no depths to which criminals will not sink to construct heinous schemes in order to profit from the suffering of others.
The main story is however nestled within the folds of various ridiculous personal dramas faced by DS Maguire. Most of these involve her pet detective (yes, he is called a pet detective) boyfriend who consistently & persistently behaves in an unhinged way, driven by his obsession with his job, all of which has disastrous consequences (I wish I could rant more about these consequences but, to avoid spoilers, I won’t – suffice to say, they made me want to hurl the book out of the window on several occasions). I assume that the author meant for the reader to feel empathy for the boyfriend character but he has severely overshot the mark and plunged off the cliff into an ocean of enmity – because that’s all I ended up feeling. Irrefutable evidence that a character is annoying in the extreme must surely be the happy glow that engulfs you every time something really bad happens to them.
Even leaving aside the absurd developments peppered throughout the book, including an amorous female colleague who seems constantly poised & ready to hug DS Maguire anytime she looks even slightly stressed (some sort of romantic or intimate relationship between them is hinted at but it’s done in such a clumsy way that it leaves you, at best, rolling your eyes, at worst, shouting at the book), a boss (& ex-lover) who keeps on insisting that she stop calling him ‘sir’ at work (stalkery creep) and way too many references to dogs/pets (yes, I get that the author is fleshing DS Maguire out as a real person who, despite the tough job of policing, has room in her heart for a wee pet but, all I can say is, do it better because the only thing I was feeling at these times was irritation).
This pattern of bizarre plot turns continues throughout the book.
With each turn of the page, you discover more ludicrous developments that simply leave you feeling disconcerted and irrationally annoyed. There were early twinges of these feelings in the first few chapters of the book which I unwisely ignored - I am stupid, mea culpa.
The dialogue was uninspired (granted, dialogue is probably the most difficult aspect of writing fiction) and he has taken a very clunky, ham-fisted approach to the plot. I am truly baffled that his agent & publisher got behind this book.
In weary conclusion, I can only liken the experience of reading this book to dealing with a slowly seeping sewage pipe that, as desperately as you want it to, just won’t stop – it’s the toxic gift that keeps on giving.
The biographical information within the book alludes to Graham Masterton being a horror writer of some acclaim. I say stick to what you know because this foray into crime fiction is a horror-fest, and not in a good way.
He is now on my list of authors to avoid.
This is from the heart: run for the hills, save yourself & defo do not read this car-crash of a book.
It’s worth saying that crime fiction is my favourite genre with police procedurals being a particular favourite.
This story is set in Cork and a strong flavour of Irish quirkiness, grit and humour rolls off the pages in the descriptions of the setting and in the turns of phrase. The main character, DS Katie Maguire, knows her mind and her job. She’s fearless and it’s good to see female protagonists portrayed in this empowered way. However, for me, there end the positives.
It has to be said, the premise of the story isn’t far-fetched in the world we live in, where people-trafficking and organised crime are rife – there seem to be no depths to which criminals will not sink to construct heinous schemes in order to profit from the suffering of others.
The main story is however nestled within the folds of various ridiculous personal dramas faced by DS Maguire. Most of these involve her pet detective (yes, he is called a pet detective) boyfriend who consistently & persistently behaves in an unhinged way, driven by his obsession with his job, all of which has disastrous consequences (I wish I could rant more about these consequences but, to avoid spoilers, I won’t – suffice to say, they made me want to hurl the book out of the window on several occasions). I assume that the author meant for the reader to feel empathy for the boyfriend character but he has severely overshot the mark and plunged off the cliff into an ocean of enmity – because that’s all I ended up feeling. Irrefutable evidence that a character is annoying in the extreme must surely be the happy glow that engulfs you every time something really bad happens to them.
Even leaving aside the absurd developments peppered throughout the book, including an amorous female colleague who seems constantly poised & ready to hug DS Maguire anytime she looks even slightly stressed (some sort of romantic or intimate relationship between them is hinted at but it’s done in such a clumsy way that it leaves you, at best, rolling your eyes, at worst, shouting at the book), a boss (& ex-lover) who keeps on insisting that she stop calling him ‘sir’ at work (stalkery creep) and way too many references to dogs/pets (yes, I get that the author is fleshing DS Maguire out as a real person who, despite the tough job of policing, has room in her heart for a wee pet but, all I can say is, do it better because the only thing I was feeling at these times was irritation).
This pattern of bizarre plot turns continues throughout the book.
With each turn of the page, you discover more ludicrous developments that simply leave you feeling disconcerted and irrationally annoyed. There were early twinges of these feelings in the first few chapters of the book which I unwisely ignored - I am stupid, mea culpa.
The dialogue was uninspired (granted, dialogue is probably the most difficult aspect of writing fiction) and he has taken a very clunky, ham-fisted approach to the plot. I am truly baffled that his agent & publisher got behind this book.
In weary conclusion, I can only liken the experience of reading this book to dealing with a slowly seeping sewage pipe that, as desperately as you want it to, just won’t stop – it’s the toxic gift that keeps on giving.
The biographical information within the book alludes to Graham Masterton being a horror writer of some acclaim. I say stick to what you know because this foray into crime fiction is a horror-fest, and not in a good way.
He is now on my list of authors to avoid.
This is from the heart: run for the hills, save yourself & defo do not read this car-crash of a book.
January 7, 2022
A chance meeting with a frightened small girl on a Cork street results in Katie going head to head with a new villain newly arrived from Romania. His nickname is Lupul, the wolf, and he’s brought a group of unfortunate souls with him illegally into Ireland to beg in the streets. Most people would think that if you were homeless, begging on the streets, you must have reached rock bottom. However, even then you can be exploited. Lupul demands half of everything each individual beggar earns. To get rich quicker, Lupul wants his beggars to have the best pitches and that means moving the current incumbents on and his method involves using a cordless drill.
Meanwhile, the number of people dying on their way to hospital in ambulances is showing a big upswing. Actually, it’s not ambulances in general but one ambulance in particular. Brianna tells herself she’s easing people’s suffering, who would otherwise suffer from future mental and physical disabilities as a result of their condition, but the truth is so much more sordid. Brianna is very good at her job, how many people will die from ‘natural causes’ in the back of her ambulances before she makes a mistake?
Katie and Conor are engaged. Conor is already on probation because he set fire to the caravan of a dog fight organiser in the previous book. Under no circumstances must be involve himself with illegal activity whilst trying to protect animals. But, of course, there’s a puppy farm he finds out about where the breeding bitches and their puppies are treated terribly. Going undercover off his own bat, without backup, results in Conor suffering a beating that will change his and Katie’s lives forever.
Meanwhile, the number of people dying on their way to hospital in ambulances is showing a big upswing. Actually, it’s not ambulances in general but one ambulance in particular. Brianna tells herself she’s easing people’s suffering, who would otherwise suffer from future mental and physical disabilities as a result of their condition, but the truth is so much more sordid. Brianna is very good at her job, how many people will die from ‘natural causes’ in the back of her ambulances before she makes a mistake?
Katie and Conor are engaged. Conor is already on probation because he set fire to the caravan of a dog fight organiser in the previous book. Under no circumstances must be involve himself with illegal activity whilst trying to protect animals. But, of course, there’s a puppy farm he finds out about where the breeding bitches and their puppies are treated terribly. Going undercover off his own bat, without backup, results in Conor suffering a beating that will change his and Katie’s lives forever.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2023
CYKL: "KATIE MAGUIRE" (TOM 10)
Pani nadkomisarz Katie Maguire znów ma pełne ręce roboty, a także ponownie pakuje się w poważne kłopoty. Tym razem musi rozwiązać nie tylko zagadkę tajemniczych morderstw w Cork, ale także dowiedzieć się dlaczego w mieście, w ostatnim czasie wzrósł odsetek zgonów. Co z tym wszystkim mają bezdomni z Rumunii, zwęglone ciała, albo... biżuteria znaleziona w mielonym mięsie? Kim jest niejaka Brianna i na czym polegają "chrześcijańskie akty miłosierdzia"? Tego wszystkiego należy dowiedzieć się z lektury kolejnej, dziesiątej już odsłony przygód Katie Maguire, jej narzeczonego Connoar (psiego detektywa), który z kolei wpada na trop nielegalnej hodowli psów.
Książkę czyta się szybko i z dużym zainteresowaniem. Graham Masterton w sowim thrillerze nie pozwala czytelnikowi się nudzić. Akcja pędzi z każdym rozdziałem, a lektura książki wciąga tak bardzo, że aż żal ją odkładać. Fabuła intrygująca, dobrze poprowadzona z paroma zwrotami akcji. Trup "ściele się gęsto", a nadkomisarz nie dość, że prowadzi zawiłe śledztwo, w pewnym momencie wręcz czując, że wymyka się ono spod kontroli, to jeszcze sama naraża się na niebezpieczeństwo.
Poprzedni tom z cyklu - "Świst umarłych" - był rozczarowujący, miedzy innymi też dlatego chwilowo odpoczęłam od irlandzkiej serii o Pani nadkomisarz Katie Maguire. Jednak w przypadku "Żebrząc o śmierć", mogę stwierdzić, że warto było po tych dwóch latach powrócić do tej serii.
Opinia opublikowana na moim blogu:
https://literackiepodrozebooki.blogsp...
Pani nadkomisarz Katie Maguire znów ma pełne ręce roboty, a także ponownie pakuje się w poważne kłopoty. Tym razem musi rozwiązać nie tylko zagadkę tajemniczych morderstw w Cork, ale także dowiedzieć się dlaczego w mieście, w ostatnim czasie wzrósł odsetek zgonów. Co z tym wszystkim mają bezdomni z Rumunii, zwęglone ciała, albo... biżuteria znaleziona w mielonym mięsie? Kim jest niejaka Brianna i na czym polegają "chrześcijańskie akty miłosierdzia"? Tego wszystkiego należy dowiedzieć się z lektury kolejnej, dziesiątej już odsłony przygód Katie Maguire, jej narzeczonego Connoar (psiego detektywa), który z kolei wpada na trop nielegalnej hodowli psów.
Książkę czyta się szybko i z dużym zainteresowaniem. Graham Masterton w sowim thrillerze nie pozwala czytelnikowi się nudzić. Akcja pędzi z każdym rozdziałem, a lektura książki wciąga tak bardzo, że aż żal ją odkładać. Fabuła intrygująca, dobrze poprowadzona z paroma zwrotami akcji. Trup "ściele się gęsto", a nadkomisarz nie dość, że prowadzi zawiłe śledztwo, w pewnym momencie wręcz czując, że wymyka się ono spod kontroli, to jeszcze sama naraża się na niebezpieczeństwo.
Poprzedni tom z cyklu - "Świst umarłych" - był rozczarowujący, miedzy innymi też dlatego chwilowo odpoczęłam od irlandzkiej serii o Pani nadkomisarz Katie Maguire. Jednak w przypadku "Żebrząc o śmierć", mogę stwierdzić, że warto było po tych dwóch latach powrócić do tej serii.
Opinia opublikowana na moim blogu:
https://literackiepodrozebooki.blogsp...
August 29, 2022
Several strands to this outing for Katie Maguire. Somebody is killing beggars on the streets of Cork, in a rather gruesome manner. Meanwhile, people are being pushed into the River Lee by a stranger. A paramedic is euthanising patients in the ambulance taking them to hospital. And Katie's other half, Conor, is brutally assaulted while gathering intelligence on an illicit puppy-breeding establishment.
This is one of those Police procedurals in which the reader has more information than the Police. Which, at times, made their investigations seem a little clumsy or unimaginative. What on Erath was taking them so long to make the connections that we know about, that are staring them in the face? But, of course, that is the reality of policing - they don't have immediate access to all of the information. It takes time and effort for them to unearth it, and to start joining the dots.
There are also developments in Katie's private life. A combination of Conor's life-changing injuries; the arrival as her new boss of a former fling from trainee days; and the continuing interest shown towards her by a female colleague.
I struggled to make up my mind whether to give this 3 stars or 4. In the end the factor that made up my mind was the rather ridiculous body count. 3.5.
This is one of those Police procedurals in which the reader has more information than the Police. Which, at times, made their investigations seem a little clumsy or unimaginative. What on Erath was taking them so long to make the connections that we know about, that are staring them in the face? But, of course, that is the reality of policing - they don't have immediate access to all of the information. It takes time and effort for them to unearth it, and to start joining the dots.
There are also developments in Katie's private life. A combination of Conor's life-changing injuries; the arrival as her new boss of a former fling from trainee days; and the continuing interest shown towards her by a female colleague.
I struggled to make up my mind whether to give this 3 stars or 4. In the end the factor that made up my mind was the rather ridiculous body count. 3.5.
February 9, 2023
MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)
READ IF YOU LIKE:
🕵🏻♀️ Detective books
🇮🇪 Irish settings
🩸 Blood, guts and gore thrillers
📖 The HELEN GRACE series
💪🏼 A strong female MC
🔪 Gritty, dark plots
☁️ THOUGHTS:
I absolutely adore this series— perfect for any crime lover and I can’t recommend them all enough. This book was no different!
Gritty, gory and full of twists and heinous crimes, this was gripping and exciting throughout. As always, there was no shortage of awful criminals keeping Katie Maguire on her toes and the murders in this are true-to-Masterton-style brutal. Katie is such a brilliantly written character; strong, resilient and complex, she’s been perfectly developed throughout the series and is one of my favourite female detective MCs.
I read the first ten books back in 2018 in New Zealand, and in the excitement of seeing the final book had been released last year (THE LAST DROP OF BLOOD, which I read back in December) I actually missed this one! (The only tiny downside being the fact that having read the last book, I knew one of the big aspects of the plot.) I read physical copies of the first ten books but I’d highly recommend listening to these - Aoife McMahon’s narration is utter perfection.
READ IF YOU LIKE:
🕵🏻♀️ Detective books
🇮🇪 Irish settings
🩸 Blood, guts and gore thrillers
📖 The HELEN GRACE series
💪🏼 A strong female MC
🔪 Gritty, dark plots
☁️ THOUGHTS:
I absolutely adore this series— perfect for any crime lover and I can’t recommend them all enough. This book was no different!
Gritty, gory and full of twists and heinous crimes, this was gripping and exciting throughout. As always, there was no shortage of awful criminals keeping Katie Maguire on her toes and the murders in this are true-to-Masterton-style brutal. Katie is such a brilliantly written character; strong, resilient and complex, she’s been perfectly developed throughout the series and is one of my favourite female detective MCs.
I read the first ten books back in 2018 in New Zealand, and in the excitement of seeing the final book had been released last year (THE LAST DROP OF BLOOD, which I read back in December) I actually missed this one! (The only tiny downside being the fact that having read the last book, I knew one of the big aspects of the plot.) I read physical copies of the first ten books but I’d highly recommend listening to these - Aoife McMahon’s narration is utter perfection.
January 6, 2019
Katie's challenges, the fight continues.
Katie Maguire's books, for me, are always a pleasure to read. Katie is a real fighter whose spirit and tenacity is the driving force of Cork's Garda.
Relentless detective work, courage, conviction are all part of this adorable woman, who stands no nonsense from anyone.
Thanks to the European union, Katie is tasked to deal with criminals from Romania. Language being one small part of the challenge she faces. The Romanian gangsters are ruthless and deal with people in such a manner the evidence is hard to find.
In this story, Katie 's sex drive does not reach its usual peak. I must confess I miss that aspect in this book. There are, good reasons for this.
However, that does not stop me from awarding five stars for another highly recommended Katie Maguire book.
PS, I would love to know how you pronounce some of the Irish words!
Katie Maguire's books, for me, are always a pleasure to read. Katie is a real fighter whose spirit and tenacity is the driving force of Cork's Garda.
Relentless detective work, courage, conviction are all part of this adorable woman, who stands no nonsense from anyone.
Thanks to the European union, Katie is tasked to deal with criminals from Romania. Language being one small part of the challenge she faces. The Romanian gangsters are ruthless and deal with people in such a manner the evidence is hard to find.
In this story, Katie 's sex drive does not reach its usual peak. I must confess I miss that aspect in this book. There are, good reasons for this.
However, that does not stop me from awarding five stars for another highly recommended Katie Maguire book.
PS, I would love to know how you pronounce some of the Irish words!
September 17, 2021
This is the third Katie Maguire book I have read and I am really enjoying her character. The plots though are starting to feel like paint by numbers. Katie has now had three lovers die and dog breeding is still the central story after 10 books. Really? Surely Katie can find a boyfriend who is just ordinary and we all know that Ireland has the worst laws covering animal cruelty. I feel this is getting shoved down our throats book by book. Katie is a terrific lass who takes on far more than she should and the one thing I love is the detail of her police life. Not many detective stories show how much a police person has to do every day and Katie must surely be exhausted daily. Please may there be a fresh new drama for the next installment.
September 13, 2021
This is the first book which I have read in this series and I think I may have understood things better had I read the first nine books in this series. Set in Cork the main character is Detective Superintendent Katie Maguire. It's quite a grim story with many deaths and some really awful bad guys. Dreadful things happen in Katie Maguire's personal life too. There were several words with which I was unfamiliar but I managed to get the gist and the main difficulty I had was in wondering how to pronounce the forenames of the characters. I plan to read another book in this series even though I suspect that it may be just as depressing.
March 2, 2019
As usual a cracking read from Graham Masterton. I am a massive fan of the Katie Maguire series and so glad I tried this author as he was unknown to me at the time. I read my first book The White Bones and i couldn't put it down. I have now read 10 in the series and as this is his latest one i can't wait for the next installment. If you are a fan of crime novels with plenty of thrills and chills i think you will totally enjoy these booked. But be warned once your hooked your hooked and you will be a fan for life.
June 15, 2019
I have read all of this series, this was the very worst of the lot.
I love the background of the tales, the names, he turn phrase , the Irishisms and Katie herself. This book had a good strong plot, that deteriorated into a gory and violent horror story. A nine year old girl drills holes in the bad guy's head !!!!.
Katie should carry a government health warming to all her lovers. Brendan's incredible crass behaviour just might save his skin. Perhaps the lesbian Kenya, her kissy friend should look for a transfer.
I love the background of the tales, the names, he turn phrase , the Irishisms and Katie herself. This book had a good strong plot, that deteriorated into a gory and violent horror story. A nine year old girl drills holes in the bad guy's head !!!!.
Katie should carry a government health warming to all her lovers. Brendan's incredible crass behaviour just might save his skin. Perhaps the lesbian Kenya, her kissy friend should look for a transfer.
September 30, 2020
Fabuła bardzo obiecująca i mnóstwo wątków - morderstwa za pomocą wiertarki są tylko sprawą jedną z wielu. Nie łączą się one ze sobą tak bezpośrednio i na spokojnie mogłyby obdzielić kilka seri. Generalnie cała historia mi się podobała, było mnóstwo dosyć krwawych i brutalnych opisów, które bardzo pasowały mi do klimatu książki, ale muszę przyznać, że coś mi tutaj nie zagrało. Jakoś wydawało mi się, że bohaterowie czasem zachowywali się nielogicznie (dlaczego uciekając przed przestępcą z kawałkiem szkła w ręce nie można stawić mu czoła z bronią? Albo chociaż wspomnieć, że się jej akurat nie ma?). Takich sytuacji było kilka i trochę mnie denerwowały. Dużo jest jednak treści i to dosyć zaskakujących i krwawych, chociaż ja troszkę się męczyłam.
May 19, 2021
I have always loved the Katie McGuire series but this one was my least favourite. Don’t get me wrong it is still a great story but it seemed to lack the tension and horror I like from these crime books. The story of Connor and his pursuit in protecting dogs continues and Katie has to work out who is killing the beggars on the streets plus manage a ambulance paramedic who is killing her patients for money. Surprising ending and already looking forward to the next in the series.
July 3, 2023
Katie Maguire must be the unluckiest woman on the planet ! In this series we have seen her first husband die, her baby son die, and then her lover John dying from injuries inflicted when he was kidnapped by her enemies ! In this novel, her fiance Conor, the pet detective, is soon in serious trouble. Meanwhile Katie is investigating the murders of street sleepers who have fallen prey to a ruthless gang leader. As with all these books, you somehow know it won't end well for Katie !
March 10, 2019
Number 10 in the series and still an excellent read. I often find that when a series has been going as long as this it can get samey but not this. Truly shocking, some of the crimes left me stunned in their horribleness. Man’s inhumanity to Man - and to animals, is laid bare here. An excellent read, the main plots are gripping and oh the subplot and the ending!!!
April 11, 2019
These story lines skip around, but I did not have a problem with it. With all this going on, you would think there would be no down time; unfortunately, there was. This book could have been at least 50 pages shorter and not lost a thing. That being said, I did enjoy it enough to give it 4 stars. It’s worth reading. (Gerard’s review)
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