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Paterson & Clocks #1
Their Last Words
Please note this is a heavily revised edition of a book first published as The Sky is Crying.
A victim. A mutilated body. A single word.
A young woman is found dead on the streets of London. Her throat slashed, her body mutilated, and one word carved into her flesh: “DON’T.”
Detective Superintendent Ray Paterson is assigned to the case. Young, handsome, and from a wealthy background, he’s tipped for the top. He joins a team based out of Bermondsey, South London. It’s meant to be a stepping stone to his next promotion, but this case will threaten to bring down his career and everything he thought he knew about policing.
Paterson is put in charge of the dead girl's investigation and quickly discovers he must rely on his friend and mentor, Detective Sergeant Dave Jordan to guide him through.
Then another body is discovered. Another word cut into the victim’s chest.
The police realise they may have a depraved serial killer on their hands. The murderer is trying to send them a message carved in his victims’ bodies. But who’s the message for?
How many more must die? Detective Paterson may be the only man who can stop this vile killer ... if he can survive long enough.
A victim. A mutilated body. A single word.
A young woman is found dead on the streets of London. Her throat slashed, her body mutilated, and one word carved into her flesh: “DON’T.”
Detective Superintendent Ray Paterson is assigned to the case. Young, handsome, and from a wealthy background, he’s tipped for the top. He joins a team based out of Bermondsey, South London. It’s meant to be a stepping stone to his next promotion, but this case will threaten to bring down his career and everything he thought he knew about policing.
Paterson is put in charge of the dead girl's investigation and quickly discovers he must rely on his friend and mentor, Detective Sergeant Dave Jordan to guide him through.
Then another body is discovered. Another word cut into the victim’s chest.
The police realise they may have a depraved serial killer on their hands. The murderer is trying to send them a message carved in his victims’ bodies. But who’s the message for?
How many more must die? Detective Paterson may be the only man who can stop this vile killer ... if he can survive long enough.
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 31, 2016
2410 people are currently reading
835 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
June 19, 2018
A young woman was found dead on the streets of London. Her throat had been slashed, her body mutilated, and one word carved into her flesh, "DON'T".
Detective Superintendent Paterson is assigned the case. He joins the team based in Bermondsey, South London. Paterson quickly discovers he must rely on his friend and mentor, Detective Sargent Dave Jordan. Then a second body is discovered and another word is cut into the victims chest.
The murder of the girls made my stomach churn. There are plenty of twists in this fast paced novel. We get some back story to the characters who are mostly quite likeable. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
I would like to thank Joffe Books and the author for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Detective Superintendent Paterson is assigned the case. He joins the team based in Bermondsey, South London. Paterson quickly discovers he must rely on his friend and mentor, Detective Sargent Dave Jordan. Then a second body is discovered and another word is cut into the victims chest.
The murder of the girls made my stomach churn. There are plenty of twists in this fast paced novel. We get some back story to the characters who are mostly quite likeable. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
I would like to thank Joffe Books and the author for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 20, 2018
4.5 Stars
PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A HEAVILY REVISED EDITION OF A BOOK FIRST PUBLISHED AS “THE SKY IS CRYING.”
These are two cops who hate each other, but have to work together to catch the most brutal serial killer to date. There are multiple victims ... women savagely slashed with missing body parts. There are words carved into each victim .. but what's the message? And who is it for?
DS Ray Paterson is assigned to investigate these cases. He's new to this team and it's meant to be a stepping stone for a brighter future in law enforcement. This case threatens to bring a close to his fought for career ... it may take his very life.
The author, a retired police officer who served for 20 years in numerous high-profiles squads brings a lot of credibility to this story. It's very well written with outstanding characters.
This is the first in a series of action-packed, edge-of-your-seat crime thrillers, with an ending that will have your heart in your mouth.
Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Netgalley and Books n All Publicity for the advanced digital copy of this crime thriller. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A HEAVILY REVISED EDITION OF A BOOK FIRST PUBLISHED AS “THE SKY IS CRYING.”
These are two cops who hate each other, but have to work together to catch the most brutal serial killer to date. There are multiple victims ... women savagely slashed with missing body parts. There are words carved into each victim .. but what's the message? And who is it for?
DS Ray Paterson is assigned to investigate these cases. He's new to this team and it's meant to be a stepping stone for a brighter future in law enforcement. This case threatens to bring a close to his fought for career ... it may take his very life.
The author, a retired police officer who served for 20 years in numerous high-profiles squads brings a lot of credibility to this story. It's very well written with outstanding characters.
This is the first in a series of action-packed, edge-of-your-seat crime thrillers, with an ending that will have your heart in your mouth.
Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Netgalley and Books n All Publicity for the advanced digital copy of this crime thriller. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
August 21, 2022
An exceptionally thrilling, gritty read that I literally couldn't put down. While the various characters have more than their share of undesirable traits, you still couldn't help being mesmerised by them and their actions. This is quite a graphic read with lots of swearing and in-your-face descriptions of the state of the victims by police characters, but I don't feel this is shocking just for shock sakes but a look at how the police use morgue humour to deal with horrific tragedies.
My only concern, without giving too much away, is how this series hopes to continue given the protagonist is as bent as a banana, albeit with some good intentions.
And YES, I do have the next book in the series which I intend to read almost straight away!
I received an ebook of this novel directly from the publishers and author. I have voluntarily chosen to review the book and the gifting in no way influences my review/rating, which reflects my honest opinion.
My only concern, without giving too much away, is how this series hopes to continue given the protagonist is as bent as a banana, albeit with some good intentions.
And YES, I do have the next book in the series which I intend to read almost straight away!
I received an ebook of this novel directly from the publishers and author. I have voluntarily chosen to review the book and the gifting in no way influences my review/rating, which reflects my honest opinion.
May 21, 2021
An excellent story but one of the most annoying narrations of an audiobook I have ever listened to.
A young woman is found dead on the streets of London. Her throat had been slashed, her body mutilated, and one word carved into her flesh, "DON'T".
Lead Detective Superintendent Paterson is assigned the case but he is not an enjoyable character at all - but this makes for an interesting aspect of the read. He joins the team based in Bermondsey, South London. In short order the mutilated bodies start popping up all over London, all with words carved into their bodies.
The murders are gross and stomach-churning but it works with the plot. There are plenty of twists, some predictable, some not. The character's back stories are quite good and despite the narration, this made for a solid story. I will definitely be on the hunt for instalment two but I'll stick to the printed version next time.
A young woman is found dead on the streets of London. Her throat had been slashed, her body mutilated, and one word carved into her flesh, "DON'T".
Lead Detective Superintendent Paterson is assigned the case but he is not an enjoyable character at all - but this makes for an interesting aspect of the read. He joins the team based in Bermondsey, South London. In short order the mutilated bodies start popping up all over London, all with words carved into their bodies.
The murders are gross and stomach-churning but it works with the plot. There are plenty of twists, some predictable, some not. The character's back stories are quite good and despite the narration, this made for a solid story. I will definitely be on the hunt for instalment two but I'll stick to the printed version next time.
February 10, 2020
A lot of five star reviews on here. I don't get it. Testosterone-fuelled, sexually violent, average police procedural. It reminded me of reading the only Jack Reacher novel I ever intend to read. To be honest, there were some moments in here that were genuinely well-written but, for the most part, it read like your average self-published stuff. Desperate for an edit, if only to remove the cringe element. The characters were either unbelievable (Paterson in particular) or two dimensional cliches. I was troubled by the gratuitous slaughter of women without giving them enough character to care about them. I think that if you're going to put a character through hell then you should respect that character because there are real people out there who have suffered that sort of treatment and it shouldn't be sprinkled about like cheap decoration.
I was bored for half of it and then it picked up, which depressed me because I knew then that I would have to finish it. The ending was remarkably thirty nine steps. Almost classic. But because of that, entirely predictable. A bit of a disappointment for me but clearly not for everyone.
I was bored for half of it and then it picked up, which depressed me because I knew then that I would have to finish it. The ending was remarkably thirty nine steps. Almost classic. But because of that, entirely predictable. A bit of a disappointment for me but clearly not for everyone.
January 16, 2025
Gritty and gruesome, twisted and brilliantly horrific, Their Last Words is a great start to a new series and I can't wait to see what the future holds for Paterson and Clocks. Really good.
June 21, 2018
It is great to find a new author you really like and Steve Parker is new for me. This book (previously published at The Sky is Crying) and heavily revised introduces Detective Inspector Ray Patterson who is a fast track copper without a lot of 'coppering' under his belt, he is however sharp and clever. He relies heavily on his side kick DS Dave Jordon, who is an old school copper and a total contrast to the Superintendent. Nevertherless the two are friends.
You need your wits about you with this book. It is fast paced and the author has developed a strong cast of characters and a good plot, all dealing with a particularly gruesome crime that develops into a series of crimes. They are all committed by the same pertpetrator who leaves no forensic clues behind to help the Police out.
The Superintendent is also a bit of a 'Jack the Lad' busily trying to get his ex-wife back despite the fact that she is living with someone else and is the throes of divorcing him. The language is ripe throughout, although at times funny enough to make me laugh out loud, but this together with the type of crime being dealt with means it is not for the faint hearted. There is also a totally unexpected shock towards the end which left me gasping.
This writer is a welcome addition to the Joffe stable of writers, and they must surely be the Number 1 publishers for current crime fiction.
You need your wits about you with this book. It is fast paced and the author has developed a strong cast of characters and a good plot, all dealing with a particularly gruesome crime that develops into a series of crimes. They are all committed by the same pertpetrator who leaves no forensic clues behind to help the Police out.
The Superintendent is also a bit of a 'Jack the Lad' busily trying to get his ex-wife back despite the fact that she is living with someone else and is the throes of divorcing him. The language is ripe throughout, although at times funny enough to make me laugh out loud, but this together with the type of crime being dealt with means it is not for the faint hearted. There is also a totally unexpected shock towards the end which left me gasping.
This writer is a welcome addition to the Joffe stable of writers, and they must surely be the Number 1 publishers for current crime fiction.
June 22, 2018
I am a big fan of Joffe Books. Their books are usually fast paced with a minimum of padding and that suits me perfectly. I was very excited to hear Steve Parker was joining their talented team and was looking forward to reading this new release.
I wasn't disappointed the book starts with a gruesome murder and zooms along at a very fast pace with plenty of action and insight into the characters along the way. Very human characters and Steve has skillfully managed to build curve balls into the characters as well as the story. The end result is an adrenaline pumping page-turner that I couldn't put down.
As far as tick lists go this ticked every one of my requirements and some I didn't know I had. Ray Paterson is a rich ladies man who is fast tracking up the career ladder. His life is a car crash. They say money can't buy you happiness, well it seems to be buying Ray a whole lot of trouble and heartache. Some members of the team doubt his ability to be SIO of such a sadistic murder case which adds a new dimension to the story.
The team is made up of some very unique characters some I like and some I don't but what I do like is the way the author has developed the characters so that they grow on the reader. I particularly like Clocks behind the clown exterior lies a very perceptive detective and this comes across perfectly. Jordan is the loveable one. The team comprises a very healthy mix of different personalities that MAKE the story.
I read a lot of crime fiction but I have never read one where you get about half way and wonder what is in the second half of the book only to find that it ain't over yet the twists and turns and shocks continue right to the very end which is an edge of the seat breath-taking ending - WOW
An absolutely stunning read and I am really looking forward to the next book.
I wasn't disappointed the book starts with a gruesome murder and zooms along at a very fast pace with plenty of action and insight into the characters along the way. Very human characters and Steve has skillfully managed to build curve balls into the characters as well as the story. The end result is an adrenaline pumping page-turner that I couldn't put down.
As far as tick lists go this ticked every one of my requirements and some I didn't know I had. Ray Paterson is a rich ladies man who is fast tracking up the career ladder. His life is a car crash. They say money can't buy you happiness, well it seems to be buying Ray a whole lot of trouble and heartache. Some members of the team doubt his ability to be SIO of such a sadistic murder case which adds a new dimension to the story.
The team is made up of some very unique characters some I like and some I don't but what I do like is the way the author has developed the characters so that they grow on the reader. I particularly like Clocks behind the clown exterior lies a very perceptive detective and this comes across perfectly. Jordan is the loveable one. The team comprises a very healthy mix of different personalities that MAKE the story.
I read a lot of crime fiction but I have never read one where you get about half way and wonder what is in the second half of the book only to find that it ain't over yet the twists and turns and shocks continue right to the very end which is an edge of the seat breath-taking ending - WOW
An absolutely stunning read and I am really looking forward to the next book.
June 23, 2018
Holy %#@%! This book! ( Its okay...this was written for mature audiences)
Its a James Patterson-ish storyline meets the gore of Jack Ketchum or Karin Slaughter ! In quoting Clocks aka Timex I agree that I wish I could wash my brain out with bleach and forget what I just read because I will NOT be sleeping tonight!
First and foremost as always thank you to Netgalley & to Joffee Books for allowing me to read this book for free in exchange for an honest review 🙏🏻❤️ I have joined Joffee's email list.
Hmmm...Where to even begin?
Let me first start off by saying that I'm the kind of reader that always has a thriller book " on hand" whether in my car CD player, an iPad e-book sitting on the coffee table, or a physical copy stuffed in my purse. I just can't seem to get enough of them! So needless to say when I see a new novel advertised as an " absolutely gripping serial killer thriller with a huge twist..." I'm all in--bring it on! But....you have to assume that it takes a LOT for me not to see the plot twists coming.
Knowing that this book is written by a cop makes it so much more hyped for me because he sees, hears, witnesses brutal things such as this all the time-- it is a norm and is probably spoken with ease. My heart was literally pounding the entire book even when they were just having a meeting.
I have to admit about 25 percent into the book I already knew who the killer was and I was immediately dissapointed when my suspicions were confirmed half-way! I thought to myself, " what could possibly keep this book interesting for another couple hundred pages now that the major twist is revealed?" I wanted to put it down. But Thank GOD I didn't....knowing who the killer was early on did not take ANYTHING away from the excitement of this book!
Paterson is a rich, arrogant, cocky --recently promoted Superintendant that needs to get his confidence knocked down a few pegs, and in this story I have to say he gets his ass handed to him! Brilliantly done, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, I read it in one day and am sad that it's over!
I can't wait to see what Steve Parker has in store for us in book two -- hopefully the protagonist learns to keep his hands to himself by then!
I'll end with my favorite part of the ENTIRE book - I licked the life right out of her 💔😳🙌🏻 Yikes!
Its a James Patterson-ish storyline meets the gore of Jack Ketchum or Karin Slaughter ! In quoting Clocks aka Timex I agree that I wish I could wash my brain out with bleach and forget what I just read because I will NOT be sleeping tonight!
First and foremost as always thank you to Netgalley & to Joffee Books for allowing me to read this book for free in exchange for an honest review 🙏🏻❤️ I have joined Joffee's email list.
Hmmm...Where to even begin?
Let me first start off by saying that I'm the kind of reader that always has a thriller book " on hand" whether in my car CD player, an iPad e-book sitting on the coffee table, or a physical copy stuffed in my purse. I just can't seem to get enough of them! So needless to say when I see a new novel advertised as an " absolutely gripping serial killer thriller with a huge twist..." I'm all in--bring it on! But....you have to assume that it takes a LOT for me not to see the plot twists coming.
Knowing that this book is written by a cop makes it so much more hyped for me because he sees, hears, witnesses brutal things such as this all the time-- it is a norm and is probably spoken with ease. My heart was literally pounding the entire book even when they were just having a meeting.
I have to admit about 25 percent into the book I already knew who the killer was and I was immediately dissapointed when my suspicions were confirmed half-way! I thought to myself, " what could possibly keep this book interesting for another couple hundred pages now that the major twist is revealed?" I wanted to put it down. But Thank GOD I didn't....knowing who the killer was early on did not take ANYTHING away from the excitement of this book!
Paterson is a rich, arrogant, cocky --recently promoted Superintendant that needs to get his confidence knocked down a few pegs, and in this story I have to say he gets his ass handed to him! Brilliantly done, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, I read it in one day and am sad that it's over!
I can't wait to see what Steve Parker has in store for us in book two -- hopefully the protagonist learns to keep his hands to himself by then!
I'll end with my favorite part of the ENTIRE book - I licked the life right out of her 💔😳🙌🏻 Yikes!
June 21, 2018
I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of Their Last Words, the first novel to feature Detective Superintendent Ray Paterson of the Met.
Paterson is called out to a murder scene where a young woman has had her throat slit, her body mutilated and the word "don't" carved on her chest. Unfortunately she is not the only victim and Paterson is soon hunting a serial killer but with no forensics he isn't getting far.
Their Last Words is a novel of two halves with the first being the hunt to identify the killer and the second the hunt to locate him. As it is not a particularly long novel it means that both plot lines are a bit superficial. I also think it is a bit derivative and brings nothing new to the genre. It does, however, have some exciting action scenes and works well as a no-thought required, entertaining thriller. It should be noted that it is not for the faint hearted with bad language, violence and some extremely graphic descriptions of the mutilated corpses.
I might have enjoyed the novel better if I had taken to Ray Paterson but, to be frank, there is nothing attractive or likeable about him. He is rich with no need to work and is on the Met's fast track programme so he has an unconscious sense of entitlement which he acts on. In the first few chapters he comes across as a racist with uncomplimentary comments about the Scottish pathologist and laughing at a joke about Muslims but this is quickly superseded by his attitude to women as he's a tomcat, to put it politely. Yuk. Add to this that he's no detective, unable to find his ass from his elbow, and you get the picture. Where he comes into his own is in the second half when he goes off piste and does his best Rambo impression.
Their Last Words is not for me but I have awarded it 3* as it is fairly well done and will appeal to many readers.
Paterson is called out to a murder scene where a young woman has had her throat slit, her body mutilated and the word "don't" carved on her chest. Unfortunately she is not the only victim and Paterson is soon hunting a serial killer but with no forensics he isn't getting far.
Their Last Words is a novel of two halves with the first being the hunt to identify the killer and the second the hunt to locate him. As it is not a particularly long novel it means that both plot lines are a bit superficial. I also think it is a bit derivative and brings nothing new to the genre. It does, however, have some exciting action scenes and works well as a no-thought required, entertaining thriller. It should be noted that it is not for the faint hearted with bad language, violence and some extremely graphic descriptions of the mutilated corpses.
I might have enjoyed the novel better if I had taken to Ray Paterson but, to be frank, there is nothing attractive or likeable about him. He is rich with no need to work and is on the Met's fast track programme so he has an unconscious sense of entitlement which he acts on. In the first few chapters he comes across as a racist with uncomplimentary comments about the Scottish pathologist and laughing at a joke about Muslims but this is quickly superseded by his attitude to women as he's a tomcat, to put it politely. Yuk. Add to this that he's no detective, unable to find his ass from his elbow, and you get the picture. Where he comes into his own is in the second half when he goes off piste and does his best Rambo impression.
Their Last Words is not for me but I have awarded it 3* as it is fairly well done and will appeal to many readers.
June 22, 2018
(Rounded from 3.5)
Young women are being horribly mutilated and dumped on the streets of London, newly promoted Detective Superintendent Ray Paterson is put in charge but out of his depth he turns to DS Dave Jordan and his team to help catch this ruthless killer.
It’s so difficult to write about this book as there is so much more to it than the synopsis gives away but then I don’t want to write any spoilers in this review! I’ll try my best anyway.
It’s nice to see Joffe books has a new author, well not exactly new, this book was previously published under the title, The Sky Is Crying, but he’s certainly a new to me.
Now the first half of the book really put the procedure into police procedural. Steve Parker really puts his experience of being a police officer into the pages which as a civilian I appreciate but it wasn’t until the second half of the book that I felt the story get really juicy with plenty of shocks and action packed moments.
This book also has a little twist on the usual crime books, as the superintendent is one of the main characters investigating the murder. I can honestly say I haven’t seen before, usually they’re in the background making it harder for people to do their jobs. Also Ray Paterson is a bit flash, driving round in an Aston Martin wearing Gucci shoes and posh suits, coming from money he doesn’t really have to work either unlike your usual copper.
A character who I really didn’t like but eventually grew on me, a little anyway, was DS Clocks. He’s offensive, sexist and hates authority but as the story goes along really steps up and shows he is actually a good policeman under all of that.
A warning to those of you with a sensitive disposition, this may not be the book for you. There’s extreme violence and bad language, which even shocked me while I was reading it.
An exciting start to a new series that I’m interested to see where it goes next.
Young women are being horribly mutilated and dumped on the streets of London, newly promoted Detective Superintendent Ray Paterson is put in charge but out of his depth he turns to DS Dave Jordan and his team to help catch this ruthless killer.
It’s so difficult to write about this book as there is so much more to it than the synopsis gives away but then I don’t want to write any spoilers in this review! I’ll try my best anyway.
It’s nice to see Joffe books has a new author, well not exactly new, this book was previously published under the title, The Sky Is Crying, but he’s certainly a new to me.
Now the first half of the book really put the procedure into police procedural. Steve Parker really puts his experience of being a police officer into the pages which as a civilian I appreciate but it wasn’t until the second half of the book that I felt the story get really juicy with plenty of shocks and action packed moments.
This book also has a little twist on the usual crime books, as the superintendent is one of the main characters investigating the murder. I can honestly say I haven’t seen before, usually they’re in the background making it harder for people to do their jobs. Also Ray Paterson is a bit flash, driving round in an Aston Martin wearing Gucci shoes and posh suits, coming from money he doesn’t really have to work either unlike your usual copper.
A character who I really didn’t like but eventually grew on me, a little anyway, was DS Clocks. He’s offensive, sexist and hates authority but as the story goes along really steps up and shows he is actually a good policeman under all of that.
A warning to those of you with a sensitive disposition, this may not be the book for you. There’s extreme violence and bad language, which even shocked me while I was reading it.
An exciting start to a new series that I’m interested to see where it goes next.
June 24, 2018
I have a confession to make (my second of the evening so far). Prior to receiving an e-mail from Joffe Books, I hadn’t actually heard of Steve Parker- sorry Steve. After finishing reading ‘Their Last Words’ I find myself asking myself why haven’t I discovered Steve Parker before now? I absolutely, totally and utterly LOVED reading ‘Their Last Words’ but more about that in a bit.
The main character of this book is Detective Superintendent Ray Paterson. He’s an ambitious man, who is on the graduate fast track scheme for police officers. He has soared up the career ladder and despite his rank, he is still relatively young. I got the impression that to a degree Paterson is a bit like a fish out of water. He has risen up the ranks that quickly that he hasn’t gained the experience that comes with either age or practice in the form of leading major investigations or interviewing key suspects and so on and so forth. Paterson relies heavily on his friend and mentor, Detective Sergeant Dave Jordan to help him gain the experience. Paterson has led something of a privileged life and he is financially secure, having inherited a vast amount of money. Some of those who work for him can’t understand why he wanted to become a police officer if he has enough money already to live comfortably. I must admit that initially the same thought crossed my mind. Paterson is a determined and compassionate police officer, who strives to bring the guilty to justice and achieve some kind of closure for the victims of crime. Paterson is like a dog with a bone in that once he has got his teeth into a case, he doesn’t easily drop it or switch off from it. He lives, breathes and eats the case so to speak. I took to both characters really easily, even if sometimes DS Jordan had even less tact and diplomacy than me and that’s saying something. The author’s writing style is so convincing and so realistic that the characters seemed real to me and I could literally imagine them standing in front of me and acting out what I was reading.
Blimey oh riley, this was one hell of an unpredictable and scary rollercoaster ride of a read. The story hit the ground running and maintained the pace throughout. As soon as I read the first sentence I just knew that I was going to become addicted to reading this book and so it proved. For me ‘Their Last Words’ really is a ‘CPID’ (can’t put it down) book. My Kindle wasn’t glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it came everywhere with me. I just had to keep reading to see if Paterson and his team were going to be able to solve the case without any further loss of life, to see if Paterson managed to gain confidence and keep the respect of his team and to see if Detective Sergeant Johnny Clocks managed to get to the end of the book without having suffered a reprimand or the sack. Clocks was one character who made my skin crawl, my toes curl and my fists want to punch him. The page numbers and the time flew past in a blur and before I realised what was happening I had finished the book, which I had conflicting feelings about. I was pleased to finish because at least I knew how the investigation ended but I wasn’t pleased to finish because I was enjoying the story, the characters and the writing style so much that I just wanted the book to continue.
Some of the details of the crime are rather graphic to say the least. It’s just as well that I have a strong stomach because I was eating my tea, whilst reading about the graphic nature of the injuries of the first murder victim. Thank goodness I wasn’t eating meat or sausages at the time. Although the nature of the injuries was graphic I didn’t feel that it was in any way gratuitous or gory for the sake of being gory. If anything, it only added to the story and the authenticity of the investigation.
In conclusion I absolutely, totally and utterly flipping well loved reading ‘Their Last Words’ and I wholeheartedly recommend it to other readers. I can’t wait to see what comes next from Steve Parker. Here’s hoping that I don’t have too long to wait. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 5* out of 5*.
The main character of this book is Detective Superintendent Ray Paterson. He’s an ambitious man, who is on the graduate fast track scheme for police officers. He has soared up the career ladder and despite his rank, he is still relatively young. I got the impression that to a degree Paterson is a bit like a fish out of water. He has risen up the ranks that quickly that he hasn’t gained the experience that comes with either age or practice in the form of leading major investigations or interviewing key suspects and so on and so forth. Paterson relies heavily on his friend and mentor, Detective Sergeant Dave Jordan to help him gain the experience. Paterson has led something of a privileged life and he is financially secure, having inherited a vast amount of money. Some of those who work for him can’t understand why he wanted to become a police officer if he has enough money already to live comfortably. I must admit that initially the same thought crossed my mind. Paterson is a determined and compassionate police officer, who strives to bring the guilty to justice and achieve some kind of closure for the victims of crime. Paterson is like a dog with a bone in that once he has got his teeth into a case, he doesn’t easily drop it or switch off from it. He lives, breathes and eats the case so to speak. I took to both characters really easily, even if sometimes DS Jordan had even less tact and diplomacy than me and that’s saying something. The author’s writing style is so convincing and so realistic that the characters seemed real to me and I could literally imagine them standing in front of me and acting out what I was reading.
Blimey oh riley, this was one hell of an unpredictable and scary rollercoaster ride of a read. The story hit the ground running and maintained the pace throughout. As soon as I read the first sentence I just knew that I was going to become addicted to reading this book and so it proved. For me ‘Their Last Words’ really is a ‘CPID’ (can’t put it down) book. My Kindle wasn’t glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it came everywhere with me. I just had to keep reading to see if Paterson and his team were going to be able to solve the case without any further loss of life, to see if Paterson managed to gain confidence and keep the respect of his team and to see if Detective Sergeant Johnny Clocks managed to get to the end of the book without having suffered a reprimand or the sack. Clocks was one character who made my skin crawl, my toes curl and my fists want to punch him. The page numbers and the time flew past in a blur and before I realised what was happening I had finished the book, which I had conflicting feelings about. I was pleased to finish because at least I knew how the investigation ended but I wasn’t pleased to finish because I was enjoying the story, the characters and the writing style so much that I just wanted the book to continue.
Some of the details of the crime are rather graphic to say the least. It’s just as well that I have a strong stomach because I was eating my tea, whilst reading about the graphic nature of the injuries of the first murder victim. Thank goodness I wasn’t eating meat or sausages at the time. Although the nature of the injuries was graphic I didn’t feel that it was in any way gratuitous or gory for the sake of being gory. If anything, it only added to the story and the authenticity of the investigation.
In conclusion I absolutely, totally and utterly flipping well loved reading ‘Their Last Words’ and I wholeheartedly recommend it to other readers. I can’t wait to see what comes next from Steve Parker. Here’s hoping that I don’t have too long to wait. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 5* out of 5*.
June 24, 2018
Here we have a new author to Joffe books and, having read the book, I can fully understand why they have decided to publish his books. Their reputation for publishing thrilling, can't-stop-reading, gripping police procedurals can only be enhanced by this novel.
The main character is Detective Superintendent Ray Paterson, born into a family with a lot of money. He doesn't need to work, he drives an Aston car and wears designer suits and Gucci shoes. I was sure I wouldn't like him but I do! His team are a mixture of characters, some I like, some I don't but all are interesting!
The book starts with a series of murders of young women who have been almost dissected by a sadistic and brutal killer - and that's all I am going to say about the story. You need to read the book without any idea of what is going to unfold before your eyes because then, you will get the full flavour of the novel.
As a retired policeman, Mr Parker obviously gets all of the routines of detective work absolutely spot on, so that isn't an issue here, but the story!! Wow! It takes your breath away to read it. I found I couldn't stop reading. I discovered I could cook, clean and pretend to hold a conversation, all the time without losing the next sentence or the next word. I even went to sleep reading it about 1.30 AM and then picked it up again at 3.15 AM!
If you like crime novels, if you enjoy a good story, if you want a novel which will grab you and hold you until the end and then leave you fizzing for more, then this is the book for you. I cannot wait for the next one!
The main character is Detective Superintendent Ray Paterson, born into a family with a lot of money. He doesn't need to work, he drives an Aston car and wears designer suits and Gucci shoes. I was sure I wouldn't like him but I do! His team are a mixture of characters, some I like, some I don't but all are interesting!
The book starts with a series of murders of young women who have been almost dissected by a sadistic and brutal killer - and that's all I am going to say about the story. You need to read the book without any idea of what is going to unfold before your eyes because then, you will get the full flavour of the novel.
As a retired policeman, Mr Parker obviously gets all of the routines of detective work absolutely spot on, so that isn't an issue here, but the story!! Wow! It takes your breath away to read it. I found I couldn't stop reading. I discovered I could cook, clean and pretend to hold a conversation, all the time without losing the next sentence or the next word. I even went to sleep reading it about 1.30 AM and then picked it up again at 3.15 AM!
If you like crime novels, if you enjoy a good story, if you want a novel which will grab you and hold you until the end and then leave you fizzing for more, then this is the book for you. I cannot wait for the next one!
October 29, 2019
This book purports to be a heavily revised edition.....if that's the case, I shudder to think what state it was in originally because it's still in a mess as far as I can make out !! I packed it in at 18%, partly down to the mistakes and partly because I was sick and tired of reading references to how well-off Paterson is. We know, he explained it but the constant brands being mentioned just became irritating. We had Aston, Gucci, Rolex and I gave up when Armani was also thrown in !! There was just no need for it.
I would've done as the publisher requested and sent a list of errors over to them if not for the fact that I was supposed to be reading the corrected version ! For starters, they wrote Chapter 1 and THEN slung in a paragraph about joining a mailing list before actually starting said chapter. That needed to be inserted on the lead-up pages !! Then on only page 2 he committed THE cardinal sin for me of spelling his own character's name wrong. That costs anybody 1* from me, whoever they are. Careless enough that it was written in the first place, but adding insult to injury nobody picked it up as they were "heavily revising" !! He was Jordan most of the time and suddenly morphed into Jordon !
Some of the police slang he used I didn't understand, his slang glossary didn't address and Google didn't know, either !! Such as this, "Can't be too many psychopathic milkmaids in Bermondsey, eh ?" Lost me here. Again with the flyer mention........baffling.
He missed out hyphens, as in walnut topped or business minded and Tennants should be Tennent's as well. Bearing in mind I'd only read 43 pages, there were surely plenty more to come and I don't have the patience for it.
I would've done as the publisher requested and sent a list of errors over to them if not for the fact that I was supposed to be reading the corrected version ! For starters, they wrote Chapter 1 and THEN slung in a paragraph about joining a mailing list before actually starting said chapter. That needed to be inserted on the lead-up pages !! Then on only page 2 he committed THE cardinal sin for me of spelling his own character's name wrong. That costs anybody 1* from me, whoever they are. Careless enough that it was written in the first place, but adding insult to injury nobody picked it up as they were "heavily revising" !! He was Jordan most of the time and suddenly morphed into Jordon !
Some of the police slang he used I didn't understand, his slang glossary didn't address and Google didn't know, either !! Such as this, "Can't be too many psychopathic milkmaids in Bermondsey, eh ?" Lost me here. Again with the flyer mention........baffling.
He missed out hyphens, as in walnut topped or business minded and Tennants should be Tennent's as well. Bearing in mind I'd only read 43 pages, there were surely plenty more to come and I don't have the patience for it.
June 26, 2018
Wow!!!
When girls are found dead, throats sliced not once but twice, their insides cut out and words carved into their chests, Senior Investigating Officer Ray Paterson takes on his first case of his new rank.
Who is the Murderer?
Edge of the seat book. Lots of twists and turns.
When girls are found dead, throats sliced not once but twice, their insides cut out and words carved into their chests, Senior Investigating Officer Ray Paterson takes on his first case of his new rank.
Who is the Murderer?
Edge of the seat book. Lots of twists and turns.
July 2, 2018
4.5 out of 5
This book just throws you right into the thrill ride! A girl is found dead, her throat cut, her entrails pulled out and… her vagina cut out.
It’s definitely not a story for the faint of heart, almost a “Jack the Ripper” sort of story, which is exactly what I was hoping for! It’s been so long since I’ve had a good police thriller! It’s not a procedural, as there aren’t really many descriptions of the actual police work, it’s more about the officers themselves and their characters. They do, obviously, have a case that they are solving, and while authentic feeling, it’s not about all of the fingerprinting and DNA testing and long, tedious descriptions (not like I don’t love that, but, sometimes when it gets too technical I start skipping over things!)
I loved getting to know the characters and Steve Parker did a great job at really getting you to feel the weight that the work puts on these officers and how they deal with it. Will they shut down? Will they deal with it with dark humour? Will they take to the drink? From the very beginning you wondered how these officers could go out there and do their jobs, seeing what they see,
“Until two minutes ago, Paterson had never experienced the head-splitting, gut-wrenching on-the-spot pressure of making a life or death decision. This must be what it’s like for soldiers on the battlefield, he thought. Christ, no wonder they went crackers after a while. But he had made his choice. Pullman was the target, Pullman it would be. No deviation and no loss of manpower. But supposing he was wrong?”
The story is told in a very gritty fashion, there are no holds barred and I couldn’t put it down! The pacing is fantastic and I never found myself bored. I was always flipping the pages for more thrills, or laughs!There isn’t much guessing at who the killer is as, you find out fairly early on. But, that almost makes it worse as you know, and no one else does! It’s like the horror movie where someone runs upstairs instead of out if the house and you’re on the outside watching and yelling “Idiot, how can you be so stupid!!”
All my U.K readers are going to laugh at me for this, but I also just loved the language. Being set in Bermondsey, which is an area of London nestled on the banks of the River Thames, I loved the slang and different words, calling the woman’s vagina her “fanny”, referring to someone as a “stroppy bitch” or one of my favourites,
“He’s a bit of an odd bod but it turns out he knows his onions.”
I know, I know… silly reason to love a book, but I found myself giggling at it as I was riveted by the actual story. It was just win/win!!
I highly recommend this book for anyone out for a thrill, a mystery and some gore!
This book just throws you right into the thrill ride! A girl is found dead, her throat cut, her entrails pulled out and… her vagina cut out.
It’s definitely not a story for the faint of heart, almost a “Jack the Ripper” sort of story, which is exactly what I was hoping for! It’s been so long since I’ve had a good police thriller! It’s not a procedural, as there aren’t really many descriptions of the actual police work, it’s more about the officers themselves and their characters. They do, obviously, have a case that they are solving, and while authentic feeling, it’s not about all of the fingerprinting and DNA testing and long, tedious descriptions (not like I don’t love that, but, sometimes when it gets too technical I start skipping over things!)
I loved getting to know the characters and Steve Parker did a great job at really getting you to feel the weight that the work puts on these officers and how they deal with it. Will they shut down? Will they deal with it with dark humour? Will they take to the drink? From the very beginning you wondered how these officers could go out there and do their jobs, seeing what they see,
“Until two minutes ago, Paterson had never experienced the head-splitting, gut-wrenching on-the-spot pressure of making a life or death decision. This must be what it’s like for soldiers on the battlefield, he thought. Christ, no wonder they went crackers after a while. But he had made his choice. Pullman was the target, Pullman it would be. No deviation and no loss of manpower. But supposing he was wrong?”
The story is told in a very gritty fashion, there are no holds barred and I couldn’t put it down! The pacing is fantastic and I never found myself bored. I was always flipping the pages for more thrills, or laughs!There isn’t much guessing at who the killer is as, you find out fairly early on. But, that almost makes it worse as you know, and no one else does! It’s like the horror movie where someone runs upstairs instead of out if the house and you’re on the outside watching and yelling “Idiot, how can you be so stupid!!”
All my U.K readers are going to laugh at me for this, but I also just loved the language. Being set in Bermondsey, which is an area of London nestled on the banks of the River Thames, I loved the slang and different words, calling the woman’s vagina her “fanny”, referring to someone as a “stroppy bitch” or one of my favourites,
“He’s a bit of an odd bod but it turns out he knows his onions.”
I know, I know… silly reason to love a book, but I found myself giggling at it as I was riveted by the actual story. It was just win/win!!
I highly recommend this book for anyone out for a thrill, a mystery and some gore!
Read
August 11, 2018This was a fast-paced, well-written crime thriller and police procedural -- the first in a new series featuring Detective Superintendent Ray Paterson. He's a wealthy playboy, recently promoted to head his first murder squad case -- and the victim is a young woman, savagely mutilated with a word carved into her chest. He and his team, based out of Bermondsey, South London, barely get started on the investigation when another victim is found. They have a serial killer to hunt. Thankfully, Ray has a good group to work with, including a friend who's helping him learn the ropes, DS Dave Jordan.
As they delve into their jobs, even calling in a behavioral analyst, it becomes clear that this killer has an agenda, and their inability to find and apprehend this monster will cost the department dearly. NO SPOILERS.
What an absorbing read! I could not put this down and was absolutely glued to the pages, gripped by the twists and turns and the grisly details. The characters were depicted quite clearly and the dialog and actions of the team seemed so believable and realistic. The chills and tension kept escalating and the narrative paced perfectly to draw out maximum suspense. I loved it! If you enjoy a gritty police procedural with characters that are more unique than typical in the genre, this is the book for you. I cannot wait for the next novel by this author and highly recommend this one. Sign me up for an ARC now!
Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for this e-book ARC to read and review. This debut screams for a follow-up and I'm so glad I had the chance to get in at the beginning of what I'm sure will be a great ride for this obviously talented author who has the chops to write what he knows!
As they delve into their jobs, even calling in a behavioral analyst, it becomes clear that this killer has an agenda, and their inability to find and apprehend this monster will cost the department dearly. NO SPOILERS.
What an absorbing read! I could not put this down and was absolutely glued to the pages, gripped by the twists and turns and the grisly details. The characters were depicted quite clearly and the dialog and actions of the team seemed so believable and realistic. The chills and tension kept escalating and the narrative paced perfectly to draw out maximum suspense. I loved it! If you enjoy a gritty police procedural with characters that are more unique than typical in the genre, this is the book for you. I cannot wait for the next novel by this author and highly recommend this one. Sign me up for an ARC now!
Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for this e-book ARC to read and review. This debut screams for a follow-up and I'm so glad I had the chance to get in at the beginning of what I'm sure will be a great ride for this obviously talented author who has the chops to write what he knows!
August 20, 2018
So many errors
Unfortunately this book has too many errors to overlook. The description of the body mutilation couldn't happen, anatomica!!y.
The assault of a suspect, which at the time, spelled the end of the central character's career was never mentioned again.
The repeated assaults of police officers against other police officers was ridiculous. The procedure of resigning wasn't believable. The idea that anyone would be called to see a senior police officer to be told that charges wouldn't be levelled.
The ridiculous demonstration of the central character's wealth, by naming designer clothing (Paul Smith etc) and accessories (Rolex, Aston Martin) was laughable.
Sadly, this could only merit one star.
Unfortunately this book has too many errors to overlook. The description of the body mutilation couldn't happen, anatomica!!y.
The assault of a suspect, which at the time, spelled the end of the central character's career was never mentioned again.
The repeated assaults of police officers against other police officers was ridiculous. The procedure of resigning wasn't believable. The idea that anyone would be called to see a senior police officer to be told that charges wouldn't be levelled.
The ridiculous demonstration of the central character's wealth, by naming designer clothing (Paul Smith etc) and accessories (Rolex, Aston Martin) was laughable.
Sadly, this could only merit one star.
September 12, 2018
I can handle graphic violence and characters that are unlikable but when the first black character is seen in this book he's portrayed as a pimp and called "boy". The police then proceed to mock this character for saying "de po-lice". How stereotypical can you get? I even made it beyond the joke about "smelly" female anatomy but this is just too much. There simply wasn't enough to keep me going so to be fair, although it doesn't deserve it, I did not finish this book.
August 14, 2020
I am a big fan of Steve Parker and have read all his books in kindle format but when I found out it was being released as an audiobook - well the opportunity to have the brilliant characters brought to life in audio was far too much of a temptation for me to miss.
I must admit I am pretty new to audiobooks but I think the narrator for this one was brilliant. Some audiobooks are a bit like Jackanory (yes showing my age here) but as usual Audible have pulled it out of the bag with a brilliant narrator that actually sounds similar to the way I had expected which made for an even better listening experience.
As far as tick lists go this ticked every one of my requirements and some I didn't know I had. Ray Paterson is a rich ladies man who is fast tracking up the career ladder. His life is a car crash. They say money can't buy you happiness, well it seems to be buying Ray a whole lot of trouble and heartache. Some members of the team doubt his ability to be SIO of such a sadistic murder case which adds a new dimension to the story.
The team is made up of some very unique characters some I like and some I don't but what I do like is the way the author has developed the characters so that they grow on the reader. I particularly like Clocks behind the clown exterior lies a very perceptive detective and this comes across perfectly. Jordan is the loveable one. The team comprises a very healthy mix of different personalities that MAKE the story.
An absolutely stunning book and I am really looking forward to the audio versions of the rest of the series.
I must admit I am pretty new to audiobooks but I think the narrator for this one was brilliant. Some audiobooks are a bit like Jackanory (yes showing my age here) but as usual Audible have pulled it out of the bag with a brilliant narrator that actually sounds similar to the way I had expected which made for an even better listening experience.
As far as tick lists go this ticked every one of my requirements and some I didn't know I had. Ray Paterson is a rich ladies man who is fast tracking up the career ladder. His life is a car crash. They say money can't buy you happiness, well it seems to be buying Ray a whole lot of trouble and heartache. Some members of the team doubt his ability to be SIO of such a sadistic murder case which adds a new dimension to the story.
The team is made up of some very unique characters some I like and some I don't but what I do like is the way the author has developed the characters so that they grow on the reader. I particularly like Clocks behind the clown exterior lies a very perceptive detective and this comes across perfectly. Jordan is the loveable one. The team comprises a very healthy mix of different personalities that MAKE the story.
An absolutely stunning book and I am really looking forward to the audio versions of the rest of the series.
August 29, 2018
Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for this arc.
I really liked this story! The plot was a nice fast pace and twisty enough to keep my attention throughout. Yes, it was gory and graphic with language to match. But as I was looking to escape from "real life" for a while, it was just right for me. I found the characters believable if not all were particularly likeable (Ray) but they did "grow" on me.
3.5 stars rounded up.
I really liked this story! The plot was a nice fast pace and twisty enough to keep my attention throughout. Yes, it was gory and graphic with language to match. But as I was looking to escape from "real life" for a while, it was just right for me. I found the characters believable if not all were particularly likeable (Ray) but they did "grow" on me.
3.5 stars rounded up.
January 16, 2020
We have a young woman in her early twenties found brutally murdered in a London Street. Her injuries are so brutal that even the hardened Detective Sergeant Dave Jordan is horrified and wonders who could commit such a cruel act. Jordan along with Detective Superintendent Ray Paterson, DS Johnny Clocks and DC Adam Walker and the rest of the team are tasked with finding this evil perpetrator. This is the first book in the Paterson and Clocks series and it really did WOW me! It starts off at quite a slow pace but still had me gripped from the beginning. We're given just enough information about each individual leading character, all of whom have very different characteristics; Patterson who's very well-to-do, and dressed very smart, Jordan is overweight and more experienced and takes Patterson under his wing providing him with guidance and they're also good friends, then we have Clocks who doesn't think before he speaks half the time. I liked all of the characters and love the variety, they were very entertaining and there was never a dull moment. Steve Parker's experience in the Policing profession definitely reflects in his writing - this is a very well written plot. The book picks up pace as more murders are committed and we also begin to have more of an insight into the story which will have you wanting to carry on reading until you finish, and you'll want to find the answers to the questions that you're asking yourself. I felt shocked in a few places and I love that in a book; I love twists and turns and like to work it out in my mind and try and put all the pieces of the story together. I also felt very sad in a few parts but can't explain as I don't want to give anything away. I always enjoy books with some humour and I laughed a lot whilst reading this book. Thanks to Jock Hudson's first appearance (senior Pathologist), I literally spat my tea out! Overall, it's an exciting read, full of action and as I said, a great plot, some gory parts - again, I like, the more the better - and a read that I highly recommend! I look forward to reading the rest of the series. The next book in this series, is 'THE LOST CHILDREN'.
July 1, 2018
Anyone that knows me or reads my blog will know that I am a HUGE thriller fan and this book blew my mind!
Now a word of warning, this book is grusomely detailed, and I mean really detailed and some scenes had me muttering ‘sweet Lord!’ ‘OMG!’ to the point that I woke my husband up while burning the midnight oil.
A gruesome body on the first page and I was hooked. This book never takes its foot off the gas, as bodies turn up left right and centre Detective Superintendent Ray Paterson and his team have their work cut out for them.
There is a little tonge in cheek humour that comes from Johnny Clocks, but I loved him as a character and was probably my favourite next to Dave Jordan.
I will admit I didn’t guess ‘whodunit’ and I had a little GASP when I found out who it was…… it’s always the quiet ones! I will also hold my hands up and say I have 3% of the book left to read (naughty of me I know!) And I’ve been told there’s a little twist awaiting me, I’ll be back to edit my review once I’ve read it.
This action packed, fast paced and truly gripping book is….. well it’s awesome! I will be recommending it to all my friends that enjoy this kind of book. Very easy and VERY well deserved 5 golden apples from me!
Now a word of warning, this book is grusomely detailed, and I mean really detailed and some scenes had me muttering ‘sweet Lord!’ ‘OMG!’ to the point that I woke my husband up while burning the midnight oil.
A gruesome body on the first page and I was hooked. This book never takes its foot off the gas, as bodies turn up left right and centre Detective Superintendent Ray Paterson and his team have their work cut out for them.
There is a little tonge in cheek humour that comes from Johnny Clocks, but I loved him as a character and was probably my favourite next to Dave Jordan.
I will admit I didn’t guess ‘whodunit’ and I had a little GASP when I found out who it was…… it’s always the quiet ones! I will also hold my hands up and say I have 3% of the book left to read (naughty of me I know!) And I’ve been told there’s a little twist awaiting me, I’ll be back to edit my review once I’ve read it.
This action packed, fast paced and truly gripping book is….. well it’s awesome! I will be recommending it to all my friends that enjoy this kind of book. Very easy and VERY well deserved 5 golden apples from me!
March 14, 2024
THEIR LAST WORDS by STEVE PARKER
The murders in this book are gruesome to say the least, but being a hardened crime reader they didn’t bother me.
The police in this book are quite different, Ray Paterson is a very wealthy graduate, without much experience, his mate Jordan is an old fashioned copper who’s gone through the ranks, and my favourite is “Timex”, he’s a proper chancer, but a damn good cop, one who would watch your back through anything. I liked these characters, they didn’t fanny around with political correctness, they just did their job. The end was brilliant too.
I’m looking forward to rejoining the characters in the next book.
My thanks to the author, Steve Parker and Joffe Publishers for the ARC.
The murders in this book are gruesome to say the least, but being a hardened crime reader they didn’t bother me.
The police in this book are quite different, Ray Paterson is a very wealthy graduate, without much experience, his mate Jordan is an old fashioned copper who’s gone through the ranks, and my favourite is “Timex”, he’s a proper chancer, but a damn good cop, one who would watch your back through anything. I liked these characters, they didn’t fanny around with political correctness, they just did their job. The end was brilliant too.
I’m looking forward to rejoining the characters in the next book.
My thanks to the author, Steve Parker and Joffe Publishers for the ARC.
April 4, 2022
Whilst I have not finished this book, I find I need to put up a review:
CRUDE!!!
What is it with authors who HAVE to use obscenities? Yep Crude, and I think Steve PARKER has an issue with authority, or maybe he wants sensationalism.
The language he attributes to the Police is appalling. Yes, we are all aware of the 'black humour' that exists with police and detectives having to deal with some horrific situations, but PARKER goes too far.
I will continue on for a few more chapters, but if it stays as it has, or gets worse, I won't bother.
19th February 2022.
Just garbage - not recommended.
CRUDE!!!
What is it with authors who HAVE to use obscenities? Yep Crude, and I think Steve PARKER has an issue with authority, or maybe he wants sensationalism.
The language he attributes to the Police is appalling. Yes, we are all aware of the 'black humour' that exists with police and detectives having to deal with some horrific situations, but PARKER goes too far.
I will continue on for a few more chapters, but if it stays as it has, or gets worse, I won't bother.
19th February 2022.
Just garbage - not recommended.
October 13, 2020
I don’t think I’ve ever read a book I’ve disliked more. Truly astonished at the 4 star review average.
There’s nothing even remotely a true portrayal of the met police. This shows them all as racist, sexist, unprofessional and frankly a bunch of idiots who haven’t a clue. The author clearly could’ve used doing a bit of research instead of making every character some sort of Dirty Harry renegade. Utter horseshit.
There’s nothing even remotely a true portrayal of the met police. This shows them all as racist, sexist, unprofessional and frankly a bunch of idiots who haven’t a clue. The author clearly could’ve used doing a bit of research instead of making every character some sort of Dirty Harry renegade. Utter horseshit.
May 16, 2022
DNF
I persevered with this book thinking the descriptions of the brutal murders might be limited to the beginning, as is the case with many crime books, but no. The description of the violence keeps being repeated.
I persevered with this book thinking the descriptions of the brutal murders might be limited to the beginning, as is the case with many crime books, but no. The description of the violence keeps being repeated.
Read
June 22, 20183 and 1 / 2 stars
Detective Superintendent Paterson is a wealthy man who was fast-tracked up the promotion line. He basically has no real police investigative skills. Luckily, he has DS Dave Jordan who is Paterson’s partner and good friend.
When a young woman is found murdered and badly mutilated, the police know that they have a real problem on their hands. They make very little progress before another woman is also murdered and mutilated. Each of the women has a single word carved onto their chests. The police come up with a couple of suspects, but it turns out that neither man is the correct one. One of the DC’s on the team, DC Walker has a forensic psychology degree and offers some very good ideas. They call in a profiler who comes to many of the same conclusions.
Another woman is found dead. It is now clear that they have a serial killer on their hands. There is a tragedy for the team, but especially for Peterson. Then an explosive fact is revealed to the reader.
The race is now on to catch the killer. He is very smart and crafty. He is determined. In an exciting and action-packed conclusion, Clocks and Paterson face the killer who is intent on killing again.
I didn’t care for Detective Superintendent Paterson. He is too quick to temper, acts immature and frankly, has been promoted beyond his skills. I’m not sure if this is how Mr. Parker intended to portray him, but if this is the quality of superintendents that populate the British police force then remind me not to travel there. I’m not even sure what Paterson found so irritating about DS Clock’s sense of humor. I agree that the man was not funny, but he wasn’t all that irritating. I liked DS Jordan and the rest of the team. The writing in this book is not bad. The plotting is good. The transitions were, at times, a little difficult to follow and Mr. Parker needs to work on those. All in all, a pretty good read. I am looking forward to the next in this series to see if Superintendent Paterson has grown up a bit.
I want to thank NetGalley and Joffe Books for forwarding to me a copy of this good debut book to read and review.
Detective Superintendent Paterson is a wealthy man who was fast-tracked up the promotion line. He basically has no real police investigative skills. Luckily, he has DS Dave Jordan who is Paterson’s partner and good friend.
When a young woman is found murdered and badly mutilated, the police know that they have a real problem on their hands. They make very little progress before another woman is also murdered and mutilated. Each of the women has a single word carved onto their chests. The police come up with a couple of suspects, but it turns out that neither man is the correct one. One of the DC’s on the team, DC Walker has a forensic psychology degree and offers some very good ideas. They call in a profiler who comes to many of the same conclusions.
Another woman is found dead. It is now clear that they have a serial killer on their hands. There is a tragedy for the team, but especially for Peterson. Then an explosive fact is revealed to the reader.
The race is now on to catch the killer. He is very smart and crafty. He is determined. In an exciting and action-packed conclusion, Clocks and Paterson face the killer who is intent on killing again.
I didn’t care for Detective Superintendent Paterson. He is too quick to temper, acts immature and frankly, has been promoted beyond his skills. I’m not sure if this is how Mr. Parker intended to portray him, but if this is the quality of superintendents that populate the British police force then remind me not to travel there. I’m not even sure what Paterson found so irritating about DS Clock’s sense of humor. I agree that the man was not funny, but he wasn’t all that irritating. I liked DS Jordan and the rest of the team. The writing in this book is not bad. The plotting is good. The transitions were, at times, a little difficult to follow and Mr. Parker needs to work on those. All in all, a pretty good read. I am looking forward to the next in this series to see if Superintendent Paterson has grown up a bit.
I want to thank NetGalley and Joffe Books for forwarding to me a copy of this good debut book to read and review.
July 30, 2018
Thanks to Joffe Books and Netgalley I received this great book.
It is a great book because A) it is British, full of nice slang and good strong characters; B) it is fast-paced with new surprises in almost every chapter; C) the reader gets to know the 'bad guy' quite well - or not - and D) all of the above and more.
There is crime, viscious crime. There is hatred and politics and lots of rain. But there is also strong friendship, insights and love. It is very well written with superb insights. You cannot call it a 'nice' book and sometimes it is really gloomy but it is all very real.
I hope to read more of this author in the near future.
It is a great book because A) it is British, full of nice slang and good strong characters; B) it is fast-paced with new surprises in almost every chapter; C) the reader gets to know the 'bad guy' quite well - or not - and D) all of the above and more.
There is crime, viscious crime. There is hatred and politics and lots of rain. But there is also strong friendship, insights and love. It is very well written with superb insights. You cannot call it a 'nice' book and sometimes it is really gloomy but it is all very real.
I hope to read more of this author in the near future.
June 22, 2018
I really enjoyed this story. The way the characters interact with each other, the way the try and figure out who the serial killer is and why. Yes, if your not into graphic killings, this book may not be for you. I found it to be very interesting and I did not think who the killer was. I was surprised at the identity. I would like to thank Joffee Books and Net Galley for a copy of this book. Looking forward to more from this author. I voluntarily reviewed this and this is my opinion of it.
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