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David Raker #1
Uhri
Mary Towne on varma asiastaan. Hän on nähnyt kuolleeksi julistetun poikansa Alexin ilmielävänä. Kadonneita henkilöitä jäljittävä yksityisetsivä David Raker on epäileväinen, mutta ottaa jutun tutkittavakseen.
Tutkinnan edetessä Alexin elämästä alkaa paljastua asioita, joista hänen äidillään ei ole aavistustakaan. Pojan menneisyydessä on synkkiä salaisuuksia, joiden paljastumisen ryhmä kylmäverisiä tappajia aikoo estää hinnalla millä hyvänsä
Tutkinnan edetessä Alexin elämästä alkaa paljastua asioita, joista hänen äidillään ei ole aavistustakaan. Pojan menneisyydessä on synkkiä salaisuuksia, joiden paljastumisen ryhmä kylmäverisiä tappajia aikoo estää hinnalla millä hyvänsä
303 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2009
433 people are currently reading
5779 people want to read
About the author
Tim Weaver
56 books1,602 followersTim Weaver is the Sunday Times Top 3 bestselling author of the David Raker missing persons series, the standalone thriller, Missing Pieces, and the novella collection, The Shadow at the Door. His novels have been selected for the Richard and Judy Book Club four times, and his work has been nominated for a National Book Award and the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger. He is currently developing an original TV drama with the team behind Line of Duty. He lives near Bath in the UK. Find out more about Tim and his writing at www.timweaverbooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 655 reviews
August 31, 2018
I'm going to keep this review short and sweet because I feel the next few sentences say it all about "Chasing The Dead" which I thoroughly enjoyed.
This book was utterly brilliant. Exactly my type of story. Menacingly creepy, intense, scary, definitely an edge of the seat thriller.
Easy to read, quick to follow and with very good characters, I'm so pleased I started the David Raker series with this the first book "Chasing The Dead" so I can follow them in the correct order and truly enjoy them all.
Tim Weaver is a fantastic writer, very imaginative who captured my attention from the very first page and continued through until the fabulous ending that I didn't see coming!
A well earned 5 stars and more, for a book and series I now have high expectations of.
This book was utterly brilliant. Exactly my type of story. Menacingly creepy, intense, scary, definitely an edge of the seat thriller.
Easy to read, quick to follow and with very good characters, I'm so pleased I started the David Raker series with this the first book "Chasing The Dead" so I can follow them in the correct order and truly enjoy them all.
Tim Weaver is a fantastic writer, very imaginative who captured my attention from the very first page and continued through until the fabulous ending that I didn't see coming!
A well earned 5 stars and more, for a book and series I now have high expectations of.
February 18, 2020
EXCERPT: And that was how it began. I pushed the doubt down with the sadness and anger and found the girl three days later in a bedsit in Walthamstow. Then, more work followed, more missing people, and I could see the ripples of the career I had left behind returning to me. Asking questions, making calls, trying to pick up the trail. I'd always liked the investigative parts of journalism, the dirty work, the digging, more than I had liked the writing. And, after a while, a few cases into my new career, I knew it was the reason I never felt out of my depth working missing persons, because the process, the course of the chase, was exactly the same. Most of it was just about caring enough. The police didn't have time to find every person who left home and never returned - and I think sometimes they failed to understand why people disappeared in the first place. Most of them didn't leave just to prove a point. They left because their lives had taken an uncontrollable turn, and the only way to contend with that was to run. What followed, the traps they fell into after, were the reasons they could never go back.
But despite the hundreds of people who went missing every day of every year, I'm not sure that I ever expected to make a living out of trying to find them. It never felt like a job; not in the way that journalism had. And yet, after a while, when the money really started coming in, Derryn persuaded me to rent some office space down the road from our home, in an effort to get me out, but also - more than that, I think - to convince me I could make a career out of what I was doing.
She called it a long-term plan.
Two months later she died.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: It starts out as a sad but hopeless case of mistaken identity. A year after the death of her son Alex, Mary Towne is convinced she's seen him alive - and wants missing persons investigator David Raker to find him. Reluctant at first, but haunted by a loss of his own, Raker eventually agrees.
MY THOUGHTS: Chasing the Dead by Tim Weaver is an excellent start to a series that I have been reading in a piecemeal manner.
If you have ever lost someone that you were really close to, you will know that it takes time to adjust I used to pick up the phone to call my mum with some piece of news that I thought she would want to know. I would think I saw the back of my dad's head across a crowded room. I could smell my grandad's pipe when I was out in the garden. There would be that jolt of recognition, then the crushing realisation that it wasn't them.
But what happens when that crushing realisation doesn't come? That is what happens to Mary. She sees her son, who has been declared dead and whom she has buried, and she follows him.....then loses him.
David Raker isn't entirely convinced, but Mary has enough evidence to intrigue him. And then he meets a woman who is legally dead.
This book is quite an intense thriller. Exciting and intense, although I think a little over the top occasionally. However this definitely kept my interest throughout, and had me guessing absolutely way off course.
Intense and exciting with an unexpected ending.
😊😊😊😊
THE AUTHOR: Tim Weaver is the bestselling author of the David Raker missing persons series. His fourth novel, Never Coming Back, was selected for the Richard and Judy Book Club, and his work has been nominated for a National Book Award. A former journalist and magazine editor, he lives near Bath with his wife and daughter.
DISCLOSURE: I listened to the audiobook of Chasing the Dead by Tim Weaver, narrated by Michael Healy, and published by Penguin, via Overdrive. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system, please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
But despite the hundreds of people who went missing every day of every year, I'm not sure that I ever expected to make a living out of trying to find them. It never felt like a job; not in the way that journalism had. And yet, after a while, when the money really started coming in, Derryn persuaded me to rent some office space down the road from our home, in an effort to get me out, but also - more than that, I think - to convince me I could make a career out of what I was doing.
She called it a long-term plan.
Two months later she died.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: It starts out as a sad but hopeless case of mistaken identity. A year after the death of her son Alex, Mary Towne is convinced she's seen him alive - and wants missing persons investigator David Raker to find him. Reluctant at first, but haunted by a loss of his own, Raker eventually agrees.
MY THOUGHTS: Chasing the Dead by Tim Weaver is an excellent start to a series that I have been reading in a piecemeal manner.
If you have ever lost someone that you were really close to, you will know that it takes time to adjust I used to pick up the phone to call my mum with some piece of news that I thought she would want to know. I would think I saw the back of my dad's head across a crowded room. I could smell my grandad's pipe when I was out in the garden. There would be that jolt of recognition, then the crushing realisation that it wasn't them.
But what happens when that crushing realisation doesn't come? That is what happens to Mary. She sees her son, who has been declared dead and whom she has buried, and she follows him.....then loses him.
David Raker isn't entirely convinced, but Mary has enough evidence to intrigue him. And then he meets a woman who is legally dead.
This book is quite an intense thriller. Exciting and intense, although I think a little over the top occasionally. However this definitely kept my interest throughout, and had me guessing absolutely way off course.
Intense and exciting with an unexpected ending.
😊😊😊😊
THE AUTHOR: Tim Weaver is the bestselling author of the David Raker missing persons series. His fourth novel, Never Coming Back, was selected for the Richard and Judy Book Club, and his work has been nominated for a National Book Award. A former journalist and magazine editor, he lives near Bath with his wife and daughter.
DISCLOSURE: I listened to the audiobook of Chasing the Dead by Tim Weaver, narrated by Michael Healy, and published by Penguin, via Overdrive. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system, please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
May 18, 2019
OVER THE TOP
Chasing the Dead introduces David Raker, a grieving widower who, using the investigative skills honed in his former profession as a reporter, now finds missing people. The book opens with a Coben-esque conundrum - David is tasked with finding the dead son of a friend, who swears she saw him very much alive, walking the streets of London a month or so earlier. So begins Dave’s journey/investigation, which goes from interesting to downright ludicrous.
Our hero, battling the grief over the loss of his much beloved spouse – which we experience constantly - untangles a nefarious web of dead, but not gone – the twist – victims. Along the way, Dave uses a set of James Bond-like ninja skills – which are at best far-fetched – without any real background as to how this seemingly ordinary guy acquired them. The long drawn out conclusion – Dave walks into a trap, is “caught” and escapes – simply defies belief. Even the identity of the culprit at the head of the book’s conspiracy – blatantly foreshadowed – is silly.
There’s an interesting premise/hook here that careens off the rails about a third of the way through, the story-line never finding its way back to even mindless entertainment.
Pass on this one.
Chasing the Dead introduces David Raker, a grieving widower who, using the investigative skills honed in his former profession as a reporter, now finds missing people. The book opens with a Coben-esque conundrum - David is tasked with finding the dead son of a friend, who swears she saw him very much alive, walking the streets of London a month or so earlier. So begins Dave’s journey/investigation, which goes from interesting to downright ludicrous.
Our hero, battling the grief over the loss of his much beloved spouse – which we experience constantly - untangles a nefarious web of dead, but not gone – the twist – victims. Along the way, Dave uses a set of James Bond-like ninja skills – which are at best far-fetched – without any real background as to how this seemingly ordinary guy acquired them. The long drawn out conclusion – Dave walks into a trap, is “caught” and escapes – simply defies belief. Even the identity of the culprit at the head of the book’s conspiracy – blatantly foreshadowed – is silly.
There’s an interesting premise/hook here that careens off the rails about a third of the way through, the story-line never finding its way back to even mindless entertainment.
Pass on this one.
November 4, 2015
An Awesome Thriller
This debut David Raker thriller by Tim Weaver is excellent. It's actually amazing. British thriller writing at it's best.
It's real and gritty and you really get to know the main character really well. You get to feel him grow and change as the story progresses and the slow reveal of his history adds to the suspense of the book.
I usually don't like violence in books, but the toe-curling, fist-clenching brutal events in this books worked for me. Sure, I felt sick and almost like crying, but I read on. It always toed the line between being too-much and just-enough.
David Raker is a pretty complex character. He has his ups and downs, his history which is slowly revealed throughout the book.
The sense of mystery and suspense in the book borders on epic. It builds and twists and turns all the way up to the stunning finale.
Once I got to the end I wanted to read more. Cur me buying the rest of the series (so far) and it does not disappoint.
This debut David Raker thriller by Tim Weaver is excellent. It's actually amazing. British thriller writing at it's best.
It's real and gritty and you really get to know the main character really well. You get to feel him grow and change as the story progresses and the slow reveal of his history adds to the suspense of the book.
I usually don't like violence in books, but the toe-curling, fist-clenching brutal events in this books worked for me. Sure, I felt sick and almost like crying, but I read on. It always toed the line between being too-much and just-enough.
David Raker is a pretty complex character. He has his ups and downs, his history which is slowly revealed throughout the book.
The sense of mystery and suspense in the book borders on epic. It builds and twists and turns all the way up to the stunning finale.
Once I got to the end I wanted to read more. Cur me buying the rest of the series (so far) and it does not disappoint.
December 9, 2018
This is the first book in the David Raker series by author Tim Weaver. Lead character is based in London and investigate missing people.
A year after the death of her son Alex, Mary Towne is convinced she's seen him alive - and wants missing persons investigator David Raker to find him. Reluctant at first, but haunted by a loss of his own, Raker eventually agrees.
Not the first book I have read in this series but the standard of this one is right up there with the others.
Very good book by a very talented author.
A year after the death of her son Alex, Mary Towne is convinced she's seen him alive - and wants missing persons investigator David Raker to find him. Reluctant at first, but haunted by a loss of his own, Raker eventually agrees.
Not the first book I have read in this series but the standard of this one is right up there with the others.
Very good book by a very talented author.
April 1, 2018
absolute shite - don't waste your time.
extremely poor and disappointing second half after a promising opening. slapstick comedy plot mixed with thriller style - unbelievable number of unbelievable escapes from people with guns trying to kill each other combined with miraculous instant recoveries by people beaten to seeming near unconsciousness.
extremely poor and disappointing second half after a promising opening. slapstick comedy plot mixed with thriller style - unbelievable number of unbelievable escapes from people with guns trying to kill each other combined with miraculous instant recoveries by people beaten to seeming near unconsciousness.
November 25, 2016
David Raker finds missing people. His latest assignment is to find Alex, a young man who was killed in a car accident, but whose mother swears she's seen him alive.
It begins well and Weaver builds a creepy atmosphere but somewhere round about the middle of the book it all becomes an endless cycle of violent confrontations. David Raker quickly turns into Rambo able to withstand any amount of physical violence. I think the biggest problem here is that you just don't care about any of the characters, or what happens to them. They're like ghosts in fog. The revelations at the end were for me just too silly to have any impact. There is not much sense of time and place either. It's supposed to be Winter, but despite references to snow it could be the middle of summer. It feels as if the author lost his grip on his characters and what happens around them. Undistinguished and sadly forgettable.
It begins well and Weaver builds a creepy atmosphere but somewhere round about the middle of the book it all becomes an endless cycle of violent confrontations. David Raker quickly turns into Rambo able to withstand any amount of physical violence. I think the biggest problem here is that you just don't care about any of the characters, or what happens to them. They're like ghosts in fog. The revelations at the end were for me just too silly to have any impact. There is not much sense of time and place either. It's supposed to be Winter, but despite references to snow it could be the middle of summer. It feels as if the author lost his grip on his characters and what happens around them. Undistinguished and sadly forgettable.
November 11, 2013
Came to this first book of the David Raker series immediately after reading the fourth, 'Never Coming Back', which I thought was fabulous and gripping. Maybe I shouldn't have stuck with the same genre so soon after, but I didn't enjoy 'Chasing the Dead' half as much. My reading 'dips' in and out across busy work days, and I found this book, and its many charachters, rather difficult to keep track of. While the premise of 'Never Coming Back' seemed completely believable to me, this one I found a little more difficult to accept. I will go on to read the two 'in between' books, but will leave them for a little while.
May 25, 2020
3,5/5
Ο Γιός της Μέρι, Άλεξ, εξαφανίστηκε πριν από έξι χρόνια. Πέντε χρόνια αργότερα το πτώμα του βρέθηκε σε ένα αυτοκινητιστικό δυστύχημα. Η Μέρι στρέφεται στον ερευνητή Ντέιβιντ Ρέικερ για να πάρει απαντήσεις. Ο Ρέικερ αναλαμβάνει την υπόθεση παρά τις αρχικές του ενστάσεις.
Σύντομα θα καταλάβει ότι ήταν η λάθος απόφαση αφού τα μυστικά του Άλεξ θα τον βάλουν σε κίνδυνο χειρότερο και από το θάνατο.
Ένα αρκετά καλογραμμένο και γρήγορο αστυνομικό θρίλερ.
Διαβάστε αναλυτικά την άποψή μου στο blog μου.
Ο Γιός της Μέρι, Άλεξ, εξαφανίστηκε πριν από έξι χρόνια. Πέντε χρόνια αργότερα το πτώμα του βρέθηκε σε ένα αυτοκινητιστικό δυστύχημα. Η Μέρι στρέφεται στον ερευνητή Ντέιβιντ Ρέικερ για να πάρει απαντήσεις. Ο Ρέικερ αναλαμβάνει την υπόθεση παρά τις αρχικές του ενστάσεις.
Σύντομα θα καταλάβει ότι ήταν η λάθος απόφαση αφού τα μυστικά του Άλεξ θα τον βάλουν σε κίνδυνο χειρότερο και από το θάνατο.
Ένα αρκετά καλογραμμένο και γρήγορο αστυνομικό θρίλερ.
Διαβάστε αναλυτικά την άποψή μου στο blog μου.
April 7, 2013
I picked this up after a recommendation from a friend, expecting to find another good,if not shiny new, addition to the crime fiction genre. I was wrong. The premise for the story is fairly straight forward - David Raker, ex journalist, has kind of fallen into the career of finding missing children. Those who the Police may not prioritise for whatever reason, David does. He is very successful at it. His wife having recently passed away, he is unsure whether or not he is going to continue...until a friend who worked at the hospital where his wife was cared for asks him to find her son. There is a slight issue - he died some time ago in a car accident. Here are the things I loved about this book - Firstly, David Raker is an excellent character. Yes Mr Weaver draws some idea's from the "character traits for crime novels" standard list but mostly David is his own man. Secondly, the book is perfectly paced - with action where action is needed and a more sedate "humming along" just when you need to get your breath back. The pages practically turn themselves. And lastly, the "mystery" is wonderfully imagined...I don't think I've seen a similar plot resolution in all my years reading Crime Fiction (although I'm guessing someone, somewhere will correct me!) and that made it an absolute joy for me. Oh and the twist in the tale was an actual twist not one of those ones that you will know all along. I thought I saw where it was going but I was off down the wrong road entirely - Heading for Cornwall when I should have been heading for Scotland so to speak. So Yay! Great read, and because I'm a bit late to the party, I don't have to wait for the next one. Bliss.
March 26, 2020
Κάθε μέρα, κάθε μήνα, κάθε χρόνο, δεκάδες, εκατοντάδες άνθρωποι στον κόσμο χάνονται, το σκάνε από το σπίτι τους ή απλώς… εξαφανίζονται. Κάποιοι μπορεί να θέλουν να ξεφύγουν από τη ζωή τους. Και κάποιοι άλλοι, ίσως να μην έχουν επιλογή. Πίσω από κάθε εξαφάνιση υπάρχει μια ιστορία. Αυτές τις ιστορίες, τις σκοτεινές, επικίνδυνες, που θα σας κόψουν την ανάσα, σάς καλούμε να ανακαλύψετε μέσα από τη νέα σειρά βιβλίων «Υποθέσεις Εξαφανισμένων Προσώπων».
Με αυτά τα λόγια υποδέχονται οι εκδόσεις BELL, τη νέα πολύ επιτυχημένη σειρά, του Tim Weaver, με θέμα υποθέσεις εξαφανισμένων προσώπων. Το «Κυνηγώντας τους Νεκρούς» είναι το πρώτο βιβλίο της σειράς «Υποθέσεις Εξαφανισμένων Προσώπων», η οποία καθώς φαίνεται θα κάνει θραύση και στη χώρα μας! Πρόκειται για μια λαμπρή δουλειά από πλευράς του συγγραφέα Tim Weaver και μια εξαιρετική μετάφραση από τον αγαπημένο μας Βαγγέλη Γιαννίση! Ότι και να πω είναι λίγο, γι’ αυτό θα προσπαθήσω να είμαι σύντομη και περιεκτική. Θα προσπαθήσω είπα. Μην το δέσετε και κόμπο! ;-)
Με λίγα λόγια για την υπόθεση, στο απολαυστικότατο ντεμπούτο του, ο Weaver μας συστήνει το David Raker, πρώην δημοσιογράφο και νυν ερευνητή εξαφανισμένων προσώπων, ο οποίος καλείται να βρει ένα νεαρό άντρα ο οποίος εξαφανίστηκε προ 6ετίας κι όλως παραδόξως εμφανίστηκε προσφάτως, σα θύμα αυτοκινητικού δυστυχήματος. Οι έρευνές του τον οδηγούν σε πολύ σκοτεινά μονοπάτια, στα έγκατα μιας επικίνδυνης σέκτας, η οποία δεν θα διστάσει να φυλακίσει, βασανίσει ή ακόμα και σκοτώσει, προκειμένου να κρατήσει κρυφά τα ζοφερά μυστικά της.
Πρόκειται για μια ιστορία με γρήγορη πλοκή, καταιγιστική δράση, ανατροπές που διαδέχονται η μια την άλλη και αποκαλύψεις που συγκλονίζουν. Με κεφάλαια σφηνάκια, βοηθά τον αναγνώστη να πάει ακόμα παρακάτω κι έτσι ένας όγκος 364 σελίδων τελειώνει σε ώρες. Προσωπικά το ξεκίνησα το βράδυ της μιας μέρας και το ολοκλήρωσα το απόγευμα της επόμενης!
Αρχικά, το «Κυνηγώντας τους νεκρούς» δεν φαίνεται να ειναι μια πρωτότυπη ή ιδιαίτερη ιστορία. Ωστόσο έχει τόσο καλογραμμένη και γεμάτη δομή κι ένα τόσο ανατρεπτικό τέλος, που αυτό και μόνο την κατατάσσει χωρίς αμφιβολία, στα παγκόσμια best sellers! Ο κεντρικός ήρωας είναι πολύ συμπαθητικός και γλυκός και πείθει τον αναγνώστη. Δεν θα κρύψω ότι μερικές φορές ήθελα να τον σφαλιαρίσω και να του πω: «Ε που πας, δε βλέπεις ότι πρόκειται για παγίδα;». Τόσο ζωντανή είναι η γραφή του Weaver. Οι περιφερειακοί δευτερεύοντες ήρωες, ήταν επίσης μεστοί κι αληθοφανείς και μόνο οι σούπερ κακοί της υπόθεσης μου φάνηκαν λίγο υπερβολικοί. Αλλά στην τελική, αυτό προκύπτει τώρα που γράφω την άποψή μου. Κατά τη διάρκεια της ανάγνωσης δε με απασχόλησε καν αυτό.
Εν κατακλείδι, το «Κυνηγώντας τους νεκρούς» έχει ευφάνταστη πλοκή, κινηματογραφικές σκηνές δράσης, σοκαριστικά κι αιματοβαμμένα εγκλήματα κι ένα τέλος που καθηλώνει. Προσωπικά όταν έφτασα στο συγκεκριμένο σημείο, έμεινα για κάποια λεπτά «κοκαλωμένη», να προσπαθώ να συνειδητοποιήσω «τι ακριβώς έγινε μόλις τώρα»!
Ανυπομονώ τρελά για τη συνέχειά του, η οποία ελπίζω να μην αργήσει!
Καλές αναγνώσεις!
Με αυτά τα λόγια υποδέχονται οι εκδόσεις BELL, τη νέα πολύ επιτυχημένη σειρά, του Tim Weaver, με θέμα υποθέσεις εξαφανισμένων προσώπων. Το «Κυνηγώντας τους Νεκρούς» είναι το πρώτο βιβλίο της σειράς «Υποθέσεις Εξαφανισμένων Προσώπων», η οποία καθώς φαίνεται θα κάνει θραύση και στη χώρα μας! Πρόκειται για μια λαμπρή δουλειά από πλευράς του συγγραφέα Tim Weaver και μια εξαιρετική μετάφραση από τον αγαπημένο μας Βαγγέλη Γιαννίση! Ότι και να πω είναι λίγο, γι’ αυτό θα προσπαθήσω να είμαι σύντομη και περιεκτική. Θα προσπαθήσω είπα. Μην το δέσετε και κόμπο! ;-)
Με λίγα λόγια για την υπόθεση, στο απολαυστικότατο ντεμπούτο του, ο Weaver μας συστήνει το David Raker, πρώην δημοσιογράφο και νυν ερευνητή εξαφανισμένων προσώπων, ο οποίος καλείται να βρει ένα νεαρό άντρα ο οποίος εξαφανίστηκε προ 6ετίας κι όλως παραδόξως εμφανίστηκε προσφάτως, σα θύμα αυτοκινητικού δυστυχήματος. Οι έρευνές του τον οδηγούν σε πολύ σκοτεινά μονοπάτια, στα έγκατα μιας επικίνδυνης σέκτας, η οποία δεν θα διστάσει να φυλακίσει, βασανίσει ή ακόμα και σκοτώσει, προκειμένου να κρατήσει κρυφά τα ζοφερά μυστικά της.
Πρόκειται για μια ιστορία με γρήγορη πλοκή, καταιγιστική δράση, ανατροπές που διαδέχονται η μια την άλλη και αποκαλύψεις που συγκλονίζουν. Με κεφάλαια σφηνάκια, βοηθά τον αναγνώστη να πάει ακόμα παρακάτω κι έτσι ένας όγκος 364 σελίδων τελειώνει σε ώρες. Προσωπικά το ξεκίνησα το βράδυ της μιας μέρας και το ολοκλήρωσα το απόγευμα της επόμενης!
Αρχικά, το «Κυνηγώντας τους νεκρούς» δεν φαίνεται να ειναι μια πρωτότυπη ή ιδιαίτερη ιστορία. Ωστόσο έχει τόσο καλογραμμένη και γεμάτη δομή κι ένα τόσο ανατρεπτικό τέλος, που αυτό και μόνο την κατατάσσει χωρίς αμφιβολία, στα παγκόσμια best sellers! Ο κεντρικός ήρωας είναι πολύ συμπαθητικός και γλυκός και πείθει τον αναγνώστη. Δεν θα κρύψω ότι μερικές φορές ήθελα να τον σφαλιαρίσω και να του πω: «Ε που πας, δε βλέπεις ότι πρόκειται για παγίδα;». Τόσο ζωντανή είναι η γραφή του Weaver. Οι περιφερειακοί δευτερεύοντες ήρωες, ήταν επίσης μεστοί κι αληθοφανείς και μόνο οι σούπερ κακοί της υπόθεσης μου φάνηκαν λίγο υπερβολικοί. Αλλά στην τελική, αυτό προκύπτει τώρα που γράφω την άποψή μου. Κατά τη διάρκεια της ανάγνωσης δε με απασχόλησε καν αυτό.
Εν κατακλείδι, το «Κυνηγώντας τους νεκρούς» έχει ευφάνταστη πλοκή, κινηματογραφικές σκηνές δράσης, σοκαριστικά κι αιματοβαμμένα εγκλήματα κι ένα τέλος που καθηλώνει. Προσωπικά όταν έφτασα στο συγκεκριμένο σημείο, έμεινα για κάποια λεπτά «κοκαλωμένη», να προσπαθώ να συνειδητοποιήσω «τι ακριβώς έγινε μόλις τώρα»!
Ανυπομονώ τρελά για τη συνέχειά του, η οποία ελπίζω να μην αργήσει!
Καλές αναγνώσεις!
December 5, 2024
“Chasing the Dead”, by Tim Weaver - book 1 of David Raker series - a new author to me.
3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
This was quite brilliant, especially the conclusion.
The concept and writing was quite good, but the execution lacked balance, hence my ratings.
The story started very well and got me hooked, but later became over the top with too much action. The main character had too many closed calls to death. Really.
Anyways, there isn’t a moment of boredom and I was very surprised.
My copy was an ebook that I borrowed from the public library and it is supposed to be unabridged. I do not know when this edition was published, although the copyright says 2010, by Penguin Books.
But I also borrowed the audiobook narrated by Peter Wickham, who did a fabulous job, although the sound quality was not very good as it was copied from a CD edition (it tells when a CD was over and a new one was starting).
But what I really want to point out is that the audiobook had more words than the ebook. And it was a lot better because some sentences made more sense or gave a clearer sense of that moment. This audiobook was released in 2012. There is another audiobook narrated by Michael Healy, released in 2016, but I do not know which version of the book is related to.
I really wanted to write some samples, just to show how much better the first audiobook is, but I just can’t find the time.
Anyways, I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series (there are ten more, to date).
3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
This was quite brilliant, especially the conclusion.
The concept and writing was quite good, but the execution lacked balance, hence my ratings.
The story started very well and got me hooked, but later became over the top with too much action. The main character had too many closed calls to death. Really.
Anyways, there isn’t a moment of boredom and I was very surprised.
My copy was an ebook that I borrowed from the public library and it is supposed to be unabridged. I do not know when this edition was published, although the copyright says 2010, by Penguin Books.
But I also borrowed the audiobook narrated by Peter Wickham, who did a fabulous job, although the sound quality was not very good as it was copied from a CD edition (it tells when a CD was over and a new one was starting).
But what I really want to point out is that the audiobook had more words than the ebook. And it was a lot better because some sentences made more sense or gave a clearer sense of that moment. This audiobook was released in 2012. There is another audiobook narrated by Michael Healy, released in 2016, but I do not know which version of the book is related to.
I really wanted to write some samples, just to show how much better the first audiobook is, but I just can’t find the time.
Anyways, I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series (there are ten more, to date).
March 17, 2011
Leave your brain on your bookshelf when you take this one to the toilet.
September 1, 2019
I have to think about one of the most well-known quote by Karl Popper, an Austrian and British philosopher, very often nowadays, that actually is a sad fact :
"The attempt to make heaven on earth invariably produces hell."
I thought about this quote also while reading this book, though here less figuratively but literally.
David Raker, a former journalist and now a missing persons investigator, who is still mourning for the loss of his beloved wife, is asked to look into disappearance and mysterious death of Alex Towne. During the investigation David bumped into much bigger mystery than just a disappearance and thereby put his life in acute danger.
It was my first book by the author and, considering the fact that it was also his debut novel, he got already my full attention- even if I didn't rate it with a full five stars - and I am sure that he will be getting better in the following installments about David Raker, a missing persons investigator.
A gripping plot, a creepy atmosphere and a mystic aura over it. At some point though I started to worry that it would turn into a paranormal story, so weird it was! Thanks God, no genre changing. But still, I found the second part of the book a bit too much: there were just TOO MANY life-threatening situations for one person in one book. I am glad that David managed to escape every time he was almost killed, but it started to get on my nerves and the whole "OMG" and "THANKS GOD HE DID IT AGAIN" became less credible.
Bottom line;
I'm going to read more of the series anyway. It has a big potential.
March 14, 2020
Άκρως απολαυστικό ντεμπούτο.
Οι εκδόσεις Bell έφεραν στην Ελλάδα τη σειρά του Tim Weaver (η οποία στη χώρα μας θα φέρει τον τίτλο ''Υποθέσεις Εξαφανισμένων Προσώπων''). Σε αυτήν, ο David Raker, ένας ιδιωτικός ερευνητής, αναλαμβάνει -προφανώς- να εντοπίσει πρόσωπα που έχουν χαθεί.
Το ''Κυνηγώντας τους νεκρούς'' είναι ένα βιβλίο που τέλειωσα σε δύο μέρες, καθώς η δομή της πλοκής είναι τέτοια που πάντα σκέφτεσαι ότι θέλεις να διαβάσεις ένα ακόμα κεφάλαιο πριν το αφήσεις. Η δράση είναι συνεχής και οι ανατροπές συνεχόμενες.
Του έκοψα μια μονάδα περισσότερο επειδή το ''πλάνο των κακών'' είναι από εκείνα τα μεγαλεπήβολα στα βιβλία και τις ταινίες που ποτέ δεν πείθουν απολύτως τον αναγνώστη. Ωστόσο, η συνολική επίγευση ήταν θετικότατη. Ο κεντρικός πρωταγωνιστής μού άρεσε πολύ, ενώ η ανατροπή των τελευταίων σελίδων κόντεψε να με κάνει να βάλω το πεντάρι από το πρώτο βιβλίο της σειράς!
Τελικά το κράτησα (όπως ήδη υποψιάζομαι) για το επόμενο!
Οι εκδόσεις Bell έφεραν στην Ελλάδα τη σειρά του Tim Weaver (η οποία στη χώρα μας θα φέρει τον τίτλο ''Υποθέσεις Εξαφανισμένων Προσώπων''). Σε αυτήν, ο David Raker, ένας ιδιωτικός ερευνητής, αναλαμβάνει -προφανώς- να εντοπίσει πρόσωπα που έχουν χαθεί.
Το ''Κυνηγώντας τους νεκρούς'' είναι ένα βιβλίο που τέλειωσα σε δύο μέρες, καθώς η δομή της πλοκής είναι τέτοια που πάντα σκέφτεσαι ότι θέλεις να διαβάσεις ένα ακόμα κεφάλαιο πριν το αφήσεις. Η δράση είναι συνεχής και οι ανατροπές συνεχόμενες.
Του έκοψα μια μονάδα περισσότερο επειδή το ''πλάνο των κακών'' είναι από εκείνα τα μεγαλεπήβολα στα βιβλία και τις ταινίες που ποτέ δεν πείθουν απολύτως τον αναγνώστη. Ωστόσο, η συνολική επίγευση ήταν θετικότατη. Ο κεντρικός πρωταγωνιστής μού άρεσε πολύ, ενώ η ανατροπή των τελευταίων σελίδων κόντεψε να με κάνει να βάλω το πεντάρι από το πρώτο βιβλίο της σειράς!
Τελικά το κράτησα (όπως ήδη υποψιάζομαι) για το επόμενο!
May 23, 2020
Ο Ντέιβιντ Ρέικερ αναλαμβάνει να βρίσκει αγνοούμενα άτομα, μόνο που η καινούργια υπόθεση που του ανατίθεται θα τον οδηγήσει σε σκοτεινά μονοπάτια κι ένα μπλεγμένο κουβάρι γεμάτο συνωμοσίες, φόβο Θεού, βασανιστήρια και ένα φριχτό μυστικό. Τι είναι η Επιχείρηση Γολγοθάς και ποιος κρύβεται πίσω από αυτήν; Ποιος είναι ο μυστηριώδης Λεγεών; Είναι ζωντανός ή νεκρός ο άνθρωπος που αναθέτουν στον Ρέικερ να βρει; Πόσο ευάλωτος είναι ο καθένας που χάνει ένα σημαντικό, αγαπημένο του πρόσωπο και πώς μπορεί κάποιος επιτήδειος αυτό να το εκμεταλλευτεί;
Ο Ντέιβιντ Ρέικερ, για να περνάει περισσότερο χρόνο με την ετοιμοθάνατη σύντροφό του, Ντέριν, από δημοσιογράφος έγινε εξωτερικός συνεργάτης και σταδιακά επέστρεψε στο παρελθόν του: ερευνά εξαφανισμένα πρόσωπα, κάτι που τελικά έγινε και το κύριο μέσο διαβίωσής του. Μετά τον θάνατο της Ντέριν ταυτίστηκε απόλυτα με τις οικογένειες των αγνοουμένων και κατάλαβε από πρώτο χέρι τι περνούσαν. Ένα χρόνο μετά την προσωπική του απώλεια, μια καλή φίλη, που έχασε τον γιο της σε τροχαίο μετά από μυστηριώδη εξαφάνιση που κράτησε πολλά χρόνια, του ανακοινώνει πως τον είδε ζωντανό! Αυτό είναι η αρχή μιας σειράς ασύλληπτων περιπετειών, όπου το κάθε βήμα δείχνει να οδηγεί σε αδιέξοδο, κάθε νέο στοιχείο φαίνεται πως είναι ξεκομμένο από το ευρύτερο παζλ. Είναι τέτοια η σύνθεση της πλοκής που δεν μπορώ να σχολιάσω κάτι παραπάνω γιατί θα χαλάσει η έκπληξη και η ατμόσφαιρα κατά την ανάγνωση. Η πρωτ��πρόσωπη αφήγηση δίνει ένταση, το στυλ γραφής έχει παλμό και οι εξελίξεις, αν και κατά το ήμισυ υπερβολικές, είναι απρόσμενες.
Το «Κυνηγώντας τους νεκρούς» δείχνει πόσο πολύ μπορεί κάποιος να εκμεταλλευτεί τον πόνο και την απελπισία σου και πόσο ριζικά μπορεί να αλλάξει η ζωή σου, όχι πάντα για καλό. Έχει ταχύτητα, έχει κινηματογραφικές εικόνες, έχει το αναμενόμενο τέλος αλλά δε θα ξεχάσω την τελική αποκάλυψη που ανέτρεψε τα πάντα και με άφησε με το στόμα ανοιχτό. Δεν ήταν εκβεβιασμένη αλλά απόλυτα ταυτισμένη με το σύνολο της περιπέτειας, μόνο που η δράση και τα απανωτά μυστικά δε με άφησαν να την αντιληφθώ εγκαίρως!
Ο Ντέιβιντ Ρέικερ, για να περνάει περισσότερο χρόνο με την ετοιμοθάνατη σύντροφό του, Ντέριν, από δημοσιογράφος έγινε εξωτερικός συνεργάτης και σταδιακά επέστρεψε στο παρελθόν του: ερευνά εξαφανισμένα πρόσωπα, κάτι που τελικά έγινε και το κύριο μέσο διαβίωσής του. Μετά τον θάνατο της Ντέριν ταυτίστηκε απόλυτα με τις οικογένειες των αγνοουμένων και κατάλαβε από πρώτο χέρι τι περνούσαν. Ένα χρόνο μετά την προσωπική του απώλεια, μια καλή φίλη, που έχασε τον γιο της σε τροχαίο μετά από μυστηριώδη εξαφάνιση που κράτησε πολλά χρόνια, του ανακοινώνει πως τον είδε ζωντανό! Αυτό είναι η αρχή μιας σειράς ασύλληπτων περιπετειών, όπου το κάθε βήμα δείχνει να οδηγεί σε αδιέξοδο, κάθε νέο στοιχείο φαίνεται πως είναι ξεκομμένο από το ευρύτερο παζλ. Είναι τέτοια η σύνθεση της πλοκής που δεν μπορώ να σχολιάσω κάτι παραπάνω γιατί θα χαλάσει η έκπληξη και η ατμόσφαιρα κατά την ανάγνωση. Η πρωτ��πρόσωπη αφήγηση δίνει ένταση, το στυλ γραφής έχει παλμό και οι εξελίξεις, αν και κατά το ήμισυ υπερβολικές, είναι απρόσμενες.
Το «Κυνηγώντας τους νεκρούς» δείχνει πόσο πολύ μπορεί κάποιος να εκμεταλλευτεί τον πόνο και την απελπισία σου και πόσο ριζικά μπορεί να αλλάξει η ζωή σου, όχι πάντα για καλό. Έχει ταχύτητα, έχει κινηματογραφικές εικόνες, έχει το αναμενόμενο τέλος αλλά δε θα ξεχάσω την τελική αποκάλυψη που ανέτρεψε τα πάντα και με άφησε με το στόμα ανοιχτό. Δεν ήταν εκβεβιασμένη αλλά απόλυτα ταυτισμένη με το σύνολο της περιπέτειας, μόνο που η δράση και τα απανωτά μυστικά δε με άφησαν να την αντιληφθώ εγκαίρως!
June 30, 2016
This is the third Tim Weaver novel I have read and I must say it was somewhat of a disappointment. In September 2015 I read and really enjoyed What Remains the sixth David Raker novel and in particular the London setting with the use of old wooden piers and the thrills and sounds of Victorian amusement arcades.
Chasing the Dead is the first in the series and Raker is hired to find Alex Towne by his mother Mary, although reported dead she confirms, to our finder of lost people, that her son is alive...why because she saw him! Is this true or simply the delusions of a grieving mother refusing to let go of the memories of her son. The reader is then taken on a voyage of discovery as David Raker unearths clues (literally from the beach) and follows a trail that introduces us to numerous characters and places before the final showdown and the uncovering of the Calgary Project. The action is nonstop which makes for a very complex and hard to follow story, I found that I had constantly to backtrack to remind myself as to the identity of a particular character or location. Even now having finished the story I'm really not sure what it was all about and what actually happened....and this cannot be a good thing? Suffice to say there is a fanatical religious undertone to the proceedings and in the final pages a somewhat miraculous discovery about Alex Towne's family which I found somewhat unbelievable.
Chasing the Dead is the first in the series and Raker is hired to find Alex Towne by his mother Mary, although reported dead she confirms, to our finder of lost people, that her son is alive...why because she saw him! Is this true or simply the delusions of a grieving mother refusing to let go of the memories of her son. The reader is then taken on a voyage of discovery as David Raker unearths clues (literally from the beach) and follows a trail that introduces us to numerous characters and places before the final showdown and the uncovering of the Calgary Project. The action is nonstop which makes for a very complex and hard to follow story, I found that I had constantly to backtrack to remind myself as to the identity of a particular character or location. Even now having finished the story I'm really not sure what it was all about and what actually happened....and this cannot be a good thing? Suffice to say there is a fanatical religious undertone to the proceedings and in the final pages a somewhat miraculous discovery about Alex Towne's family which I found somewhat unbelievable.
September 27, 2012
This was Tim Weaver’s first novel. I came to it after reading a positive review of his third novel “Vanished”. I’m sure his is a name that will become prominent in British crime fiction.
What I enjoyed most about “Chasing the Dead” was the strong sense of place, the willingness to confront the seedy and unpleasant without wallowing in it and mastery of pace shown in the writing and the plotting.
The novel is centred around a big secret. This is a plus for page turning appeal but requires more than a little effort to suspend disbelief.
The big secret generates violence that escalates and becomes increasingly and disturbingly intimate as the story progresses. The violence is graphically and skillfully described. It’s not the kind of gratuitous “serial killer porn” violence that has stopped me reading Val McDermid, but it is very unpleasant. This made the book harder to read and, by the end, harder to believe. Our hero is subjected to treatment that would put someone in hospital for weeks and perhaps cripple them physically and emotionally for life and still puts up a fight. I found this implausible.
Nevertheless, the book is well written, well plotted and has a strong central character. It’s easy to see the sequels following thick and fast.
What I enjoyed most about “Chasing the Dead” was the strong sense of place, the willingness to confront the seedy and unpleasant without wallowing in it and mastery of pace shown in the writing and the plotting.
The novel is centred around a big secret. This is a plus for page turning appeal but requires more than a little effort to suspend disbelief.
The big secret generates violence that escalates and becomes increasingly and disturbingly intimate as the story progresses. The violence is graphically and skillfully described. It’s not the kind of gratuitous “serial killer porn” violence that has stopped me reading Val McDermid, but it is very unpleasant. This made the book harder to read and, by the end, harder to believe. Our hero is subjected to treatment that would put someone in hospital for weeks and perhaps cripple them physically and emotionally for life and still puts up a fight. I found this implausible.
Nevertheless, the book is well written, well plotted and has a strong central character. It’s easy to see the sequels following thick and fast.
November 2, 2015
There was a good tale in there somewhere - in fact, there were parts where I was quite gripped by the plot, & could almost feel the menace; sadly, those parts were in the minority, & the rest of the book was just messy & various events took away its credibility; also, I got the feeling that it was written by a 12-year old boy who was trying to cram in as much menace & as many plot twists as he possibly good.
Shame, as I'd hoped that I'd discovered a new author to follow, but the only reason I've made a note of his name is in order to avoid any future of his books
Shame, as I'd hoped that I'd discovered a new author to follow, but the only reason I've made a note of his name is in order to avoid any future of his books
January 11, 2020
Kalemini gerçekten çok beğendiğim yazarlar arasında da yerini aldı. Akıcılığını, aksiyonunu, gerilimini ve heyecanını beğendim. Son sayfaya kadar su gibi aktı. Konusu ve karakterleri de ayrı beğendim tabii ki. Yormayan, kolay okunan, başına oturduğunuda hemen bitirebileceğiniz bir polisiye kitabı arıyorsanız, bu kitabı tavsiye ediyorum.
November 11, 2024
Δεν είναι κακό, έχει κάποιες υπερβολές και ορισμένα πράγματα που κινούνται στα όρια του (Mission) Impossible, αλλά από την άλλη τα περισσότερα αστυνομικά βιβλία έχουν υπερβολές. Ευελπιστώ ότι το δεύτερο βιβλίο της σειράς θα είναι καλύτερο, όπως τουλάχιστον δείχνουν και οι αξιολογήσεις του εδώ πέρα.
September 9, 2015
I was a little bit tentative about this read, unsure what to expect, however upon starting it I was unable to put it down. Throughout there are twists and turns as the story unfolds, the mystery much deeper than you would have ever imagined. To begin with I was a little bit put off by the constant references the main character – David – kept making about his wife yet with time these simply came to be a part of the story and I welcomed them as they gave David more depth than I had originally expected.
With interesting characters and a gripping writing style, you will not be able to put down the book. You’re constantly waiting to find out what is hiding around the corner, only to be surprised when the most unexpected of events occur. Honestly, I was not at all disappointed. In fact, I plan to buy the next books in the series as soon as possible to see if they’re just as great.
With interesting characters and a gripping writing style, you will not be able to put down the book. You’re constantly waiting to find out what is hiding around the corner, only to be surprised when the most unexpected of events occur. Honestly, I was not at all disappointed. In fact, I plan to buy the next books in the series as soon as possible to see if they’re just as great.
March 8, 2020
Το συγκεκριμένο βιβλιο είναι για μένα μια μεγάλη έκπληξη. Ευχάριστη. Η αλήθεια είναι οτι πάντα μου άρεσαν οι υποθέσεις που έχουν σχέση με έρευνες εξαφανισμένων προσώπων, πόσο μάλλον αυτές που ξεκινούν από την αρχή.
Αυτή λοιπόν η ιστορία ξεκινάει πραγματικά από το μηδέν αφού ο κεντρικός ήρωας, ο ιδιωτικός ερευνητής εξαφανισμένων προσώπων Ντέιβιντ Ρέικερ αναλαμβάνει υπό την πίεση μιας μητέρας, αλλά και με την απώλεια της νεκρής του γυναίκας η οποία τον βασανίζει ακόμα, να βρει τον νεκρό γιο της ισχυριζόμενη ότι τον είδε στον δρόμο.
Με μεγάλη επιφύλαξη λοιπόν ξεκινάει μια διαδρομή χωρίς να έχει κάτι χειροπιαστό παρά μόνο κάποιες πληροφορίες από την μητέρα και πηγαίνοντας βήμα βήμα θα βρεθεί σε δύσκολα και άκρως επικίνδυνα και διαβολικά μονοπάτια και ενώ νομίζει ότι βρίσκεται σε αδιέξοδο, καινούρια στοιχεία θα βγαίνουν στην επιφάνεια οδηγώντας τον ακόμα πιο σε πιο σκοτεινούς και άγνωστους κόσμους. Επικίνδυνοι και σατανικοί άνθρωποι θα βρεθούν στον δρόμο του για να τον αποτρέψουν από το να φτάσει στο τέλος και να μάθει την αλήθεια.
Ένα βιβλίο γρήγορο με μικρά κεφάλαια που σε προδιαθέτουν να διαβάσεις την συνέχεια από την στιγμή που θα το ξεκινήσεις. Πρωτότυπη πλοκή, ανατριχιαστικές και εκπληκτικές σκηνές δράσης που σοκάρουν και ένα καθηλωτικό και ανατρεπτικό τέλος που πραγματικά με εξέπληξε αφού δεν μπορούσα να πιστέψω αυτό που διάβασα.
Ένα βιβλίο γεμάτο, χωρίς περιττές περιγραφές και ολοκληρωμένο χωρίς να σου αφήνει κανένα απολύτως κενό.
Ανυπομονώ για την συνέχεια του.
Αυτή λοιπόν η ιστορία ξεκινάει πραγματικά από το μηδέν αφού ο κεντρικός ήρωας, ο ιδιωτικός ερευνητής εξαφανισμένων προσώπων Ντέιβιντ Ρέικερ αναλαμβάνει υπό την πίεση μιας μητέρας, αλλά και με την απώλεια της νεκρής του γυναίκας η οποία τον βασανίζει ακόμα, να βρει τον νεκρό γιο της ισχυριζόμενη ότι τον είδε στον δρόμο.
Με μεγάλη επιφύλαξη λοιπόν ξεκινάει μια διαδρομή χωρίς να έχει κάτι χειροπιαστό παρά μόνο κάποιες πληροφορίες από την μητέρα και πηγαίνοντας βήμα βήμα θα βρεθεί σε δύσκολα και άκρως επικίνδυνα και διαβολικά μονοπάτια και ενώ νομίζει ότι βρίσκεται σε αδιέξοδο, καινούρια στοιχεία θα βγαίνουν στην επιφάνεια οδηγώντας τον ακόμα πιο σε πιο σκοτεινούς και άγνωστους κόσμους. Επικίνδυνοι και σατανικοί άνθρωποι θα βρεθούν στον δρόμο του για να τον αποτρέψουν από το να φτάσει στο τέλος και να μάθει την αλήθεια.
Ένα βιβλίο γρήγορο με μικρά κεφάλαια που σε προδιαθέτουν να διαβάσεις την συνέχεια από την στιγμή που θα το ξεκινήσεις. Πρωτότυπη πλοκή, ανατριχιαστικές και εκπληκτικές σκηνές δράσης που σοκάρουν και ένα καθηλωτικό και ανατρεπτικό τέλος που πραγματικά με εξέπληξε αφού δεν μπορούσα να πιστέψω αυτό που διάβασα.
Ένα βιβλίο γεμάτο, χωρίς περιττές περιγραφές και ολοκληρωμένο χωρίς να σου αφήνει κανένα απολύτως κενό.
Ανυπομονώ για την συνέχεια του.
September 17, 2016
Well, shit. That was a ride.
David used to be a journalist but stopped when his wife was diagnosed with cancer so that he could spend time with her. Instead, she nudged him towards solving missing person cases, and he was pretty good at it. After his wife dies, David grieves but still does missing persons. Enter Mary, an old friend whose son was killed in a car accident 5 years ago...or did he?
This, on the one hand, kept me at the edge of my seat. On the other...REALLY DAVID?!? REALLY?! ARE YOU THAY STUPID OMG ran through my mind a lot. It was annoying. But so did OMG NO WHY?! and OH. OH SHIT. WASN'T EXPECTING THAT. But overall, there were twist and turns I expected but HOLY ENDING I did not.
It can be gruesome, so if you're squeamish, this might not be for you. And it's like bad. So yea.
But I did enjoy this one. I may continue to read more of the David Raker series. I just need to be in "gruesome thriller with side of idiotic PI" mode. I feel like I need to watch unicorns and rainbows now...
David used to be a journalist but stopped when his wife was diagnosed with cancer so that he could spend time with her. Instead, she nudged him towards solving missing person cases, and he was pretty good at it. After his wife dies, David grieves but still does missing persons. Enter Mary, an old friend whose son was killed in a car accident 5 years ago...or did he?
This, on the one hand, kept me at the edge of my seat. On the other...REALLY DAVID?!? REALLY?! ARE YOU THAY STUPID OMG ran through my mind a lot. It was annoying. But so did OMG NO WHY?! and OH. OH SHIT. WASN'T EXPECTING THAT. But overall, there were twist and turns I expected but HOLY ENDING I did not.
It can be gruesome, so if you're squeamish, this might not be for you. And it's like bad. So yea.
But I did enjoy this one. I may continue to read more of the David Raker series. I just need to be in "gruesome thriller with side of idiotic PI" mode. I feel like I need to watch unicorns and rainbows now...
March 28, 2019
Chasing the Dead is the first book in the extremely popular David Raker series which was published in 2010 and the latest book (10) No One Home is being published in May 2019.
I’ve only heard positive reviews about this series and being an OCD reader I needed to start at the beginning to learn the full story behind the main character and so I’ve downloaded all Tim’s other books and started Chasing the Dead.
We meet David Raker, an investigator into missing persons and a recent widower who has been asked to find a colleagues missing son who disappeared 5 years ago, his body was found in a burnt out car a year ago, but his mother swears she saw him walking across the street within the past few months.
Still raw and grieving from the loss of his wife, David reluctantly agrees to look for Alex and finds himself caught up in a violent and deathly chase for survival. This is a really fast-paced action thriller with a high body count and several twists I did NOT see coming. A great introduction to this series which I have been reliably informed gets better and better!
I’ve only heard positive reviews about this series and being an OCD reader I needed to start at the beginning to learn the full story behind the main character and so I’ve downloaded all Tim’s other books and started Chasing the Dead.
We meet David Raker, an investigator into missing persons and a recent widower who has been asked to find a colleagues missing son who disappeared 5 years ago, his body was found in a burnt out car a year ago, but his mother swears she saw him walking across the street within the past few months.
Still raw and grieving from the loss of his wife, David reluctantly agrees to look for Alex and finds himself caught up in a violent and deathly chase for survival. This is a really fast-paced action thriller with a high body count and several twists I did NOT see coming. A great introduction to this series which I have been reliably informed gets better and better!
December 20, 2015
3,5 stars
I switched from a beginning of 5 stars to a middle of 2 and and ending of 4. It was a good read but with too much torture in it. I find that a weak option in a book.
I switched from a beginning of 5 stars to a middle of 2 and and ending of 4. It was a good read but with too much torture in it. I find that a weak option in a book.
February 25, 2021
This is the first book in the series introducing ex-journalist David Raker, who finds missing people. Having recently lost his wife to cancer, Raker has pursued the project his wife started him on and finds that he is good at it. But when Mary Towne employs him to find her son Alex, he doesn't realise what torments he is letting himself in for. Alex was supposed to have died in a car accident a year before but his body could only be identified through dental records - but a month ago Mary saw Alex walking through London, hence her plea to Raker to investigate. But Raker's investigations open him up to considerable danger as he gets involved with the workings of an organisation that will do anything to remain hidden....
Really enjoyed this first book in the series - good job as I've got the next nine either as books or on kindle! Raker can be a bit of a frustrating character at times and there is certainly some extreme violence in this first book that more squeamish readers should be aware of - nonetheless, such a gripping read that I read the entire book (435 pages) in a day. Definitely 9/10 for me.
Really enjoyed this first book in the series - good job as I've got the next nine either as books or on kindle! Raker can be a bit of a frustrating character at times and there is certainly some extreme violence in this first book that more squeamish readers should be aware of - nonetheless, such a gripping read that I read the entire book (435 pages) in a day. Definitely 9/10 for me.
February 9, 2024
The first in a long and popular series starring Missing Persons Private Investigator David Raker. In this first book Raker is hired to find out what happened to a young man who went missing five years ago and was subsequently declared deceased after a fiery car crash.
This book was not for me. I found the writing problematic and the outcome of, and motivation behind the plot frankly ridiculous. The book is extremely long and there were many pages completely of dialogue and often that dialogue was short sharp sentences of only a word or two. Although the lack of tagging in this dialogue didn't bother me I just didn't enjoy reading page after page of dialogue with no emotion, no description etc. The character of Raker was also problematic for me, an ex journalist who makes James Bond look inept and pathetic! While there were odd passages which built tension they generally led into situations and explanations that I found laugh out loud funny, and I don't think that was the author's intention.
Given the popularity of these novels perhaps they improve as the series goes on, or I really missed something here. But more likely it is simply that this novel was definitely not for me and I will not be looking to read book 2.
This book was not for me. I found the writing problematic and the outcome of, and motivation behind the plot frankly ridiculous. The book is extremely long and there were many pages completely of dialogue and often that dialogue was short sharp sentences of only a word or two. Although the lack of tagging in this dialogue didn't bother me I just didn't enjoy reading page after page of dialogue with no emotion, no description etc. The character of Raker was also problematic for me, an ex journalist who makes James Bond look inept and pathetic! While there were odd passages which built tension they generally led into situations and explanations that I found laugh out loud funny, and I don't think that was the author's intention.
Given the popularity of these novels perhaps they improve as the series goes on, or I really missed something here. But more likely it is simply that this novel was definitely not for me and I will not be looking to read book 2.
May 2, 2020
I struggled with rating this one.
I first read the fourth book, 'Never Coming Back', which, whilst being a tad unbelievable, I really enjoyed it.
For the most part I really enjoyed this one too, going back to the introduction of David Raker's escapades was a good idea. I don't find him as endearing or likeable as other sleuths but his backstory (of course there are relationship issues embedded, as with every crime novel) was interesting.
The reason I'm wavering between three and four stars is because whilst I really enjoyed it on the most part, it kept me up till 3am reading, the ending was a little ridiculous. I did really enjoy how the loose ends were tied up, as for one moment I was convinced it wasn't going to.
I think I'll stick with 3 stars at the moment, but don't be surprised if you're reading this and then see 4. It was brilliantly written, had superb pacing and had a, for the most part, intriguing plot.
I'm definitely going to stick with this series, Weaver's plots may be slightly incredulous but the suspense is worth it, on the most part.
I first read the fourth book, 'Never Coming Back', which, whilst being a tad unbelievable, I really enjoyed it.
For the most part I really enjoyed this one too, going back to the introduction of David Raker's escapades was a good idea. I don't find him as endearing or likeable as other sleuths but his backstory (of course there are relationship issues embedded, as with every crime novel) was interesting.
The reason I'm wavering between three and four stars is because whilst I really enjoyed it on the most part, it kept me up till 3am reading, the ending was a little ridiculous. I did really enjoy how the loose ends were tied up, as for one moment I was convinced it wasn't going to.
I think I'll stick with 3 stars at the moment, but don't be surprised if you're reading this and then see 4. It was brilliantly written, had superb pacing and had a, for the most part, intriguing plot.
I'm definitely going to stick with this series, Weaver's plots may be slightly incredulous but the suspense is worth it, on the most part.
January 21, 2019
It's a shame I can't give it 2.5 stars. Being honest, I'm glad I read the 2nd book of this set first - I'm not sure I'd bother on the strength of this one. The first half is very good - a person is hired to investigate the sighting of a lad thought to be dead, and gradually secrets and mysteries are revealed. Then it all gets a bit silly as the investigator gets captured by the villains, escapes and kills a few of them only to be recaptured several pages later. From him being captured the first time, it gets a bit James Bond-y and several sequences are just ridiculous. The end reveal is just as ridiculous. Having said all that, this is a well-written book. I'd recommend starting this series from "The Dead Tracks" though, which is much superior.
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