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Valerie Hart #2
Love Murder
Une nymphe à la beauté inquiétante, Katherine Glass, patiente dans le couloir de la mort pour avoir torturé puis assassiné une dizaine de femmes. Mais son partenaire dans le crime, l'Homme au Masque, court toujours... Et six ans après les meurtres, il recommence à tuer. Valérie Hart, l'inspectrice à qui l'on doit l'arrestation de Katherine, est décidée à enfin clore le chapitre. Pour parvenir à ses fins, elle est même prête à rendre visite à la vénéneuse détenue – cette femme qui éveille en elle des pulsions dangereuses et semble lire dans l'intimité de son couple...
496 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 17, 2016
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3292 people want to read
About the author
Saul Black
4 books563 followersSAUL BLACK is a pseudonym used by Glen Duncan, a British author born in 1965 in Bolton, Lancashire, England to an Anglo-Indian family. In 1994 he visited India with his father before continuing on to the United States, where he spent several months travelling the country by Amtrak train, writing much of what would become his first novel, Hope, published to critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic in 1997. Duncan lives in London. Recently, his 2002 novel I, Lucifer has had the film rights purchased, with actors such as Ewan Mcgregor, Jason Brescia, Jude Law, Vin Diesel, and Daniel Craig all being considered for roles in the forthcoming movie.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 263 reviews
March 19, 2017
This the first book I have read of the Valerie Hart series, and it works as a standalone. Valerie and Nick have ironed out their relationship and are in place where both are at the edge of stepping into the final commitment arena of proposing for Nick and contemplating children for Valerie. Valerie is a homicide detective in San Francisco PD, she gets the call about a murder where a note specifically for her has been left. It threatens that the murders will continue unless Katherine Glass is freed from prison. In 2009, Katherine, a beautiful and ruthless killer, was convicted of the rape, torture and murder of 6 women. The evidence was incontrovertible with video recordings of her and her masked male co-conspirator carrying out the gruesome and depraved acts. Valerie caught Katherine and ensured she went to prison with no hope of ever being released.
A reluctant Valerie is forced to renew her strained and tense sparring with the sociopath that is Katherine. Katherine's former partner in crime gives hints and clues that can only be solved by Katherine. So begins the fraught and strangely compelling game of cat and mouse which Valerie is drawn into as they explore the psyche of each other, and in the process get up close and intimate. This is not without cost as Valerie begins to enter Katherine's mind games that mess with her head. With further deaths, matters come too close for comfort to Valerie's family and personal life. The man they are hunting is extremely wealthy, a master of disguise, ruthless, and determined. Can Valerie trust Katherine? She is not certain. However, she has no choice but to put her faith in her, as those closest to her find themselves in desperate danger.
This is a well written and beautifully plotted story that is compelling. There is tension and suspense throughout, The central focus of the novel is the relationship between the insidiously charming, bright and twisted Katherine and Valerie, drawn to Katherine as a moth to light, in search of answers to the deepest questions in life. This is where the author's talent lies, in creating such larger than life characters and authentically delineating the manoevres between two strong women coming from opposing moral standpoints. The flaw in the novel is that Katherine's amoral partner is criminally transparent to the reader. However, I will mostly forgive this weakness, given the strengths in the narrative outlined earlier. Thanks to Orion for an ARC.
A reluctant Valerie is forced to renew her strained and tense sparring with the sociopath that is Katherine. Katherine's former partner in crime gives hints and clues that can only be solved by Katherine. So begins the fraught and strangely compelling game of cat and mouse which Valerie is drawn into as they explore the psyche of each other, and in the process get up close and intimate. This is not without cost as Valerie begins to enter Katherine's mind games that mess with her head. With further deaths, matters come too close for comfort to Valerie's family and personal life. The man they are hunting is extremely wealthy, a master of disguise, ruthless, and determined. Can Valerie trust Katherine? She is not certain. However, she has no choice but to put her faith in her, as those closest to her find themselves in desperate danger.
This is a well written and beautifully plotted story that is compelling. There is tension and suspense throughout, The central focus of the novel is the relationship between the insidiously charming, bright and twisted Katherine and Valerie, drawn to Katherine as a moth to light, in search of answers to the deepest questions in life. This is where the author's talent lies, in creating such larger than life characters and authentically delineating the manoevres between two strong women coming from opposing moral standpoints. The flaw in the novel is that Katherine's amoral partner is criminally transparent to the reader. However, I will mostly forgive this weakness, given the strengths in the narrative outlined earlier. Thanks to Orion for an ARC.
August 23, 2022
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LoveMurder has a very Hannibal Lecter/Clarice Starling feel to it but this time it's all girl-power, baby!
I binge-read this in 24 hours. I just could not put it down, literally. I may have called in sick to work. Possibly. Maybe. Kind of.
Valerie is a beast of a female lead, rough around the edges with a spine of steel. The killer(s) and their crimes (both past and present) were disgusting and depraved. There's sex and passion in all its forms. The twists and clever moments abound, resulting in some big, jaw-dropping events and some smaller twisted moments that give you the warm fuzzies. Add in the action-packed scenes and realistic procedural work and this book was literally right up my dark and twisted alley.
I LOVE Black's writing style - it's crisp, clean, and realistic, but edgy and dark. There is the perfect mix of professional with personal, as Katherine got into Valerie's head and we experience more of Valerie and Nick's relationship in full swing. Really this novel just had so much depth.
My only complaint is that I knew who The Masked Man was almost immediately. His role in the novel is just so...obvious. So that knocked a star off.
Other than that... *chef's kiss*
CW: This novel is definitely gory and startling in its descriptions, that even I, who literally loves being disgusted, was a bit squeamish at times. It's also jam-packed with oral sex and vivid descriptions of other adult things.
But it worked for me!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 4 stars
LoveMurder has a very Hannibal Lecter/Clarice Starling feel to it but this time it's all girl-power, baby!
I binge-read this in 24 hours. I just could not put it down, literally. I may have called in sick to work. Possibly. Maybe. Kind of.
Valerie is a beast of a female lead, rough around the edges with a spine of steel. The killer(s) and their crimes (both past and present) were disgusting and depraved. There's sex and passion in all its forms. The twists and clever moments abound, resulting in some big, jaw-dropping events and some smaller twisted moments that give you the warm fuzzies. Add in the action-packed scenes and realistic procedural work and this book was literally right up my dark and twisted alley.
I LOVE Black's writing style - it's crisp, clean, and realistic, but edgy and dark. There is the perfect mix of professional with personal, as Katherine got into Valerie's head and we experience more of Valerie and Nick's relationship in full swing. Really this novel just had so much depth.
My only complaint is that I knew who The Masked Man was almost immediately. His role in the novel is just so...obvious. So that knocked a star off.
Other than that... *chef's kiss*
CW: This novel is definitely gory and startling in its descriptions, that even I, who literally loves being disgusted, was a bit squeamish at times. It's also jam-packed with oral sex and vivid descriptions of other adult things.
But it worked for me!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 4 stars
July 25, 2017
A couple of years ago, I really enjoyed The Killing Lessons, a serial killer thriller, which featured Valerie Hart, a homicide detective. I was a bit surprised to see Valerie is back. For me, The Killing Lessons wasn't all that much about Valerie, who was your fairly standard broken detective then. However, in Lovemurder, she really takes center stage. Her life has changed for the better making her a different person to the one we met in the first book.
Even if you haven't yet read The Killing Lessons, Lovemurder works perfectly well as a standalone serial killer thriller.
The highlight for me was the relationship between Valerie and Katherine Glass, the beautiful, intelligent and mysterious serial killer who has been residing in prison since 2009, caught by Valerie and her team. I couldn't help but think of Chelsea Cains' Gretchen Lowell. Definite similarities.
Katherine's partner in crime has never been caught, and now it seems he's back. A small disappointment for me was the fact that I identified Katherine's partner pretty early on. Nevertheless, there was plenty of suspense and while it wasn't quite as dark and disturbing or as strong as the first book, it was still a very enjoyable thriller.
I received an ARC via NetGalley.
Even if you haven't yet read The Killing Lessons, Lovemurder works perfectly well as a standalone serial killer thriller.
The highlight for me was the relationship between Valerie and Katherine Glass, the beautiful, intelligent and mysterious serial killer who has been residing in prison since 2009, caught by Valerie and her team. I couldn't help but think of Chelsea Cains' Gretchen Lowell. Definite similarities.
Katherine's partner in crime has never been caught, and now it seems he's back. A small disappointment for me was the fact that I identified Katherine's partner pretty early on. Nevertheless, there was plenty of suspense and while it wasn't quite as dark and disturbing or as strong as the first book, it was still a very enjoyable thriller.
I received an ARC via NetGalley.
November 10, 2016
This is the 2nd book to feature Valarie Hart.
Some years ago, Katherine Glass was sent to prison for torturing and murdering 6 women. She did not commit these horrific crimes on her own but her accomplice has never been found.
It now looks like he is back and up to his old tricks. This time it's more personal as the clues seem to be aimed at Valarie.
This is a fast paced, violent but well written novel.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Orion Publishing Group and the author Saul Black for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Some years ago, Katherine Glass was sent to prison for torturing and murdering 6 women. She did not commit these horrific crimes on her own but her accomplice has never been found.
It now looks like he is back and up to his old tricks. This time it's more personal as the clues seem to be aimed at Valarie.
This is a fast paced, violent but well written novel.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Orion Publishing Group and the author Saul Black for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 16, 2018
I was so excited when I realised there was a second Valerie Hart novel after The Killing Lessons, because I loved that book so much. Never did I expect to love this one even more! But here we are, with that teeny tiny extra half a star more on this book than the last.
What’s so strange about my love for this book is that it’s the same thing that brought The Killing Lessons down in my eyes. The sensationalism. In The Killing Lessons, the whole book felt realistic until the ending that seemed to take a dramatic turn – it felt too out of the blue that it shocked me a little and dampened my enjoyment on the book. However, this book was a crazy, Hollywood rollercoaster from page one and I lapped it up. The killers and the crimes were so outrageous I couldn’t even begin to care about how realistic it was, I was just enjoying the ride too much.
Like with the previous novel, a lot of this book focuses heavily on the characters emotional states and Black weaves these scenes so beautifully, you feel as though you’re there with the character, feeling what they feel. Again, this novel is so unlike any other crime novel I’ve read, with stunning poetic descriptions, realistic conversations, and exciting character development.
Another thing I loved so much about this novel is that it has witty moments that give you a break from all the trauma. The first book is a little darker in tone due to Valerie’s mental state, but, without giving too much away, her predicament has changed and she has more to look on the bright side about. This creates lighter, and sometimes sexier, conversations to happen throughout the book which makes the whole thing that little bit easier to digest.
My one bug-bear with LoveMurder is the fact that I guessed the bad guy from about the second time we met them. With The Killing Lessons we meet the killers straightaway, we know them while the detectives are still trying to work out who they are. With this one, the killer is left ‘in the dark’ alongside the detective’s investigation, but not for me. At the end of the day, it was still fun to see the detectives find out who it is but it would have been more fun if I had found that late in the story too.
Overall, I loved this book and I’m hoping there’s more to come in this series! If you’re looking for an emotional, dark, but also exciting and sometimes funny thriller novel, definitely consider picking this one up!
What’s so strange about my love for this book is that it’s the same thing that brought The Killing Lessons down in my eyes. The sensationalism. In The Killing Lessons, the whole book felt realistic until the ending that seemed to take a dramatic turn – it felt too out of the blue that it shocked me a little and dampened my enjoyment on the book. However, this book was a crazy, Hollywood rollercoaster from page one and I lapped it up. The killers and the crimes were so outrageous I couldn’t even begin to care about how realistic it was, I was just enjoying the ride too much.
Like with the previous novel, a lot of this book focuses heavily on the characters emotional states and Black weaves these scenes so beautifully, you feel as though you’re there with the character, feeling what they feel. Again, this novel is so unlike any other crime novel I’ve read, with stunning poetic descriptions, realistic conversations, and exciting character development.
Another thing I loved so much about this novel is that it has witty moments that give you a break from all the trauma. The first book is a little darker in tone due to Valerie’s mental state, but, without giving too much away, her predicament has changed and she has more to look on the bright side about. This creates lighter, and sometimes sexier, conversations to happen throughout the book which makes the whole thing that little bit easier to digest.
My one bug-bear with LoveMurder is the fact that I guessed the bad guy from about the second time we met them. With The Killing Lessons we meet the killers straightaway, we know them while the detectives are still trying to work out who they are. With this one, the killer is left ‘in the dark’ alongside the detective’s investigation, but not for me. At the end of the day, it was still fun to see the detectives find out who it is but it would have been more fun if I had found that late in the story too.
Overall, I loved this book and I’m hoping there’s more to come in this series! If you’re looking for an emotional, dark, but also exciting and sometimes funny thriller novel, definitely consider picking this one up!
September 14, 2016
I was a bit of a fan of the first book in this series – The Killing Lessons – at that point I didn’t realise that there would be a second book featuring Valerie Hart but hey, here we are and genuinely, I was utterly enthralled again.
See I like a good serial killer thriller me. Not many authors are writing them these days and those that are well, lets just say they are not terribly exciting. There are exceptions – one of which I’ll be telling you about in another 2017 Ones to Watch very soon – but for now we have Saul Black. Who is writing them terribly well. Both terrifying and intriguing, LoveMurder is a bit of a roller coaster ride.
We have some murders and some clues and Valerie is once again on the knifes edge of reason as she attempts to sort it all out. Her relationship with Nick is developed, you have some character arc stuff going on which is ALL great, well plotted, incredibly addictive and beautifully (horrifically beautifully at times) written.
But for me the heart of this novel and where it fascinated me the most was in the relationship drawn between Valerie and the enigmatic Katherine Glass – a killer like no other and a character that just lights up the page. When these two are in a scene together you hold your breath – its almost like watching it unfold in front of you – there is a unique vibe to those portions of LoveMurder that is like a holding pattern, a short sharp moment in time before you are off to the races again. The rest of the plot moves in and out and around those moments in an exceptionally compelling way. To my mind very clever writing.
The rest of the story is just as good just with a different sense and the mystery element is intelligently drawn without being convoluted or unlikely. There are plenty of edge of the seat moments, especially as you head into the final chapters, Saul Black in this case has written a wonderfully engaging and often heart pounding thriller with a touch of class. Or Glass. Yes had to be done…
Highly Recommended.
See I like a good serial killer thriller me. Not many authors are writing them these days and those that are well, lets just say they are not terribly exciting. There are exceptions – one of which I’ll be telling you about in another 2017 Ones to Watch very soon – but for now we have Saul Black. Who is writing them terribly well. Both terrifying and intriguing, LoveMurder is a bit of a roller coaster ride.
We have some murders and some clues and Valerie is once again on the knifes edge of reason as she attempts to sort it all out. Her relationship with Nick is developed, you have some character arc stuff going on which is ALL great, well plotted, incredibly addictive and beautifully (horrifically beautifully at times) written.
But for me the heart of this novel and where it fascinated me the most was in the relationship drawn between Valerie and the enigmatic Katherine Glass – a killer like no other and a character that just lights up the page. When these two are in a scene together you hold your breath – its almost like watching it unfold in front of you – there is a unique vibe to those portions of LoveMurder that is like a holding pattern, a short sharp moment in time before you are off to the races again. The rest of the plot moves in and out and around those moments in an exceptionally compelling way. To my mind very clever writing.
The rest of the story is just as good just with a different sense and the mystery element is intelligently drawn without being convoluted or unlikely. There are plenty of edge of the seat moments, especially as you head into the final chapters, Saul Black in this case has written a wonderfully engaging and often heart pounding thriller with a touch of class. Or Glass. Yes had to be done…
Highly Recommended.
August 22, 2017
If you like serial killer books that explore the human psyche and at the same time employ an incredibly intelligent serial killer who can discuss everything from poetry to politics, this is for you. It's a great read for planes, trains, and automobiles. Lots of sex, however, so if you like your novels sexless, this isn't for you.
June 14, 2017
As soon as I finished The Killing Lessons, I went online to find any other Saul Black books. There weren't any so I have been really looking forward to this book. I am so so disappointed. To me, it was just another mediocre thriller with mediocre heroes and villains that were not at all realistic.
I wasn't looking for detailed descriptions of perfectly-in-love couples' perfect sex, or for paragraph after paragraph of how overwhelmingly perfect the protagonist's love life is. OR how wonderful all of her relationships with family and friends are. I did think that the author was using all this 'everything's perfect' angle to build-up to a significant death, but it turns out that wasn't the case and so I don't get what any of that was about. It certainly wasn't about making the characters seem real.
The shit that Katherine Glass spouted was not remotely clever which destroyed this idea that she was some super-genius psycho. The story she told towards the end in the car, which turned out to be a lie, was just pointless as fuck and not at all clever. Why would a genius do something that painfully stupid? It's like something a bitchy girl in high school would do. Maybe if it had been a true story that would have been a twist. But of course it would have fucked up the oh so perfect relationship of Val and Nick, and apparently that's not on. (He's not even slightly put out that she works 23 hours a day, and he's a cop who cooks gourmet meals, even if she can't eat them - this is not what a real -and complicated- person looks like. Certainly not what a man who's seen the love of his life screwing another man in their bed looks like.)
And the Man in the Mask! Why was everything he said so camp?! It was like Katherine Glass's gay best friend - "You look fabulous, by the way." ?!?!?! He didn't seem at all sinister or clever or sexy(to any gender.) Everything he said made him sound try hard and very very gay. And sounding gay would make sense if the character were meant to be a camp gay psychopath, not the brilliant illusive genius that could make the legs of the ultimate femme fatale tremble that had been built up throughout the book. Never mind that you could tell right from the beginning who he was amongst the character's daily lives. The other immediately obvious duplicitous character was the guard so you know straight away that Glass is operating a ruse. A ruse, I tell you! So much for the incredibly sharp intuitive detective.
And how the hell is her brain or cardio fitness being kept in order on just cigarettes and coffee?!
I think the inclusion of art and poetry was meant to make it all seem very clever, but anyone with half a brain can see there was nothing behind it. The interpretations of all these works was very basic and didn't actually connect to any code breaking for the reader to see. The author gave the appearance of super complex puzzles without actually creating them, and that, again, added to the ridiculousness of the plot.
The last minute save by the partner at the end was unbelievable as well. If he'd been following the guard, why didn't he arrive just after her and in time to save her? How did he get there after Valerie if she came after the guard? Why did he have to say a lame quip after shooting another human being? Does he shoot people in the head all the time - is that why he was so casual about it? How did he not worry about shooting Nick through the killer? Why didn't the bullet just go through both heads? THAT would have been a twist.
AND WTF HAPPENED TO THAT POOR DOG?!
I know I'm feeling harsh because I had really high expectations. The fact is, it is just another middle of the range thriller. It felt like so much effort went into the first book - the characters felt real and interesting, and the plot was riveting. This was all blah.
The Killing Lessons pulls you in from page one, whereas with Lovemurder I found myself losing interest into the second chapter. It was a totally different kind of story - like it had a different writer. I don't know why he changed the tone and quality so much; I thought it was all working really well. The Killing Lessons horrified me and made me sad for the victims. Lovemurder was just boring and schlocky. I don't know if I'll read another one of these. It'd be awesome if it all went back to the tone of the first novel, but maybe that was just to get people sucked in. It worked on me.
I wasn't looking for detailed descriptions of perfectly-in-love couples' perfect sex, or for paragraph after paragraph of how overwhelmingly perfect the protagonist's love life is. OR how wonderful all of her relationships with family and friends are. I did think that the author was using all this 'everything's perfect' angle to build-up to a significant death, but it turns out that wasn't the case and so I don't get what any of that was about. It certainly wasn't about making the characters seem real.
The shit that Katherine Glass spouted was not remotely clever which destroyed this idea that she was some super-genius psycho. The story she told towards the end in the car, which turned out to be a lie, was just pointless as fuck and not at all clever. Why would a genius do something that painfully stupid? It's like something a bitchy girl in high school would do. Maybe if it had been a true story that would have been a twist. But of course it would have fucked up the oh so perfect relationship of Val and Nick, and apparently that's not on. (He's not even slightly put out that she works 23 hours a day, and he's a cop who cooks gourmet meals, even if she can't eat them - this is not what a real -and complicated- person looks like. Certainly not what a man who's seen the love of his life screwing another man in their bed looks like.)
And the Man in the Mask! Why was everything he said so camp?! It was like Katherine Glass's gay best friend - "You look fabulous, by the way." ?!?!?! He didn't seem at all sinister or clever or sexy(to any gender.) Everything he said made him sound try hard and very very gay. And sounding gay would make sense if the character were meant to be a camp gay psychopath, not the brilliant illusive genius that could make the legs of the ultimate femme fatale tremble that had been built up throughout the book. Never mind that you could tell right from the beginning who he was amongst the character's daily lives. The other immediately obvious duplicitous character was the guard so you know straight away that Glass is operating a ruse. A ruse, I tell you! So much for the incredibly sharp intuitive detective.
And how the hell is her brain or cardio fitness being kept in order on just cigarettes and coffee?!
I think the inclusion of art and poetry was meant to make it all seem very clever, but anyone with half a brain can see there was nothing behind it. The interpretations of all these works was very basic and didn't actually connect to any code breaking for the reader to see. The author gave the appearance of super complex puzzles without actually creating them, and that, again, added to the ridiculousness of the plot.
The last minute save by the partner at the end was unbelievable as well. If he'd been following the guard, why didn't he arrive just after her and in time to save her? How did he get there after Valerie if she came after the guard? Why did he have to say a lame quip after shooting another human being? Does he shoot people in the head all the time - is that why he was so casual about it? How did he not worry about shooting Nick through the killer? Why didn't the bullet just go through both heads? THAT would have been a twist.
AND WTF HAPPENED TO THAT POOR DOG?!
I know I'm feeling harsh because I had really high expectations. The fact is, it is just another middle of the range thriller. It felt like so much effort went into the first book - the characters felt real and interesting, and the plot was riveting. This was all blah.
The Killing Lessons pulls you in from page one, whereas with Lovemurder I found myself losing interest into the second chapter. It was a totally different kind of story - like it had a different writer. I don't know why he changed the tone and quality so much; I thought it was all working really well. The Killing Lessons horrified me and made me sad for the victims. Lovemurder was just boring and schlocky. I don't know if I'll read another one of these. It'd be awesome if it all went back to the tone of the first novel, but maybe that was just to get people sucked in. It worked on me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2016
I loved, “The Killing Lessons,” which was the first novel to feature Valerie Hart, so was excited to read the second in the series. Valerie is now happily in love with Nick and, indeed, Nick is contemplating marriage. However, just before he is about to propose while the couple are on a relaxing weekend away, plans are put on hold when a call interrupts them.
Some years ago, killer Katharine Glass was put in prison; found guilty of the vicious torture and murder of six women. Katharine had an accomplice though and he has never been found. Now, it seems, he is back to his old tricks and, what is more, it is personal, with notes and clues aimed at Valerie….
Like the previous book, this is a hard hitting, graphic, violent and fast moving read. I love the character of Valerie Hart, Nick and all of their family and work colleagues. What really makes this novel sparkle though, is the relationship between Hart and Glass, who is contacted to see whether she can help with the clues. Glass is ultra intelligent, beautiful and manipulative. The sections of the novel where Hart visits Glass in prison are really extremely well done, with a great deal of tension.
Unusually, I actually guessed the killer fairly early on and, really unusually for me, I was right. However, of course I was not sure until the end of the book and this did not spoil my enjoyment at all. If you like really fast paced and exciting crime novels, with good characterisation and do not mind some graphic scenes, then you will enjoy this. It is not necessary to have read the first book, although personally I always prefer to read a series in order. I do know that Valerie Hart is certainly a character I want to follow and this is a series I will contiue reading.
Some years ago, killer Katharine Glass was put in prison; found guilty of the vicious torture and murder of six women. Katharine had an accomplice though and he has never been found. Now, it seems, he is back to his old tricks and, what is more, it is personal, with notes and clues aimed at Valerie….
Like the previous book, this is a hard hitting, graphic, violent and fast moving read. I love the character of Valerie Hart, Nick and all of their family and work colleagues. What really makes this novel sparkle though, is the relationship between Hart and Glass, who is contacted to see whether she can help with the clues. Glass is ultra intelligent, beautiful and manipulative. The sections of the novel where Hart visits Glass in prison are really extremely well done, with a great deal of tension.
Unusually, I actually guessed the killer fairly early on and, really unusually for me, I was right. However, of course I was not sure until the end of the book and this did not spoil my enjoyment at all. If you like really fast paced and exciting crime novels, with good characterisation and do not mind some graphic scenes, then you will enjoy this. It is not necessary to have read the first book, although personally I always prefer to read a series in order. I do know that Valerie Hart is certainly a character I want to follow and this is a series I will contiue reading.
December 6, 2016
Exquisitely beautiful Katherine Glass was the most hated woman in America. Katherine Glass and the man in the mask, over three years they abducted, raped, tortured and killed six young women. They did it because they wanted to and because they could. The story gets even more terrifying. Katherine and the man in the mask videoed the killings. Homicide detective Valerie Hart receives a letter saying Katherine Glass stays in prison, more people die. Valerie knows that Katherine's lover and partner in crime is still out there. Valerie needs Katherine Glass to help her untangle the killers twisted motives.
October 22, 2017
Τον Απρίλιο του 2015 κυκλοφόρησε στα ελληνικά -πριν καν κυκλοφορήσει σε Αγγλία και Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες-, το πρώτο βιβλίο της αστυνομικής σειράς με ηρωίδα την Βάλερι Χαρτ, το "Μαθήματα φόνου", ένα βιβλίο που αγόρασα και διάβασα τότε, στο άψε-σβήσε. Ωραίο θριλεράκι ήταν, έντονο και συναρπαστικό, χωρίς όμως κάτι το τρομερά πρωτότυπο. Θα έλεγα ότι τα ίδια ακριβώς ισχύουν και με το δεύτερο αυτό βιβλίο.
Τι λέει η περίληψη στο οπισθόφυλλο της ελληνικής έκδοσης: "Όταν καλούν στον τόπο ενός αποτρόπαιου εγκλήματος την ντετέκτιβ του Τμήματος Ανθρωποκτονιών της Αστυνομίας του Σαν Φρανσίσκο Βάλερι Χαρτ, εκείνη ούτε που μπορεί να φανταστεί τι πρόκειται να επακολουθήσει. Μια γυναίκα έχει βρεθεί άγρια δολοφονημένη και δίπλα στο πτώμα υπάρχει ένα αινιγματικό σημείωμα που απευθύνεται στη Βάλερι. Το θύμα τής είναι άγνωστο, ωστόσο καθώς η Βάλερι ερευνά την υπόθεση, όλες οι ενδείξεις οδηγούν προς μία, ιδιαιτέρως ανησυχητική, κατεύθυνση: τις φυλακές του Ρεντ Ριτζ, όπου μια γυναίκα ονόματι Κάθριν Γκλας εκτίει την ποινή της για μια σειρά φρικτών δολοφονιών. Υπεύθυνη για τον εγκλεισμό της ήταν η Βάλερι, και το τελευταίο πράγμα που θέλει είναι να ξαναμπεί στον άρρωστο, διεστραμμένο κόσμο της Κάθριν. Όταν, όμως, ανακαλύπτεται και δεύτερο πτώμα, η Βάλερι συνειδητοποιεί ότι ο μοναδικός τρόπος να πλησιάσει το δολοφόνο είναι να ζητήσει τη βοήθειά της. Μόνο που ο χρόνος μετράει αντίστροφα, και το ταξίδι της Βάλερι στον σκοτεινό λαβύρινθο του μυαλού της Κάθριν μπορεί ν' αποδειχτεί θανατηφόρο".
Έχουμε να κάνουμε με ένα αρκετά καλογραμμένο και εθιστικό αστυνομικό θρίλερ, με ένταση, αγωνία για την συνέχεια, μια κάποια αγχωτική ατμόσφαιρα και κάμποσα δυνατά σκηνικά που ανεβάζουν την αδρεναλίνη σε σχετικά υψηλά επίπεδα. Η γραφή είναι αρκετά καλή και ευκολοδιάβαστη, βοηθάει πολύ στην γρήγορη ανάγνωση του βιβλίου. Οι χαρακτήρες με τα καλά τους και τα στραβά τους, δεν μπορώ να πω όμως ότι δέθηκα με κάποιον συγκεκριμένα. Επίσης ορισμένα πράγματα στην πλοκή δεν με έπεισαν απόλυτα (διάλογοι, κίνητρα, σκηνές), αλλά αυτό ισχύει με τα περισσότερα θρίλερ εκεί έξω, σε μικρότερο ή μεγαλύτερο βαθμό. Γενικά είναι ένα καλό και άκρως ψυχαγωγικό θρίλερ, ό,τι πρέπει για να περάσει απολαυστικά η ώρα.
Τι λέει η περίληψη στο οπισθόφυλλο της ελληνικής έκδοσης: "Όταν καλούν στον τόπο ενός αποτρόπαιου εγκλήματος την ντετέκτιβ του Τμήματος Ανθρωποκτονιών της Αστυνομίας του Σαν Φρανσίσκο Βάλερι Χαρτ, εκείνη ούτε που μπορεί να φανταστεί τι πρόκειται να επακολουθήσει. Μια γυναίκα έχει βρεθεί άγρια δολοφονημένη και δίπλα στο πτώμα υπάρχει ένα αινιγματικό σημείωμα που απευθύνεται στη Βάλερι. Το θύμα τής είναι άγνωστο, ωστόσο καθώς η Βάλερι ερευνά την υπόθεση, όλες οι ενδείξεις οδηγούν προς μία, ιδιαιτέρως ανησυχητική, κατεύθυνση: τις φυλακές του Ρεντ Ριτζ, όπου μια γυναίκα ονόματι Κάθριν Γκλας εκτίει την ποινή της για μια σειρά φρικτών δολοφονιών. Υπεύθυνη για τον εγκλεισμό της ήταν η Βάλερι, και το τελευταίο πράγμα που θέλει είναι να ξαναμπεί στον άρρωστο, διεστραμμένο κόσμο της Κάθριν. Όταν, όμως, ανακαλύπτεται και δεύτερο πτώμα, η Βάλερι συνειδητοποιεί ότι ο μοναδικός τρόπος να πλησιάσει το δολοφόνο είναι να ζητήσει τη βοήθειά της. Μόνο που ο χρόνος μετράει αντίστροφα, και το ταξίδι της Βάλερι στον σκοτεινό λαβύρινθο του μυαλού της Κάθριν μπορεί ν' αποδειχτεί θανατηφόρο".
Έχουμε να κάνουμε με ένα αρκετά καλογραμμένο και εθιστικό αστυνομικό θρίλερ, με ένταση, αγωνία για την συνέχεια, μια κάποια αγχωτική ατμόσφαιρα και κάμποσα δυνατά σκηνικά που ανεβάζουν την αδρεναλίνη σε σχετικά υψηλά επίπεδα. Η γραφή είναι αρκετά καλή και ευκολοδιάβαστη, βοηθάει πολύ στην γρήγορη ανάγνωση του βιβλίου. Οι χαρακτήρες με τα καλά τους και τα στραβά τους, δεν μπορώ να πω όμως ότι δέθηκα με κάποιον συγκεκριμένα. Επίσης ορισμένα πράγματα στην πλοκή δεν με έπεισαν απόλυτα (διάλογοι, κίνητρα, σκηνές), αλλά αυτό ισχύει με τα περισσότερα θρίλερ εκεί έξω, σε μικρότερο ή μεγαλύτερο βαθμό. Γενικά είναι ένα καλό και άκρως ψυχαγωγικό θρίλερ, ό,τι πρέπει για να περάσει απολαυστικά η ώρα.
August 17, 2017
Love Murder is the second Valerie Hart book, and much like the first I wasn’t crazy about it. Yes, it was enjoyable; however, it’s not a series where I’ll be going out of my way to pick up the next book.
I picked up The Killing Lessons as a means to entertain myself whilst travelling. Although I started the book whilst travelling, I wasn’t as pulled in as I had hoped to be, resulting in me picking it up and putting it down. It was a decent enough read, but I wasn’t crazy about it. I spent quite a bit of time feeling as though it would only pull a three star rating from me, yet I opted with four stars in the end. I was unsure as to whether I would pick up the second book.
Fast forward to the release of Love Murder and we have a Goodreads giveaway. I decided to enter, indifferent about whether or not I would win. As is always the case when you’re indifferent, I won. It took me a while before I was able to jump into it (I selected the wrong address when entering, resulting in the book being sent to my family rather than me), but when I could I was surprisingly excited. The synopsis had me expecting big things.
I did enjoy this one a lot more than I enjoyed the first book, but my engagement was not all it could have been. Due to my lack of complete enjoyment with the first book, it took me a while to reconnect with the characters. There were details I could not remember, things I didn’t really care about all that much. All the talk of love grew annoying, to the point where I was constantly rolling my eyes. Yet the crime intrigued me. I was curious. I was pulled in. I wanted to know more.
At first, I had some Gretchen Lowell vibes from our villainess. Despite the different types of crime, the beauty and destruction reminded me of the Chelsea Cain books. These vibes were mostly pushed away. The story was completely different to a Gretchen Lowell story, even if there were moment in my mind where the two characters merged somewhat. This was much more complex, giving me a story that pulled me in.
As much as I loved the crime aspect of the story, I still do not care much about the characters. I liked them more in this one, but they continued to annoy me in a number of ways. I simply cannot connect with them, making it hard for me to find myself truly lost in the series.
I probably will pick up a third Valerie Hart book if it comes to be, but I’m not going to go out of my way to read it. There are many other crime fiction series I’m deeply invested in, and this one pales in comparison to those obsessions.
I picked up The Killing Lessons as a means to entertain myself whilst travelling. Although I started the book whilst travelling, I wasn’t as pulled in as I had hoped to be, resulting in me picking it up and putting it down. It was a decent enough read, but I wasn’t crazy about it. I spent quite a bit of time feeling as though it would only pull a three star rating from me, yet I opted with four stars in the end. I was unsure as to whether I would pick up the second book.
Fast forward to the release of Love Murder and we have a Goodreads giveaway. I decided to enter, indifferent about whether or not I would win. As is always the case when you’re indifferent, I won. It took me a while before I was able to jump into it (I selected the wrong address when entering, resulting in the book being sent to my family rather than me), but when I could I was surprisingly excited. The synopsis had me expecting big things.
I did enjoy this one a lot more than I enjoyed the first book, but my engagement was not all it could have been. Due to my lack of complete enjoyment with the first book, it took me a while to reconnect with the characters. There were details I could not remember, things I didn’t really care about all that much. All the talk of love grew annoying, to the point where I was constantly rolling my eyes. Yet the crime intrigued me. I was curious. I was pulled in. I wanted to know more.
At first, I had some Gretchen Lowell vibes from our villainess. Despite the different types of crime, the beauty and destruction reminded me of the Chelsea Cain books. These vibes were mostly pushed away. The story was completely different to a Gretchen Lowell story, even if there were moment in my mind where the two characters merged somewhat. This was much more complex, giving me a story that pulled me in.
As much as I loved the crime aspect of the story, I still do not care much about the characters. I liked them more in this one, but they continued to annoy me in a number of ways. I simply cannot connect with them, making it hard for me to find myself truly lost in the series.
I probably will pick up a third Valerie Hart book if it comes to be, but I’m not going to go out of my way to read it. There are many other crime fiction series I’m deeply invested in, and this one pales in comparison to those obsessions.
Read
March 26, 2017Alas,this book and I did not gel.
While I thought this author's first book was masterfully done,I found this one tedious and just not compelling enough to grab and maintain my attention.
To own the truth,I skimmed the last 25%,so to say I 'read' it is perhaps stretching the truth a little.
While I thought this author's first book was masterfully done,I found this one tedious and just not compelling enough to grab and maintain my attention.
To own the truth,I skimmed the last 25%,so to say I 'read' it is perhaps stretching the truth a little.
January 16, 2018
it dawned on me about halfway through this book i am tiring of the overused and borderline misogynistic trope of 'torture/rape/murder of females with/without submissive (and of course incredibly sexy/hot/uninhibited) female accomplice... i am unsure if this is because this book was rather pedestrian in its 'mystery', bland in its telling, or that i have finally come to accept art imitates life (not the other way around)... my uneasiness tells me that as a society we are OK with women as victims and we are also OK reading about women as victims, doubling down on the awfulness... now i understand what fiction means, the word and the genre, but i am wondering more often what would be written and what would be published and what would be read if the world wasn't dominated (in every bad but factually true sense of the word) by men... not that women don't do bad things, but much of what is done by women that is deemed awful/criminal often results from their horrible treatment by men in their past/present... maybe my gripe with this book is that it is done poorly, often gratuitously so in places, and if it had been done better i'd be OK with it... maybe so... but i will not be OK any longer with fiction passed off as worth reading when all it does is use women as victims and stereotypes and ultimately feed into the overt sexism of our culture... there can be value in the evil side of art, but evil art done poorly has nothing useful about it...
April 12, 2017
This was a rather disappointing follow up to the excellent 'Killing Lessons', featuring Detective Valerie Hart. We saw a lot less of Valerie's sass in this particular book and more of her softer side, which, in total contrast to the initial impression we were given, in my humble opinion, just doesn't work. Sadly, it seemed like Valerie left her back bone somewhere in book one.
December 2, 2016
What follows is a review of Lovemurder that is more response paper than review — or maybe one of those reaction videos where people film themselves watching Game of Thrones or something. What I mean to say is, I offer no summary or details about the plot, characters and so on, and it might offer you more joy if you’ve already read the book.
I read this back to back with Terry Eagleton’s On Evil by pure chance (...or is it?) and Eagleton’s view of evil as a sort of lack or negation, a nothingness rather than an entity in its own right — itself derived from his blend of mediaeval theology and emancipatory politics, or tragic humanism as he likes to call it, as far as I can tell — complemented the vision of evil I encountered in this book. Interestingly, though, not right away: for a good portion of the novel I was on the fence about whether it amounted to anything more than a glamorization, a fuck you to the middle class values it construes as good, so it has no other dignified option than to be evil. A very well-spoken and elegantly constructed fuck you, but still. So I was very pleased to find out, or be convinced that yes, it does. There is sympathy without empathy here, an understanding that doesn’t yield itself to a fusion with that which it understands, that is not overwhelmed by it. I know that at this point in time, culturally, empathy is the dominant value — you have to be it to understand it, or to be granted the right to speak about it, whereas sympathy is looked down on, more or less: better than cold-hearted indifference, but uncool (and inconvertible to symbolic capital) in that it refuses to give itself away completely to whatever is at hand. Yet I will argue that sympathy — and not empathy — is the crowning achievement of any fiction writer worth reading, and Duncan nails it here. George Eliot would have enjoyed this book. (Or am I getting carried away? I don’t know.)
Some stray observations: I think that this is a big step-up from The Killing Lessons, the previous (and first) book in the Valerie Hart series. Writers of literary fiction trying their hand at genre writing are the occasion for all kinds of debates (not the least of which is about whether this distinction is really valid — I think it is; yes, I’m snobbish that way) but one thought I’ve recently been having is, what about the power of restricted, clearly defined forms? If we can agree that the precision of a sonnet or a villanelle as a form can be, itself, the instrument of dazzling artistic expression in the right hands, might we not argue that the same applies to genre writing? Even though ninety percent of what is published under that label is crap? This is a way of thinking about the demarcation lines between literary fiction and genre fiction that would serve something other than the advancement of marketing strategies. And to finish on that note of jumping boundaries, I was pleased to catch one of the main characters quoting Duncan from another book of his, saying that she read this thing once in a book (it occurs to me that it might be Duncan quoting someone else in the original instance, but the quote does read like him). Of course she did, because isn’t that the overarching theme of this book, even above the beyond good and evil stuff? That detective work is analoguous to fiction writing in all of the ways that matter, and that to talk about one is to talk about the other? Down these mean streets a man must go, etc.
I read this back to back with Terry Eagleton’s On Evil by pure chance (...or is it?) and Eagleton’s view of evil as a sort of lack or negation, a nothingness rather than an entity in its own right — itself derived from his blend of mediaeval theology and emancipatory politics, or tragic humanism as he likes to call it, as far as I can tell — complemented the vision of evil I encountered in this book. Interestingly, though, not right away: for a good portion of the novel I was on the fence about whether it amounted to anything more than a glamorization, a fuck you to the middle class values it construes as good, so it has no other dignified option than to be evil. A very well-spoken and elegantly constructed fuck you, but still. So I was very pleased to find out, or be convinced that yes, it does. There is sympathy without empathy here, an understanding that doesn’t yield itself to a fusion with that which it understands, that is not overwhelmed by it. I know that at this point in time, culturally, empathy is the dominant value — you have to be it to understand it, or to be granted the right to speak about it, whereas sympathy is looked down on, more or less: better than cold-hearted indifference, but uncool (and inconvertible to symbolic capital) in that it refuses to give itself away completely to whatever is at hand. Yet I will argue that sympathy — and not empathy — is the crowning achievement of any fiction writer worth reading, and Duncan nails it here. George Eliot would have enjoyed this book. (Or am I getting carried away? I don’t know.)
Some stray observations: I think that this is a big step-up from The Killing Lessons, the previous (and first) book in the Valerie Hart series. Writers of literary fiction trying their hand at genre writing are the occasion for all kinds of debates (not the least of which is about whether this distinction is really valid — I think it is; yes, I’m snobbish that way) but one thought I’ve recently been having is, what about the power of restricted, clearly defined forms? If we can agree that the precision of a sonnet or a villanelle as a form can be, itself, the instrument of dazzling artistic expression in the right hands, might we not argue that the same applies to genre writing? Even though ninety percent of what is published under that label is crap? This is a way of thinking about the demarcation lines between literary fiction and genre fiction that would serve something other than the advancement of marketing strategies. And to finish on that note of jumping boundaries, I was pleased to catch one of the main characters quoting Duncan from another book of his, saying that she read this thing once in a book (it occurs to me that it might be Duncan quoting someone else in the original instance, but the quote does read like him). Of course she did, because isn’t that the overarching theme of this book, even above the beyond good and evil stuff? That detective work is analoguous to fiction writing in all of the ways that matter, and that to talk about one is to talk about the other? Down these mean streets a man must go, etc.
December 26, 2019
A solid 3 star read for me and I added 1 more star for I like the character of Valerie Hart and looking forward to picking up book number 3
July 30, 2017
San Francisco homicide detective Valerie Hart is called away from a weekend break with her long-term partner and fellow police officer, Nick, when a body is found with the hallmarks of a pair of sadistic serial killers, one of whom, Katherine Glass, Valerie caught six years ago, along with a note addressed to Valerie. To catch the so-called Man in the Mask, whose intelligence is matched only by his cruelty, and protect the people she cares most about, Valerie must turn to Katherine for help with his coded messages. The problem is that Katherine is playing games of her own.
Lovemurder has everything you could want from a thriller, made even better by Black's crisp writing style. It is the perfect balance of personal and professional, with some incredible scenes between Valerie and Katherine, and a climactic plot which will keep you awake until you reach the end (and may also cause you to yell at the characters, although that might have just been me). A brilliant read, this is definitely a series, and an author, to watch.
My only complaint is that the bright yellow spine makes it difficult to place on my newly colour-coded bookshelves.
Lovemurder has everything you could want from a thriller, made even better by Black's crisp writing style. It is the perfect balance of personal and professional, with some incredible scenes between Valerie and Katherine, and a climactic plot which will keep you awake until you reach the end (and may also cause you to yell at the characters, although that might have just been me). A brilliant read, this is definitely a series, and an author, to watch.
My only complaint is that the bright yellow spine makes it difficult to place on my newly colour-coded bookshelves.
October 23, 2016
Yep, with this book I am going to be that guy. I could see what is was trying to do, but it didn't work for me. Which seems to becoming my mantra for 2016 new releases. And that is maybe why I am starting to run out of patience. The reason I liked the first book apart from a ballsie female lead and very black comedy was that Black subtly subverting typical troupes of that genre. In Love Murder, while I think he was a similar in mind, for me he was stepping a little into the cliche instead of using it. And plus as I have always said - not liking a book says more about you than the book. I'm getting old and annoyingly fussy.
May 13, 2018
Η ντετέκτιβ του Τμήματος Ανθρωποκτονιών του Σαν Φρανσίσκο Βάλερι Χαρτ καλείται εσπευσμένα στον τόπο ενός εγκλήματος, όπου υπάρχει ένα άγρια βασανισμένο και δολοφονημένο σώμα αλλά κι ένα σημείωμα που απευθύνεται σ’ εκείνη. Έτσι αρχίζει μια σειρά από δολοφονίες, με τη Βάλερι να κάνει αγώνα δρόμου για να εντοπίσει το επόμενο θύμα του δολοφόνου, μόνο που ο εφιάλτης της χειροτερεύει όταν αναγκάζεται να ζητήσει τη βοήθεια της Κάθριν Γκλας που εκτίει την ποινή της για μια σειρά παρόμοιων θανάτων, μια γυναίκα που η ίδια συνέλαβε. Τι συμβολίζουν ζωγραφικοί πίνακες και άλλες εικόνες που αφήνει ο δολοφόνος στη Βάλερι; Γιατί έχει στραφεί εναντίον της αστυνομικού; Τι ρόλο θα παίξει η Κάθριν και πόσο πρόθυμη είναι να βοηθήσει στην υπόθεση;
Το «Δίψα για φόνο» είναι το δεύτερο βιβλίο της σειράς με τη Βάλερι Χαρτ και σε γενικές γραμμές το βρήκα καλύτερο από το πρώτο. Η Βάλερι ξαναδοκιμάζει τη σχέση της με τον Νικ, με τον οποίο ξανασυναντήθηκαν στο προηγούμενο βιβλίο για να λύσουν μαζί μια υπόθεση ενώ η κεντρική ιδέα της σειράς των φόνων ήταν ευφυέστατη. Ο συγγραφέας κατάφερε να στρέψει αλλού την προσοχή μου και να με κατευθύνει σε άλλα μονοπάτια από αυτά που εκείνος ήθελε. Αυτό το βιβλίο θα το χαρακτήριζα «ψυχογράφημα», μιας και παρατίθενται εκτενείς σκέψεις και ψυχολογικά κίνητρα των χαρακτήρων, και μου έδειξε πώς μπορεί να λειτουργήσει ένα ευφυές και ταυτόχρονα ένα συναισθηματικό μυαλό. Η δίψα για φόνο του Ανθρώπου με τη Μάσκα και η αγωνία της αστυνομικού και γυναίκας να εξιχνιάσει την υπόθεση ενώ παλεύει με τα δικά της συναισθήματα και αγωνίζεται να εξισορροπήσει τα πάντα γύρω και μέσα της ήταν ένα αέναο παιχνίδι που αποδόθηκε πιο στρωτά και καίρια από το προηγούμενο βιβλίο. Υπάρχουν κι εδώ αρκετές παρενθέσεις όπως και στα «Μαθήματα φόνου» και περιγραφές ψυχοσύνθεσης ή τόπων που είναι αρκετά εκτενή, πιστεύω όμως πως η γραφή έχει βελτιωθεί, γι’ αυτό και δεν προσπέρναγα πολλές σελίδες όπως στο προηγούμενο.
Το επίκεντρο του βιβλίου είναι η Βάλερι Χαρτ και μέσα από εκείνη οι δυσκολίες ενός επαγγέλματος όπως το δικό της. Κατάλαβα πολύ καλά πόσο εύκολο είναι να δεθείς με μια υπόθεση και να τη θεωρήσεις προσωπική, εις βάρος της υπόλοιπης ζωής σου και της καθημερινότητάς σου. Η Βάλερι μπαίνει σταδιακά σ’ έναν κυκεώνα φθοράς, ξεχνάει γενέθλια σημαντικών προσώπων, ακυρώνει σημαντικά προσωπικά ταξίδια και κρατιέται με το ζόρι να μην προσπεράσει το σημείο που της είχε υποδείξει ο παππούς της, από το οποίο δεν υπάρχει επιστροφή. Τα πράγματα είναι άσχημα αφού ο δολοφόνος αφήνει σημειώματα προσωπικά σ’ εκείνη, την προκαλεί, την αποζητά κι η Βάλερι έχει να αντιμετωπίσει και τους δικούς της δαίμονες. Μέχρι και τα σχέδιά της για μητρότητα περνάνε από κόσκινο και πάντα βρίσκει μια δικαιολογία για να το αναβάλει.
Το νέο μυθιστόρημα του Saul Black είναι ένα ενδιαφέρον αστυνομικό και ψυχολογικό μυθιστόρημα, με μια κούρσα ενάντια στον χρόνο, με γρίφους που υποδεικνύουν το επόμενο θύμα (τους οποίους ποτέ δεν μπόρεσα να επιλύσω γιατί χρειαζόταν εξειδικευμένες γνώσεις), μια εξαιρετικά εύθραυστη ισορροπία δυνάμεων, ένα καλοσχεδιασμένο παιχνίδι γάτας και ποντικού, με ένα κίνητρο και αίτιο που αποκαλύπτεται προς το τέλος και βάζει την ιστορία σε νέες διαστάσεις!
Το «Δίψα για φόνο» είναι το δεύτερο βιβλίο της σειράς με τη Βάλερι Χαρτ και σε γενικές γραμμές το βρήκα καλύτερο από το πρώτο. Η Βάλερι ξαναδοκιμάζει τη σχέση της με τον Νικ, με τον οποίο ξανασυναντήθηκαν στο προηγούμενο βιβλίο για να λύσουν μαζί μια υπόθεση ενώ η κεντρική ιδέα της σειράς των φόνων ήταν ευφυέστατη. Ο συγγραφέας κατάφερε να στρέψει αλλού την προσοχή μου και να με κατευθύνει σε άλλα μονοπάτια από αυτά που εκείνος ήθελε. Αυτό το βιβλίο θα το χαρακτήριζα «ψυχογράφημα», μιας και παρατίθενται εκτενείς σκέψεις και ψυχολογικά κίνητρα των χαρακτήρων, και μου έδειξε πώς μπορεί να λειτουργήσει ένα ευφυές και ταυτόχρονα ένα συναισθηματικό μυαλό. Η δίψα για φόνο του Ανθρώπου με τη Μάσκα και η αγωνία της αστυνομικού και γυναίκας να εξιχνιάσει την υπόθεση ενώ παλεύει με τα δικά της συναισθήματα και αγωνίζεται να εξισορροπήσει τα πάντα γύρω και μέσα της ήταν ένα αέναο παιχνίδι που αποδόθηκε πιο στρωτά και καίρια από το προηγούμενο βιβλίο. Υπάρχουν κι εδώ αρκετές παρενθέσεις όπως και στα «Μαθήματα φόνου» και περιγραφές ψυχοσύνθεσης ή τόπων που είναι αρκετά εκτενή, πιστεύω όμως πως η γραφή έχει βελτιωθεί, γι’ αυτό και δεν προσπέρναγα πολλές σελίδες όπως στο προηγούμενο.
Το επίκεντρο του βιβλίου είναι η Βάλερι Χαρτ και μέσα από εκείνη οι δυσκολίες ενός επαγγέλματος όπως το δικό της. Κατάλαβα πολύ καλά πόσο εύκολο είναι να δεθείς με μια υπόθεση και να τη θεωρήσεις προσωπική, εις βάρος της υπόλοιπης ζωής σου και της καθημερινότητάς σου. Η Βάλερι μπαίνει σταδιακά σ’ έναν κυκεώνα φθοράς, ξεχνάει γενέθλια σημαντικών προσώπων, ακυρώνει σημαντικά προσωπικά ταξίδια και κρατιέται με το ζόρι να μην προσπεράσει το σημείο που της είχε υποδείξει ο παππούς της, από το οποίο δεν υπάρχει επιστροφή. Τα πράγματα είναι άσχημα αφού ο δολοφόνος αφήνει σημειώματα προσωπικά σ’ εκείνη, την προκαλεί, την αποζητά κι η Βάλερι έχει να αντιμετωπίσει και τους δικούς της δαίμονες. Μέχρι και τα σχέδιά της για μητρότητα περνάνε από κόσκινο και πάντα βρίσκει μια δικαιολογία για να το αναβάλει.
Το νέο μυθιστόρημα του Saul Black είναι ένα ενδιαφέρον αστυνομικό και ψυχολογικό μυθιστόρημα, με μια κούρσα ενάντια στον χρόνο, με γρίφους που υποδεικνύουν το επόμενο θύμα (τους οποίους ποτέ δεν μπόρεσα να επιλύσω γιατί χρειαζόταν εξειδικευμένες γνώσεις), μια εξαιρετικά εύθραυστη ισορροπία δυνάμεων, ένα καλοσχεδιασμένο παιχνίδι γάτας και ποντικού, με ένα κίνητρο και αίτιο που αποκαλύπτεται προς το τέλος και βάζει την ιστορία σε νέες διαστάσεις!
January 3, 2018
I LOVE THIS SERIES!
So dark and twisted. I love observing the minds of crazy sadistic killers. Saul Black gives you that.
A great continuation of the last installment... I really hope it continues!
Great Read!
So dark and twisted. I love observing the minds of crazy sadistic killers. Saul Black gives you that.
A great continuation of the last installment... I really hope it continues!
Great Read!
July 5, 2018
Actual Rating: 5.5 Stars
full review to come soon
full review to come soon
December 15, 2019
I am really into Valerie Hart! This is book 2 in the series and at first I was "confused" because I didn't recognize a couple character's names, then realized that this book could work as a standalone. So that was all I needed.
Katherine Glass is not the usual female one might find! She is in prison, and Detective Valerie Hart gets a note that if Katherine isn't released from prison that more murders are going to occur. Rather unusual and (in my opinion) even more disgusting than
This book is what I would call a true psychological thriller, so if you like or are intrigued by getting into the psyche of a killer and how someone like a person of Katherine's character can get into the mind of a seasoned detective, this would be the book for you. Valerie doesn't want to use Katherine to help her, but she find herself doing just that.
Katherine Glass is not the usual female one might find! She is in prison, and Detective Valerie Hart gets a note that if Katherine isn't released from prison that more murders are going to occur. Rather unusual and (in my opinion) even more disgusting than
This book is what I would call a true psychological thriller, so if you like or are intrigued by getting into the psyche of a killer and how someone like a person of Katherine's character can get into the mind of a seasoned detective, this would be the book for you. Valerie doesn't want to use Katherine to help her, but she find herself doing just that.
October 20, 2017
This action novel is very "readable". Although there is an exaggeration about the way the villains are presented, the whole set up, is extremely interesting.
November 9, 2019
The second book in the Valerie Hart series by Saul Black. Valerie is a homicide detective in San Francisco. A recent murder resembles the murders of committed by Katherine Glass, who is currently in prison. Valerie has to work with Katherine to solve the current murders.
Gripping crime fiction with intriguing characters and a solid mystery. I enjoyed this book a little more than the first book in the series. This book can be read as a standalone.
Gripping crime fiction with intriguing characters and a solid mystery. I enjoyed this book a little more than the first book in the series. This book can be read as a standalone.
September 3, 2018
This was a solid and worthy follow-up to Saul Black's first entry in the Valerie Hart series, The Killing Lessons.
This book has Hart going up against an old foe and trying to stop a string of new murders before someone close to her becomes a new victim. It's just as suspenseful, just as intense, and just as incredibly written. Saul Black has a a wonderful way with words and these two books have been fantastically put together. They remind me a little bit of John Connolly's Charlie Parker series, minus most of the graphic violence and religious undertones.
There are the same round of philisophical and introspective questions plauging our hero as there were the first time around, but the remain just as potent and thought provoking as before. The balance of love and loss, good and evil, inner conflict and outer resolutions. It asks a lot of questions and causes the reader to think about how these things would effect them in their own lives, while also realistically and enjoyably figuring them out for our fictional heroes.
I did find the mystery of this story to be a little less intense and engaging then the first one. There's a lot of cat and mouse and puzzles and a lot of indepth analysis of history and art, but I began to get a little tired of the back and forth with the notes and clues, especially once the inevitable twist started to become more and more obvious. There was also the approach of only having a murder or two to get things going and then spent the rest of the time kidnapping or trying to kill characters that were pretty much unkillable. It lacked a sense of urgency and terror and malice when the people getting toyed with were not anyone that I was convinced stood a chance of dying.
The last minute rescue/kill trope? I really can't stand that and it's a shame to see it applied here. There's quite a few plot holes just from that one little incident, but beyond that it's just lazy.
Regardless, this was still a great read. Very solid characters, an interesting story/mystery, some intense scenes and mounting suspense, and an ending leaving me curious to see where this series goes next.
This book has Hart going up against an old foe and trying to stop a string of new murders before someone close to her becomes a new victim. It's just as suspenseful, just as intense, and just as incredibly written. Saul Black has a a wonderful way with words and these two books have been fantastically put together. They remind me a little bit of John Connolly's Charlie Parker series, minus most of the graphic violence and religious undertones.
There are the same round of philisophical and introspective questions plauging our hero as there were the first time around, but the remain just as potent and thought provoking as before. The balance of love and loss, good and evil, inner conflict and outer resolutions. It asks a lot of questions and causes the reader to think about how these things would effect them in their own lives, while also realistically and enjoyably figuring them out for our fictional heroes.
I did find the mystery of this story to be a little less intense and engaging then the first one. There's a lot of cat and mouse and puzzles and a lot of indepth analysis of history and art, but I began to get a little tired of the back and forth with the notes and clues, especially once the inevitable twist started to become more and more obvious. There was also the approach of only having a murder or two to get things going and then spent the rest of the time kidnapping or trying to kill characters that were pretty much unkillable. It lacked a sense of urgency and terror and malice when the people getting toyed with were not anyone that I was convinced stood a chance of dying.
The last minute rescue/kill trope? I really can't stand that and it's a shame to see it applied here. There's quite a few plot holes just from that one little incident, but beyond that it's just lazy.
Regardless, this was still a great read. Very solid characters, an interesting story/mystery, some intense scenes and mounting suspense, and an ending leaving me curious to see where this series goes next.
September 19, 2016
I should really warn myself when I read books like this as I don't know if my heart can take any more. Having read the Killing Lessons, you'd think I would have learned my lesson. But no, I picked up the second one in the series and the fear, the thrills, and all that gory detail came flooding back think and fast like blood pooling from a person's head.
Yup, this second one is as cracking as the first. Sick and twisted too so a warning to those of a nervous disposition or whatever.
Full Review nearer the time. Be prepared. #Cue evil laugh#
Yup, this second one is as cracking as the first. Sick and twisted too so a warning to those of a nervous disposition or whatever.
Full Review nearer the time. Be prepared. #Cue evil laugh#
June 18, 2019
I'm pretty tired of the whole Master Criminal genre which seems to have existed since the days of Moriarty. You know, the criminal/s always ten steps ahead of the police, incredibly hard to catch, coordinating the most elaborate crimes. I'm making an exception for this book, which I really enjoyed. There were twists and turns to the end, and a beautiful psychopathic woman helping the police to catch her at-large partner in the sex murders. Detective Valerie Hart put this woman away, and when the crimes start again, is called back to face off with this seductive and terrifying personality.
August 15, 2017
Incredible! Saul Black is an incredible writer. This book took my breath away. It is definitely not for the faint-hearted. Parts of it were so exciting that I thought I was going to hyperventilate. The author is a master at whipping up terror & excitement. I liked this book better than his first book, but I am going to have to read it again, just to read about Valerie.
June 3, 2019
3.6 ⭐
Ωραίο θρίλερ, καλογραμμένο κι εύκολο στο διάβασμα. Στις τελευταίες σελίδες η ατμόσφαιρα του βιβλίου ήταν γεμάτη ένταση και έτσι το άγχος και η αδρεναλίνη μου ανέβηκαν στα ύψη.
Υπάρχουν εξελίξεις στα προσωπικά της Βάλερι Χαρτ που σαν αναγνώστρια με έκαναν να ξεφεύγω λίγο από τις άγριες δολοφονίες και ελάττωναν την αγωνία μου.
Καλό το δεύτερο βιβλίο, για μένα δεν ξεπέρασε τα Μαθήματα φόνου.
Ωραίο θρίλερ, καλογραμμένο κι εύκολο στο διάβασμα. Στις τελευταίες σελίδες η ατμόσφαιρα του βιβλίου ήταν γεμάτη ένταση και έτσι το άγχος και η αδρεναλίνη μου ανέβηκαν στα ύψη.
Υπάρχουν εξελίξεις στα προσωπικά της Βάλερι Χαρτ που σαν αναγνώστρια με έκαναν να ξεφεύγω λίγο από τις άγριες δολοφονίες και ελάττωναν την αγωνία μου.
Καλό το δεύτερο βιβλίο, για μένα δεν ξεπέρασε τα Μαθήματα φόνου.
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