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Wheeler & Ross #2
Silenced
He buried his victim alive. And now he's escaped from prison and is on the run in the city.Fiona Henderson, the daughter of the victim, has descended into a world of silence following her mother's murder - and has suddenly gone missing. Next, the body of a homeless person is found among the rubbish in a deserted alleyway.As DIs Wheeler and Ross investigate, more suspicious deaths occur and a pattern the victims are all homeless. And so the police are pitched against a killer who is hellbent on a mission to rid the streets of the vulnerable and dispossessed.With their investigation taking them further into Glasgow's netherworld, Wheeler and Ross uncover a criminal class ruthlessly willing to exploit the disaffected and a city of double standards, where morality is bought and sold.When the killer begins stalking DI Wheeler, she and Ross realise that the threat has become personal.Praise for Anne 'Brilliant' The Sun'Assured and clever' Daily Mail
301 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 3, 2015
4 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
Anne Randall
7 books15 followersGlasgow-born Anne Randall is the author of the gritty, award-winning Wheeler and Ross series set in her hometown.
Her first novel RIVEN (written as A. J. McCreanor) won first prize at the Wells Festival of Literature in 2011 and has been described as ‘A super story with a breath-taking ending that leaves you wondering whether the truth is better left unsaid at times. I loved this story.’ (Eurocrime), ‘For fans of Stuart MacBride, this is a delight to read. A.J. McCreanor is a welcome addition to the Scottish crime scene. Glasgow is in very dangerous hands.’ (Crimesquad), ‘An outstanding debut.’ (Daily Record)
Anne’s second novel SILENCED was described ‘as assured and clever a novel of ‘tartan noir’ as you could hope to find.’ (Daily Mail), ‘If you enjoy your crime fiction a bit on the dark side, then you are going to love this latest book by Anna Randall. It also has a wonderful twist at the end that you won't see coming. It blows you away and leaves you feeling exhausted by the time you have finished the book.’ (Eurocrime)
Reviews for the third novel in the series, TORN, include, ‘Anne Randall has definitely got what it takes to be the next massive name in Tartan Noir – well-drawn characters, a plot that will blow you away, superb dialogue (plenty of great Glaswegian banter), and realistic crimes. If you enjoy Robert Galbraith, Caro Ramsay, Denise Mina, or Ian Rankin (or, like me, all of them!) this will fit the bill. It’s a hugely satisfying, very classy book, and I’d urge all crime fiction fans – particularly those who enjoy their dose of Tartan Noir – to seek out Anne Randall pronto.’ (Crimeworm)
Anne has also had poems and short stories published in various anthologies.
Anne previously worked as a cadet nurse, flower-seller, civil servant and English teacher in Glasgow before retraining as a psychotherapist.
She now works in private practice in Glastonbury, Somerset where she lives with her husband, bespoke furniture-maker Don Storey, their two pesky rescued cats and an inherited and remarkably handsome collie dog.
Her first novel RIVEN (written as A. J. McCreanor) won first prize at the Wells Festival of Literature in 2011 and has been described as ‘A super story with a breath-taking ending that leaves you wondering whether the truth is better left unsaid at times. I loved this story.’ (Eurocrime), ‘For fans of Stuart MacBride, this is a delight to read. A.J. McCreanor is a welcome addition to the Scottish crime scene. Glasgow is in very dangerous hands.’ (Crimesquad), ‘An outstanding debut.’ (Daily Record)
Anne’s second novel SILENCED was described ‘as assured and clever a novel of ‘tartan noir’ as you could hope to find.’ (Daily Mail), ‘If you enjoy your crime fiction a bit on the dark side, then you are going to love this latest book by Anna Randall. It also has a wonderful twist at the end that you won't see coming. It blows you away and leaves you feeling exhausted by the time you have finished the book.’ (Eurocrime)
Reviews for the third novel in the series, TORN, include, ‘Anne Randall has definitely got what it takes to be the next massive name in Tartan Noir – well-drawn characters, a plot that will blow you away, superb dialogue (plenty of great Glaswegian banter), and realistic crimes. If you enjoy Robert Galbraith, Caro Ramsay, Denise Mina, or Ian Rankin (or, like me, all of them!) this will fit the bill. It’s a hugely satisfying, very classy book, and I’d urge all crime fiction fans – particularly those who enjoy their dose of Tartan Noir – to seek out Anne Randall pronto.’ (Crimeworm)
Anne has also had poems and short stories published in various anthologies.
Anne previously worked as a cadet nurse, flower-seller, civil servant and English teacher in Glasgow before retraining as a psychotherapist.
She now works in private practice in Glastonbury, Somerset where she lives with her husband, bespoke furniture-maker Don Storey, their two pesky rescued cats and an inherited and remarkably handsome collie dog.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 7, 2018
After reading these words in the prologue, I had to read on
Welcome, friends, have you decided to read my story? I can call you friend, can't I? I do hope so. This is my story, my communication to you.
Recommend reading Silenced.
Welcome, friends, have you decided to read my story? I can call you friend, can't I? I do hope so. This is my story, my communication to you.
Recommend reading Silenced.
October 14, 2015
The story is set in Glasgow, over a week, during a snowy and sleety phenomenon called ‘Thundersnow’. Whilst this added to the atmosphere, it did make the story seem even bleaker. The author deals with some dark issues - homelessness, (and quite topical with hostels being closed for funding reasons), mental health and of course murder.
This is the second in the series and it has probably hasn’t helped that I haven’t read the first for background. I was looking forward to reading this as I’m a crime fan but was left feeling a bit disappointed. For me the two detectives, Wheeler and Ross, were devoid of any personality and I didn’t feel anything for them at all. There is usually something about a character that makes you want to engage with them and either like or dislike – but with these two I was just indifferent.
There were a lot of characters to get to grips with which I found confusing at times. They were all referred to by their surname or by a nickname and I found myself having to stop and remember who they were and whether they were a good or bad guy.
The story began with a fast pace with a convicted murderer escaping from prison officers and then followed on with a series of murders – were they committed by this man or someone else? One of the main characters who I was expecting to have a more prominent role disappeared quite soon and only popped up now and again which to me was a wasted opportunity to add more tension to the story and there were other times when I felt the story had lost its way. The twist at the end was quite clever but even then there was one character where I felt confused about his role in the story.
It is said that no two people ever read the same book and in this case I must be out of sync with everyone else because it has had some good reviews on Amazon. I’m not criticising the writing, and the descriptions and setting were very atmospheric but I didn’t find the story particularly thrilling and not wanting to give away any spoilers I felt that it didn’t quite deliver what the blurb had promised. With so many other good authors in this genre, I’m sorry to say this one didn’t make enough of an impact on me to encourage me to seek out any further books in this series.
My thanks to the publisher for a copy to review.
This is the second in the series and it has probably hasn’t helped that I haven’t read the first for background. I was looking forward to reading this as I’m a crime fan but was left feeling a bit disappointed. For me the two detectives, Wheeler and Ross, were devoid of any personality and I didn’t feel anything for them at all. There is usually something about a character that makes you want to engage with them and either like or dislike – but with these two I was just indifferent.
There were a lot of characters to get to grips with which I found confusing at times. They were all referred to by their surname or by a nickname and I found myself having to stop and remember who they were and whether they were a good or bad guy.
The story began with a fast pace with a convicted murderer escaping from prison officers and then followed on with a series of murders – were they committed by this man or someone else? One of the main characters who I was expecting to have a more prominent role disappeared quite soon and only popped up now and again which to me was a wasted opportunity to add more tension to the story and there were other times when I felt the story had lost its way. The twist at the end was quite clever but even then there was one character where I felt confused about his role in the story.
It is said that no two people ever read the same book and in this case I must be out of sync with everyone else because it has had some good reviews on Amazon. I’m not criticising the writing, and the descriptions and setting were very atmospheric but I didn’t find the story particularly thrilling and not wanting to give away any spoilers I felt that it didn’t quite deliver what the blurb had promised. With so many other good authors in this genre, I’m sorry to say this one didn’t make enough of an impact on me to encourage me to seek out any further books in this series.
My thanks to the publisher for a copy to review.
September 16, 2015
This book began with a short rather creepy prologue, the first of several unsettling 'communications' which are in the book. Right from the first chapters, I was hooked: who was writing these communications and were they connected with convicted murderer Haedyear's escape from prison?
Anne Randall sets her scene very well, with excellent descriptions of the Glasgow setting, the the people in it, the miserable weather and even the greasy food! Silenced has a large cast of characters and while I would hope never to meet quite a few of them, they all added depth to this book. We meet the police of course, as well as gangleaders from Glasgow's underworld. Prostitutes, spiritualists, pathologists and artists are just some of the other characters. I liked that dialect was used for some of the characters and felt this added a realism to the book. It's not a book without humour though, black humour of course. One character comments in relation to a murder that there is a low life expectancy in Glasgow anyway. The retort is - 'is that meant to make the victim feel better, that he wasn't long for this world!'
Wheeler and Ross are the Detective Inspectors overseeing the murder investigation of a homeless man. More murders follow and it is clear that there is a serial killer at large. Fiona, the daughter of the victim of the escaped murderer has also gone missing and it looks like there is a link between them. The victims are found with 'inspirational cards' from a local group working with the homeless and involved with communicating with the spirit world - what is their connection? The gangland leaders are looking to exact justice in their own way when one of their own goes missing and as you read on, the links between the various characters and storylines are gradually revealed.
The final few chapters were very tense as the story raced towards its conclusion. There had been red herrings and clues throughout as to who was involved with the murders but there were so many twists that it wasn't until very near the end that I worked out who it was. And then it was a heart-in-the-mouth read to see if all would be resolved in time! There are so many shady characters from the Glasgow underworld in this book that I wouldn't be surprised if they produce more cases for Wheeler and Ross to solve in future books. And I'll certainly be looking out for the next book featuring the two detectives.
Anne Randall sets her scene very well, with excellent descriptions of the Glasgow setting, the the people in it, the miserable weather and even the greasy food! Silenced has a large cast of characters and while I would hope never to meet quite a few of them, they all added depth to this book. We meet the police of course, as well as gangleaders from Glasgow's underworld. Prostitutes, spiritualists, pathologists and artists are just some of the other characters. I liked that dialect was used for some of the characters and felt this added a realism to the book. It's not a book without humour though, black humour of course. One character comments in relation to a murder that there is a low life expectancy in Glasgow anyway. The retort is - 'is that meant to make the victim feel better, that he wasn't long for this world!'
Wheeler and Ross are the Detective Inspectors overseeing the murder investigation of a homeless man. More murders follow and it is clear that there is a serial killer at large. Fiona, the daughter of the victim of the escaped murderer has also gone missing and it looks like there is a link between them. The victims are found with 'inspirational cards' from a local group working with the homeless and involved with communicating with the spirit world - what is their connection? The gangland leaders are looking to exact justice in their own way when one of their own goes missing and as you read on, the links between the various characters and storylines are gradually revealed.
The final few chapters were very tense as the story raced towards its conclusion. There had been red herrings and clues throughout as to who was involved with the murders but there were so many twists that it wasn't until very near the end that I worked out who it was. And then it was a heart-in-the-mouth read to see if all would be resolved in time! There are so many shady characters from the Glasgow underworld in this book that I wouldn't be surprised if they produce more cases for Wheeler and Ross to solve in future books. And I'll certainly be looking out for the next book featuring the two detectives.
September 9, 2015
Silenced by Anne Randall is the second in the series of the Wheeler and Ross crime novels, the first book Riven was penned under the name of A.J. McCreanor and had rave reviews this will received by her fans in the same light.
There is an escaped prisoner on the loose, this is no ordinary prisoner, a notorious killer is at large he was sent down for burying his victim alive. Now Wheeler and Ross are on the case. The killer is at large and on the run in the city of Glasgow.
Let me set the scene, its cold, wet, there is snow and thunder crashing overhead, this is a part of Glasgow that is described so well by Anne Randall. Will Wheeler and Ross find their escaped killer before it is too late?
The daughter of the victim has stayed quiet since her Mums murder, now she has gone missing, also someone is targeting homeless people and a body of a homeless person is found in an alleyway.
Time is running out and Wheeler and Ross need to find the killer before he strikes again. More bodies of homeless people are found, is there a motive here? Is there another killer on the loose, and where is Fiona Henderson?
This is a no holds barred tense thriller that shows a city with double standards for those in need. There is a fair amount of gritty language that gives Silenced that rawness that can only be found in this type of crime thriller it sets the tone and the scene.
This is a novel that will have the pulses racing and will keep you up late at night wanting to know what happened next.
Lovers of great crime novels should make their way to their nearest bookstore and grab a copy and be prepared for some late nights.
Recommended.
There is an escaped prisoner on the loose, this is no ordinary prisoner, a notorious killer is at large he was sent down for burying his victim alive. Now Wheeler and Ross are on the case. The killer is at large and on the run in the city of Glasgow.
Let me set the scene, its cold, wet, there is snow and thunder crashing overhead, this is a part of Glasgow that is described so well by Anne Randall. Will Wheeler and Ross find their escaped killer before it is too late?
The daughter of the victim has stayed quiet since her Mums murder, now she has gone missing, also someone is targeting homeless people and a body of a homeless person is found in an alleyway.
Time is running out and Wheeler and Ross need to find the killer before he strikes again. More bodies of homeless people are found, is there a motive here? Is there another killer on the loose, and where is Fiona Henderson?
This is a no holds barred tense thriller that shows a city with double standards for those in need. There is a fair amount of gritty language that gives Silenced that rawness that can only be found in this type of crime thriller it sets the tone and the scene.
This is a novel that will have the pulses racing and will keep you up late at night wanting to know what happened next.
Lovers of great crime novels should make their way to their nearest bookstore and grab a copy and be prepared for some late nights.
Recommended.
September 9, 2015
Silenced by Anne Randall is the second in the series of the Wheeler and Ross crime novels, the first book Riven was penned under the name of A.J. McCreanor and had rave reviews this will received by her fans in the same light.
There is an escaped prisoner on the loose, this is no ordinary prisoner, a notorious killer is at large he was sent down for burying his victim alive. Now Wheeler and Ross are on the case. The killer is at large and on the run in the city of Glasgow.
Let me set the scene, its cold, wet, there is snow and thunder crashing overhead, this is a part of Glasgow that is described so well by Anne Randall. Will Wheeler and Ross find their escaped killer before it is too late?
The daughter of the victim has stayed quiet since her Mums murder, now she has gone missing, also someone is targeting homeless people and a body of a homeless person is found in an alleyway.
Time is running out and Wheeler and Ross need to find the killer before he strikes again. More bodies of homeless people are found, is there a motive here? Is there another killer on the loose, and where is Fiona Henderson?
This is a no holds barred tense thriller that shows a city with double standards for those in need. There is a fair amount of gritty language that gives Silenced that rawness that can only be found in this type of crime thriller it sets the tone and the scene.
This is a novel that will have the pulses racing and will keep you up late at night wanting to know what happened next.
Lovers of great crime novels should make their way to their nearest bookstore and grab a copy and be prepared for some late nights.
Recommended.
There is an escaped prisoner on the loose, this is no ordinary prisoner, a notorious killer is at large he was sent down for burying his victim alive. Now Wheeler and Ross are on the case. The killer is at large and on the run in the city of Glasgow.
Let me set the scene, its cold, wet, there is snow and thunder crashing overhead, this is a part of Glasgow that is described so well by Anne Randall. Will Wheeler and Ross find their escaped killer before it is too late?
The daughter of the victim has stayed quiet since her Mums murder, now she has gone missing, also someone is targeting homeless people and a body of a homeless person is found in an alleyway.
Time is running out and Wheeler and Ross need to find the killer before he strikes again. More bodies of homeless people are found, is there a motive here? Is there another killer on the loose, and where is Fiona Henderson?
This is a no holds barred tense thriller that shows a city with double standards for those in need. There is a fair amount of gritty language that gives Silenced that rawness that can only be found in this type of crime thriller it sets the tone and the scene.
This is a novel that will have the pulses racing and will keep you up late at night wanting to know what happened next.
Lovers of great crime novels should make their way to their nearest bookstore and grab a copy and be prepared for some late nights.
Recommended.
September 23, 2015
I would like to thank Grace Vincent for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review, also for allowing me to be part of the blog tour.
When I first started this book it took me awhile to get into the story, now let me say this I think it may be my frame of mind not the book that is the problem.
The book starts off a creepy as a murder attends a funeral but from the story he doesn't even want to be there. Then we start to follow the police and here is where the story picked up for me. I love the dynamic of DI Wheeler and Ross's relationship this was written well and could from the first pages tell they were a great duo.
The more I read this book the more I became hooked into the whole story. The subplots all pulled together rathar nicely with plenty of twists and turns. I believe there is another book before this but this can be read as a stanalone, but for the full experience I suggest reading both books. I really am starting to love crime thrillers.
When I first started this book it took me awhile to get into the story, now let me say this I think it may be my frame of mind not the book that is the problem.
The book starts off a creepy as a murder attends a funeral but from the story he doesn't even want to be there. Then we start to follow the police and here is where the story picked up for me. I love the dynamic of DI Wheeler and Ross's relationship this was written well and could from the first pages tell they were a great duo.
The more I read this book the more I became hooked into the whole story. The subplots all pulled together rathar nicely with plenty of twists and turns. I believe there is another book before this but this can be read as a stanalone, but for the full experience I suggest reading both books. I really am starting to love crime thrillers.
April 21, 2017
A compelling read that kept me guessing to the end through its many twists and turns. The characters are well developed and we are invited into the mind of a killer. Dark and gritty - I loved it!
February 1, 2019
Really like the relationship between Wheeler and Ross. The book gives you a sense of atmosphere and intrigue! You are taken on a detective journey through Glasgow and its people! Loved it!!
July 21, 2021
Time taken to read - 3 days
Pages - 368
Publisher - Constable
Source - The Works
Blurb from Goodreads
He buried his victim alive. And now he's escaped from prison and is on the run in the city.
Fiona Henderson, the daughter of the victim who'd descended into a world of silence following her mother's murder, has gone missing. Her sister Annabelle scours the city in a desperate attempt to find her. And then the body of a homeless person if found among the rubbish in a deserted alleyway.
As DIs Wheeler and Ross investigate, more suspicious deaths occur and a pattern emerges: the victims are all homeless. And so the police are pitched against a killer who is hellbent on a mission
to rid the streets of the vulnerable and dispossessed.
As Wheeler and Ross descend further into Glasgow's netherworld, their investigation reveals not only a flawed support system for the disaffected, but also a criminal class ruthlessly willing to exploit them. A city of double standards, where morality is bought and sold.
But it's when the killer begins stalking DI Wheeler, that she and Ross realise that the threat is now personal.
My Review
An evil sadistic killer on the run, a homeless man murdered and dumped like trash, a family hunting for their runaway loved one and the police are investigating. There are a lot of characters involved which takes a bit to keep up and involved with them all. Fiona is a selective mute and runaway since her mother was murdered, now her mothers killer is on the loose. Fiona remains elusive from her family whilst her father and sister try to find her before Haedyear crosses her path.
The book is set in Glasgow and the investigation headed up by Wheeler and Ross, I can't say I was drawn to either character much but again possibly because I started here. Apparently this is book two in a series so I wonder if maybe if I had read book one and got more of a backstory on the characters I would have connected a bit more.
The book looks at a few issues as well as the murder, homelessness, the dangers and we get communication from the killer which is different slant. I enjoyed reading it from a book location point of view, some of the scenes are tense, claustrophobic and you are certainly kept guessing. 3/5 for me this time, I would read this author again, maybe head back to the first in the series!
Pages - 368
Publisher - Constable
Source - The Works
Blurb from Goodreads
He buried his victim alive. And now he's escaped from prison and is on the run in the city.
Fiona Henderson, the daughter of the victim who'd descended into a world of silence following her mother's murder, has gone missing. Her sister Annabelle scours the city in a desperate attempt to find her. And then the body of a homeless person if found among the rubbish in a deserted alleyway.
As DIs Wheeler and Ross investigate, more suspicious deaths occur and a pattern emerges: the victims are all homeless. And so the police are pitched against a killer who is hellbent on a mission
to rid the streets of the vulnerable and dispossessed.
As Wheeler and Ross descend further into Glasgow's netherworld, their investigation reveals not only a flawed support system for the disaffected, but also a criminal class ruthlessly willing to exploit them. A city of double standards, where morality is bought and sold.
But it's when the killer begins stalking DI Wheeler, that she and Ross realise that the threat is now personal.
My Review
An evil sadistic killer on the run, a homeless man murdered and dumped like trash, a family hunting for their runaway loved one and the police are investigating. There are a lot of characters involved which takes a bit to keep up and involved with them all. Fiona is a selective mute and runaway since her mother was murdered, now her mothers killer is on the loose. Fiona remains elusive from her family whilst her father and sister try to find her before Haedyear crosses her path.
The book is set in Glasgow and the investigation headed up by Wheeler and Ross, I can't say I was drawn to either character much but again possibly because I started here. Apparently this is book two in a series so I wonder if maybe if I had read book one and got more of a backstory on the characters I would have connected a bit more.
The book looks at a few issues as well as the murder, homelessness, the dangers and we get communication from the killer which is different slant. I enjoyed reading it from a book location point of view, some of the scenes are tense, claustrophobic and you are certainly kept guessing. 3/5 for me this time, I would read this author again, maybe head back to the first in the series!
March 7, 2019
While this fast-moving crime thriller kept me at the edge of my seat, I did find the large number of characters unnerving and quite annoying at first. I constantly found myself questioning who a particular character was, and flipping back to retrace my reading to ascertain if he/she had already been introduced. Other than that, I did NOT guess the ending at all, and found the last few chapters incredibly suspenseful. While the narrative was not without its flaws (some loopholes and things that just didn't make much sense to me). All in all, I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
December 16, 2024
was okay, a few too many characters to keep track of
February 16, 2016
I was sent this book by the publisher, very kindly, as I was in the midst of moving house and therefore could not commit to reviewing around the time of publication. In the event, it was just as well I didn’t commit, as the move turned out to be stressful and complex, and I’m only just recovering.
Silenced is the second in the series of the Wheeler and Ross crime novels. The first book, Riven was written under The name of A.J. McCreanor. I have not read Riven, but Silenced works perfectly well as a stand alone novel.
There’s no doubt that Randall knows her Glasgow very well. Her descriptive passages, especially in the Prologue and opening chapter, are very vivid, almost overwritten in that lovely noir sense and evocative of the underbelly of the city.
Mark Haedyear is a notorious killer, doing life for the abduction and gruesome murder of Amanda Henderson. Whilst on compassionate leave to attend his mother’s funeral, he does a runner from the crematorium.
D.I. Kat Wheeler and Acting D.I.Ross are on the hunt but it isn’t long before a dead body shows up on the streets. Cameron Craig was homeless and living rough. Beside his body is a card for a local group with spiritual overtones whose members work with the homeless community.
Meanwhile, Fiona Henderson, the daughter of Haedyear’s first victim is herself living on the streets. She has been mute since her mother’s murder. She is estranged from her father and in sporadic contact with her sister, and it is clear she does not want to be found.
Is Craig a victim of Mark Haedyear, or is there another killer targeting the homeless and those who work on the streets? Why is Fiona in hiding and what is her link to the victim?
As Wheeler and Ross look for their serial killer, he finds them, and Kat receives communications that are chilling in their narcissism and speak to his needs to communicate – especially with Kat.
There is some nice personal interplay between the two detectives and we learn a little about their personal lives and preferences.
This novel is set amongst the poor, the dispossessed and those who prey on them; a crime novel with rawness and grit, worthy of the tartan noir appellation. Criminals, prostitutes and drug addicts form a network and Randall uses that to play with notions of justice and escape.
Well plotted,it is satisfying to see how the links between characters all tie together as the story reaches its conclusion.
I did work out who had ‘dunnit’ but not til quite near the end, which is always satisfying.
All in all, a good read.
Silenced is the second in the series of the Wheeler and Ross crime novels. The first book, Riven was written under The name of A.J. McCreanor. I have not read Riven, but Silenced works perfectly well as a stand alone novel.
There’s no doubt that Randall knows her Glasgow very well. Her descriptive passages, especially in the Prologue and opening chapter, are very vivid, almost overwritten in that lovely noir sense and evocative of the underbelly of the city.
Mark Haedyear is a notorious killer, doing life for the abduction and gruesome murder of Amanda Henderson. Whilst on compassionate leave to attend his mother’s funeral, he does a runner from the crematorium.
D.I. Kat Wheeler and Acting D.I.Ross are on the hunt but it isn’t long before a dead body shows up on the streets. Cameron Craig was homeless and living rough. Beside his body is a card for a local group with spiritual overtones whose members work with the homeless community.
Meanwhile, Fiona Henderson, the daughter of Haedyear’s first victim is herself living on the streets. She has been mute since her mother’s murder. She is estranged from her father and in sporadic contact with her sister, and it is clear she does not want to be found.
Is Craig a victim of Mark Haedyear, or is there another killer targeting the homeless and those who work on the streets? Why is Fiona in hiding and what is her link to the victim?
As Wheeler and Ross look for their serial killer, he finds them, and Kat receives communications that are chilling in their narcissism and speak to his needs to communicate – especially with Kat.
There is some nice personal interplay between the two detectives and we learn a little about their personal lives and preferences.
This novel is set amongst the poor, the dispossessed and those who prey on them; a crime novel with rawness and grit, worthy of the tartan noir appellation. Criminals, prostitutes and drug addicts form a network and Randall uses that to play with notions of justice and escape.
Well plotted,it is satisfying to see how the links between characters all tie together as the story reaches its conclusion.
I did work out who had ‘dunnit’ but not til quite near the end, which is always satisfying.
All in all, a good read.
October 31, 2017
Honestly, police procedurals aren't really my thing, but I liked the first book since it had nice, interesting characters. There was less of that this time around, unfortunately, and the pacing was yet again quite rushed and superficial.
There was very little depth in anything that happened, except perhaps the emotions of the local crime lord — who continues to be one of my favourite characters. I had a hard time relating to both the characters and the plot and didn't really feel connected to any of it, mainly because of the aforementioned lack of depth.
I still don't think it was a BAD book, but I wouldn’t say it's a very good one, either. Pretty standard, really, which is quite frustrating since I really wanted to like it. The last one was much more interesting and I don't have much to say about this one, which I guess shows just how little stuck with me.
We'll see if I read the next one or not.
There was very little depth in anything that happened, except perhaps the emotions of the local crime lord — who continues to be one of my favourite characters. I had a hard time relating to both the characters and the plot and didn't really feel connected to any of it, mainly because of the aforementioned lack of depth.
I still don't think it was a BAD book, but I wouldn’t say it's a very good one, either. Pretty standard, really, which is quite frustrating since I really wanted to like it. The last one was much more interesting and I don't have much to say about this one, which I guess shows just how little stuck with me.
We'll see if I read the next one or not.
April 9, 2016
Slow but good
June 16, 2016
Just the most painfully obvious outcome.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews