Confessions of a Gentleman Killer

by Johnny Payne MFA

The papers call me “the gentleman killer.” I wrapped the throat of my first victim in the silk scarf with which I strangled her. That’s what passes as a gentleman these days. I ask How do you reconcile a man who is capable of deep, tender love (because I’ve felt it), a man, who—by public standards—is a health reformer, assistant to the future British Prime Minister ,and the son-in-law of a wealthy industrialist, but who, when the moment overtakes him, kills women? I don’t know what to make of it myself, but that’s me. I’ve been told I have a philosopher’s mind, that I’m ambitious and can do anything I set my mind to—but sometimes my sadomasochistic tendencies get the better of me. I don’t venture judgement—on myself or anyone else. I’ll leave that up to you. My name is Kilcairn, and these are my confessions.

Genres: Historical Fiction

250 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2020

Reviews

[Cathy Geha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Confessions of a Gentleman Killer by Johnny Payne

Set in the mid-seventeenth century we are quickly introduced to The Gentleman Killer – a moniker that is ascribed to him by the papers, police, and population. He seems to be a likable, intelligent, interesting man who recites poetry, woos women, works hard and yet has a darker side that sees his blood rise in a way that pushes him into some dark deeds.

The chapters of the book are women’s names bookended beginning and end with the focus on the protagonist of the story. Kilcairn, The Gentleman Killer, tells his story in first person venturing into his past to elucidate portions of his life and perhaps give a glimpse of his career as a lawyer and a killer. He is a bit like a dichotomous seed with two parts that make him whole and both sides are quite different though they feed on one another.

The way Kilcairn tells his story is forthright and honestly told without gruesome bloody details. It is a matter of fact statement of life events as he saw and experienced them. Kilcairn was always a bit “dark” but that darkness seemed to leap out from time to time in a way that lead to the death of women he happened to be with. The feel of the story is of the era and took me to the place and times as I read what was written.

The ending of the book had me thinking about what would come next in Kilcairn’s life, if he were a leopard we would know he could not change his spots but as a man, would he continue to kill from time to time when his blood was high or turn over a new leaf?

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and Independent Publishers Group for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

[Monika · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

All the true crime and serial killer books fixate on one thing that serial killers are “normal” flawed people and they have a mediocre life. But what if they were perfect? Have a good life and be a Gentleman? (Atleast in their own mind).

Confessions of a Gentleman Killer is a first person narration of a 17th century serial killer - The Gentleman Killer. The story is interesting and I loved the unreliable narration of the killer himself. There are reasonings and bloody details of the killings that seem true to the time period. The plot doesn’t have much special details, but the “why” part kept me going. Since this is a historical fiction, I expected a slow moving storyline, but some places paced very slow for my taste.

Thank you Netgalley & Independent Publishing Group for the arc in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Martin Camps · Rating 5 out of 5]

A master class on narrative, Confessions of a Gentleman Killer is a wonderfully written novel. Its protagonist is a ruthless killer, named Kilcairn, with an exquisite taste for language and an insatiable sexual appetite, who recites poems with the same calm which he perpetrates his killings. With a poet’s eye for the exquisite detail, Payne writes: “The voice of the angel used to speak more loudly in me, before I noticed the lice in its wings”. Payne’s novel is set during the Industrial Revolution in England, which was becoming the world’s workshop with the rise of the steel industry, and peppered with the corresponding hypocrisy of the era. The smile and intelligence of this serial killer is as sharp and lethal as his knife.

[Jessica Buzzard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heads up for anyone doing audiobooks, the quality is TERRIBLE. Sounds like he is underwater randomly during the book. I would recommend just reading a physical copy

[James Magrini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forget the tea or hot cocoa, pour yourself a cognac or two - a “gentleman’s drink” - when sitting down with Payne’s highly readable psychological page-turner! After reading the first three pages, I was hooked, and went on to read it in one sitting.

Violence and eroticism are brilliantly and disturbingly intertwined in this intriguing “period” confessional set in London mid-1800s. The story is focused on the dapper (but not a “dandy!) and handsome Irishman Kilcairn. From humble beginnings he rises to a man of considerable means, but ultimately suffers the slings and arrows of his childhood and the pressures of his involvement within the unscrupulous and unforgiving upper-class world of commerce, high-finance, and politics. In all of this, he’s driven, in complex and nuanced ways, to commit multiple (serial) cold-blooded murders.

The story works and succeeds on several levels, e.g., there is the overarching psychological mystery concerning the precise motives that drive Kilcairn’s lust/desire for sex and especially murder. The author offers intriguing puzzle pieces that must ultimately be collected and assembled by careful and insightful readers in order to construct a complete psychological portrait of the killer - the gentleman killer - if in fact, such an all-encompassing psychological portrait is even possible.

The main character is extremely well-drawn by Payne and boasts a depth and complexity that is uncommon to much contemporary literary fiction. At one moment, Kilcairn horrifies and repulses us (with his grizzly thoughts and actions), while at other times, he appears to us, surprisingly, as a charming and even sympathetic character, e.g., he is fluent in philosophy, well-mannered, and every now and again, is driven to meditations of an ethical nature. In truth, all the characters are equally well-fleshed out, and each, in his or her own way, represents a bold study in debauchery.

In addition, there is also an interesting and intricate tale unfolding, as stated above, focused on the inner-workings and double-dealings of power-brokers and corporate profiteers that have one eye on unfettered capital gain through fraudulent investment schemes and the other on gaining influence through direct access to the pollical power housed in and exercised by Parliament. These people are, no less than Kilcairn, also depraved and deliciously psychologically unstable!

The author, through vivid and imaginative description, re-creates the sights, sounds, and scents (overall ambiance) of London (and its well-known landmarks and boulevards) in the mid-1800s. Payne also has a keen knack for writing realistic and hence believable (period-specific) dialogue, which helps to facilitate the smooth and dynamic unfolding of the tale, which is no simple task considering the author’s formal choice to adopt a mode of story-telling favoring a disrupted temporal locus (i.e., the story moves, at times, in a dizzying manner, from present to past and back again).

With the understanding that every person will bring his/her own tradition, heritage, or “text” to the reading, Payne’s book brings to my mind at least two authors and works: (1) Bret Easton Ellis’ American Psycho and (2) Robert Bloch’s (now classic!) short story, “Yours Truly, Jack-the-Ripper.

Although the book was awarded an independent award for the “horror” genre, it does not read like a pure tale of horror; it is a book that defies hard classification, as stated, it lives simultaneously: as erotica, historical fiction, crime-drama, and psychological “detective” fiction - in that the reader assumes the role of detective, or better, psychoanalyst, in the attempt to understand Kilcairn’s insatiable drive to kill…

After reading this book and enjoying it so thoroughly, I will certainly seek out other novels by Payne. It is my opinion that this book would make an exceptionally engrossing mini-series on the BBC!

Dr. James M. Magrini
Former: Philosophy/College of Dupage
Current: NCIS

[Phillip · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a thriller, a killer read. It is a fascinating blend of psychology, will power, carnality, adventure, a tale of true love, deceit and deeply-rooted internal struggles. The main character borders on genius with a Beowulfian dragon fighting within his charming physique that can’t be tamed. Johnny Payne has the ability to weave any scene or dialog with verisimilitude to make the reader believe in the historical reality of his characters. There is excellence to be found in the protagonist but usually it is of the opposing kind, the contrary to a Homeric Arete. Does that mean he’s irredeemable? You’ll discover on the last page. I got an advanced copy to read of this novel and read it in one sitting. I love the poetic quality of Payne’s writing as well as its wittiness and rawness, which is found in both its physical and emotional worlds. Is there a gentleman killer lurking inside all of us?

[H. R. Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

*disclosure: I worked closely on this book while in production at Blacklight Press, an imprint of City of Light Publishing*

Though I’ve resigned from my position as partner, I’m proud to have worked with this author, and many others, to release this book as part of the launch of the Blacklight Press imprint

[Angela R.]

4.5/5

I saw that this title won a Benjamin Franklin Award in horror, so I thought I'd give it a read. I'm glad I did. This novel isn't typical horror because of how lyrical it is, but it very much gets the job done. It's creepy for sure. The author does a great job in establishing setting too. Glad I picked this one up!

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an easy read, but what I expected and what I got were very different. So, maybe if you go into it with no expectations, then it may be a really great book. But my disappointment came from self-imposed expectations.

[Trisha]

playing review copy catch up

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Edelweiss. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

[Tex · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a result of an early copy from Netgalley. Serial killer, Victorian England. Gentlefolk. These are all great elements for an intriguing plot line. However, aside from the initial situation, I didn't find much plot. I did completely appreciate the settings, which seemed authentic, and the people, who were significantly flawed. My issue was with the protagonist who might also be the villain, but for whom I couldn't garner much sympathy.