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Highwayman #1
Highwayman
Meet Lance Belanger, he has only one ambition, to be the most infamous killer of all time. After murdering a single mom and her toddler child, Lance indoctrinates himself into the world of serial murder. Before long, the bodies start turning up all over the country. Each victim is incapacitated by a puncture wound to the spine, then, while still alive, they are dismembered, their arms, legs, and head are severed from the torso.
FBI investigators call their killer "Highwayman." But beyond the multi-state dumping of staged victims, the killer has left them little else to go on. With no DNA or forensic evidence, veteran FBI agent Lewis Ash is in a race against retirement as he tracks the elusive murderer.
Meanwhile, Lance has other plans that will up his game and increase his body count. In a web of murder that reaches from the United States to Bucharest, Romania, a diabolical plan is set into motion to attract the most dangerous predators the world has to offer . . .
FBI investigators call their killer "Highwayman." But beyond the multi-state dumping of staged victims, the killer has left them little else to go on. With no DNA or forensic evidence, veteran FBI agent Lewis Ash is in a race against retirement as he tracks the elusive murderer.
Meanwhile, Lance has other plans that will up his game and increase his body count. In a web of murder that reaches from the United States to Bucharest, Romania, a diabolical plan is set into motion to attract the most dangerous predators the world has to offer . . .
417 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 2, 2019
3 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
About the author
M.J. Preston
14 books33 followersAUTHOR AND ARTIST AT LARGE
MJ Preston is a horror author who lives in Canada. His debut novel: THE EQUINOX was a semi final contender in the Amazon Breakthrough Awards and was called: A solid Horror Novel, by a reviewer from Publishers Weekly. It also captured the attention of horror enthusiasts in the Podcast world where it was met with high praise. Dark Discussions founder and co-host called: THE EQUINOX arguably one of the best straight horror novels to be published in the last 10 years.
His latest novel: ACADIA EVENT was inspired from his time spent running the world longest ice road in 2012 and 2013. This new novel is a much anticipated and early reviews are coming back with praise for his story telling ability and imagination.
He has also had published a number of short stories and most recently can be found in the pages of Great Old Ones two Epic anthologies. Canopic Jars: Tales of Mummies and Mummification and Bugs: Tales that Slither, Creep, and Crawl.
Along with writing MJ Preston is also an artist using both is camera and computer to render all sorts of imagery. He does all of his own cover art and has produced covers for the aforementioned Anthologies.
He is now at work on a new novel.
MJ Preston is a horror author who lives in Canada. His debut novel: THE EQUINOX was a semi final contender in the Amazon Breakthrough Awards and was called: A solid Horror Novel, by a reviewer from Publishers Weekly. It also captured the attention of horror enthusiasts in the Podcast world where it was met with high praise. Dark Discussions founder and co-host called: THE EQUINOX arguably one of the best straight horror novels to be published in the last 10 years.
His latest novel: ACADIA EVENT was inspired from his time spent running the world longest ice road in 2012 and 2013. This new novel is a much anticipated and early reviews are coming back with praise for his story telling ability and imagination.
He has also had published a number of short stories and most recently can be found in the pages of Great Old Ones two Epic anthologies. Canopic Jars: Tales of Mummies and Mummification and Bugs: Tales that Slither, Creep, and Crawl.
Along with writing MJ Preston is also an artist using both is camera and computer to render all sorts of imagery. He does all of his own cover art and has produced covers for the aforementioned Anthologies.
He is now at work on a new novel.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 7, 2019
It's my book. I think it's great.
July 11, 2019
I was given a free advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I think everyone has a fascination with serial killers. We may claim otherwise but we are amazed by how they think and what makes them become the monsters they are.
Highwayman is a book which aims at that fascination, bringing the reader into the mind of a serial killer. The star of this book is known as the Highwayman. His real name is Lance Belanger and he is instantly detestable. The author, MJ Preston, mentioned in his afterword that he did not want this serial killer to be likable. He did not want people to feel any positive emotions for him at all and he was successful. Lance has a monster inside and the only way to feed it is by killing. He tweaks his method until he is untraceable with his body count rising higher and higher. During the spree, he hooks up with a necrophiliac, Norris Connelly and starts using him as an assistant paying him with gruesome entertainment. However, Norris soon becomes a liability and I found myself feeling sorry for him because in the crime world, there is only one way to get rid of a liability. The FBI, meanwhile, is hot on their trail with Lewis Ash, who is in charge of the case, determined to catch them.
This book started off with a bang and I found myself immediately caught up in the story. From the jump, I disliked Lance. He was arrogant, narcissistic and clearly psychopathic. He treated all living beings, animals or humans, as disposable test subjects. He was also incredibly rich so he was able to hide his depravity from the rest of the world while enlisting likewise minded individuals to help him carry out his deeds.
I felt sorry for Norris throughout the book. He was what is known as a follower. His background was troubled and he was a bit slow. Pair that with a physical deformity and an overbearing mother and he was ripe for the picking, the perfect candidate to play Renfield to Lance's Dracula. However, because of the combination of his mental issues along with his overwhelming desires, he quickly became a liability.
The FBI involvement in the beginning was interesting. There was a lot of background work going on and I found the chase quite fascinating. However, in the end, I felt like the book was bogged down by way too much bureaucracy, the pace slowed down quite a bit and I found myself getting a bit bored and distracted. The book ended on a bit of a cliffhanger. Normally when this happens I find myself excited to see what happens in the sequel but honestly I am not too sure I would actually be willing to continue this series based on how it was going towards the end.
I think everyone has a fascination with serial killers. We may claim otherwise but we are amazed by how they think and what makes them become the monsters they are.
Highwayman is a book which aims at that fascination, bringing the reader into the mind of a serial killer. The star of this book is known as the Highwayman. His real name is Lance Belanger and he is instantly detestable. The author, MJ Preston, mentioned in his afterword that he did not want this serial killer to be likable. He did not want people to feel any positive emotions for him at all and he was successful. Lance has a monster inside and the only way to feed it is by killing. He tweaks his method until he is untraceable with his body count rising higher and higher. During the spree, he hooks up with a necrophiliac, Norris Connelly and starts using him as an assistant paying him with gruesome entertainment. However, Norris soon becomes a liability and I found myself feeling sorry for him because in the crime world, there is only one way to get rid of a liability. The FBI, meanwhile, is hot on their trail with Lewis Ash, who is in charge of the case, determined to catch them.
This book started off with a bang and I found myself immediately caught up in the story. From the jump, I disliked Lance. He was arrogant, narcissistic and clearly psychopathic. He treated all living beings, animals or humans, as disposable test subjects. He was also incredibly rich so he was able to hide his depravity from the rest of the world while enlisting likewise minded individuals to help him carry out his deeds.
I felt sorry for Norris throughout the book. He was what is known as a follower. His background was troubled and he was a bit slow. Pair that with a physical deformity and an overbearing mother and he was ripe for the picking, the perfect candidate to play Renfield to Lance's Dracula. However, because of the combination of his mental issues along with his overwhelming desires, he quickly became a liability.
The FBI involvement in the beginning was interesting. There was a lot of background work going on and I found the chase quite fascinating. However, in the end, I felt like the book was bogged down by way too much bureaucracy, the pace slowed down quite a bit and I found myself getting a bit bored and distracted. The book ended on a bit of a cliffhanger. Normally when this happens I find myself excited to see what happens in the sequel but honestly I am not too sure I would actually be willing to continue this series based on how it was going towards the end.
February 24, 2020
A stunning achievement!
Canadian author M.J. Preston is rapidly becoming recognized as one the more impressive writers of horror fiction. His novels to date: THE EQUINOX, ACADIA EVENT, and The Highwayman Series, of which HIGHWAYMAN is Book 1 (book 2, FOUR, is soon to be released). In addition to his novels, Preston has been a contributor to short story anthologies, collections that focus on dark themes.
Finding the platform for creating a novel (and series!) about a diabolical serial killer is a challenge to all writers, a challenge that MJ Preston has comfortably mastered. His entry into his story, shared with raw language, seems adequately comfortable to the reader – a scene that introduces crime reporter Horace Montillo (aka Harry) and a Detective Perkins in a sultry Kentucky office in the year 2008 as an interview regarding ‘Highwayman’ and one ‘Norris” – and the story begins.
As Chapter One surfaces, we are witness to a grisly murder played out as a bar encounter that ends in one of the more heinous murder descriptions on paper. And that is only the beginning of the crimes that cover the time frame 2000 to 2007! The drawn out detail of the description of the encounter, from passion and lust to…murder sets a tone for the remainder of the book.
Preston’s synopsis shares the plot without destroying the anxiety-riddled pace that makes this book so engrossing: ‘Lance Belanger has only one ambition, to be the most infamous killer of all time. After murdering a single mom and her toddler child, Lance indoctrinates himself into the world of serial murder. Before long, the bodies start turning up all over the country. Each victim is incapacitated by a puncture wound to the spine, then, while still alive, they are dismembered, their arms, legs, and head are severed from the torso. FBI investigators call their killer “Highwayman.” But beyond the multi-state dumping of staged victims, the killer has left them little else to go on. With no DNA or forensic evidence, veteran FBI agent Lewis Ash is in a race against retirement as he tracks the elusive murderer. Meanwhile, Lance has other plans that will up his game and increase his body count. In a web of murder that reaches from the United States to Bucharest, Romania, a diabolical plan is set into motion to attract the most dangerous predators the world has to offer. Can the FBI stop this killer before he sets his plan into motion?’
Prose of this quality is rare in horror stories, but Preston magnetizes our attention from the first of the serial crimes to the last, preparing us for the wait for Book 2 in this impressive series. Cinematic adaptation? Not necessary, as the imagery and action depiction and inherent terror, suffice. This is a stunning achievement!
Canadian author M.J. Preston is rapidly becoming recognized as one the more impressive writers of horror fiction. His novels to date: THE EQUINOX, ACADIA EVENT, and The Highwayman Series, of which HIGHWAYMAN is Book 1 (book 2, FOUR, is soon to be released). In addition to his novels, Preston has been a contributor to short story anthologies, collections that focus on dark themes.
Finding the platform for creating a novel (and series!) about a diabolical serial killer is a challenge to all writers, a challenge that MJ Preston has comfortably mastered. His entry into his story, shared with raw language, seems adequately comfortable to the reader – a scene that introduces crime reporter Horace Montillo (aka Harry) and a Detective Perkins in a sultry Kentucky office in the year 2008 as an interview regarding ‘Highwayman’ and one ‘Norris” – and the story begins.
As Chapter One surfaces, we are witness to a grisly murder played out as a bar encounter that ends in one of the more heinous murder descriptions on paper. And that is only the beginning of the crimes that cover the time frame 2000 to 2007! The drawn out detail of the description of the encounter, from passion and lust to…murder sets a tone for the remainder of the book.
Preston’s synopsis shares the plot without destroying the anxiety-riddled pace that makes this book so engrossing: ‘Lance Belanger has only one ambition, to be the most infamous killer of all time. After murdering a single mom and her toddler child, Lance indoctrinates himself into the world of serial murder. Before long, the bodies start turning up all over the country. Each victim is incapacitated by a puncture wound to the spine, then, while still alive, they are dismembered, their arms, legs, and head are severed from the torso. FBI investigators call their killer “Highwayman.” But beyond the multi-state dumping of staged victims, the killer has left them little else to go on. With no DNA or forensic evidence, veteran FBI agent Lewis Ash is in a race against retirement as he tracks the elusive murderer. Meanwhile, Lance has other plans that will up his game and increase his body count. In a web of murder that reaches from the United States to Bucharest, Romania, a diabolical plan is set into motion to attract the most dangerous predators the world has to offer. Can the FBI stop this killer before he sets his plan into motion?’
Prose of this quality is rare in horror stories, but Preston magnetizes our attention from the first of the serial crimes to the last, preparing us for the wait for Book 2 in this impressive series. Cinematic adaptation? Not necessary, as the imagery and action depiction and inherent terror, suffice. This is a stunning achievement!
August 20, 2019
All I can say is WOW! Although I could not put this book down, I had to a few times because of the terror I felt reading about the horrific actions of serial killer, Lance Belanger aka The Highwayman. Lance Belanger has one goal and that is to become a notorious serial killer just like his inspiration, Ted Bundy. However, Lance, or the Highwayman, doesn’t want to just kill people. He feeds the monster inside of him by capturing and immobilizing his victims, engaging with them a bit, and then slowly chopping their bodies up into six sections; The FBI labels this “starfished”. The main reason the FBI cannot catch The Highwayman is because he does not leave a trace of DNA. However, that is short lived once Lance takes on his new “partner”, Norris, aka the Regulator, who suffers from necrophilia. As much as Lance tries to control the monster inside of him, the urge to kill cannot be contained and Norris cannot suppress the urge to pleasure himself to another one of The Highwayman’s “masterpiece’s”. The Highwayman has truly stumped the FBI and law enforcement, but it will not be long until he has the urge to kill again. The author, MJ Preston takes you in to the mind of serial killer Lance and how he lives with this monster inside of him. An amazing read! I can only hope this turns into a TV series or movie!
December 27, 2019
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview HIGHWAYMAN by MJ Preston. I am not usually a fan of serial killer plot novels - but this one was frighteningly good.
A young man sits at a bar flirting with a pretty bartender - he looks normal, he's cute, and they engage in conversation. She takes him home to her small cottage that she shares with her 4 year old son. That was her final mistake.
When this cottage is suddenly on fire, the police realize this is not a normal fire - there are two bodies inside - a young woman and her son. What's baffles them is that the young child is missing his head.
The police soon realize as the bodies pile up, that they are searching for a serial killer. And the bodies are piling up all over the US. Over the course of several years, a seasoned FBI agent struggles with his quest to get this killer off the streets, but time is running out and the dead bodies continue to be found. But the killer's MO is changing and no one is safe.
This book was scary good - well written and a real page turner. My favorite book this summer (so far)....
Recommend - 5 stars.
A young man sits at a bar flirting with a pretty bartender - he looks normal, he's cute, and they engage in conversation. She takes him home to her small cottage that she shares with her 4 year old son. That was her final mistake.
When this cottage is suddenly on fire, the police realize this is not a normal fire - there are two bodies inside - a young woman and her son. What's baffles them is that the young child is missing his head.
The police soon realize as the bodies pile up, that they are searching for a serial killer. And the bodies are piling up all over the US. Over the course of several years, a seasoned FBI agent struggles with his quest to get this killer off the streets, but time is running out and the dead bodies continue to be found. But the killer's MO is changing and no one is safe.
This book was scary good - well written and a real page turner. My favorite book this summer (so far)....
Recommend - 5 stars.
Read
August 30, 2019I would like to thank WildBlue Press for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, I am unable to finish reading this book and do not feel that I have read enough to give it a star rating.
While this book caught my attention from the synopsis, I immediately found it to be too gory and dark for my personal taste. Certain parts of the book were too much for me to handle and I could not move past them.
The genre is horror and fans of horror will probably enjoy this book as it is well written and fast paced. It is book one in the series and is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seat.
Unfortunately, I am unable to finish reading this book and do not feel that I have read enough to give it a star rating.
While this book caught my attention from the synopsis, I immediately found it to be too gory and dark for my personal taste. Certain parts of the book were too much for me to handle and I could not move past them.
The genre is horror and fans of horror will probably enjoy this book as it is well written and fast paced. It is book one in the series and is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seat.
June 24, 2021
A twisted young man that finds pleasure in killing, a dyslexic limp, money, a machete, the Feds and an author that means BUSINESS!
Unlike some thrillers that take time to develop, Highway Man by M. J. Preston, doesn’t give you much time to spare, to prepare or to breathe. As pages pass by your eyes, you can feel the urge of not putting the book down.
It’s graphic, it’s solid, methodical, realistic, mysterious and above all, bloody.
The way the writer tells it, how uses the paragraphs to build expectations and suspense is wonderful, with a third person narrative that is awesome and keeps you bound to the story by its quick to regular pace, making it an easy and engaging read.
This very “special” serial killer is deliberate twisted and downright lunatic, expressed to the point that the reader starts to understand and even, sometimes connect with the killer.
It’s incredible how the author can make the twisted sound like normal and the normal sound boring. It’s not just the killer, but the whole narrative in itself, the thoughts of the characters that jump in and out, how easily he can detail delusion, mania and outright insanity with such ease. It’s fascinating, to say the least.
Then he gets us back from the high points and throw us back to sanity with his contrasts about of the police investigators and reporters and sometimes, regular people. The dynamics of transitioning when it comes to scenes and chapters is fluid and it always leaves us asking: “What’s going to happen next?” Gripping us completely to the book to the point that we wonder if bathroom-brakes are necessary.
MJ Preston
Heart-pumping, vivid, detailed and gripping narrative from M. J. Preston. WORLD CLASS!
There isn’t just a set of few characters that make the novel, there are instead groups of characters that make this thriller great and with many complex and simple divisions, timelines and motives working together to create this world that makes us fear the very act of blinking! It’s amazing, it’s fast, it’s exciting and it’s TWISTED. This is how thrillers should be written.
I haven’t read a police/crime thriller THIS good in a very long time. It’s hard to come by with a book this good as a reader, and to find a third-person narrative that suits a good thriller is even harder, but M. J. Preston got, it, right.
M. J. Preston NAILED IT!
EPIC FROM START TO FINISH!
AMAZING, DETAILED, METICULOUSLY written AND TWISTED!!!!
BREATH-TAKING!!!
Worth EVERY single minute of reading time. AMAZING!!!!!!!
Pros:
World Class third-person Narrative. Simply amazing
Perfect pace for a thriller
Amazingly well-constructed
Unpredictable from start to finish
Amazing ending!
Top tier character architecture
Great transition between scenes
Complex characters with strong motives
Twisted ambiance when it came to killings. Simply grotesque. Great stuff
Great description
An amazingly well done plot-twist
GRIPPING book from start to finish
Cons:
– None. Top Stuff this book. Top stuff
Favourite Character: Lewis
Lesson: “Instincts rule the animals.”
Cover Score: 8.8/10
Final Score: 9.1/10
Original review @ https://scribblesworth.wordpress.com/...
Unlike some thrillers that take time to develop, Highway Man by M. J. Preston, doesn’t give you much time to spare, to prepare or to breathe. As pages pass by your eyes, you can feel the urge of not putting the book down.
It’s graphic, it’s solid, methodical, realistic, mysterious and above all, bloody.
The way the writer tells it, how uses the paragraphs to build expectations and suspense is wonderful, with a third person narrative that is awesome and keeps you bound to the story by its quick to regular pace, making it an easy and engaging read.
This very “special” serial killer is deliberate twisted and downright lunatic, expressed to the point that the reader starts to understand and even, sometimes connect with the killer.
It’s incredible how the author can make the twisted sound like normal and the normal sound boring. It’s not just the killer, but the whole narrative in itself, the thoughts of the characters that jump in and out, how easily he can detail delusion, mania and outright insanity with such ease. It’s fascinating, to say the least.
Then he gets us back from the high points and throw us back to sanity with his contrasts about of the police investigators and reporters and sometimes, regular people. The dynamics of transitioning when it comes to scenes and chapters is fluid and it always leaves us asking: “What’s going to happen next?” Gripping us completely to the book to the point that we wonder if bathroom-brakes are necessary.
MJ Preston
Heart-pumping, vivid, detailed and gripping narrative from M. J. Preston. WORLD CLASS!
There isn’t just a set of few characters that make the novel, there are instead groups of characters that make this thriller great and with many complex and simple divisions, timelines and motives working together to create this world that makes us fear the very act of blinking! It’s amazing, it’s fast, it’s exciting and it’s TWISTED. This is how thrillers should be written.
I haven’t read a police/crime thriller THIS good in a very long time. It’s hard to come by with a book this good as a reader, and to find a third-person narrative that suits a good thriller is even harder, but M. J. Preston got, it, right.
M. J. Preston NAILED IT!
EPIC FROM START TO FINISH!
AMAZING, DETAILED, METICULOUSLY written AND TWISTED!!!!
BREATH-TAKING!!!
Worth EVERY single minute of reading time. AMAZING!!!!!!!
Pros:
World Class third-person Narrative. Simply amazing
Perfect pace for a thriller
Amazingly well-constructed
Unpredictable from start to finish
Amazing ending!
Top tier character architecture
Great transition between scenes
Complex characters with strong motives
Twisted ambiance when it came to killings. Simply grotesque. Great stuff
Great description
An amazingly well done plot-twist
GRIPPING book from start to finish
Cons:
– None. Top Stuff this book. Top stuff
Favourite Character: Lewis
Lesson: “Instincts rule the animals.”
Cover Score: 8.8/10
Final Score: 9.1/10
Original review @ https://scribblesworth.wordpress.com/...
March 29, 2020
The Review
One of the more unique serial killer thrillers I’ve personally read in years, the author completely twists the common narrative by focusing on the killer himself, the Highwayman, as the protagonist. While the story focuses on both the killer and the investigators hounding him as his career rises, the focus remains on Lance, a young man who dreams of becoming more infamous than the likes of Ted Bundy or John Wayne Gacy.
The author does a great job of upping the ante throughout the narrative, bringing readers along a chaotic and heart-pounding journey of a killer born and a killer on the rise. From the shocking opening pages of the killer’s first horrifying kills to the shocking accidental circumstances that gave him power and resources and beyond, the story truly delves into the fascination and abject horror that the mind of a serial killer often brings.
The case gets complex as time goes on when the killer not only gains the attention of law enforcement everywhere but the attention of his own following as well, and soon the body count begins to rise more than he could have ever hoped for. It’s a chilling read as the story takes the reader on a spine-chilling and nail-bitter of an adventure.
The Verdict
A brilliant, haunting and lengthy read, author M.J. Preston has created a gripping thriller that few readers will be able to put down. Not for the faint of heart, the story plays out like a cinematic tale that is waiting to be told and creates a modern-day killer that is sure to haunt the dreams of many a reader. Be sure to grab your copy of “Highwayman”, the first of the Highwayman series today!
One of the more unique serial killer thrillers I’ve personally read in years, the author completely twists the common narrative by focusing on the killer himself, the Highwayman, as the protagonist. While the story focuses on both the killer and the investigators hounding him as his career rises, the focus remains on Lance, a young man who dreams of becoming more infamous than the likes of Ted Bundy or John Wayne Gacy.
The author does a great job of upping the ante throughout the narrative, bringing readers along a chaotic and heart-pounding journey of a killer born and a killer on the rise. From the shocking opening pages of the killer’s first horrifying kills to the shocking accidental circumstances that gave him power and resources and beyond, the story truly delves into the fascination and abject horror that the mind of a serial killer often brings.
The case gets complex as time goes on when the killer not only gains the attention of law enforcement everywhere but the attention of his own following as well, and soon the body count begins to rise more than he could have ever hoped for. It’s a chilling read as the story takes the reader on a spine-chilling and nail-bitter of an adventure.
The Verdict
A brilliant, haunting and lengthy read, author M.J. Preston has created a gripping thriller that few readers will be able to put down. Not for the faint of heart, the story plays out like a cinematic tale that is waiting to be told and creates a modern-day killer that is sure to haunt the dreams of many a reader. Be sure to grab your copy of “Highwayman”, the first of the Highwayman series today!
August 23, 2020
This is the 3rd book I've read by MJ Preston. Yet again, another page turner! I didn't want to put it down. Starfish.... What comes to mind when you think of Starfish? Read this book, and you will have a new definition for the term Starfish. I'm not going to tell you anymore than that about this book, other than I don't like Lance and I felt sorry for Norris. Norris got the poop end of the stick from day dot one, and it didn't get any better for him. It does have some gruesome parts - it wouldn't be a good serial killer/horror book if it didn't. I was given a copy of this book, by the author, for an honest review. Honestly, I'm going to go read, Four, the next book in this series - because I want to see what happens next!
March 18, 2021
Great serial killer yarn told from both the killers and the law enforcement agents point of view.
Like two novels in one. Looking forward to the sequel.
It's not hard to tell that this talented writer is ex military when reading the agents side of the story.
Like two novels in one. Looking forward to the sequel.
It's not hard to tell that this talented writer is ex military when reading the agents side of the story.
April 18, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the first in this series. The depth of depravity shown in "The Highwayman" Lance Belanger is what I believe is realistic. At times I found the pace a little slow. It definitely makes me not want to interact with strangers.
October 17, 2023
so good
Loved this. The writing flows and the details are wonderful. MJ Preston writes a great story. Lance Ballenger is creepy as heck! Love love this.
Loved this. The writing flows and the details are wonderful. MJ Preston writes a great story. Lance Ballenger is creepy as heck! Love love this.
November 18, 2020
"I was born with the devil in me. I could not help the fact that I became a murderer, no more than the poet can help the inspiration to sing." - H.H. Holmes quoted from The Highwayman.
The author has made a few cool twists to the contemporary genre of tracking a murderer.
He lets you look inside the mind of a killer. The first thing I noticed is what a cold place it was. His emotions are devoid of any humanity. It's like narcissism and ego were a virus that has eaten him alive. Quite a unique take on someone who kills.
There is also a bit more of an eye level view from the detectives on the hunt. This might look like a team effort at first. But, each has their own objectives. This is probably a lot more realistic than most of the genre. Professionalism in detective work only goes so far before personal interest becomes a key motivator.
Nice touch at the end, too. Usually in these thrillers the author does not share sources. This book has a section of observations and thanks to contributors that is quite impressive. What grows out of all this is an understanding of the plotline. A real feel that is quite satisfying.
The author has made a few cool twists to the contemporary genre of tracking a murderer.
He lets you look inside the mind of a killer. The first thing I noticed is what a cold place it was. His emotions are devoid of any humanity. It's like narcissism and ego were a virus that has eaten him alive. Quite a unique take on someone who kills.
There is also a bit more of an eye level view from the detectives on the hunt. This might look like a team effort at first. But, each has their own objectives. This is probably a lot more realistic than most of the genre. Professionalism in detective work only goes so far before personal interest becomes a key motivator.
Nice touch at the end, too. Usually in these thrillers the author does not share sources. This book has a section of observations and thanks to contributors that is quite impressive. What grows out of all this is an understanding of the plotline. A real feel that is quite satisfying.
December 31, 2020
Highwayman
By MJ Preston
A very dark look into the mind of a serial killer. With multiple points of view from the killer to the FBI chasing him. The detailed events of death and dismemberment are hauntingly frightening. I found some parts of his mind so dark and formidable that it was a jagged pill to swallow. How different from other books I have read, the twists and turns of this killer. How he plans and executes his crimes to his reasoning and acceptance of it. How he views himself is spelled out in a disparaging display of dark manipulation of facts and people. From his first crime to the jaw dropping cliff hanger M J Preston has the reader by the cuff, beating into them the twisted reality of these men.
By MJ Preston
A very dark look into the mind of a serial killer. With multiple points of view from the killer to the FBI chasing him. The detailed events of death and dismemberment are hauntingly frightening. I found some parts of his mind so dark and formidable that it was a jagged pill to swallow. How different from other books I have read, the twists and turns of this killer. How he plans and executes his crimes to his reasoning and acceptance of it. How he views himself is spelled out in a disparaging display of dark manipulation of facts and people. From his first crime to the jaw dropping cliff hanger M J Preston has the reader by the cuff, beating into them the twisted reality of these men.
July 9, 2019
It took me a long time to get through this book. It wasn’t that the writing wasn’t to my liking I just found it tough at parts. It didn’t flow in a way that I could get caught up in the book and not put it down. The whole premise for the book, the evolution of Lance Belanger as a serial killer is an intriguing storyline and the story itself is great, I just can’t totally put my finger on what it was lacking for me. I really enjoyed reading the parts involving the FBI agents I felt they flowed much better than the other more intimate “Lance” parts. The book as a whole didn’t evoke much emotion from me which in turn hindered that connection with characters and such. 2 stars.
July 8, 2019
I put the link for the book trailer below also.
I love his writing! MJ Preston is not afraid to put it out there.
Never a dull moment in this book. I love a book that keeps surprising you.
I never thought I'd find myself feeling sorry for a killer, but I did in this book.
An excellent read. I don't often give books five stars, but this one deserved them all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q4bj...
I love his writing! MJ Preston is not afraid to put it out there.
Never a dull moment in this book. I love a book that keeps surprising you.
I never thought I'd find myself feeling sorry for a killer, but I did in this book.
An excellent read. I don't often give books five stars, but this one deserved them all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q4bj...
August 24, 2019
I often read suspense/crime novels for relaxation. This is one of the best. It had hold of me from the first chapter with plenty of twists and turns. I read it in one day. I couldn't put it down. It is set up for a sequel and despite some disappointment that I couldn't get a final kicker from this volume I am hooked and waiting for a sequel. It is very tightly structured and well written, backed by good research. I would rank this book right at the top of the tree. Bring on the sequel.
March 10, 2021
Love the book my review is in podcast form. Go listen
https://anchor.fm/sheblurbsreviewsboo...
https://anchor.fm/sheblurbsreviewsboo...
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