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Secrets of a Serial Killer
An edge-of-your-seat serial killer thriller that you won’t be able to put down!
There it is: fear. It’s crawling all over her face and in her eyes, like a swarm of insects, and it’s all because of him.
A serial killer has been terrorising Lancaster for decades, longer than should ever have been possible. The police are baffled, eluded at every turn by the killer whose victims span generations. Speculation is rife among the true crime forums; is someone passing on their gruesome trade?
Every local mother's worst nightmare has become Helen Summerton's reality; he’s taken her daughter, Zoe. As the clock runs down so do her chances of survival. Can Helen unearth the secrets of the killer before it’s too late?
A gripping serial killer thriller that you won’t be able to put down. Perfect for fans of The Whisper Man, What You Did and Don’t Even Breathe.
There it is: fear. It’s crawling all over her face and in her eyes, like a swarm of insects, and it’s all because of him.
A serial killer has been terrorising Lancaster for decades, longer than should ever have been possible. The police are baffled, eluded at every turn by the killer whose victims span generations. Speculation is rife among the true crime forums; is someone passing on their gruesome trade?
Every local mother's worst nightmare has become Helen Summerton's reality; he’s taken her daughter, Zoe. As the clock runs down so do her chances of survival. Can Helen unearth the secrets of the killer before it’s too late?
A gripping serial killer thriller that you won’t be able to put down. Perfect for fans of The Whisper Man, What You Did and Don’t Even Breathe.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 17, 2020
139 people are currently reading
1246 people want to read
About the author
Rosie Walker
6 books66 followersRosie Walker is a novelist who lives in Edinburgh with her husband, daughter, and dog. She has published four novels: 'Secrets of a Serial Killer', 'The House Fire', 'The Baby Monitor' and 'My Husband's Ex'.
Her next book, 'The Bride's Secret', is coming in 2025.
Rosie has a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Edinburgh and an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Lancaster University.
Her next book, 'The Bride's Secret', is coming in 2025.
Rosie has a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Edinburgh and an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Lancaster University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 322 reviews
August 3, 2020
EXCERPT: (She) remembers the woman's words, hours ago in the caravan:'He doesn't work alone. He likes to share.'
She knows why he hasn't raped her, like she initially feared. As if that was the worst thing that can happen. She knows better than that, now.
And why he took her to the caravan and left her there, like it was a waiting room. Because it was a waiting room: waiting for something far, far worse than she could imagine. Something was there, all along, lingering on the other side of a flimsy partition wall in that caravan, listening to her wail and struggle and cry. She knows why that man only taped her eyelids, and did not slice them.
The real threat is standing next to her in the darkness, digging the burning end of a cigarette into her ribs.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: There it is: fear. It’s crawling all over her face and in her eyes, like a swarm of insects, and it’s all because of him.
A serial killer has been terrorising Lancaster for decades, longer than should ever have been possible. The police are baffled, eluded at every turn by the killer whose victims span generations. Speculation is rife among the true crime forums; is someone passing on their gruesome trade?
Every local mother's worst nightmare has become Helen Summerton's reality; he’s taken her daughter, Zoe. As the clock runs down so do her chances of survival. Can Helen unearth the secrets of the killer before it’s too late?
MY THOUGHTS:
Serial Killer - urban legend or reality?
Creepy old lunatic asylum
Missing teenager
Two kids egging each other on to explore
All the ingredients for a great creepy thriller. And it was, in parts. The beginning. And the end. But in the middle, it lost impetus.
There are probably too many threads to this story.
The serial killer who adopts other people's identities is an excellent premise. But we only got a superficial look at this.
There's a journalist, certain that a, or more than one, serial killer has been operating in the area for years. The police say her theory is not credible, even though there are striking resemblances between the missing girls, who the police have classified as runaways, despite the fact that they have never been seen again, and nor have their bank accounts been touched. Again, this storyline isn't fully explored.
I didn't think that the dark web inserts added anything to the story.
Gripes: I have never been in a caravan where the door opened inwards.
Tony, father of the abducted Zoe, had been a policeman who worked on the Mr X serial killer case which was never solved. So why would the police be denying the existence of a serial killer?
And why was he delaying reporting Zoe's disappearance?
The knife - it's not a pocket knife. Driving it through someone's eye is going to put it into the brain. Is someone going to be able to escape after that?
Secrets of a Serial Killer (for the record, I don't like the title) is a debut novel, a good one, but not a great one. I can see the potential, and with a good edit, it could be greatly improved.
Note to the author: less is often more. Don't overcomplicate the storyline.
Will I try this author again? Probably.
🤔🤨🤷♀️
THE AUTHOR: Rosie Walker is a novelist who lives in Edinburgh with her husband Kevin and their dog Bella. 'Secrets of a Serial Killer' is her debut novel, "an edge-of-your-seat serial killer thriller that you won't be able to put down".
Rosie has a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Edinburgh and an undergraduate degree from Lancaster University.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter, for providing a digital ARC of Secrets of a Serial Killer by Rosie Walker for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
She knows why he hasn't raped her, like she initially feared. As if that was the worst thing that can happen. She knows better than that, now.
And why he took her to the caravan and left her there, like it was a waiting room. Because it was a waiting room: waiting for something far, far worse than she could imagine. Something was there, all along, lingering on the other side of a flimsy partition wall in that caravan, listening to her wail and struggle and cry. She knows why that man only taped her eyelids, and did not slice them.
The real threat is standing next to her in the darkness, digging the burning end of a cigarette into her ribs.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: There it is: fear. It’s crawling all over her face and in her eyes, like a swarm of insects, and it’s all because of him.
A serial killer has been terrorising Lancaster for decades, longer than should ever have been possible. The police are baffled, eluded at every turn by the killer whose victims span generations. Speculation is rife among the true crime forums; is someone passing on their gruesome trade?
Every local mother's worst nightmare has become Helen Summerton's reality; he’s taken her daughter, Zoe. As the clock runs down so do her chances of survival. Can Helen unearth the secrets of the killer before it’s too late?
MY THOUGHTS:
Serial Killer - urban legend or reality?
Creepy old lunatic asylum
Missing teenager
Two kids egging each other on to explore
All the ingredients for a great creepy thriller. And it was, in parts. The beginning. And the end. But in the middle, it lost impetus.
There are probably too many threads to this story.
The serial killer who adopts other people's identities is an excellent premise. But we only got a superficial look at this.
There's a journalist, certain that a, or more than one, serial killer has been operating in the area for years. The police say her theory is not credible, even though there are striking resemblances between the missing girls, who the police have classified as runaways, despite the fact that they have never been seen again, and nor have their bank accounts been touched. Again, this storyline isn't fully explored.
I didn't think that the dark web inserts added anything to the story.
Gripes: I have never been in a caravan where the door opened inwards.
Tony, father of the abducted Zoe, had been a policeman who worked on the Mr X serial killer case which was never solved. So why would the police be denying the existence of a serial killer?
And why was he delaying reporting Zoe's disappearance?
The knife - it's not a pocket knife. Driving it through someone's eye is going to put it into the brain. Is someone going to be able to escape after that?
Secrets of a Serial Killer (for the record, I don't like the title) is a debut novel, a good one, but not a great one. I can see the potential, and with a good edit, it could be greatly improved.
Note to the author: less is often more. Don't overcomplicate the storyline.
Will I try this author again? Probably.
🤔🤨🤷♀️
THE AUTHOR: Rosie Walker is a novelist who lives in Edinburgh with her husband Kevin and their dog Bella. 'Secrets of a Serial Killer' is her debut novel, "an edge-of-your-seat serial killer thriller that you won't be able to put down".
Rosie has a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Edinburgh and an undergraduate degree from Lancaster University.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter, for providing a digital ARC of Secrets of a Serial Killer by Rosie Walker for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
May 29, 2020
A lunatic with a legacy.
A serial killer who frames someone for the crimes he is about to commit.
A journalist poking holes in the handling of missing girl cases by the local police force.
The Urban Dark Reporter, sharing conspiracies and advice on “How to Get Away With Murder”
Four great premises...
None fully developed.
The author should’ve picked ONE.
That would’ve made for a stronger story.
And, given her, her next 3 books!!
It started well but fell apart at the 50% point.
Thank You to Netgalley, and “One More Chapter” for the digital ARC I received in exchange for a candid review!
Available Aug. 7, 2020
A serial killer who frames someone for the crimes he is about to commit.
A journalist poking holes in the handling of missing girl cases by the local police force.
The Urban Dark Reporter, sharing conspiracies and advice on “How to Get Away With Murder”
Four great premises...
None fully developed.
The author should’ve picked ONE.
That would’ve made for a stronger story.
And, given her, her next 3 books!!
It started well but fell apart at the 50% point.
Thank You to Netgalley, and “One More Chapter” for the digital ARC I received in exchange for a candid review!
Available Aug. 7, 2020
September 22, 2020
Secrets of a Serial Killer is a suspenseful thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what will happen next. This is a fictional book about a serial killer that goes unnoticed for years until a teenage girl goes missing and her friends and family find articles about the suspected serial killer. The story is from four character's perspectives, one is the serial killer and one is the last girl he kidnapped.
Thank you Net Galley and One More Chapter for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
Full review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
Thank you Net Galley and One More Chapter for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
Full review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
June 26, 2020
Secrets of a Serial Killer.. count me in! I was so excited to read this book, my love of murder and serial killer stories and all. And it started off great, I was hooked.
But around halfway through It lost me. There were too many stories happening all at once and I while I could keep track of them I feel that it spoilt my enjoyment of them story. It does have it all, a serial Killer who has passed on his tips, a creepy old mental asylum, dark, creepy woods, dark web theories and a reporter who knows that she has a story.
In the end it was ok, but could have been so much more.
Thanks One More Chapter and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read.
But around halfway through It lost me. There were too many stories happening all at once and I while I could keep track of them I feel that it spoilt my enjoyment of them story. It does have it all, a serial Killer who has passed on his tips, a creepy old mental asylum, dark, creepy woods, dark web theories and a reporter who knows that she has a story.
In the end it was ok, but could have been so much more.
Thanks One More Chapter and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read.
May 28, 2020
A serial killer has been stalking young women for decades in the city of Lancaster. The mysterious Mr X is never caught, possibly schooled for murder by serial killer Leonard McVitie who framed others for his crimes. McVitie died in 1985 in Lancaster Lune Mental Hospital which has since closed and is in some disrepair. Helen Summerton is an architect tasked with converting the old hospital into luxury flats. Helen’s life is turned completely upside down when her seventeen year old daughter Zoe goes missing and it becomes a race against time to find her alive. The story is told from several perspectives and interspersed with anonymous online news articles known as ‘Urban Dark Reporter’.
The book starts well with the McVitie angle and there are good descriptions of the old hospital building which gets your interest straight away and provides a good atmosphere to the unfolding story. There are some promising aspects to the novel and the premise is good. I really like the news articles which connects the present day to past cases of missing teens and the urban legend of Mr X. There’s one character who is very creepy and makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and there are some tense and scary moments in the first half of the book. There are some cat and mouse moments with the killer and the victim which provides menace and some tense scenes in the hospital basement which are good.
However, from about half way my attention starts to wander. There are too many character points of view and the switching from one perspective to another causes loss of pace, momentum is lost and this unevenness becomes the pattern of the book from now on. There is some character underdevelopment too which is probably caused by the over abundance of perspectives which detracts from any menace you should feel. Some dialogue especially that of the killer, feels stilted and strikes a false note and you begin to feel like you’ve stepped into an old Hollywood horror movie from the 1930’s. The killers character feels stereotypical with the proverbial crazed laughter.
Overall, this could have been really good. It does have some good sections but the character switching, uneven pacing, too long to make connections and an unfinished conclusion means it’s an ok three star read in my opinion, although it’s only fair to note that other readers enjoyed this much more than me.
With thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for the ARC.
The book starts well with the McVitie angle and there are good descriptions of the old hospital building which gets your interest straight away and provides a good atmosphere to the unfolding story. There are some promising aspects to the novel and the premise is good. I really like the news articles which connects the present day to past cases of missing teens and the urban legend of Mr X. There’s one character who is very creepy and makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and there are some tense and scary moments in the first half of the book. There are some cat and mouse moments with the killer and the victim which provides menace and some tense scenes in the hospital basement which are good.
However, from about half way my attention starts to wander. There are too many character points of view and the switching from one perspective to another causes loss of pace, momentum is lost and this unevenness becomes the pattern of the book from now on. There is some character underdevelopment too which is probably caused by the over abundance of perspectives which detracts from any menace you should feel. Some dialogue especially that of the killer, feels stilted and strikes a false note and you begin to feel like you’ve stepped into an old Hollywood horror movie from the 1930’s. The killers character feels stereotypical with the proverbial crazed laughter.
Overall, this could have been really good. It does have some good sections but the character switching, uneven pacing, too long to make connections and an unfinished conclusion means it’s an ok three star read in my opinion, although it’s only fair to note that other readers enjoyed this much more than me.
With thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for the ARC.
August 19, 2020
This is one of the best thrillers I have read in a long time. Serial murderer and an old Victorian insane asylum? What more could you ask for? The spine chilling prose is what! I absolutely devoured this one!
July 13, 2020
While our with her boyfriend one night, seventeen year old Zoe's drink gets spiked and she is captured by a crazy , man. There seems to be a link to the girls who are missing in Lancaster and the closed down mental health asylum. A patient who had died in the asylum had been a serial killer and he had shared his secrets on how to become a great serial killer without getting caught.
The story is told from multiple points of view which at times was a little confusing. There is also several subplots which made it hard to follow in places. The pace is slow but the ending felt a bit rushed. There's an eerie gothic vibe to this book and a character that's very creepy. The parts on the dark web were especially creepy. There are some really good characters and the eerie setting is well described. This is a decent debut thriller.
I would like to thank NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and the author Rosie Walker for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story is told from multiple points of view which at times was a little confusing. There is also several subplots which made it hard to follow in places. The pace is slow but the ending felt a bit rushed. There's an eerie gothic vibe to this book and a character that's very creepy. The parts on the dark web were especially creepy. There are some really good characters and the eerie setting is well described. This is a decent debut thriller.
I would like to thank NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and the author Rosie Walker for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 29, 2020
Um...it started so well. A long dead serial killer who passed on his ‘legacy’, a creepy old derelict insane asylum where much of the action occurs and a missing 17 year old girl. It had all the elements. But then just after the halfway point a plot twist left me discombobulated, it kind of ruined the story for me.
Oh sure it was dark and creepy, and it was creepy, but the story devolved into a kind of gothic horror/slasher movie vibe which felt too contrived to be completely enjoyable. My favourite characters were the two children, who did go into the basement (haven’t you ever yelled at the screen - don’t go into the basement). They were adorable. My least favourite character was Bertha who felt too cliched to to be real. Overall - a story with potential that could have delivered more.
Oh sure it was dark and creepy, and it was creepy, but the story devolved into a kind of gothic horror/slasher movie vibe which felt too contrived to be completely enjoyable. My favourite characters were the two children, who did go into the basement (haven’t you ever yelled at the screen - don’t go into the basement). They were adorable. My least favourite character was Bertha who felt too cliched to to be real. Overall - a story with potential that could have delivered more.
July 17, 2020
Secrets of a Serial Killer is Rosie Walker’s debut thriller and boy is it a chilling and ultimately fun and endlessly entertaining read if you can suspend your disbelief. Several vicious serial killings have been occurring in the local area in and around Lancaster, one of them being seventeen year old Zoe who whilst out drinking at a bar with her boyfriend has her drink spiked and is abducted by an unknown male. Many more teenage girls start to troublingly disappear without a trace. Zoe's mother, Helen, an architect who is currently restoring the former insane asylum, Lancaster Lune Hospital, into luxurious flats having been abandoned for so long doesn't have a clue where to begin in locating her daughter. As the police fail to take the vanishing seriously Helen is left to pursue evidence by herself and she can't help but feel the hospital is somehow connected. It is known that a serial killer the police called Mr X was roaming the area for prey in the '80s and was possibly groomed by another serial killer around at the time, Leonard McVitie, to be able to kill and get away with it successfully. Can Helen discover where Zoe has been taken before it's too late?
The primary aspect that stands out about this story is the use of multiple perspectives (4 to be exact) and subplots with each intersecting in some way and this made it all the more interesting; the parts talking about the dark web were most fascinating as I am totally intrigued by it all. It is a fast-paced read and one that barely gives you a moment to breathe as there is so much happening throughout. I found it captivating, addictive once it got going and the distinct creepy, gothic atmosphere is deeply unnerving. I always enjoy the serial killer’s point of view if it is executed well and it was certainly done with aplomb here. There were chilling points in the novel and times when a reveal or twist caught me off guard. Set during a three day period this short thriller packs a powerful punch despite its length and has you feverishly flipping the pages to discover the outcome for the people involved. This is pure adrenaline pumping, tense and terrifying read and is tightly plotted and meticulously thought through by the author. Many thanks to One More Chapter for an ARC.
The primary aspect that stands out about this story is the use of multiple perspectives (4 to be exact) and subplots with each intersecting in some way and this made it all the more interesting; the parts talking about the dark web were most fascinating as I am totally intrigued by it all. It is a fast-paced read and one that barely gives you a moment to breathe as there is so much happening throughout. I found it captivating, addictive once it got going and the distinct creepy, gothic atmosphere is deeply unnerving. I always enjoy the serial killer’s point of view if it is executed well and it was certainly done with aplomb here. There were chilling points in the novel and times when a reveal or twist caught me off guard. Set during a three day period this short thriller packs a powerful punch despite its length and has you feverishly flipping the pages to discover the outcome for the people involved. This is pure adrenaline pumping, tense and terrifying read and is tightly plotted and meticulously thought through by the author. Many thanks to One More Chapter for an ARC.
September 9, 2020
So I have read through some of the other reviews and I cant help but wonder if I read/ listened to the same book. Personally I found this book to be amazing. True crime novels have always made up the majority of my TBR pile. But this year I have shifted gears and read more thrillers. I think I love this book so much because it is a perfect marriage of thriller and "true crime". While this book is purely fiction, it is still based around one of my favorite non-fiction topics, a serial killer.
This was a unique and electrifying read. Walker gives us so much in this book, a lunatic with a legacy, a killer, a creepy dark website and old asylum! Literally things that are bound to keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish! This was one book that I was eager to keep reading, I wasn't content till it was over. And even the ending had me saying " OH MY GOD!"
So I didn't actually read this book but I did LISTEN to it. At first I wasn't fond of the male narrator but the more that I listened the more and more he grew on me. Both narrators SLAYED this book!
If you want a thriller that isn't your run of the mill cheating spouse, creepy neighbor, stalker blah blah blah and/ or if you love true crime/ serial killers I strongly urge you to pick this one up!
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a unique and electrifying read. Walker gives us so much in this book, a lunatic with a legacy, a killer, a creepy dark website and old asylum! Literally things that are bound to keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish! This was one book that I was eager to keep reading, I wasn't content till it was over. And even the ending had me saying " OH MY GOD!"
So I didn't actually read this book but I did LISTEN to it. At first I wasn't fond of the male narrator but the more that I listened the more and more he grew on me. Both narrators SLAYED this book!
If you want a thriller that isn't your run of the mill cheating spouse, creepy neighbor, stalker blah blah blah and/ or if you love true crime/ serial killers I strongly urge you to pick this one up!
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 21, 2020
A known serial killer, on his deathbed, sends a letter .. passing the torch to his apprentice.
A serial killer has been terrorizing citizens for decades. Police are puzzled how anyone can keep killing for generation after generation. Speculation runs rampant through true crime forums ... is someone passing on their gruesome trade?
A mother's nightmare .... Helen Summerton's daughter, Zoe, is missing. She knows that the killer took her ...but how long does her daughter have before she is murdered?
The plot is intricately woven amid dark web articles and blog posts giving information on how to be an effective killer and getting away with it. There are also anonymous entries to Urban Dark Reporter,, an online site. The story is told from several points of view. Suspense is non-stop and intense. Twists and turns lead to an unexpected conclusion.
WARNING: Language / Violence / Date Rape Drugs / Graphic Details
Many thanks to the author / HarperCollins UK / One More Chapter / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
A serial killer has been terrorizing citizens for decades. Police are puzzled how anyone can keep killing for generation after generation. Speculation runs rampant through true crime forums ... is someone passing on their gruesome trade?
A mother's nightmare .... Helen Summerton's daughter, Zoe, is missing. She knows that the killer took her ...but how long does her daughter have before she is murdered?
The plot is intricately woven amid dark web articles and blog posts giving information on how to be an effective killer and getting away with it. There are also anonymous entries to Urban Dark Reporter,, an online site. The story is told from several points of view. Suspense is non-stop and intense. Twists and turns lead to an unexpected conclusion.
WARNING: Language / Violence / Date Rape Drugs / Graphic Details
Many thanks to the author / HarperCollins UK / One More Chapter / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
July 31, 2020
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book via netgalley!
Okay...I have to admit the book was a difficult start...lots of characters introduced. However. When you start to understand how they are interlinked, the book becomes a lot easier. And then it gets really intense...I Mean you can’t stop reading it intense! Once you are done reading you can’t believe you just read A book that described three days in the life of these characters. Only three days!
Okay...I have to admit the book was a difficult start...lots of characters introduced. However. When you start to understand how they are interlinked, the book becomes a lot easier. And then it gets really intense...I Mean you can’t stop reading it intense! Once you are done reading you can’t believe you just read A book that described three days in the life of these characters. Only three days!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2020
This was a fun read. Well written. Held my interest. Just an enjoyable read overall.
May 24, 2020
*My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
⭐⭐⭐⭐ !
Secrets of a Serial Killer is a multi-POV adult thriller following the kidnap of seventeen-year-old Zoe told from her eyes, her young neighbors Thomas and Maggie, her mother, Helen, and the potential killer himself.
Truth be told I went back and forth between three stars and four more than once. I was not immediately gripped at the beginning, and that was probably due in part to how often the POV switched on me. It sort of blended together at first, but once they became more established and things started rolling, it was easy to breeze through this so I ultimately decided to give it a four. Especially since it utilized a trope I so love when it comes to murderers!
Despite getting a grip on the kidnapper and his MO fairly quickly, there was still plenty of room left for surprises in the last third of the book. I especially enjoyed the POV of the children, our unwitting heroes who were most definitely in the wrong place at the right time. The pieces of set up, while initially seeming disjointed, began to fall together in neat patterns that while at times predictable, were executed rather well. There was plenty of conflict and tension between characters of every POV, which granted a richness and realism that made the horror all the more real when it came time for it.
Our culprit took on many names, following old and familiar behaviors of any typical killer. Blaming/crediting his mother with "who he was", harboring a deep sense of inadequacy that he attempted to assuage with bloodlust and a constant mental rhetoric of being the most powerful being on earth. His POV hit disturbing on all cylinders. There was no room for doubt where he was concerned, and the climax hit the ground running when it all began to fall apart.
The ending, while ominous, was not as satisfying as I would have liked. I'm not sure if it was the limited knowledge of the ending POV, or the fact that I needed just—a tiny bit more. Another page, maybe, a few hundred words. I felt like I was on the cusp of leaving with a real cold fear that didn't quite get to form all the way. But I enjoyed this far more than I was expecting with how I reacted to the initial chapters and I am so glad I pressed on.
This one hits the shelves on July 17, 2020 folks! If you want a twisted, ruthless read that gets you right up in the mind of both the monster and his victim alike, you will definitely want to pick this one up!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ !
Secrets of a Serial Killer is a multi-POV adult thriller following the kidnap of seventeen-year-old Zoe told from her eyes, her young neighbors Thomas and Maggie, her mother, Helen, and the potential killer himself.
Truth be told I went back and forth between three stars and four more than once. I was not immediately gripped at the beginning, and that was probably due in part to how often the POV switched on me. It sort of blended together at first, but once they became more established and things started rolling, it was easy to breeze through this so I ultimately decided to give it a four. Especially since it utilized a trope I so love when it comes to murderers!
Despite getting a grip on the kidnapper and his MO fairly quickly, there was still plenty of room left for surprises in the last third of the book. I especially enjoyed the POV of the children, our unwitting heroes who were most definitely in the wrong place at the right time. The pieces of set up, while initially seeming disjointed, began to fall together in neat patterns that while at times predictable, were executed rather well. There was plenty of conflict and tension between characters of every POV, which granted a richness and realism that made the horror all the more real when it came time for it.
Our culprit took on many names, following old and familiar behaviors of any typical killer. Blaming/crediting his mother with "who he was", harboring a deep sense of inadequacy that he attempted to assuage with bloodlust and a constant mental rhetoric of being the most powerful being on earth. His POV hit disturbing on all cylinders. There was no room for doubt where he was concerned, and the climax hit the ground running when it all began to fall apart.
The ending, while ominous, was not as satisfying as I would have liked. I'm not sure if it was the limited knowledge of the ending POV, or the fact that I needed just—a tiny bit more. Another page, maybe, a few hundred words. I felt like I was on the cusp of leaving with a real cold fear that didn't quite get to form all the way. But I enjoyed this far more than I was expecting with how I reacted to the initial chapters and I am so glad I pressed on.
This one hits the shelves on July 17, 2020 folks! If you want a twisted, ruthless read that gets you right up in the mind of both the monster and his victim alike, you will definitely want to pick this one up!
July 18, 2020
Secrets of a Serial Killer by Rosie Walker is a psychological thriller.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Harper Collins/One More Chapter and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Leonard McVitie is a serial killer who died in 1985 in the Lancashire Lunatic Asylum. He passed his know-how on to others.
Zoe is 17, her boyfriend Dane 24. They attend a bar with Zoe's friends Abbie and Max. Zoe disappears from the bar.
Helen, Zoe's mother, is an architect, who is re-designing the old mental hospital into luxury apartments.
Thomas and Maggie are 11-year old cousins, forced to spend some time together. Maggie is a bit of a daredevil, and often gets the two of them in trouble. They discover a trailer near the asylum to use as their spy headquarters. Maggie wants to investigate the asylum.
My Opinions:
Sometimes titles and covers can be deceiving. I was hyped to read this book. Perhaps a little over-hyped.
The story is told from different perspectives, including that of the killer, and a website interested in true crime. It started out with a creepy old mental hospital, a serial killer who passed on his methods to others, the recipient of that know-how, and a missing girl.
The premise is great, the different perspectives a good way to tell the story, enough creepiness and suspense, but something was missing, and I'm at a loss to know what. It may have been the pacing. I felt the first half was quite slow introducing all the characters, and then it picked up, but the the end seemed rushed.
It's a good book, especially for a debut novel...I honestly don't know why it isn't great.
For a more complete review of this book and others (including author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
June 15, 2020
Regrettably this book is a bit of a mess. Ms. Walker is a capable writer but in the end the story of a serial killer so brilliant no one even knew people were being murdered trying to pass down his legacy to a new generation is one giant, confusing tangle of indistinguishable characters, a dismal, trite setting, and a hopelessly messy story that left this reader annoyed and perplexed rather than longing for what I assume is the next installment.
August 20, 2021
O.M.G!! What an edge-of-your-seat thrill-ride! When I first perused the reviews for this book, I was wondering if it was going to be another average read. But now that I've finished I have to wonder...did I read the same book? Maybe the idea of such a fascinating concept married with the dark and disturbing in such an original and unique way is what drew me in and kept me there throughout. Because seriously, SECRETS OF A SERIAL KILLER is so well thought out and cleverly written that the suspense just keeps on building and a steady pace until...BOOM! The story unravels in a mass of psychological twists and thrills and nail-biting suspense that will have you turning the pages and guessing until the very end! Honestly, this is such an addictive and exciting it is hard to believe that this is the author's debut.
The first piece of expertise is the setting. Everyone loves an old gothic Victorian building bereft of life but for the ghosts that lurk its now empty halls. It's looming structure a sinister silhouette against a blackened sky in the half light, a face in the window, a light in the shadows...an atmospheric eeriness that is both creepy and exciting.
The author expertly set the scene within the first chapters as Helen Summerton takes her morning stroll with her dog Alfie in the grounds of the now abandoned Lancaster Lune Asylum. Alfie runs off in search of squirrels or something else that grabbed his attention with Helen hot on his heels as she soon finds herself within the skeletal remains of the building. Alfie returns present her with a gift. A ballet slipper, blue speckled with a brown rusted colour. A fleeting thought as to whose it could be before the looming figure of a security guard reminds her that she is trespassing. His presence alerts Alfie whose hackles are instantly raised and the dog gives a low growl at the unwelcome intruder who then ushers them from the building and its grounds.
Helen is an architect who is part of the team re-designing and re-structuring the old mental hospital into "luxury living spaces" - not flats! And she has no idea how this very building is going to haunt her nightmares to come...and not in the way she thinks with endless conference calls with the council and developers about the re-designing of the space. No, Lancaster Lune Asylum is going to factor into her nightmares in a whole other aspect.
Seventeen year old Zoe is planning a night out with friends at a local pub. Her boyfriend Dane picks her up from her dad's place not entirely sure how much he is going to enjoy the night ahead of them. As soon as they arrive, Dane meets Max, a true crime fanatic obsessed with conspiracy theories that plague a once well-known serial killer from the area - Leonard McVitie, who died three decades ago in the old Asylum overlooking the city. As the boys talk, Zoe goes off in search of Abbie who appears to be languishing herself over an older guy at the jukebox. A bit rich, considering her boyfriend Max is just a few feet away. But Abbie is three sheets to the wind and encouraging Zoe to come and meet Paul. Torn between not wanting to be a part of Abbie's self-destructive behaviour and an instinct to keep her friend safe, Zoe tells Dane they'll catch them up as the boys move off to another pub. That's the last time they see her.
Waking up in what she perceives a box that jostles around, Zoe has no idea what happened or where she is. She vaguely recalls Abbie encouraging her to pick up this guy but then after that...it gets a bit fuzzy. Surely she didn't have that much to drink. Her head hurts and her eyes close as she drifts off to sleep once again.
Eleven year old Thomas is not a happy camper. His mother has just told him that his 10 year old cousin Maggie is coming to stay and he must share his room with her. He used to like Maggie staying but she's a bit bossy these days. Still she can be fun sometimes...and today she has an idea. To find a caravan that's nestled in the depths of the woods that they can use as their den, a hideout from the grown-ups. Thomas thinks this is a pretty good idea. But the caravan, when thy find it, turns out to be old, dank and smelly and Thomas isn't sure he likes it much there. But Maggie is on a mission. And when they leave there to return home, Thomas isn't sure he wants to return there with the silhouette of the old asylum looming over them. It's distinctly creepy. But return they must because Maggie left something behind and they must find it before her older brother discovers it missing. It's their return that turns into a whole other adventure neither child had anticipated.
When retired detective Tony calls his ex-wife early the next morning to report that Zoe did not come home last night, Helen's world begins to crumble. She rings Zoe's friends, she calls the police...but no one seems to take her concerns seriously. Not even Tony. Except her neighbour Janet Mitchell, a journalist who has been working on highlighting the mysterious disappearances of teenage girls for the past few decades. And now it seems Zoe has joined their ranks. Between her reports and the links to theories about deceased serial killer McVitie, Helen begins to fear for her daughter's life. Can Helen save her daughter before it's too late? And it's not until Janet goes to wake her son Thomas and cousin Maggie the following morning, that she discovers their beds have not been slept in that her world, too, comes crashing down.
But how is Zoe's disappearance and that of two adventurous missing children who should have been tucked up in bed connected? And what has it to do with the old asylum and a dead serial killer?
The clever concept in SECRETS OF A SERIAL KILLER tells of one serial killer passing down his knowledge to another who thus passes their knowledge down also, therefore creating generations born from one sadistic serial killer. What makes them undetectable is that there is no trace of their victims ever and no trace of the perpetrator either. So the crimes can continue over the years undetected and no one is none the wiser. But someone has missed these teenage girls who disappeared in the 1980s and 1990s and yet they have disappeared without a trace. And then the disappearances stopped. Or did they?
The story unfolds through the narratives of Helen, Zoe, Thomas and "Him", weaving together a clever tale that is made more interesting by the imposing presence of the abandoned asylum that connects them. There was also the inclusion of snippets from the dark web and true crime fanatics' reports under the guise of "Dark Urban Reporter" theorising about deceased serial killer McVitie and the unexplained disappearances thenceforth outlining the possibility of a protege who continued the work of McVitie long after his death. And then there is the star of the story...ALFIE!!
A fast paced read that will have you hooked from the very beginning - well, it did me - SECRETS OF A SERIAL KILLER is captivating, addictive and unique in its concept as well as being dark, disturbing and distinctively creepy. The gothic atmosphere of the imposing abandoned asylum created a deeply unnerving eeriness that was chilling and yet completely absorbing. Set over a course of three days, this tightly drawn thriller that is a quick unputdownable read packs a powerful punch right up to its shocking end.
Pure adrenaline pumping, tense and terrifying, SECRETS OF A SERIAL KILLER is intense from beginning to end that is a twisted, ruthless and compelling read that gets you right in the mind of the monster and his victim. It is a nightmare from which you can escape...even if it haunts you thereafter.
Dark, disturbing and a brilliant debut! Perfect for fans of the more darker twisted type of psychological thriller.
I would like to thank #RosieWalker, #Netgalley and #OneMoreChapter for an ARC of #SecretsOfASerialKiller in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
The first piece of expertise is the setting. Everyone loves an old gothic Victorian building bereft of life but for the ghosts that lurk its now empty halls. It's looming structure a sinister silhouette against a blackened sky in the half light, a face in the window, a light in the shadows...an atmospheric eeriness that is both creepy and exciting.
The author expertly set the scene within the first chapters as Helen Summerton takes her morning stroll with her dog Alfie in the grounds of the now abandoned Lancaster Lune Asylum. Alfie runs off in search of squirrels or something else that grabbed his attention with Helen hot on his heels as she soon finds herself within the skeletal remains of the building. Alfie returns present her with a gift. A ballet slipper, blue speckled with a brown rusted colour. A fleeting thought as to whose it could be before the looming figure of a security guard reminds her that she is trespassing. His presence alerts Alfie whose hackles are instantly raised and the dog gives a low growl at the unwelcome intruder who then ushers them from the building and its grounds.
Helen is an architect who is part of the team re-designing and re-structuring the old mental hospital into "luxury living spaces" - not flats! And she has no idea how this very building is going to haunt her nightmares to come...and not in the way she thinks with endless conference calls with the council and developers about the re-designing of the space. No, Lancaster Lune Asylum is going to factor into her nightmares in a whole other aspect.
Seventeen year old Zoe is planning a night out with friends at a local pub. Her boyfriend Dane picks her up from her dad's place not entirely sure how much he is going to enjoy the night ahead of them. As soon as they arrive, Dane meets Max, a true crime fanatic obsessed with conspiracy theories that plague a once well-known serial killer from the area - Leonard McVitie, who died three decades ago in the old Asylum overlooking the city. As the boys talk, Zoe goes off in search of Abbie who appears to be languishing herself over an older guy at the jukebox. A bit rich, considering her boyfriend Max is just a few feet away. But Abbie is three sheets to the wind and encouraging Zoe to come and meet Paul. Torn between not wanting to be a part of Abbie's self-destructive behaviour and an instinct to keep her friend safe, Zoe tells Dane they'll catch them up as the boys move off to another pub. That's the last time they see her.
Waking up in what she perceives a box that jostles around, Zoe has no idea what happened or where she is. She vaguely recalls Abbie encouraging her to pick up this guy but then after that...it gets a bit fuzzy. Surely she didn't have that much to drink. Her head hurts and her eyes close as she drifts off to sleep once again.
Eleven year old Thomas is not a happy camper. His mother has just told him that his 10 year old cousin Maggie is coming to stay and he must share his room with her. He used to like Maggie staying but she's a bit bossy these days. Still she can be fun sometimes...and today she has an idea. To find a caravan that's nestled in the depths of the woods that they can use as their den, a hideout from the grown-ups. Thomas thinks this is a pretty good idea. But the caravan, when thy find it, turns out to be old, dank and smelly and Thomas isn't sure he likes it much there. But Maggie is on a mission. And when they leave there to return home, Thomas isn't sure he wants to return there with the silhouette of the old asylum looming over them. It's distinctly creepy. But return they must because Maggie left something behind and they must find it before her older brother discovers it missing. It's their return that turns into a whole other adventure neither child had anticipated.
When retired detective Tony calls his ex-wife early the next morning to report that Zoe did not come home last night, Helen's world begins to crumble. She rings Zoe's friends, she calls the police...but no one seems to take her concerns seriously. Not even Tony. Except her neighbour Janet Mitchell, a journalist who has been working on highlighting the mysterious disappearances of teenage girls for the past few decades. And now it seems Zoe has joined their ranks. Between her reports and the links to theories about deceased serial killer McVitie, Helen begins to fear for her daughter's life. Can Helen save her daughter before it's too late? And it's not until Janet goes to wake her son Thomas and cousin Maggie the following morning, that she discovers their beds have not been slept in that her world, too, comes crashing down.
But how is Zoe's disappearance and that of two adventurous missing children who should have been tucked up in bed connected? And what has it to do with the old asylum and a dead serial killer?
The clever concept in SECRETS OF A SERIAL KILLER tells of one serial killer passing down his knowledge to another who thus passes their knowledge down also, therefore creating generations born from one sadistic serial killer. What makes them undetectable is that there is no trace of their victims ever and no trace of the perpetrator either. So the crimes can continue over the years undetected and no one is none the wiser. But someone has missed these teenage girls who disappeared in the 1980s and 1990s and yet they have disappeared without a trace. And then the disappearances stopped. Or did they?
The story unfolds through the narratives of Helen, Zoe, Thomas and "Him", weaving together a clever tale that is made more interesting by the imposing presence of the abandoned asylum that connects them. There was also the inclusion of snippets from the dark web and true crime fanatics' reports under the guise of "Dark Urban Reporter" theorising about deceased serial killer McVitie and the unexplained disappearances thenceforth outlining the possibility of a protege who continued the work of McVitie long after his death. And then there is the star of the story...ALFIE!!
A fast paced read that will have you hooked from the very beginning - well, it did me - SECRETS OF A SERIAL KILLER is captivating, addictive and unique in its concept as well as being dark, disturbing and distinctively creepy. The gothic atmosphere of the imposing abandoned asylum created a deeply unnerving eeriness that was chilling and yet completely absorbing. Set over a course of three days, this tightly drawn thriller that is a quick unputdownable read packs a powerful punch right up to its shocking end.
Pure adrenaline pumping, tense and terrifying, SECRETS OF A SERIAL KILLER is intense from beginning to end that is a twisted, ruthless and compelling read that gets you right in the mind of the monster and his victim. It is a nightmare from which you can escape...even if it haunts you thereafter.
Dark, disturbing and a brilliant debut! Perfect for fans of the more darker twisted type of psychological thriller.
I would like to thank #RosieWalker, #Netgalley and #OneMoreChapter for an ARC of #SecretsOfASerialKiller in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
May 14, 2020
This book was a wild ride from start to finish. With echoes of Cropsey and other such legends from the UK relating to old sanatoriums, it had an eerie feel from start to finish, and had me glancing into corners of my bedroom as I read through the night. I kept saying to myself ‘Just one more chapter’ but didn’t get to stopping before I finished because it was just a twist at every turn.
The characters are a bit hit and miss- I really liked some of them but found others irritating. With that said, that was kind of the point of them. There’s some people who we’re just not going to like, and I suppose that’s what happened here with a few of the characters. However, the children were wonderful, and I found their POV possibly the best out of the whole of them.
The ending of the book is a cracker as well, with a lot left in the air but in a good way, the kind of heart-stopper that you wish had a follow-up but know that’s part of the charm. I do think it should have had maybe another title, but besides that, it’s a great thriller that will keep you turning pages on and on into the night. I really enjoyed this one- it’s a fun read and it gives just the right amount of spooky.
The characters are a bit hit and miss- I really liked some of them but found others irritating. With that said, that was kind of the point of them. There’s some people who we’re just not going to like, and I suppose that’s what happened here with a few of the characters. However, the children were wonderful, and I found their POV possibly the best out of the whole of them.
The ending of the book is a cracker as well, with a lot left in the air but in a good way, the kind of heart-stopper that you wish had a follow-up but know that’s part of the charm. I do think it should have had maybe another title, but besides that, it’s a great thriller that will keep you turning pages on and on into the night. I really enjoyed this one- it’s a fun read and it gives just the right amount of spooky.
May 29, 2020
I had really high hopes for this one. I mean the title has the word secret and serial killer in it, so how could I be disappointed????? Well, here we are. The beginning of this was so boring, I swear nothing happened and now that I've finished it I could not tell you one solid thing that happened before the halfway point of this. Ultimately this was about a legacy of serial killers-which sounds way more exciting that it actually was-and about a girl who gets kidnapped by the most recent "protege." This reminded me of an episode of Criminal Minds but the off brand version. (I love CM, so I'm not bashing the show at all, it just felt like an episode I've seen before). This had way too many cheesy villain tropes for me. I know Criminal Minds is a tv show but at least it's realistic (to a point)...I hated when the parents went out on their own to the Asylum without calling the police first. How ridiculous?? Also the fact that police were 100% USELESS was so infuriating. And Tony being an ex-cop did nothing to help anyone.
Alsooooo did the police not question the two kids AT ALL. They were LITERALLY in the room with Zoe, the real life 'mr. x', and Alexander and they didn't think it would be necessary to get the FULL story??? The ONLY 'twist'(it wasn't even a twist, just a last minute shocker) in this whole book was at the very end when Thomas overheard the nurses talking about the woman they found unconscious in the asylum and how she shared an adjoining room with Zoes and that whole situation could've been entirely avoided with talking to the kids. They heard EVERYTHING. Zoe was there...she knows what really happened. I'll admit that the end shook me a bit, but then once I thought about it I saw that it could have been so easily resolved.
And the fact that they kept getting pointed to Paul what's his face because Alexander planted evidence against him and all they had to do was TALK TO THE KIDS. THEY WERE THERE WHEN ZOE STABBED HIM IN THE EYE. They didn't believe that Zoe really stabbed him because Paul wasn't stabbed, but Thomas and Maggie WERE THERE. They saw the whole thing. They were the best witnesses in this whole case and were they just written off because they were kids?? That whole situation is so annoying.
What happened to the other woman in the caravan? After Zoe is kidnapped and taken to the Caravan she realizes there is another girl in there with her. What happened to her? Were we supposed to figure that out on our own? Was is his mother? That makes no sense...what would be the point to that. He also explained that she lived in the asylum, so why would she be in the caravan?
What did they do with the bodies after she killed them? She evaded the authorities for so long and they never found any bodies, but we never get to find out where she was hiding them.
The little blogs did absolutely nothing for this story. Everything in the articles was told to us again either by Bertha or by Alexander so what was the point?
There were no plot twists which was really disappointing. No mystery to be solved, we were given so much information. The first half of the book goes so far as to label certain sections as 'Him'...so I assumed that it was someone we already knew and that would be the twist, but then later his mother called him Alexander and then all of a sudden the sections were just labeled 'Alexander.' So I don't see what the point was in that.
This book did nothing for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for letting me review this book early in exchange for an honest review.
Alsooooo did the police not question the two kids AT ALL. They were LITERALLY in the room with Zoe, the real life 'mr. x', and Alexander and they didn't think it would be necessary to get the FULL story??? The ONLY 'twist'(it wasn't even a twist, just a last minute shocker) in this whole book was at the very end when Thomas overheard the nurses talking about the woman they found unconscious in the asylum and how she shared an adjoining room with Zoes and that whole situation could've been entirely avoided with talking to the kids. They heard EVERYTHING. Zoe was there...she knows what really happened. I'll admit that the end shook me a bit, but then once I thought about it I saw that it could have been so easily resolved.
And the fact that they kept getting pointed to Paul what's his face because Alexander planted evidence against him and all they had to do was TALK TO THE KIDS. THEY WERE THERE WHEN ZOE STABBED HIM IN THE EYE. They didn't believe that Zoe really stabbed him because Paul wasn't stabbed, but Thomas and Maggie WERE THERE. They saw the whole thing. They were the best witnesses in this whole case and were they just written off because they were kids?? That whole situation is so annoying.
What happened to the other woman in the caravan? After Zoe is kidnapped and taken to the Caravan she realizes there is another girl in there with her. What happened to her? Were we supposed to figure that out on our own? Was is his mother? That makes no sense...what would be the point to that. He also explained that she lived in the asylum, so why would she be in the caravan?
What did they do with the bodies after she killed them? She evaded the authorities for so long and they never found any bodies, but we never get to find out where she was hiding them.
The little blogs did absolutely nothing for this story. Everything in the articles was told to us again either by Bertha or by Alexander so what was the point?
There were no plot twists which was really disappointing. No mystery to be solved, we were given so much information. The first half of the book goes so far as to label certain sections as 'Him'...so I assumed that it was someone we already knew and that would be the twist, but then later his mother called him Alexander and then all of a sudden the sections were just labeled 'Alexander.' So I don't see what the point was in that.
This book did nothing for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for letting me review this book early in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2020
A serial killer is stalking young women. Who will be next? I liked the premise of this book, the feeling of history. The author is definitely talented and does a great job with dialogue in particular. I liked the portions in the serial killer's voice the most - since that's mostly what I expected from a book entitled "Secrets of a Serial Killer." I also liked some of the historical nods and references to Jack the Ripper and other serial killers of the past and I found the portions on the dark web especially creepy. Ultimately though as a thriller adrenaline junkie, I found the other narrators (aside from the killer) somewhat less interesting and their portions made the story slower moving with a few too many characters until later in the book when a new victim is taken by the killer - at that point the pace picks up and I got more involved. I also did not love the twist of who the killer was and some of the motivation for the killings, especially in the historical context. Having said that, there was potential here and definitely stuff to like, especially for fans of serial killer history. I will give this author another look as I would love to see what she could do with a book totally narrated by a villain or a book that focuses more on the more crucial characters like the killer and the victim - she definitely has strength in that area of those character voices. I would give this book 3.5 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollinsUK and Rosie Walker for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review!
Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollinsUK and Rosie Walker for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review!
May 28, 2020
Thank you NetGalley for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
REVIEW ☆☆☆.5
Secrets of a serial killer is a suspenseful story that will keep you riveted right up to the end. There are numerous points of view narrating the story, but the serial killer's voice is by far the most compelling and sharp. Unfortunately, this perspective does not get the attention it deserves, and that made the book fall off a bit. It's still a great read with a shocking twist, but it's lacking a certain gritty raw edge. I recommend trying this book, and you'll see what I mean about the different perspectives. Narrowing those down would have taken this story to another level.
REVIEW ☆☆☆.5
Secrets of a serial killer is a suspenseful story that will keep you riveted right up to the end. There are numerous points of view narrating the story, but the serial killer's voice is by far the most compelling and sharp. Unfortunately, this perspective does not get the attention it deserves, and that made the book fall off a bit. It's still a great read with a shocking twist, but it's lacking a certain gritty raw edge. I recommend trying this book, and you'll see what I mean about the different perspectives. Narrowing those down would have taken this story to another level.
June 7, 2020
This novel was just ok for me, likely because I didn’t feel a connection to the characters or the plot. The start of this book had me excited and invested but about halfway I got lost. At times I found the plot quite confusing, with all the varying points of view and wish the author limited this to couple characters. Finally, the ending left me with remaining questions which I never like.
Thank you to Netgalley and One More Chapter for the opportunity to review this arc in exchange of an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and One More Chapter for the opportunity to review this arc in exchange of an honest review.
August 30, 2020
Well this creepy, gory story certainly had me hooked! Secrets of a Serial Killer is set in and around the derelict Lancaster Lune Mental Hospital. Zoe, a teenage girl, fails to come home from a night out with her friends. Zoe's Mother, Helen, believes she has been taken by someone dangerous but the police think Helen's overreacting and that Zoe is still with friends. Soon Helen's worse nightmare become true. I enjoyed this thriller and hope there will be a second book to tie up some of the loose ends. Thanks to NetGalley for my digital copy.
August 20, 2020
Thanks to Netgally for the ARC
I really enjoyed the majority of this book. There is a good lead up to the main events.
There is a serial killer on the lose, but is it the same one for twenty years ago? Max helps to write articles about serial killers on the dark web, and they feature in this book. Personally, I don't like added bits in, especially like diary entries, I disengage from it, and I don't always think they are necessary.
As I say the lead up I enjoyed. I think there was meant to be some element of mystery, but I guessed all of these clues and it didn't have any mystery for me. For example, where Thomas's is, I knew from the first line they mentioned it. These were just obvious to me.
Again, for the third time, the build up was brilliant, but then when it came to the crunch it fell a little flat for me. It just didn't live up to the build up. A bit like when you thought in Twilight that there was going to be a graphic scene of Bella losing her virginity and the whole thing was cut out? It was a bit like that, nothing happened how I expected, and it all came to obvious. I didn't like the ending, I wanted a bit more than I was given, maybe I was being greedy?
The characters I actually really liked, they all had their own individualisms to them. Abbie is definitely the worst, a silly little girl, and no she wont be forgiven!
I would actually definitely recommend this read and I would happily read more from this author
I really enjoyed the majority of this book. There is a good lead up to the main events.
There is a serial killer on the lose, but is it the same one for twenty years ago? Max helps to write articles about serial killers on the dark web, and they feature in this book. Personally, I don't like added bits in, especially like diary entries, I disengage from it, and I don't always think they are necessary.
As I say the lead up I enjoyed. I think there was meant to be some element of mystery, but I guessed all of these clues and it didn't have any mystery for me. For example, where Thomas's is, I knew from the first line they mentioned it. These were just obvious to me.
Again, for the third time, the build up was brilliant, but then when it came to the crunch it fell a little flat for me. It just didn't live up to the build up. A bit like when you thought in Twilight that there was going to be a graphic scene of Bella losing her virginity and the whole thing was cut out? It was a bit like that, nothing happened how I expected, and it all came to obvious. I didn't like the ending, I wanted a bit more than I was given, maybe I was being greedy?
The characters I actually really liked, they all had their own individualisms to them. Abbie is definitely the worst, a silly little girl, and no she wont be forgiven!
I would actually definitely recommend this read and I would happily read more from this author
May 21, 2020
Leonard Mc Vitie is a (fictional) serial killer that got caught in 1959 after killing at least 48 people. He had a very peculiar MO: first, he would select someone he would frame and incriminate this person by leaving evidence and taking over their identities before he killed his victim. Several of those people got convicted for his crimes. Mc Vitie was considered insane and never stood trial but spent the remainder of his life (he died in 1985) in Lancaster Lune Asylum. He turned out to be a prolific writer and somehow managed to collect ‘students’ whom he tutored in his speciality, manipulation and serial killing.
Helen is an architect that doesn’t live far from the now derelict asylum and is commissioned to convert the building into luxury flats. They’re only in the preliminary stages trying to get the appropriate planning permissions and such. Her daughter Zoe (17) has a boyfriend that’s 7 years older who makes her feel slightly uncomfortable for no obvious reason. When Zoe and her friends go out to the pubs one evening, she and her friend Abbie stay behind when their boyfriends go to meet other friends in another pub. Both girls get roofied, but only Zoe is taken and due to the particular circumstances no-one notices her missing until the next day.
Abbie’s boyfriend Matt is obsessed with serial killers and has done research into Mc Vitie. He’s sure that in the 80ies, there was another serial killer in the area that was never caught and was dubbed Mr X by the cops.
A local journalist writes an article about the unusual number of young girls that goes missing from the area over the last years. She’s certain that there’s a serial killer behind this but unsure whether this is still Mr X or a new predator. The police claim that there are no bodies and no evidence of crimes.
A couple of brave 11-year olds explore the woods around the Asylum and discover an abandoned caravan that they claim as their ‘clubhouse’. They’re frightened by a piercing scream nearby and run like hell. But the girl lost her older brother’s ‘borrowed’ knife and they’ll have to return and find it.
With nothing more than the title to go on, you do know that there’s a serial killer involved in this story. The author exploits that very cleverly by liberally sowing the seeds of suspicion. The book has a slow start with descriptions of a whole day filled with the activities and actions of the main characters (and there are quite a few of those). One of those voices belongs to the killer. If you look closely at the male characters, you’ll notice that as long as the identity of the killer isn’t revealed, they all look slightly suspicious. It reads like a solid psychological thriller where the creepiest moments are those everyday situations when you’re unsure what everyone’s motivation really is.
But once you know who the criminal is, the book changes completely and it becomes fast-paced and more like an action/adventure thriller. The ‘big chase’ feels a bit obligatory and there are a few rather unlikely things happening in this part of the book but they certainly add to the suspense.
When you think that all’s resolved, the psychological bit kicks in again and you’re left with a few unanswered questions as to what happens next/later. It can be an opening to write a sequel but it’s a fitting end for this story. In life, we also don’t know what’s waiting behind the corner.
It’s very crafty engineered, this book. It makes you question everything and everyone.
I thank Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and Netgalley for providing me with a free ARC. This is my honest, unbiased review of it.
Helen is an architect that doesn’t live far from the now derelict asylum and is commissioned to convert the building into luxury flats. They’re only in the preliminary stages trying to get the appropriate planning permissions and such. Her daughter Zoe (17) has a boyfriend that’s 7 years older who makes her feel slightly uncomfortable for no obvious reason. When Zoe and her friends go out to the pubs one evening, she and her friend Abbie stay behind when their boyfriends go to meet other friends in another pub. Both girls get roofied, but only Zoe is taken and due to the particular circumstances no-one notices her missing until the next day.
Abbie’s boyfriend Matt is obsessed with serial killers and has done research into Mc Vitie. He’s sure that in the 80ies, there was another serial killer in the area that was never caught and was dubbed Mr X by the cops.
A local journalist writes an article about the unusual number of young girls that goes missing from the area over the last years. She’s certain that there’s a serial killer behind this but unsure whether this is still Mr X or a new predator. The police claim that there are no bodies and no evidence of crimes.
A couple of brave 11-year olds explore the woods around the Asylum and discover an abandoned caravan that they claim as their ‘clubhouse’. They’re frightened by a piercing scream nearby and run like hell. But the girl lost her older brother’s ‘borrowed’ knife and they’ll have to return and find it.
With nothing more than the title to go on, you do know that there’s a serial killer involved in this story. The author exploits that very cleverly by liberally sowing the seeds of suspicion. The book has a slow start with descriptions of a whole day filled with the activities and actions of the main characters (and there are quite a few of those). One of those voices belongs to the killer. If you look closely at the male characters, you’ll notice that as long as the identity of the killer isn’t revealed, they all look slightly suspicious. It reads like a solid psychological thriller where the creepiest moments are those everyday situations when you’re unsure what everyone’s motivation really is.
But once you know who the criminal is, the book changes completely and it becomes fast-paced and more like an action/adventure thriller. The ‘big chase’ feels a bit obligatory and there are a few rather unlikely things happening in this part of the book but they certainly add to the suspense.
When you think that all’s resolved, the psychological bit kicks in again and you’re left with a few unanswered questions as to what happens next/later. It can be an opening to write a sequel but it’s a fitting end for this story. In life, we also don’t know what’s waiting behind the corner.
It’s very crafty engineered, this book. It makes you question everything and everyone.
I thank Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and Netgalley for providing me with a free ARC. This is my honest, unbiased review of it.
June 3, 2020
“I know that fear has always been your favorite, especially when you are the cause.”
Chilling, right? Secrets of a Serial Killer by Rosie Walker IS quite chilling. It starts with a creepy letter from a known serial killer, on his deathbed, passing the torch to his unknown protégé’. There are a lot of great things about this book, primarily the main setting of the Lune Mental Hospital in Lancaster, it is closed and dilapidated but a team of developers are looking to utilize the building. This brings us to Helen Summerton, divorced with a teen daughter, Zoe. When Zoe goes missing, Helen does everything in her power to find her. Is she a victim of Mr. X, the serial killer that’s been stalking young women in the Lancaster area? I felt the heart pounding terror & frustration for Helen as she tries to convince everyone that Zoe isn’t a teen to just take off.
The story is told from multiple POV and this was a bit of a distraction for me in the beginning. What I found extremely interesting were the dark web articles/blog posts that were geared towards the serial killer type. Giving instructions on how to be your most effective killer and get away with it is insane but having an audience that is actually interested in the content …. Yikes! The serial killer, Mr. X is also spine-tinglingly scary! I confess, I’m a bit fascinated with the psychology of sociopathic personalities and their view on the world.
“Don’t forget, in the words of the Zodiac Killer: ‘Man is the most dangerous animal of all.”
The atmosphere of the book is dark and eerie, the description of the Lune is incredibly creepy and vivid, making it easy to imagine the horrors that went on there. The plot moves quickly and although there’s quite a cast of characters and narrators, it pulls together quite nicely until the end! Talk about cliff-hanger! I don’t do well with this type of ending! My mind is hugely overactive and goes all over the place, so, needless to say, I’m still thinking about what could be today!
My thanks to One More Chapter, Rosie Walker, and NetGalley for providing me a DRC in exchange for my honest review.
Chilling, right? Secrets of a Serial Killer by Rosie Walker IS quite chilling. It starts with a creepy letter from a known serial killer, on his deathbed, passing the torch to his unknown protégé’. There are a lot of great things about this book, primarily the main setting of the Lune Mental Hospital in Lancaster, it is closed and dilapidated but a team of developers are looking to utilize the building. This brings us to Helen Summerton, divorced with a teen daughter, Zoe. When Zoe goes missing, Helen does everything in her power to find her. Is she a victim of Mr. X, the serial killer that’s been stalking young women in the Lancaster area? I felt the heart pounding terror & frustration for Helen as she tries to convince everyone that Zoe isn’t a teen to just take off.
The story is told from multiple POV and this was a bit of a distraction for me in the beginning. What I found extremely interesting were the dark web articles/blog posts that were geared towards the serial killer type. Giving instructions on how to be your most effective killer and get away with it is insane but having an audience that is actually interested in the content …. Yikes! The serial killer, Mr. X is also spine-tinglingly scary! I confess, I’m a bit fascinated with the psychology of sociopathic personalities and their view on the world.
“Don’t forget, in the words of the Zodiac Killer: ‘Man is the most dangerous animal of all.”
The atmosphere of the book is dark and eerie, the description of the Lune is incredibly creepy and vivid, making it easy to imagine the horrors that went on there. The plot moves quickly and although there’s quite a cast of characters and narrators, it pulls together quite nicely until the end! Talk about cliff-hanger! I don’t do well with this type of ending! My mind is hugely overactive and goes all over the place, so, needless to say, I’m still thinking about what could be today!
My thanks to One More Chapter, Rosie Walker, and NetGalley for providing me a DRC in exchange for my honest review.
May 23, 2020
A terrifying page turner of a book...Zoe is missing and a serial killer has her...there is so much more. This certainly is not your average serial killer book, it is so well written with so many tidbits that help set the creepy and eerie tone of the book. Heart pounding chapters that tie everything together. The ending is like the scene from the movie Carrie, when the hand comes up from the grave. Excited for Rosie Walker's next book.
Thank you Netgalley for an ARC and the publishers.
Thank you Netgalley for an ARC and the publishers.
June 5, 2020
A MUST for your TBR list!
Fast-paced! Riveting! Exciting! Addictive! Not only is this a very well-written book with wonderfully-interesting characters, but the suspense builds at just the right pace as the story unfolds. It was an artful melding of twisted psychological thrills and nail-biting suspense that kept me guessing the whole way!
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
Fast-paced! Riveting! Exciting! Addictive! Not only is this a very well-written book with wonderfully-interesting characters, but the suspense builds at just the right pace as the story unfolds. It was an artful melding of twisted psychological thrills and nail-biting suspense that kept me guessing the whole way!
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
July 3, 2020
*** 3.5 - 4 Stars ***
Expected Publication: August 7th, 2020
This was so creepy and almost scary, I thought for sure I'd have nightmares.
Helen's daughter Zoe has been taken by the local serial killer, a serial killer that has spanned decades without being found. The scenes while she is captured are so detailed and creepy you feel like you're there witnessing this horrific act. Will Zoe survive? Will the serial killer be caught?
I found the beginning of this a little confusing. A lot of characters introduced in a short time span. However once I had everyone straight things flowed and made sense to me.
I really don't know how to review this because I was just so creeped out by it. I did like the alternating point of views as the story unfolded but one point of criticism I have was the paper articles regarding the serial killer sprinkled throughout the story I found confusing and just didn't add to the story well for me.
Special thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for allowing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Expected Publication: August 7th, 2020
This was so creepy and almost scary, I thought for sure I'd have nightmares.
Helen's daughter Zoe has been taken by the local serial killer, a serial killer that has spanned decades without being found. The scenes while she is captured are so detailed and creepy you feel like you're there witnessing this horrific act. Will Zoe survive? Will the serial killer be caught?
I found the beginning of this a little confusing. A lot of characters introduced in a short time span. However once I had everyone straight things flowed and made sense to me.
I really don't know how to review this because I was just so creeped out by it. I did like the alternating point of views as the story unfolded but one point of criticism I have was the paper articles regarding the serial killer sprinkled throughout the story I found confusing and just didn't add to the story well for me.
Special thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for allowing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 19, 2020
3.5 stars
Can't give this more than 3.5, but I did enjoy it and well, to be fair, I've listened to worse!
The narration was good and easily played at 1.5/1.75 (after hundreds of audios, I listen fast!)
I'll definitely listen to more by this author - bags of potential to nail a really gritty book.
Thanks for the copy NetGalley.
Can't give this more than 3.5, but I did enjoy it and well, to be fair, I've listened to worse!
The narration was good and easily played at 1.5/1.75 (after hundreds of audios, I listen fast!)
I'll definitely listen to more by this author - bags of potential to nail a really gritty book.
Thanks for the copy NetGalley.
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