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Little Bird: A Serial Killer Thriller
Past and present traumas collide in Northern Ireland as a serial killer stalks the streets of Belfast in this gritty crime thriller.
Irish forensic psychologist Declan Wells has been off the beat since a car bomb in Belfast left him bound to a wheelchair. These days, the Troubles are supposed to be over. But with a serial killer on the loose, the city’s young women are in more danger than ever. When the killer strikes close to home, Declan is desperate to get involved in the case—but to do that, he’ll need a new partner.
Running away from a dead-end relationship, Welsh Detective Anna Cole is leaving Cardiff for a secondment to the Police Service of Northern Ireland. She’s hoping for a distraction from her life. What she gets is a case—and a partner—that will change it forever. As Declan and Anna try to catch a killer before another life is taken, they will both have to ask if it’s ever truly possible to leave the past behind.
Irish forensic psychologist Declan Wells has been off the beat since a car bomb in Belfast left him bound to a wheelchair. These days, the Troubles are supposed to be over. But with a serial killer on the loose, the city’s young women are in more danger than ever. When the killer strikes close to home, Declan is desperate to get involved in the case—but to do that, he’ll need a new partner.
Running away from a dead-end relationship, Welsh Detective Anna Cole is leaving Cardiff for a secondment to the Police Service of Northern Ireland. She’s hoping for a distraction from her life. What she gets is a case—and a partner—that will change it forever. As Declan and Anna try to catch a killer before another life is taken, they will both have to ask if it’s ever truly possible to leave the past behind.
- GenresCrime
341 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2017
30 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Dempsey
14 books53 followersSharon Dempsey is a Belfast based writer of fiction and non-fiction books, with four health books published. She facilitates therapeutic creative writing classes for people affected by cancer and runs a creative writing group for young people, called Young Scribblers. Sharon studied Politics and English at Queen’s University and went on to City University to do a postgraduate diploma in journalism.
Through the Arts Council NI’s Support for the Individual Artist Programme, Sharon was awarded funding, to be mentored by Irish crime writer Louise Phillips, while writing Little Bird, her first crime novel.
Through the Arts Council NI’s Support for the Individual Artist Programme, Sharon was awarded funding, to be mentored by Irish crime writer Louise Phillips, while writing Little Bird, her first crime novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
February 2, 2021
While perusing the Bloodhound website (Twitter will be the death of me) I stumbled over this book, read the blurb & thought yup, this is for me. Happily, I was right.
The main story line follows 2 MC’s as they try to track down a serial killer with a distinctive MO. On the surface they couldn’t be more different. DI Anna Cole came to Belfast in an attempt to leave her problems behind in Wales. Declan Wells used to work with local cops as a forensic psychologist. That was before a bomb took his legs. When one of the killer’s victims hits close to home, Declan is desperate to get involved in the investigation & seeks out the new DI.
In alternate chapters, we spend time with the anonymous killer & lets just say he has a few issues. Running in the background is the ever present problem of sectarian violence. Old prejudices die hard & there are those who will never give up the fight. It lends a subtle & constant unease to the story that clearly defines its sense of place.
The investigation, office politics & other cases ensure this is labelled as a police procedural. But it’s more than that. The author takes the time to really flesh out the MC’s & the experiences that have shaped them. We are privy to their thoughts, actions, memories & regrets. And gradually we begin to see they have more in common than professional duty. Both are outsiders. And both are on personal journeys to deal with pasts that prevent them moving on in the present. So I’m going to call this “literary suspense”. Ahem…my review, my rules.
Tension ramps up as Declan, Anna & her colleagues put the pieces together & the story sprints to the finish. It’s a satisfying end but not everything is neatly tied up. Here’s hoping there is a book #2 as I’d like to return to Belfast & see what the author has in store for these characters.
The main story line follows 2 MC’s as they try to track down a serial killer with a distinctive MO. On the surface they couldn’t be more different. DI Anna Cole came to Belfast in an attempt to leave her problems behind in Wales. Declan Wells used to work with local cops as a forensic psychologist. That was before a bomb took his legs. When one of the killer’s victims hits close to home, Declan is desperate to get involved in the investigation & seeks out the new DI.
In alternate chapters, we spend time with the anonymous killer & lets just say he has a few issues. Running in the background is the ever present problem of sectarian violence. Old prejudices die hard & there are those who will never give up the fight. It lends a subtle & constant unease to the story that clearly defines its sense of place.
The investigation, office politics & other cases ensure this is labelled as a police procedural. But it’s more than that. The author takes the time to really flesh out the MC’s & the experiences that have shaped them. We are privy to their thoughts, actions, memories & regrets. And gradually we begin to see they have more in common than professional duty. Both are outsiders. And both are on personal journeys to deal with pasts that prevent them moving on in the present. So I’m going to call this “literary suspense”. Ahem…my review, my rules.
Tension ramps up as Declan, Anna & her colleagues put the pieces together & the story sprints to the finish. It’s a satisfying end but not everything is neatly tied up. Here’s hoping there is a book #2 as I’d like to return to Belfast & see what the author has in store for these characters.
August 1, 2017
Anna Cole is taking advantage of an offer for a secondment in Belfast to run away from a dead-end relationship in Cardiff, under the guise of trying to find out more about her birth parents.
In Belfast, forensic psychologist Declan Wells is dealing with the aftermath of a car bombing which has left him in a wheelchair. But his life is about to get even worse.
Amidst the turbulence in Belfast, a serial killer is targeting young girls. How are these girls connected?
First let me get this out of my system and issue a fair warning. I can read about the most gruesome details of a murder without batting an eyelid. But when it comes to animals, the urge to leave a book unfinished becomes increasingly overwhelming. Nobody warned me but I think it’s only right I do warn you. There is animal cruelty and there is quite a bit of taxidermy and I have no shame in admitting that I skipped those parts of the story as I preferred keeping my lunch down. 😄
The streets of Belfast are still not quite the place to be for an English cop or detective. I think the author really managed to bring that state of affairs to the fore without it being too dominant. For a city that has had its share of violence throughout the year, how does a generation adapt to the unknown mindset of peace? And in the middle of all of that, a killer is on the loose. Do his ghoulish acts have anything to do with the past? Or is there more at play?
While I found the storyline somewhat repetitive at times, the case the team is working on was an interesting one. You know, except for the icky bits. Little Bird is very well written and has a solid plot with a gripping investigation. I can’t say I particularly warmed to any of the characters but considering their circumstances, I’m not quite sure I was meant to. I mean, lets face it, it’s not like they’re having the best of times. Overall, it does what it says on the tin, or in this case the cover : an enjoyable serial killer thriller.
In Belfast, forensic psychologist Declan Wells is dealing with the aftermath of a car bombing which has left him in a wheelchair. But his life is about to get even worse.
Amidst the turbulence in Belfast, a serial killer is targeting young girls. How are these girls connected?
First let me get this out of my system and issue a fair warning. I can read about the most gruesome details of a murder without batting an eyelid. But when it comes to animals, the urge to leave a book unfinished becomes increasingly overwhelming. Nobody warned me but I think it’s only right I do warn you. There is animal cruelty and there is quite a bit of taxidermy and I have no shame in admitting that I skipped those parts of the story as I preferred keeping my lunch down. 😄
The streets of Belfast are still not quite the place to be for an English cop or detective. I think the author really managed to bring that state of affairs to the fore without it being too dominant. For a city that has had its share of violence throughout the year, how does a generation adapt to the unknown mindset of peace? And in the middle of all of that, a killer is on the loose. Do his ghoulish acts have anything to do with the past? Or is there more at play?
While I found the storyline somewhat repetitive at times, the case the team is working on was an interesting one. You know, except for the icky bits. Little Bird is very well written and has a solid plot with a gripping investigation. I can’t say I particularly warmed to any of the characters but considering their circumstances, I’m not quite sure I was meant to. I mean, lets face it, it’s not like they’re having the best of times. Overall, it does what it says on the tin, or in this case the cover : an enjoyable serial killer thriller.
August 10, 2017
It was like reading trip advisor, at times. Put off slightly by the constant reference to places and the local history. Possibly because I'm from here. Very enjoyable.
August 17, 2017
The book failed to engage me because for the first third there was little that established a strong sense of the Belfast setting, and avoided character development until halfway through the book. We don't know anything about why Anna Cole left Wales to accept a temporary assignment with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). She's in a relationship but who is this guy? A boyfriend or a spouse? Her mother died recently but what more is there to her death? When Dempsey finally starts - in the middle of the book- dumping all these details on the reader about the answers to the multiple why's, it's too much, too late. It made the book unbalanced for me. After waiting for a hundred pages she goes on and on far too long about each of these.
Anna was adopted from Belfast and is looking for her birth mother. Apparently this is simple in Northern Ireland. Then she shows up nearly 3 decades after she was born to demand answers from her birth mother. Really? Why would Anna's birth mother let her into her home when she just shows up one day?
Many crime story detectives are reckless and disobedient. Anna Cole deserves a prize for stupidity. Why would a female police officer deliberately drive into the middle of a sectarian riot alone?
The first half of the book was 2 stars. Then towards the end, things improved. I am not sure this deserves 3 stars but I am giving this first in a series a bit of a pass.
Anna was adopted from Belfast and is looking for her birth mother. Apparently this is simple in Northern Ireland. Then she shows up nearly 3 decades after she was born to demand answers from her birth mother. Really? Why would Anna's birth mother let her into her home when she just shows up one day?
Many crime story detectives are reckless and disobedient. Anna Cole deserves a prize for stupidity. Why would a female police officer deliberately drive into the middle of a sectarian riot alone?
The first half of the book was 2 stars. Then towards the end, things improved. I am not sure this deserves 3 stars but I am giving this first in a series a bit of a pass.
August 3, 2017
There's a serial killer on the rampage in Belfast. His calling card? Birds. Eyeless, stuffed in mouths, macabre and taunting. Anna Cole is lead detective on the case and not only has to deal with proving herself, but also with maneuvering between crossed lines as she ingratiates herself with her partner (who lovingly calls her Tonto) and Declan, the father of the first victim. Declan is a force as well - while bound to a wheelchair, his past as a forensic psychologist leads him deep into this case and the only one who will listen to him and allow him to bring his capabilities to the table is Anna. But how far will Anna actually let him in considering all the baggage she brings herself. Lines will be crossed....
Alternating between Anna's POV and the serial killer's POV, we get a deep dark look into both minds. The author does an outstanding job of putting you right into the killer's mind, how he came to be the sadistic person he is and how he plots his murders of these young women. She also throws you right into the procedures of Ireland's police force and how they work together to try and solve this case. She's very detailed but not so much that your eyes glaze over. With all the things thrown at you in this book, you never feel lost and it's easy to fly through each of the pages.
Anyone looking for a great police procedural thriller will LOVE this debut crime novel from Sharon Dempsey. Like her characters, she's a force to be reckoned with and I look forward to more of her work.
Alternating between Anna's POV and the serial killer's POV, we get a deep dark look into both minds. The author does an outstanding job of putting you right into the killer's mind, how he came to be the sadistic person he is and how he plots his murders of these young women. She also throws you right into the procedures of Ireland's police force and how they work together to try and solve this case. She's very detailed but not so much that your eyes glaze over. With all the things thrown at you in this book, you never feel lost and it's easy to fly through each of the pages.
Anyone looking for a great police procedural thriller will LOVE this debut crime novel from Sharon Dempsey. Like her characters, she's a force to be reckoned with and I look forward to more of her work.
August 3, 2017
When a young girl is murdered at her sister’s wedding, it is only the start of the horror in stor for the police. Recently transferred to Belfast on secondment, Anna Cole is keen to get her teeth into this case, a horrific and tragic murder in which the victim has links to the police department. Alongside her DCI Thomas King, Anna faces a desperate race to find a merciless killer as more bodies are found. There is no clear motive to the attacks, no sexual element to the murders, and so with the help of former pyschologist Declan Wells, Anna sets out to prove that there is more to the murders than meets the eye.
While this is billed as a serial killer thriller, by modern policing standards it only just makes the grade – three murders of young women, albeit in a very short space of time. The murders are both simplistic and yet grotesque in execution, as much as due to the way in which the bodies are staged and the killers calling card as for the act in itself. An that really is unsual and more than a little stomach churning.
And yet, I think that to simply classify this as a serial killer story would not really give you an idea of the whole book. This is not a killer on a rampage, their motivations quite tame in comparison to many with the serial killer moniker. The book takes us on much more of a journey than that, looking at the impact of political and religious division in Northern Ireland, in spite of the Good Friday agreement, and the constant undercurrent of violence and threat that plagues the peace across the city. Everything is poised on a knife edge, rattling both the police and the residents, and Sharon Dempsey does a really good job of capturing this within the story. The violent history is neither overplayed or glossed over, but it does inform a good portion of the story.
Anna Cole is an intriguing character. She takes the transfer not only to escape a failing relationship and her grief at the loss of her adoptive mother, but also to trace her family roots which lie in Northern Ireland. She is focused on work and seemingly very competent but she is not immune to the odd blooper, making a very grave mistake in her personal life which could have implications for the investigation and her safety. I did like her and was able to get behind her, although she carries quite a lot of baggage, some of which did threaten to overtake the story at times.
Declan Wells was another complex character. Injured in a car bomb, he has had to forego his chosen career and take up lecturing students instead. This does not stop him from throwing himself into the investigation, forcing his way in to both that and Anna’s life in the process. It is a very personal case for him but he approaches it with clinical precision. I wasn’t quite sure how to feel about him at first. He appears jaded, probably not surprising, but we do see his human side emerge half way through, something which did help me feel greater empathy toward him.
They are supported ably by a colourful collection of secondary characters, from the other police officers in the investigation, particularly DCI King, and also the killer. Although the story predomnantly follows Anna and Declan and their point of view, we are treated to some sections told from the killers perspective. Although they are not specific in naming the killer for the longest time, you do start to build a profile alongside the police investigation, making their identity quite obvious fairly early on. What we are lacking is true motive.
This is a very competent thriller. Despite the subject matter and the sense of jeopardy facing the young women of Belfast, it didn’t feel particularly fast paced. It still flowed well and I finished it in one evening. Certainly there were sections towards the end in which the tension increased, where both Anna’s and Declan’s lives were under threat, but the scenes did play out quite quickly and the ending was wrapped up rather quickly too and perhaps a little too neatly. That said I am very intrigued by the pairing of Cole and Wells and would love to see more from the pair. I’d be very interested to see where Sharon Dempsey took this series next, as they both have great potential.
While this is billed as a serial killer thriller, by modern policing standards it only just makes the grade – three murders of young women, albeit in a very short space of time. The murders are both simplistic and yet grotesque in execution, as much as due to the way in which the bodies are staged and the killers calling card as for the act in itself. An that really is unsual and more than a little stomach churning.
And yet, I think that to simply classify this as a serial killer story would not really give you an idea of the whole book. This is not a killer on a rampage, their motivations quite tame in comparison to many with the serial killer moniker. The book takes us on much more of a journey than that, looking at the impact of political and religious division in Northern Ireland, in spite of the Good Friday agreement, and the constant undercurrent of violence and threat that plagues the peace across the city. Everything is poised on a knife edge, rattling both the police and the residents, and Sharon Dempsey does a really good job of capturing this within the story. The violent history is neither overplayed or glossed over, but it does inform a good portion of the story.
Anna Cole is an intriguing character. She takes the transfer not only to escape a failing relationship and her grief at the loss of her adoptive mother, but also to trace her family roots which lie in Northern Ireland. She is focused on work and seemingly very competent but she is not immune to the odd blooper, making a very grave mistake in her personal life which could have implications for the investigation and her safety. I did like her and was able to get behind her, although she carries quite a lot of baggage, some of which did threaten to overtake the story at times.
Declan Wells was another complex character. Injured in a car bomb, he has had to forego his chosen career and take up lecturing students instead. This does not stop him from throwing himself into the investigation, forcing his way in to both that and Anna’s life in the process. It is a very personal case for him but he approaches it with clinical precision. I wasn’t quite sure how to feel about him at first. He appears jaded, probably not surprising, but we do see his human side emerge half way through, something which did help me feel greater empathy toward him.
They are supported ably by a colourful collection of secondary characters, from the other police officers in the investigation, particularly DCI King, and also the killer. Although the story predomnantly follows Anna and Declan and their point of view, we are treated to some sections told from the killers perspective. Although they are not specific in naming the killer for the longest time, you do start to build a profile alongside the police investigation, making their identity quite obvious fairly early on. What we are lacking is true motive.
This is a very competent thriller. Despite the subject matter and the sense of jeopardy facing the young women of Belfast, it didn’t feel particularly fast paced. It still flowed well and I finished it in one evening. Certainly there were sections towards the end in which the tension increased, where both Anna’s and Declan’s lives were under threat, but the scenes did play out quite quickly and the ending was wrapped up rather quickly too and perhaps a little too neatly. That said I am very intrigued by the pairing of Cole and Wells and would love to see more from the pair. I’d be very interested to see where Sharon Dempsey took this series next, as they both have great potential.
July 31, 2017
Little Bird by Sharon Dempsey.
Forensic psychologist, Declan Wells, is dealing with the aftermath of a car bomb during the Troubles in Belfast, which has left him in a wheelchair. But that is only the start of his problems.
Welsh Detective, Anna Cole is running away from a dead end relationship and the guilt of her mother's death. She hopes secondment to the Police Service of Northern Ireland will provide distraction. There is a killer on the streets targeting young women and leaving behind macabre mementos to taunt the police.Can Declan and Anna work together to catch the deranged killer before he strikes again?And is it possible to leave the past behind you?
This was a fantastic read with brilliant characters. Really wanted to know who it was. It wasn’t who I thought it was. 5*. Bloodhound books.
Forensic psychologist, Declan Wells, is dealing with the aftermath of a car bomb during the Troubles in Belfast, which has left him in a wheelchair. But that is only the start of his problems.
Welsh Detective, Anna Cole is running away from a dead end relationship and the guilt of her mother's death. She hopes secondment to the Police Service of Northern Ireland will provide distraction. There is a killer on the streets targeting young women and leaving behind macabre mementos to taunt the police.Can Declan and Anna work together to catch the deranged killer before he strikes again?And is it possible to leave the past behind you?
This was a fantastic read with brilliant characters. Really wanted to know who it was. It wasn’t who I thought it was. 5*. Bloodhound books.
June 18, 2019
Little Bird is a well written, solid debut crime novel from Sharon Dempsey. Anna Cole is a young Welsh detective on secondment to the Serious Crime Squad in Belfast and this is a decent device to introduce the good and not-so-good points of Belfast to the reader.
Sharon Dempsey has combined her extensive knowledge of the city and her people skills and produced a well-researched and carefully structured story.
There are times when the structure feels a little stifling, and the psychological background overwhelms. The tension of the conclusion is interrupted by cutting to other scenes but the conclusion is still the best section.
Even though I have to say that I think its stretching it to believe a riot in Belfast would break out as a protest about lack of police progress in the search for a serial killer, this is a great achievement and I look forward to more.
Sharon Dempsey has combined her extensive knowledge of the city and her people skills and produced a well-researched and carefully structured story.
There are times when the structure feels a little stifling, and the psychological background overwhelms. The tension of the conclusion is interrupted by cutting to other scenes but the conclusion is still the best section.
Even though I have to say that I think its stretching it to believe a riot in Belfast would break out as a protest about lack of police progress in the search for a serial killer, this is a great achievement and I look forward to more.
August 2, 2017
I love when an author takes a chance and pushes just that little bit further in a story as it makes it so much more authentic for me. Sharon Dempsey does just that as there are quite a number of what many would class taboo subjects touched on. One is being the troubles in the past and at times in present day of Northern Ireland and the second being the inclusion of animals, how they are treated and the descriptions of the procedure of taxidermy. Personally I found the story fascinating and one that I shall definitely remember for a long time to come.
There is a very daring killer on the streets of Belfast, one that takes women while in sight of safety, snatching them from public places, killing them quickly and leaving the most bizarre ‘calling card’ that makes them unmistakably killed by the same person.
The story is told through Anna Cole, lead detective, that has taken the opportunity to escape to Belfast, work this case and delve into her own Irish ancestry as a means to get away from a life she no longer wants to be a part of back in Cardiff.
The other side of the story is told through the serial killer as you go inside this almost regimentally organised mind. What an incredibly dark and disturbing place this is to find yourself in. Each time the story switched to the killer I felt like I was locked inside their head, hiding in there because it felt so darn dangerous, but dare I say brilliantly so in a very macabre way.
Declan Wells is closely working the case with Anna, he was a victim of a bomb blast through the troubles in Belfast and is permanently in a wheelchair. He also has a very personal invested interest in this case.
I found this book extremely hard to put down as there is so much going on in it but mostly it felt real. This has to be one of my favourite serial killers so far this year. There is a perfect balance between the characters personal lives and the case. A super entertaining book.
I wish to thank the publisher Bloodhound Books for providing me with an ARC of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
There is a very daring killer on the streets of Belfast, one that takes women while in sight of safety, snatching them from public places, killing them quickly and leaving the most bizarre ‘calling card’ that makes them unmistakably killed by the same person.
The story is told through Anna Cole, lead detective, that has taken the opportunity to escape to Belfast, work this case and delve into her own Irish ancestry as a means to get away from a life she no longer wants to be a part of back in Cardiff.
The other side of the story is told through the serial killer as you go inside this almost regimentally organised mind. What an incredibly dark and disturbing place this is to find yourself in. Each time the story switched to the killer I felt like I was locked inside their head, hiding in there because it felt so darn dangerous, but dare I say brilliantly so in a very macabre way.
Declan Wells is closely working the case with Anna, he was a victim of a bomb blast through the troubles in Belfast and is permanently in a wheelchair. He also has a very personal invested interest in this case.
I found this book extremely hard to put down as there is so much going on in it but mostly it felt real. This has to be one of my favourite serial killers so far this year. There is a perfect balance between the characters personal lives and the case. A super entertaining book.
I wish to thank the publisher Bloodhound Books for providing me with an ARC of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
August 5, 2017
Review can also be found at:
https://overtherainbowbookblog.wordpr...
I haven’t had much luck with crime books recently, but I’m pleased to say that Little Bird has broken my rut!
The book starts off really strongly with a thrilling chase through the woods and doesn’t really let up until the end, making it quite difficult to put down. The story is told from three different point of views, Anna the police detective and her investigation, Declan the father of one of the murdered girls and the murdered himself. This makes the story very interesting as you get a much more rounded view of what has happened.
The part telling the murderers side of the story was very chilling. I felt like I was getting into his mind, as I was able to know what he was thinking as he murdered. The thing that struck me most about him was how normal he seemed which added to the uneasiness I felt about him.
Anna was a great main character. She knows what she wants and sets out to get it regardless of what others think. This can, at times, make her seem quite cold and uncaring though. She wasn’t a stereotypical police woman always fighting for her rights and trying to pick up any discrimination in the force. Instead she let her work do the talking, confident that people would realise she was doing a good job.
Trigger warning: There is a bit of animal cruelty and taxidermy in the book which might upset people as it is quite descriptive at times.
This is Sharon’s debut novel and I look forward to reading more from her. Thank you to Sarah Hardy and Bloodhound Books for my copy and the chance to be on the blog tour.
https://overtherainbowbookblog.wordpr...
I haven’t had much luck with crime books recently, but I’m pleased to say that Little Bird has broken my rut!
The book starts off really strongly with a thrilling chase through the woods and doesn’t really let up until the end, making it quite difficult to put down. The story is told from three different point of views, Anna the police detective and her investigation, Declan the father of one of the murdered girls and the murdered himself. This makes the story very interesting as you get a much more rounded view of what has happened.
The part telling the murderers side of the story was very chilling. I felt like I was getting into his mind, as I was able to know what he was thinking as he murdered. The thing that struck me most about him was how normal he seemed which added to the uneasiness I felt about him.
Anna was a great main character. She knows what she wants and sets out to get it regardless of what others think. This can, at times, make her seem quite cold and uncaring though. She wasn’t a stereotypical police woman always fighting for her rights and trying to pick up any discrimination in the force. Instead she let her work do the talking, confident that people would realise she was doing a good job.
Trigger warning: There is a bit of animal cruelty and taxidermy in the book which might upset people as it is quite descriptive at times.
This is Sharon’s debut novel and I look forward to reading more from her. Thank you to Sarah Hardy and Bloodhound Books for my copy and the chance to be on the blog tour.
October 12, 2018
This is an excellent serial killer thriller set in Northern Ireland. Sharon Dempsey has created a tense and engaging story with a memorable leading character.
The tone keeps to the right shade of noir, with plenty of darkness, but enough humour and other storylines to avoid it being bleak.
Using characters from outside the country and characters who have been forever scarred by 'The Troubles' provides an interesting and probing spotlight on our recent history.
I highly recommend it.
The tone keeps to the right shade of noir, with plenty of darkness, but enough humour and other storylines to avoid it being bleak.
Using characters from outside the country and characters who have been forever scarred by 'The Troubles' provides an interesting and probing spotlight on our recent history.
I highly recommend it.
August 5, 2017
Thanks to Bloodhound Books for the advanced ebook thriller in exchange for my honest review and for the blog tour spot!
Talk about a crazy debut serial killer thriller! I find it hard to believe that LITTLE BIRD is Sharon Dempsey's first crime thriller. Here's a great police procedural that alternates between the detective and the killer. Will they be able to catch the killer before more bodies turn up?
Belfast is no longer safe, there's a serial killer on a rampage with a very unique calling card - birds. Not just any kind of birds but ones that are eyeless, stuffed in mouths, very macabre and taunting to the detectives. Enter in Detective Anna Cole. She's on the case and she is out to prove herself to her partner and then to Delcan (the father of the first victim).
Delcan is a very unique character. Typically in these kinds of police procedurals and murder mysteries the families of the victims don't always have a huge role in the book - unless it's just at an emotional capacity. Well, Delcan has a history as a forensic psychologist and he brings his skills to the table in trying to help solve his daughter's murder. However, Anna seems to be the only one that wants to listen to him and what he wants to contribute. Is this crossing a line having the victim's father involved and Anna is a whole other story when it comes to the baggage she brings to the table.
We alternate between Anna's perspective and that of the serial killer. I will always love a serial killer thriller if we can go into the dark and twisted minds of the killers themselves. Dempsey spares no details in how he became the sadistic killer that he now is - as well as the planning of the murders that awaits these young women. Dempsey did an incredible job developing these characters and then throwing the readers into the mix with them. We also get to experience the procedures of Ireland's police throughout this investigation.
This was a great debut and I'm definitely going to be looking for more from Sharon Dempsey! If you want a good and well-detailed serial killer thriller and police procedural, then do yourself a favor and pick up LITTLE BIRD.
I give this 4.5/5 stars! (rounded up for rating)
Talk about a crazy debut serial killer thriller! I find it hard to believe that LITTLE BIRD is Sharon Dempsey's first crime thriller. Here's a great police procedural that alternates between the detective and the killer. Will they be able to catch the killer before more bodies turn up?
Belfast is no longer safe, there's a serial killer on a rampage with a very unique calling card - birds. Not just any kind of birds but ones that are eyeless, stuffed in mouths, very macabre and taunting to the detectives. Enter in Detective Anna Cole. She's on the case and she is out to prove herself to her partner and then to Delcan (the father of the first victim).
Delcan is a very unique character. Typically in these kinds of police procedurals and murder mysteries the families of the victims don't always have a huge role in the book - unless it's just at an emotional capacity. Well, Delcan has a history as a forensic psychologist and he brings his skills to the table in trying to help solve his daughter's murder. However, Anna seems to be the only one that wants to listen to him and what he wants to contribute. Is this crossing a line having the victim's father involved and Anna is a whole other story when it comes to the baggage she brings to the table.
We alternate between Anna's perspective and that of the serial killer. I will always love a serial killer thriller if we can go into the dark and twisted minds of the killers themselves. Dempsey spares no details in how he became the sadistic killer that he now is - as well as the planning of the murders that awaits these young women. Dempsey did an incredible job developing these characters and then throwing the readers into the mix with them. We also get to experience the procedures of Ireland's police throughout this investigation.
This was a great debut and I'm definitely going to be looking for more from Sharon Dempsey! If you want a good and well-detailed serial killer thriller and police procedural, then do yourself a favor and pick up LITTLE BIRD.
I give this 4.5/5 stars! (rounded up for rating)
August 7, 2017
Anna is in the middle of a crisis, her adoptive mother has just died, so in an attempt to find her birth mother she takes a transfer to Belfast. She thrown in the deep end when the daughter of Declan Wells, former police psychologist, is found dead, quickly followed by another young girl.
So this story is good old police procedural, which is my favourite within the whole crime/mystery genre. It is written very well, keeping me turning page after page. I like both the main characters, Anna and Declan, who during the course book start an affair which almost costs Anna her job. It was also a nice touch that as well as being a policewoman, Anna is also an artist which is not something I’ve come across in all my years reading detective fiction.
A little word of warning to people with a sensitive stomach, there are few scenes describing taxidermy in detail that made a hardened crime fan, like myself, feel a little queasy.
But it does fall down in a few places, I know this is just me being picky, but there was only one real suspect and the killers motive was never really clear.
Still a good read and one I’d recommend to people who enjoy MJ Arlidge or Jane Casey.
So this story is good old police procedural, which is my favourite within the whole crime/mystery genre. It is written very well, keeping me turning page after page. I like both the main characters, Anna and Declan, who during the course book start an affair which almost costs Anna her job. It was also a nice touch that as well as being a policewoman, Anna is also an artist which is not something I’ve come across in all my years reading detective fiction.
A little word of warning to people with a sensitive stomach, there are few scenes describing taxidermy in detail that made a hardened crime fan, like myself, feel a little queasy.
But it does fall down in a few places, I know this is just me being picky, but there was only one real suspect and the killers motive was never really clear.
Still a good read and one I’d recommend to people who enjoy MJ Arlidge or Jane Casey.
July 31, 2017
A bridesmaid is murdered whilst at her sister’s wedding. Their father is a forensic psychologist now in a wheelchair after a car bomb took away his mobility. Anna is new to the Northern Ireland force arriving shortly after this happens so is immediately in the thick of it. She has left behind her husband as they have grown apart. Declan feels that not only has he lost his legs but a part of his life and now his daughter- when will it end? Another young girl is found dead. Is this the same perpetrator and why are these girls being targeted? I enjoy detective novels when there is more than just the main story (but not too much to be detracting) and this gives a little more about the main character’s life. Well told and well rounded, you can’t help but like Anna and feel for Declan like you would a neighbour. A little humour, a little romance, a good plot and excellent story telling make this a highly enjoyable book.
I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased
I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased
July 26, 2017
I finished Little Bird yesterday and had to have a good night's sleep before I was able to even contemplate a review. There is something for everyone in this book. History, geography, politics, police procedural, romance, euthanasia, long lost families. That can sometimes be a problem; the book is a "Jack of all trades etc.....", but don't worry, because Sharon Dempsey has managed to merge it all together beautifully. Your heart goes out to Anna and Declan, and I was rooting for everything to work out. The villains are suitably evil and you are invested in their capture and incarceration. All in all a jolly good read that I'd happily recommend.
Read
July 30, 2017Full review to come tomorrow on the blog tour!
August 5, 2017
Little Bird is the debut novel from Sharon Dempsey and what a page turner it is. I loved this book, and found it very hard to put down. Described as a serial killer thriller, I feel that this book is so much more. It is a book about a serial killer that has so much depth to the writing and two utterly captivating lead protagonists in Anna and Declan. Yes, the story is obviously about a serial killer, but it is really the story of their past, and learning to deal with the present.
So, the story begins with Anna moving to Belfast from Wales. Her mother has recently died of cancer, a slow and lingering death. Anna is running away from this, as well as the pressures of living in a relationship that she knows is long over. On her arrival in Belfast, she is thrust into her new job. Here we meet the enigmatic and boyishly handsome Detective Thomas King (I loved him) and together they start to investigate the first of the murders in the book.
Anna is a detective who was very 'real' to me. I found that sometimes, woman detectives are often stereotyped and share similar qualities. the attractive yet determined female officer on the force, but Anna is completely her own woman. She has flaws but is instantly likeable. She very much felt like the girl next door to me, doing her job at any cost. She fascinated me, as I needed to learn her back story, who she really was, what motivated her. Declan was equally fascinating. A man who was the victim of a car bombing, and became paralysed as a result. The man whose daughter was murdered, an educated man, a police psychologist who wants to be in the inner circle of the investigation, who wants to contribute to the investigation. I really felt for him, for his pain, both physically and emotionally. These two very different characters worked well together on the page to create a most unusual and refreshing read.
The book is written in the third person, with viewpoints from Anna and Declan, plus the killer. This gave much insight into their thoughts and feelings and gave the novel great depth, especially the inner thoughts of the killer. The writing is sharp, descriptive and to the point. It is methodical. I knew exactly what was happening and was propelled along the pages. The pace is pretty much relentless, although the investigation is slow, as the killer is clever, methodical and knows all the tricks of the trade to keep off the police radar.
Little Bird is part detective novel, part serial killer thriller and a novel about self discovery. It highlights Belfast's past and present troubles. These stories are interwoven into the plot and help to add substance and meaning to the narrative.
I enjoyed reading Little Bird, for me it was a very different type of serial killer read and I look forward to reading more from this author.
August 19, 2017
A tense and often moving story.
With a serial killer on the loose the lives of many are affected. Troubles and ghosts of the past, cast shadows that reach deep into the present.
A chilling and emotive story, disturbing and also thought provoking. Genuinely different take on the serial killer genre and well worth reading x
With a serial killer on the loose the lives of many are affected. Troubles and ghosts of the past, cast shadows that reach deep into the present.
A chilling and emotive story, disturbing and also thought provoking. Genuinely different take on the serial killer genre and well worth reading x
April 7, 2018
Okay im not going to lie i cried a lil bit at the end.. there was just so much going on!!
It took me a wee while to get in to the story but i think that was more due to the shock of suddenly reading an author that has the same vernacular that i use and am familiar with when spoken, but have never read! This is after years of reading only american (not @ their american english👀) and british authors because that's what was popular! After I got used to the writing style I was drawn into Anna's world quickly and remained wrapped up in her struggle until the very end!
I shivered in horror so many times at the killer's pov it was so creepy, I commend the ability to write from such a dark place.
I liked the acknowledgement of the political and sectarian struggle in Belfast, it made the story so much more real and tangible. Plus actually being able to picture the streets and locations that events occured at!! I love it hehe
It feels so surreal to read such a good book and after having attended a class led by the author and learned personal things about them and what inspires them to write, I hope she continues to write I would love to read another book sometime ^_^ I can't wait to pass it on to my aunt and have her experience the twists and turns of the story too:')
It took me a wee while to get in to the story but i think that was more due to the shock of suddenly reading an author that has the same vernacular that i use and am familiar with when spoken, but have never read! This is after years of reading only american (not @ their american english👀) and british authors because that's what was popular! After I got used to the writing style I was drawn into Anna's world quickly and remained wrapped up in her struggle until the very end!
I shivered in horror so many times at the killer's pov it was so creepy, I commend the ability to write from such a dark place.
I liked the acknowledgement of the political and sectarian struggle in Belfast, it made the story so much more real and tangible. Plus actually being able to picture the streets and locations that events occured at!! I love it hehe
It feels so surreal to read such a good book and after having attended a class led by the author and learned personal things about them and what inspires them to write, I hope she continues to write I would love to read another book sometime ^_^ I can't wait to pass it on to my aunt and have her experience the twists and turns of the story too:')
July 28, 2017
Hard to believe this is Sharon Dempsey`s first crime fiction novel. I really enjoyed this book, the two main characters Declan Wells and Anna Cole are instantly likeable. Declan is is a forensic psychologist who is on a mission to discover who murdered his daughter as he believes all the signs point to it being committed by a serial killer.
Anna is a police detective from Wales who has been seconded to Belfast, she has personal as well as professional reasons for being in Northern Ireland.
This case brings the two together. Declan also has his own problems stemming from the time of the troubles in Northern Ireland when he became the victim of a car bomb attack. This incident has left him in a wheelchair and together with the loss of his daughter has all but destroyed his marriage. The relationship between Anna and Declan develops throughout their efforts to solve the case and I found myself hoping that things would work out between them.
This is a thriller that has all the elements of a really good read, full of twists with an unexpected perpetrator at the end.
Is there another book to follow ? I hope so as I would like to know more about Anna and Declan.
Anna is a police detective from Wales who has been seconded to Belfast, she has personal as well as professional reasons for being in Northern Ireland.
This case brings the two together. Declan also has his own problems stemming from the time of the troubles in Northern Ireland when he became the victim of a car bomb attack. This incident has left him in a wheelchair and together with the loss of his daughter has all but destroyed his marriage. The relationship between Anna and Declan develops throughout their efforts to solve the case and I found myself hoping that things would work out between them.
This is a thriller that has all the elements of a really good read, full of twists with an unexpected perpetrator at the end.
Is there another book to follow ? I hope so as I would like to know more about Anna and Declan.
July 8, 2018
Back with a crime thriller review 📰📝📰📝
Actually I completed this one yesterday .but I started this one earlier ,
This is an awesome killer thriller .
" Little bird " . @sharondempseywrites .
I am in love with this thriller book.
The characters and the story and her writing's everything was good....
This book makes me waiting till the end.... And this is psychological thriller....
At the beginning it was slow.. going on it makes us wait to know what happens next....
This is recommended to all psychological readers......
" A dark and compelling tale from a thrilling new voice in Irish crime fiction " .
.
About story:
Forensic psychologist , Declan wells , is dealing with the aftermath of a car bomb during the troubles in Belfast , which has left him in a wheelchair . But that is only the start of his problems .
Welsh detective , Anna Cole is running away from a deadend relationship and the guilt of her mother's death . She hopes secondment to the police service of northern Ireland will provide her with a distraction .
There is killer on Streets targeting young women and leaving behind macabre mementos to taunt the police .
Can Declan and Anna work together to catch the deranged killer before he strikes again ????.
And is it ever possible to leave the past behind you ????. .
Thank you so much @sharondempseywrites
4🌟/5🌟 .
Actually I completed this one yesterday .but I started this one earlier ,
This is an awesome killer thriller .
" Little bird " . @sharondempseywrites .
I am in love with this thriller book.
The characters and the story and her writing's everything was good....
This book makes me waiting till the end.... And this is psychological thriller....
At the beginning it was slow.. going on it makes us wait to know what happens next....
This is recommended to all psychological readers......
" A dark and compelling tale from a thrilling new voice in Irish crime fiction " .
.
About story:
Forensic psychologist , Declan wells , is dealing with the aftermath of a car bomb during the troubles in Belfast , which has left him in a wheelchair . But that is only the start of his problems .
Welsh detective , Anna Cole is running away from a deadend relationship and the guilt of her mother's death . She hopes secondment to the police service of northern Ireland will provide her with a distraction .
There is killer on Streets targeting young women and leaving behind macabre mementos to taunt the police .
Can Declan and Anna work together to catch the deranged killer before he strikes again ????.
And is it ever possible to leave the past behind you ????. .
Thank you so much @sharondempseywrites
4🌟/5🌟 .
December 30, 2022
Sharon Dempsey's debut novel resonated for me as one of her dual protagonists, Detective Anna Cole arrives from Wales on secondment to Belfast. It reminded me of my own arrival here at about the same time as Cole to take up a post in the world of Northern Ireland's education system. The dislocation that Cole experiences with the cultural preoccupations of Northern Ireland cutting across her expectations of normal professional focus echoed strongly with my own experience.
Sarah Williams in her book, "How to Write Crime Fiction" has a section on exotic locations, though that doesn't have to mean the Caribbean or even Venice. Williams draws a distinction between authors writing novels set in territory unfamiliar to the anglophone community - such as Sweden - and crime fiction in translation, where the setting is, to the author, mundanely familiar. Although Dempsey, in writing about her native Belfast, might not fit Williams' criteria for "exotic fiction" there is nonetheless a defamiliarisation in reading English language crime fiction through the lens of a still raw sectarian history. In some ways it is like reading fiction set in the America South in an era of systemic racism that permeated every aspect of familiar society.
Dempsey brings that grim backdrop of Belfast history into sharper relief with her other protagonist, the police psychologist forced into disabled retirement by a Republican bomb in which he lost his legs. Declan Wells is then hit by further tragedy when his own daughter becomes the first victim of a serial killer. The rich weave of sectarian interaction shows up in the behaviour and attitudes of Cole's new colleagues, and the rioting on the streets of youths bored and incited to violence by men left rudderless by "this weak piping time of peace."
Cole herself has other quests to pursue. Having been adopted she has seized the chance to track down the birth family from Belfast - and Dempsey gets to examine the troubled times that might inspire such an adoption. That curiosity appears to have been rekindled by the death of Cole's adoptive mother from cancer - another aspect of her past fo0r Cole and Dempsey to interrogate. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Cole's relationship with her live-in partner is not so much fizzling out as being crushed by her reckless commitment to her work and her flight from the pain of her adoptive mother's death.
The over-all effect is to make Little Bird a multi-themed novel. There has been much recent writing on hybridity in crime fiction and the opportunity afforded by the narrative focus in crime fiction to interrogate other issues. My own particular interest is in the issue of climate change, which Antti Toumainen wove into his Finish murder mystery "The Healer." Dempsey picks up issues of disability, relationships, grief and loss.
There is a tendency in some archetypal crime fiction for the detective to be simply the catalyst to the solution, resolving the puzzle by the end of the story but being essentially unchanged by the experience, for example Poirot, or Holmes. However, Cole and Wells are anything but unchanged and if anything the murders are the catalyst for them to address the issues in their own lives, as much as the impetus to track down a murderer who has impinged with particular cruelty on Wells.
Authors too, grow and develop through the writing of novels. I am thinking of the change in Ian Rankin's representation of DI Rebus between his first appearance in Knots and Crosses and his later established world weary persona, or between Simon Brett's first depiction of his eternally resting actor Charles Paris and the more comfortable comedic turn of the later books.
Dempsey's debut, while accomplished and offering satisfactions that do not simply lie in the resolution of the murder, does have some looser aspects which experience will surely tighten. There are places where the narrative depends on the characters making unwise choices, although to be fair Dempsey does signpost Cole's headstrong nature in her very first scene. However, there are still times when Cole is wondering why on earth she wandered into a dangerous street scene and the reader is echoing exactly the same question. Dempsey creditably portrays Wells' experience of disability, the physical inconveniences that can to a degree be circumvented, the psychological grief that never goes away. Cole's rashness, Wells' physical limitations, and the investigation's apparent tardiness in following up a really strong lead, combine to pitch both characters into peril at the novel's denouement. At the same time, however, the circumstances deprive our protagonists of the agency that the reader, if not realism, might have hoped for.
Wells' skill set as a psychologist - all be it one acting in an ex-officio capacity - is reminiscent of The Cracker series on TV starring Robbie Coltrane amongst others and it is the forensic psychology aspect of the police procedural that Dempsey focuses on. Indeed, we are frequently given insights into the mind of the murderer and the key questions are not so much "who dunnit?" as "how caught him?" It is perhaps that difficulty in reconciling the cerebral strengths of Wells with the crime fiction form's demand for an action driven ending, which leaves the protagonists ultimately reliant on resources other than their own.
Nonetheless, Little Bird, in the multi-layered complexity of its setting and its characters delivers a very satisfying read.
Sarah Williams in her book, "How to Write Crime Fiction" has a section on exotic locations, though that doesn't have to mean the Caribbean or even Venice. Williams draws a distinction between authors writing novels set in territory unfamiliar to the anglophone community - such as Sweden - and crime fiction in translation, where the setting is, to the author, mundanely familiar. Although Dempsey, in writing about her native Belfast, might not fit Williams' criteria for "exotic fiction" there is nonetheless a defamiliarisation in reading English language crime fiction through the lens of a still raw sectarian history. In some ways it is like reading fiction set in the America South in an era of systemic racism that permeated every aspect of familiar society.
Dempsey brings that grim backdrop of Belfast history into sharper relief with her other protagonist, the police psychologist forced into disabled retirement by a Republican bomb in which he lost his legs. Declan Wells is then hit by further tragedy when his own daughter becomes the first victim of a serial killer. The rich weave of sectarian interaction shows up in the behaviour and attitudes of Cole's new colleagues, and the rioting on the streets of youths bored and incited to violence by men left rudderless by "this weak piping time of peace."
Cole herself has other quests to pursue. Having been adopted she has seized the chance to track down the birth family from Belfast - and Dempsey gets to examine the troubled times that might inspire such an adoption. That curiosity appears to have been rekindled by the death of Cole's adoptive mother from cancer - another aspect of her past fo0r Cole and Dempsey to interrogate. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Cole's relationship with her live-in partner is not so much fizzling out as being crushed by her reckless commitment to her work and her flight from the pain of her adoptive mother's death.
The over-all effect is to make Little Bird a multi-themed novel. There has been much recent writing on hybridity in crime fiction and the opportunity afforded by the narrative focus in crime fiction to interrogate other issues. My own particular interest is in the issue of climate change, which Antti Toumainen wove into his Finish murder mystery "The Healer." Dempsey picks up issues of disability, relationships, grief and loss.
There is a tendency in some archetypal crime fiction for the detective to be simply the catalyst to the solution, resolving the puzzle by the end of the story but being essentially unchanged by the experience, for example Poirot, or Holmes. However, Cole and Wells are anything but unchanged and if anything the murders are the catalyst for them to address the issues in their own lives, as much as the impetus to track down a murderer who has impinged with particular cruelty on Wells.
Authors too, grow and develop through the writing of novels. I am thinking of the change in Ian Rankin's representation of DI Rebus between his first appearance in Knots and Crosses and his later established world weary persona, or between Simon Brett's first depiction of his eternally resting actor Charles Paris and the more comfortable comedic turn of the later books.
Dempsey's debut, while accomplished and offering satisfactions that do not simply lie in the resolution of the murder, does have some looser aspects which experience will surely tighten. There are places where the narrative depends on the characters making unwise choices, although to be fair Dempsey does signpost Cole's headstrong nature in her very first scene. However, there are still times when Cole is wondering why on earth she wandered into a dangerous street scene and the reader is echoing exactly the same question. Dempsey creditably portrays Wells' experience of disability, the physical inconveniences that can to a degree be circumvented, the psychological grief that never goes away. Cole's rashness, Wells' physical limitations, and the investigation's apparent tardiness in following up a really strong lead, combine to pitch both characters into peril at the novel's denouement. At the same time, however, the circumstances deprive our protagonists of the agency that the reader, if not realism, might have hoped for.
Wells' skill set as a psychologist - all be it one acting in an ex-officio capacity - is reminiscent of The Cracker series on TV starring Robbie Coltrane amongst others and it is the forensic psychology aspect of the police procedural that Dempsey focuses on. Indeed, we are frequently given insights into the mind of the murderer and the key questions are not so much "who dunnit?" as "how caught him?" It is perhaps that difficulty in reconciling the cerebral strengths of Wells with the crime fiction form's demand for an action driven ending, which leaves the protagonists ultimately reliant on resources other than their own.
Nonetheless, Little Bird, in the multi-layered complexity of its setting and its characters delivers a very satisfying read.
August 18, 2017
Murders
Brilliant read and well written. I really enjoyed this book.it kept me in suspense right till the end and will be looking out for more books by this author.
Brilliant read and well written. I really enjoyed this book.it kept me in suspense right till the end and will be looking out for more books by this author.
August 3, 2017
A Dark utterly brilliant read.. I loved it..
Anna a young policewoman, goes on a secondment from Wales to Northern Ireland .Her relationship with her boyfriend has hit stalemate .Anna wants to escape from the past where she holds a secret deep inside of her.Declan Wells in a wheelchair after being in a bomb blast is celebrating his daughter Laura's marriage..when his other daughter Esme slips away from the reception, the family and guests caught up in the celebrations don't notice.A little while later Esme ,young ,freshfaced with her whole life ahead of her is found murdered.Duncan Wells is devastated - he can't cope with the grief ,the dark tunnel that envelopes him.Duncan wants answers he wants in on the case.As Anna tries to put the past behind her ..there is another murder...this time the killer leaves yet another message behind..There are suspects here yet Duncan feels the police are on the wrong track..so much so that he goes to see Anna ....and so it begins...There is murder, darkness , lies and hidden secrets ..There is a killer here who is twisted... saturated in poison..A killer who in their own mind has everything planned to perfection... Anna has no idea one day as she sets out to look further into the case ...that this day could perhaps be her last day on earth..This story was one of the best I have read this year....A new author for me....Absolutely brilliant storytelling...
Anna a young policewoman, goes on a secondment from Wales to Northern Ireland .Her relationship with her boyfriend has hit stalemate .Anna wants to escape from the past where she holds a secret deep inside of her.Declan Wells in a wheelchair after being in a bomb blast is celebrating his daughter Laura's marriage..when his other daughter Esme slips away from the reception, the family and guests caught up in the celebrations don't notice.A little while later Esme ,young ,freshfaced with her whole life ahead of her is found murdered.Duncan Wells is devastated - he can't cope with the grief ,the dark tunnel that envelopes him.Duncan wants answers he wants in on the case.As Anna tries to put the past behind her ..there is another murder...this time the killer leaves yet another message behind..There are suspects here yet Duncan feels the police are on the wrong track..so much so that he goes to see Anna ....and so it begins...There is murder, darkness , lies and hidden secrets ..There is a killer here who is twisted... saturated in poison..A killer who in their own mind has everything planned to perfection... Anna has no idea one day as she sets out to look further into the case ...that this day could perhaps be her last day on earth..This story was one of the best I have read this year....A new author for me....Absolutely brilliant storytelling...
January 22, 2018
I found this an intriguing book - and quite chilling in an 'enjoyable way'. It is well paced. The characters come alive. And, I would recommend it. A thoroughly good read.
July 30, 2017
I really liked this book - you really get to know the two main characters Declan Wells and Anna Cole. Declan is is a forensic psychologist who lost his legs in a car bombing in Belfast.
Anna is a police detective from Wales who has been seconded to Belfast to escape personal problems and look into family ties in the Belfast area.
The book kept me gripped throughout and had a good mix of investigations and the crimes themselves.
Hopefully Sharon Dempsey will write more books with these characters in.
I would highly recommend this book.
Thanks to Bloodhound books for the opportunity to read the advance copy.
Anna is a police detective from Wales who has been seconded to Belfast to escape personal problems and look into family ties in the Belfast area.
The book kept me gripped throughout and had a good mix of investigations and the crimes themselves.
Hopefully Sharon Dempsey will write more books with these characters in.
I would highly recommend this book.
Thanks to Bloodhound books for the opportunity to read the advance copy.
August 8, 2017
Moves at a brisk pace and there are plenty of good moments that manage to hold you interest, but personally I wasn't entirely invested in the mystery itself. However, this was still a good book to read.
September 17, 2017
Disturbing and gripping. There was an element of Belfast Tourist Board about it with many local sights being described but Belfast was very much at the heart of the novel so it didn't distract. I also loved how much of Cardiff was mentioned. Strong characters with plenty of backstory.
October 1, 2017
Enjoyed the book...but quite a few words missing from the text spoils the reading.
August 3, 2017
I understand that this is Sharon Dempseys first foray into her published writing as an author of crime fiction. However, saying this, i would never have guessed had i just been given the book to read with no prior info.
The story is told from the perspective of two very different people. Firstly, Anna Cole. A welsh police officer on secondment in Belfast, she's gone there for some respite after suffering personal tragedy at home in Cardiff. Anna is adopted and her roots are Irish. She's hoping that by going back to her place of birth she will feel connected in some way. Taking this placement though also gives her the chance to chase down her birth mother and any remaining family in order to find out how she ended up in Wales all those years ago.
With no time to find her feet, Anna is plunged straight into the case of a murdered schoolgirl. Killed at her sisters wedding the police are at a loss as to how this could have happened with no witnesses. During the investigation a strange and gruesome calling card comes to light and it doesn't bode well for anyone.
Secondly, the killer. An extremely intense and crazed mind, whilst being patient, thorough and methodical at the same time, as his story is told we are privvy to (in my opinion) one of the most unusual methods and ultimately, desires that i have come across in, well, forever. Taxidermy. i know, to some this may raise an eyebrow and wonder what the fuss is. But to me, it's not a subject i am either comfortable or familiar with. Which is why it was perfect for giving me the heebie-jeebies and making me shudder whilst reading this book! To be honest, a feeling i eagerly anticipate when reading crime/horror fiction but which rarely comes.
We are introduced to a good range of characters, with strong personalities full of individuality. It's an excellent book that has laid the groundwork for (hopefully) future novels revolving around Anna, and the rest of those in the Belfast station.
This isn't just a one trick pony in regards to the storyline. The author has a number of threads running simultaneously throughout the novel, which she intertwines beautifully. Sharon gives us the gritty and often untouched (in fiction i mean) side of the Irish police force. She delves into its past, concerning the IRA and the deep divisions this country has suffered and makes it relevant for today. Explaining how it is still affected and it's long lasting repercussions.
And the author ends up giving us this, the finished product which has a feel about it of an author way beyond Sharons tender years here. It's safe to say i thoroughly enjoyed it. In finishing, its also safe to say, that i have no problem in recommending it to others. It really is a corker of a book that the reader will find very hard to put down, and even harder to forget once it's finished.
The story is told from the perspective of two very different people. Firstly, Anna Cole. A welsh police officer on secondment in Belfast, she's gone there for some respite after suffering personal tragedy at home in Cardiff. Anna is adopted and her roots are Irish. She's hoping that by going back to her place of birth she will feel connected in some way. Taking this placement though also gives her the chance to chase down her birth mother and any remaining family in order to find out how she ended up in Wales all those years ago.
With no time to find her feet, Anna is plunged straight into the case of a murdered schoolgirl. Killed at her sisters wedding the police are at a loss as to how this could have happened with no witnesses. During the investigation a strange and gruesome calling card comes to light and it doesn't bode well for anyone.
Secondly, the killer. An extremely intense and crazed mind, whilst being patient, thorough and methodical at the same time, as his story is told we are privvy to (in my opinion) one of the most unusual methods and ultimately, desires that i have come across in, well, forever. Taxidermy. i know, to some this may raise an eyebrow and wonder what the fuss is. But to me, it's not a subject i am either comfortable or familiar with. Which is why it was perfect for giving me the heebie-jeebies and making me shudder whilst reading this book! To be honest, a feeling i eagerly anticipate when reading crime/horror fiction but which rarely comes.
We are introduced to a good range of characters, with strong personalities full of individuality. It's an excellent book that has laid the groundwork for (hopefully) future novels revolving around Anna, and the rest of those in the Belfast station.
This isn't just a one trick pony in regards to the storyline. The author has a number of threads running simultaneously throughout the novel, which she intertwines beautifully. Sharon gives us the gritty and often untouched (in fiction i mean) side of the Irish police force. She delves into its past, concerning the IRA and the deep divisions this country has suffered and makes it relevant for today. Explaining how it is still affected and it's long lasting repercussions.
And the author ends up giving us this, the finished product which has a feel about it of an author way beyond Sharons tender years here. It's safe to say i thoroughly enjoyed it. In finishing, its also safe to say, that i have no problem in recommending it to others. It really is a corker of a book that the reader will find very hard to put down, and even harder to forget once it's finished.
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