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A Shepherd of Wolves
A debut thriller about a detective and a prolific serial killer, going back into the pasts of both men, showing the paths they took to eventually end up on an inevitable collision course.
Edmund Glass has never fit in. His neighbors find him odd and few have ever gotten to truly know him. After years of tempering his appetite, he finally gives in to the beast, taking a life and consuming the victim. Soon, he can’t control himself, taking victim after victim and leaving what’s left of the remains scattered around the small town of St. Anna, South Carolina. Detective Raymond Wright didn’t think a serial killer would ever show up in his hometown, but as Edmund’s body count grows, the detective must question everyone and everything if he’s going to catch a killer who is committing unthinkable acts.
Edmund Glass has never fit in. His neighbors find him odd and few have ever gotten to truly know him. After years of tempering his appetite, he finally gives in to the beast, taking a life and consuming the victim. Soon, he can’t control himself, taking victim after victim and leaving what’s left of the remains scattered around the small town of St. Anna, South Carolina. Detective Raymond Wright didn’t think a serial killer would ever show up in his hometown, but as Edmund’s body count grows, the detective must question everyone and everything if he’s going to catch a killer who is committing unthinkable acts.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 27, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
November 2, 2021
I received this book thru a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank the author and the publishing company for their generosity.
This book is about a serial killer that is killing gay men in a small town and how the police try to figure out who is the culprit. We get two points of view in this book as we see it thru the eyes of the serial killer and also the police officer in charge of the investigation. We also get flashbacks to see how the two main characters come to be how they are in the present.
Basically this book could have been called Diary of a Serial Killer and Diary of the Lead Investigative Officer. I will admit that probably isn't the most catchiest title and the actual title is much better. My proposed title captures what this book is though. The story tells of these two characters from childhood to the present. It reads how one becomes what they are. I did think it was an interesting concept but not exactly the most entertaining. I could say that about the whole book. I wanted to see where it was going but I am not sure if I exactly enjoyed it. It is a very dark book. The ending did not add to my enjoyment at all.
This is the author's first book and I can see that. It read more like a memoir which was interesting as it read like a true story even though it is fiction. I think I needed a little more pizzaz. I would read something else by this author as it seems like the tools are there.
This book is about a serial killer that is killing gay men in a small town and how the police try to figure out who is the culprit. We get two points of view in this book as we see it thru the eyes of the serial killer and also the police officer in charge of the investigation. We also get flashbacks to see how the two main characters come to be how they are in the present.
Basically this book could have been called Diary of a Serial Killer and Diary of the Lead Investigative Officer. I will admit that probably isn't the most catchiest title and the actual title is much better. My proposed title captures what this book is though. The story tells of these two characters from childhood to the present. It reads how one becomes what they are. I did think it was an interesting concept but not exactly the most entertaining. I could say that about the whole book. I wanted to see where it was going but I am not sure if I exactly enjoyed it. It is a very dark book. The ending did not add to my enjoyment at all.
This is the author's first book and I can see that. It read more like a memoir which was interesting as it read like a true story even though it is fiction. I think I needed a little more pizzaz. I would read something else by this author as it seems like the tools are there.
October 25, 2021
DNF
It's possible this writer can deliver but I couldn't make it through more than a third of the book. I'm not normally squeamish but the killers sections were too off putting. I didn't care about any of the characters, the writing was too detailed and so pacing was too slow. And, again--normally I can ignore grammar errors and obvious editing misses but not when there is nothing else that Keeps me reading. With serious editing maybe this would be better but as it stands now, no.
It's possible this writer can deliver but I couldn't make it through more than a third of the book. I'm not normally squeamish but the killers sections were too off putting. I didn't care about any of the characters, the writing was too detailed and so pacing was too slow. And, again--normally I can ignore grammar errors and obvious editing misses but not when there is nothing else that Keeps me reading. With serious editing maybe this would be better but as it stands now, no.
October 27, 2024
Gruesome
This book is about a very bad person and the detective who is trying to catch him. There is some cannibalism so be prepared.
This book is about a very bad person and the detective who is trying to catch him. There is some cannibalism so be prepared.
April 22, 2022
Unhappy with this one. Not well written. Characters do not come to life. Okay story but hated the ending. Dialogue is awful. Maybe only 2 stars.
April 18, 2022
I won a free Kindle copy of this book through the Goodreads Giveaways program and am appreciative to anyone who had a hand in making that come to pass!
I really struggled to get through this and had to force myself to keep reading it! It drags on and on and includes so much unnecessary detail and backstory about the characters. There is nothing suspenseful at all about it and the constant back and forth in time really broke up any momentum it could have had. The ending was also a huge let down. This one was just not my cup of tea!
I really struggled to get through this and had to force myself to keep reading it! It drags on and on and includes so much unnecessary detail and backstory about the characters. There is nothing suspenseful at all about it and the constant back and forth in time really broke up any momentum it could have had. The ending was also a huge let down. This one was just not my cup of tea!
Read
April 21, 2021A SHEPHERD OF WOLVES presents a highly credible story with characters readers can understand and even sympathize with. King’s book is a disquieting but satisfying read.
Read our full review here:
https://booktrib.com/2021/04/20/a-she...
Read our full review here:
https://booktrib.com/2021/04/20/a-she...
October 3, 2024
I think it’s pretty obvious that this book was written by a robot. This story had the kind of subject matter that should have had me feeling disgusted and cringing through the whole thing; (my favorite kind of books).
Instead, it was dry and completely lacked emotion.
This was published in 2021, so I’m assuming the copy I won is the final draft. That being said, whoever edited this should be fired.
If anyone is going to read this book after seeing my review, I’m wondering if they would be willing to count how many times the word “actually” is in this story. I’m curious, but I’m not going to read it again to find out. ACTUALLY, this was the only thing amusing about the book.
The ending didn’t do anything to redeem this either. Horrible.
Instead, it was dry and completely lacked emotion.
This was published in 2021, so I’m assuming the copy I won is the final draft. That being said, whoever edited this should be fired.
If anyone is going to read this book after seeing my review, I’m wondering if they would be willing to count how many times the word “actually” is in this story. I’m curious, but I’m not going to read it again to find out. ACTUALLY, this was the only thing amusing about the book.
The ending didn’t do anything to redeem this either. Horrible.
November 8, 2021
This was a Goodreads win. It is the story of a serial killer that targets gay men. In addition to the serial killer character, there is alot of focus on the policeman that is working the case. The story was confusing in some ways as there are alot of flashbacks of the lives of these 2 men. These flashbacks to their early lives are important to the plot. While the premise was good, I could have done without some of the details and cannot say more without giving away some of the story.
February 2, 2022
My husband read and reviewed this book. He found the writing style to be “choppy” with short sentences that seemed unnecessary. Also, there was too much unnecessary detail in the descriptions. For example, the main character needed to help his mother with her medication; the reader doesn’t need a complete list of those medications. Thanks to the author for the Goodreads giveaway!
October 25, 2021
Nice cover design. A lot of background of characters. A mixed bag of different people with the story revolving around a serial killer and the detective out to find him. Won this in a Goodreads Giveaway
January 15, 2022
Creepy. A little hard to follow at times. Good first effort!
March 5, 2025
***I received a free Kindle copy via Goodreads Giveaways in exchange for an honest review. ***
I am rather torn about this book, as I did not enjoy it very much, but felt the need to see it through to the end. At less than 300 pages, I assumed it would not take much time to knock this off my TBR but those 250+ pages felt like triple the actual number.
The overall plot, the main story, had immense potential to be a great novel, but the execution greatly lacked. The writer had a rather simplistic style of writing, and paired with the excess filler that no one filtered out, it made for a slow read. There was a choppy feel to the story, as it lacked a smooth flow of events. There was extra fluff, that I don't want to call details because a picture wasn't painted for the reader, but rather we are just told exactly what is happening. Basically, "Raymond sat in a chair. He was drowsy. Raymond watched a detective show. Then he went to bed. Raymond woke his mother up. He gave her meds and answered her questions." It had a robotic feel to it, stilted.
Ever had a college professor that droned on, in a monotone, about history or something you didn't care much about? That's what reading this felt like, to a T.
On top of the basic format, we had too much going on. We have a serial killer, we have neighborhood crime, we have old murder cases popping up in meandering navel-gazing. Raymond didn't feel like a cop, he didn't act like a cop. We spent too much time with him on his off days, cleaning, talking to his son and taking care of his mother, nothing that added an extra layer to the story, but rather drug it out. Edmoud, also, didn't feel like a killer, like someone that some Mayberry cops wouldn't be able to catch after body dumping #2. Between the switching POVs, and the unnecessary subplots, I was hard pressed to finish this. It felt like King crammed a couple of ideas for multiple books into one.
I almost decided to DNF this, a chapter or two in, but I got a hint of the possible serial killer storyline and wanted to see if my brain would adjust the elementary writing. Honestly, my brain did just accept the writing format and was mildly invested in Edmund's role in the story, but his chapters were hard to read, just as Raymond's, simply for the fact that Raymond and Edmund sounded the exact same. Without the headers, it would have been easy to mix up the cop and the killer when they drifted into some memory of yesteryear.
I give the writer an A+ for effort, for the dark subject matter. But its a hard F for me, for the terrible writing style and handling of the splintered story. Some hard polishing and trimming of fatty bits could have made a pretty decent novella. He needed to pick a direction. Raymond: the cop, with a shitty childhood, a bad mother and criminal best friend. Or Raymond: the cop, that caught the most F'ed case of his life, who is chasing an UNKNOWN serial killer.... OR Edmund: the serial killer, that taunts local police.
That abrupt ending didn't help the rating and neither did the opening and closing chapters. Definite excess that could be cut to streamline a messy story.
I will pass on any future endeavors from R.J.
I am rather torn about this book, as I did not enjoy it very much, but felt the need to see it through to the end. At less than 300 pages, I assumed it would not take much time to knock this off my TBR but those 250+ pages felt like triple the actual number.
The overall plot, the main story, had immense potential to be a great novel, but the execution greatly lacked. The writer had a rather simplistic style of writing, and paired with the excess filler that no one filtered out, it made for a slow read. There was a choppy feel to the story, as it lacked a smooth flow of events. There was extra fluff, that I don't want to call details because a picture wasn't painted for the reader, but rather we are just told exactly what is happening. Basically, "Raymond sat in a chair. He was drowsy. Raymond watched a detective show. Then he went to bed. Raymond woke his mother up. He gave her meds and answered her questions." It had a robotic feel to it, stilted.
Ever had a college professor that droned on, in a monotone, about history or something you didn't care much about? That's what reading this felt like, to a T.
On top of the basic format, we had too much going on. We have a serial killer, we have neighborhood crime, we have old murder cases popping up in meandering navel-gazing. Raymond didn't feel like a cop, he didn't act like a cop. We spent too much time with him on his off days, cleaning, talking to his son and taking care of his mother, nothing that added an extra layer to the story, but rather drug it out. Edmoud, also, didn't feel like a killer, like someone that some Mayberry cops wouldn't be able to catch after body dumping #2. Between the switching POVs, and the unnecessary subplots, I was hard pressed to finish this. It felt like King crammed a couple of ideas for multiple books into one.
I almost decided to DNF this, a chapter or two in, but I got a hint of the possible serial killer storyline and wanted to see if my brain would adjust the elementary writing. Honestly, my brain did just accept the writing format and was mildly invested in Edmund's role in the story, but his chapters were hard to read, just as Raymond's, simply for the fact that Raymond and Edmund sounded the exact same. Without the headers, it would have been easy to mix up the cop and the killer when they drifted into some memory of yesteryear.
I give the writer an A+ for effort, for the dark subject matter. But its a hard F for me, for the terrible writing style and handling of the splintered story. Some hard polishing and trimming of fatty bits could have made a pretty decent novella. He needed to pick a direction. Raymond: the cop, with a shitty childhood, a bad mother and criminal best friend. Or Raymond: the cop, that caught the most F'ed case of his life, who is chasing an UNKNOWN serial killer.... OR Edmund: the serial killer, that taunts local police.
That abrupt ending didn't help the rating and neither did the opening and closing chapters. Definite excess that could be cut to streamline a messy story.
I will pass on any future endeavors from R.J.
October 31, 2024
Underwhelming
I thought the premise of this story was decent. The execution was poorly done. It felt like a very amateurish effort from the author. I feel like the author tried hard to have well-developed characters but again the execution just wasn't there. I noticed a high amount of typos which always bothers me! The author has a lot more work to do in order to do better. On a positive note, I won this on a Goodreads giveaway so at least I didn't pay for it! Better luck next time....
I thought the premise of this story was decent. The execution was poorly done. It felt like a very amateurish effort from the author. I feel like the author tried hard to have well-developed characters but again the execution just wasn't there. I noticed a high amount of typos which always bothers me! The author has a lot more work to do in order to do better. On a positive note, I won this on a Goodreads giveaway so at least I didn't pay for it! Better luck next time....
January 30, 2022
I got halfway through and just had to stop. The story sounded interesting, but it seemed jerky in the way it was told. The characters weren’t interesting at all, and even though the author tried to develop them by going back to their pasts, it didn’t work for me. Raymond, Ronald, Edmund, Rose.. All forgettable.
I got a copy of this book through a giveaway that was on Goodreads.
I got a copy of this book through a giveaway that was on Goodreads.
October 3, 2021
Good thriller
This was an intriguing book. It was a story about a serial killer and the detective who was after him. It goes through their lives leading up to how they arrived at where they were. And then, just when all the pieces get put together, it ends.
This was an intriguing book. It was a story about a serial killer and the detective who was after him. It goes through their lives leading up to how they arrived at where they were. And then, just when all the pieces get put together, it ends.
April 18, 2022
This was not a book I would normally read. Parts were very graphic & disturbing but I continued to read until the end. But I can't say I expected the ending & not sure the story ended when the book did.
May 8, 2024
This was a Goodreads win - thank you!
I found this book difficult to read. Part of it was the formatting, part the excessive detail, and part the subject matter. I also found the ending to be unsatisfying.
I found this book difficult to read. Part of it was the formatting, part the excessive detail, and part the subject matter. I also found the ending to be unsatisfying.
April 12, 2025
An ok first novel
I liked most of what the author did here. The characters have rich backgrounds that all come into play. Most of them interact throughout time. There's some late-story drama that turns out to be the dropped shoe and I just didn't like it. It felt a little forced. I like how the author handles the ending. All in all, not a bad first novel, but definitely a first novel.
I liked most of what the author did here. The characters have rich backgrounds that all come into play. Most of them interact throughout time. There's some late-story drama that turns out to be the dropped shoe and I just didn't like it. It felt a little forced. I like how the author handles the ending. All in all, not a bad first novel, but definitely a first novel.
January 13, 2026
A serial killer who practices cannibalism and the detective investigating the murders.
The story flips back and forth between the lives of both me who grew up in the same small town.
Thank you for the opportunity to read your book
The story flips back and forth between the lives of both me who grew up in the same small town.
Thank you for the opportunity to read your book
October 19, 2021
I’m so mixed on what I want to say. It was a book I loved and it was a book I didn’t love. Yes. It was both. *shrug* I gave it four stars because I wanted to just do nothing but read it. It lost a star because the ending didn’t work well for me. I’m not saying more than that about the ending. It’s something you need to read and see how it works for you.
I usually get annoyed by books that constantly change from past to present and back again. In this book, it worked for me. I was intrigued by how the past shaped Raymond and Edmund. I was equally interested in the murders and the investigation. The characters were realistic to me. For much of it, I could picture scenes in my head. The writing, I thought, was a little uneven at times. It occasionally drifted to telling instead of showing. While I prefer to have the style be one or the other, the story still held my interest.
It is a book I will most likely read again. I want to analyze it and talk about it. I want to know what others thought of the beginning and ending; did the ending work for them? I already know I’ll be asking myself questions about it for days to come. This is how it earned four stars.
I would recommend it to those who enjoy reading crime books. The violence/gore level was not extreme. I appreciate that as my imagination works just fine. There were disturbing scenes, which in my opinion, would place this as an adult book.
*I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. My review is based upon my experience with the book. My review is voluntary.*
I usually get annoyed by books that constantly change from past to present and back again. In this book, it worked for me. I was intrigued by how the past shaped Raymond and Edmund. I was equally interested in the murders and the investigation. The characters were realistic to me. For much of it, I could picture scenes in my head. The writing, I thought, was a little uneven at times. It occasionally drifted to telling instead of showing. While I prefer to have the style be one or the other, the story still held my interest.
It is a book I will most likely read again. I want to analyze it and talk about it. I want to know what others thought of the beginning and ending; did the ending work for them? I already know I’ll be asking myself questions about it for days to come. This is how it earned four stars.
I would recommend it to those who enjoy reading crime books. The violence/gore level was not extreme. I appreciate that as my imagination works just fine. There were disturbing scenes, which in my opinion, would place this as an adult book.
*I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. My review is based upon my experience with the book. My review is voluntary.*
May 7, 2021
First off, great title and cover.
This novel was written in a very understated way, almost more like a screenplay. In certain scenes, I REALLY dug it--the style almost forces you to picture what's happening and ascribe emotions to the characters, and it draws you into the scene in a very visceral way. When that works, it works really well. Most of the time, however, the stripped-down prose works against the story. It drifts into "telling, not showing" territory.
In a very rare turn of events for me personally, I found myself more engaged with the flashback chapters than the main plotline. I liked seeing the events that shaped our two main characters into the men they are in the present, and part of me wishes that was the focus of the plot. The present-day plotline is a little meandering, despite that being where the murders take place. Not a great sign.
Also, this might just be me, but I really didn't know where the first and final chapters fit into the story. I could've missed something though.
Whether or not you'll like this book will hinge on whether you can get into the understated prose. Like I said, it mostly didn't work for me, but when it did, it really did, so I ended up enjoying the ride.
This novel was written in a very understated way, almost more like a screenplay. In certain scenes, I REALLY dug it--the style almost forces you to picture what's happening and ascribe emotions to the characters, and it draws you into the scene in a very visceral way. When that works, it works really well. Most of the time, however, the stripped-down prose works against the story. It drifts into "telling, not showing" territory.
In a very rare turn of events for me personally, I found myself more engaged with the flashback chapters than the main plotline. I liked seeing the events that shaped our two main characters into the men they are in the present, and part of me wishes that was the focus of the plot. The present-day plotline is a little meandering, despite that being where the murders take place. Not a great sign.
Also, this might just be me, but I really didn't know where the first and final chapters fit into the story. I could've missed something though.
Whether or not you'll like this book will hinge on whether you can get into the understated prose. Like I said, it mostly didn't work for me, but when it did, it really did, so I ended up enjoying the ride.
June 20, 2024
Thank you for the free Kindle version of this book through the Goodreads Giveaways!
The story is about a serial killer and the police detective trying to solve the crimes. There is a lot of background throughout the entire book on these two main characters and a few others in the picture, so this makes it a sort of memoir type story. I enjoyed the book but wish it took place more in the present with more clues, suspense and mystery. Easy read and nice book for the author’s first!
The story is about a serial killer and the police detective trying to solve the crimes. There is a lot of background throughout the entire book on these two main characters and a few others in the picture, so this makes it a sort of memoir type story. I enjoyed the book but wish it took place more in the present with more clues, suspense and mystery. Easy read and nice book for the author’s first!
July 25, 2024
Goodreads giveaway
Spoilers! The story was well written and the characters believable. There are some things I didn't like. The opening chapter and last chapter have nothing to do with the rest of the book. Are they there just to show how life is?. The killer is allowed to get away. And the tragedy of Carl's life and family really don't add to the story. I know life isn't always fair, but I read for enjoyment.
Spoilers! The story was well written and the characters believable. There are some things I didn't like. The opening chapter and last chapter have nothing to do with the rest of the book. Are they there just to show how life is?. The killer is allowed to get away. And the tragedy of Carl's life and family really don't add to the story. I know life isn't always fair, but I read for enjoyment.
June 11, 2024
This debut novel was ok. It jumped time back and forth and switched narrators with every chapter, which I found a little annoying. It was a very engaging book anyway. I may give this author another try.
It is a story of a serial killer killing
I was not really a fan of the "non ending." I felt a little cheated.
It is a story of a serial killer killing
I was not really a fan of the "non ending." I felt a little cheated.
October 25, 2024
Unexpected
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. It actually was a very well written book. The different story lines going on were all very interesting. I just felt that it was unfinished. There really wasn't an ending.
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. It actually was a very well written book. The different story lines going on were all very interesting. I just felt that it was unfinished. There really wasn't an ending.
Read
May 11, 2021I have not fully finished the book yet, but I really am enjoying this book. I like how we find out things about the characters all throughout the book.
October 13, 2021
Absolutely wonderful thriller read
March 8, 2022
I struggled getting thru this book. It felt incomplete. Hated the ending. Just not my type of book. I won in a Goodreads contest.
October 30, 2024
This was a Goodreads free book.
I kept reading this book hoping that it would get better. Unfortunately, it did not, and I wished that I had quit reading it.
A convoluted story about a serial killer that changed between his childhood, earlier years, and the current time. It was difficult to follow, and the ending lacked integrity. The police procedural was very lacking. There was no character development and no likeable characters.
Triggers: gruesome murders and cannibalism.
I kept reading this book hoping that it would get better. Unfortunately, it did not, and I wished that I had quit reading it.
A convoluted story about a serial killer that changed between his childhood, earlier years, and the current time. It was difficult to follow, and the ending lacked integrity. The police procedural was very lacking. There was no character development and no likeable characters.
Triggers: gruesome murders and cannibalism.
December 8, 2021
Story concept had promise however writing and style created a somewhat choppy and confusing read. The back and forth between timelines and changing character narratives hindered the overall enjoyment of the read. Open ending was also a negative for me.
3 stars
My thanks to goodreads and the book’s giveaway sponsors for the opportunity to obtain and read a copy of this book.
3 stars
My thanks to goodreads and the book’s giveaway sponsors for the opportunity to obtain and read a copy of this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews