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DS Aector McAvoy #2
Original Skin
The New York Times hails David Mark's work as "in the honorable tradition of Joseph Wambaugh and Ed McBain." ORIGINAL SKIN is the second installment of the internationally acclaimed Detective Sergeant Aector McAvoy series. When “swinger” Simon Appleyard is found strung-up and naked in his apartment, the authorities are only too happy to chalk it up to suicide. After all, a new gang has taken over the local drug trade, and Detective Superintendant Trish Pharaoh’s Serious and Organized Crime Unit is run ragged. A murder investigation is the last thing they need.But more bodies begin to surface, and all are somehow connected to the underground erotic scene. Although Detective Sargeant Aector McAvoy would be perfectly content to stay home with his wife and their newborn baby, he begins to suspect that murder is just the beginning. As his investigation brings him uncomfortably close to the local political elite, McAvoy realizes he is hunting a sadistic killer with a lust that won’t be satisfied until the River Humber runs red.David Mark’s latest Detective Sergeant McAvoy novel, CRUEL MERCY, is on-sale February 2017.
449 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 9, 2013
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March 29, 2022
3.5 stars.
David Mark has become one of my favourite writers of crime thrillers. I recently became aware of the author this year(2021), thanks to Goodreads. I have read and enjoyed several of his stand-alone novels, and more are waiting on my Kindle. This is only the third of the Aector McAvoy series I have read so far, and I regret to say it was my least favourite.
Like his other books, Original Skin was dark, grim, and sometimes gruesome. The characters were well developed, and Detective McAvoy, his wife, and his boss, Detective Pharoah were likeable and believable. I thought the beginning to be meandering, disjointed, and lacked cohesion. This interfered with the flow of the story. Some of the writing was overly descriptive with unnecessary elaborations. I felt a shorter, more concise book would have added to the thrills and suspense, although much of the narration was intense and powerful.
The atmosphere painted an unpleasant picture of wet, soggy Hull. There was too much attention to rain-soaked drenched clothing, wet feet from puddles and mud, and the resulting chill.
The team is investigating a possible takeover of the Viet Namese marijuana business, with its farmers and harvesters brutally tortured and killed. A raid on their building leads to a petrol bombing. Further investigation at a traveller's (gypsy) encampment leads to severe injury and hospitalization for Pharaoh.
McAvoy is separately following the case of a flamboyant young man thought to have committed suicide by strangulation. Detective McAvoy is suspicious he was murdered and is on his own following leads. This young man was best friends in a platonic relationship with a woman, and both were reckless thrill-seekers at various sex clubs. She still grieves his death and has reason to believe she is next to die by violence. Both were admired for their beautiful tattoos. There may be further victims, and will McAvoy be able to stop the killings? Powerful, corrupt politicians are also being investigated.
The day the witty Detective Pharoah has recovered from her injuries and returns to work, she joins up with McAvoy to help him with his case. The young man responsible for her injuries has spread a lie about McAvoy, forcing him into a traditional honour brawl with his godfather at the traveller's camp. McAvoy is a physically huge man but opposed to violence. Will the brutal killings for the control of the drug trade be solved? The very complex case regarding the sex club murders concludes. The motive and culprit are surprising.
David Mark has become one of my favourite writers of crime thrillers. I recently became aware of the author this year(2021), thanks to Goodreads. I have read and enjoyed several of his stand-alone novels, and more are waiting on my Kindle. This is only the third of the Aector McAvoy series I have read so far, and I regret to say it was my least favourite.
Like his other books, Original Skin was dark, grim, and sometimes gruesome. The characters were well developed, and Detective McAvoy, his wife, and his boss, Detective Pharoah were likeable and believable. I thought the beginning to be meandering, disjointed, and lacked cohesion. This interfered with the flow of the story. Some of the writing was overly descriptive with unnecessary elaborations. I felt a shorter, more concise book would have added to the thrills and suspense, although much of the narration was intense and powerful.
The atmosphere painted an unpleasant picture of wet, soggy Hull. There was too much attention to rain-soaked drenched clothing, wet feet from puddles and mud, and the resulting chill.
The team is investigating a possible takeover of the Viet Namese marijuana business, with its farmers and harvesters brutally tortured and killed. A raid on their building leads to a petrol bombing. Further investigation at a traveller's (gypsy) encampment leads to severe injury and hospitalization for Pharaoh.
McAvoy is separately following the case of a flamboyant young man thought to have committed suicide by strangulation. Detective McAvoy is suspicious he was murdered and is on his own following leads. This young man was best friends in a platonic relationship with a woman, and both were reckless thrill-seekers at various sex clubs. She still grieves his death and has reason to believe she is next to die by violence. Both were admired for their beautiful tattoos. There may be further victims, and will McAvoy be able to stop the killings? Powerful, corrupt politicians are also being investigated.
The day the witty Detective Pharoah has recovered from her injuries and returns to work, she joins up with McAvoy to help him with his case. The young man responsible for her injuries has spread a lie about McAvoy, forcing him into a traditional honour brawl with his godfather at the traveller's camp. McAvoy is a physically huge man but opposed to violence. Will the brutal killings for the control of the drug trade be solved? The very complex case regarding the sex club murders concludes. The motive and culprit are surprising.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2017
Do you want the good news or the bad news first? Okay...
The bad news is this book has some problems. I think as readers we all must have pretty good reading comprehension or we wouldn’t enjoy reading, right? I had trouble understanding what was happening for almost half this book. Things were disjointed. There is an early event with no character names that isn’t explained until much later. There are Vietnamese cannabis growers that aren’t very relevant in hindsight. There is a raid on a suspected warehouse that’s found to be empty that only serves as a setup for an attack on the police. There is a scene where Aector catches a loose horse that isn’t related to anything. There is a swinging sex club which is pervasive throughout the book. There are travelers (gypsies) who have set up camp in town. There are attacks on people, something to do with their tattoos. There was excessive use of some descriptions and phrases, like rain drenching to the skin. There was mention, as in the first book, of a name and previous police corruption that again remains unexplained. I felt the author didn’t relate things soon enough or often enough to help the reader along. Connections were too vague until near the end.
The good news is that Aector McAvoy, his wife Roisin, and his boss Trisha Pharaoh continued, as in the first book, to be strong likable characters. More good news is that the sex was not graphic. Dialogue was very good.
The author has strengths that were put to good use here, but he was weak with the storyline. I'm hoping the author got the swinging sex stuff out of his system. I’m also hoping this book just has a case of “second-book-itis” and that book #3 will be as strong as the first. I also have a personal note to Mr. Mark. I saw what you did, and if you ever break up Aector's happy home and sanctuary, I’ll be breaking up with you.
The bad news is this book has some problems. I think as readers we all must have pretty good reading comprehension or we wouldn’t enjoy reading, right? I had trouble understanding what was happening for almost half this book. Things were disjointed. There is an early event with no character names that isn’t explained until much later. There are Vietnamese cannabis growers that aren’t very relevant in hindsight. There is a raid on a suspected warehouse that’s found to be empty that only serves as a setup for an attack on the police. There is a scene where Aector catches a loose horse that isn’t related to anything. There is a swinging sex club which is pervasive throughout the book. There are travelers (gypsies) who have set up camp in town. There are attacks on people, something to do with their tattoos. There was excessive use of some descriptions and phrases, like rain drenching to the skin. There was mention, as in the first book, of a name and previous police corruption that again remains unexplained. I felt the author didn’t relate things soon enough or often enough to help the reader along. Connections were too vague until near the end.
The good news is that Aector McAvoy, his wife Roisin, and his boss Trisha Pharaoh continued, as in the first book, to be strong likable characters. More good news is that the sex was not graphic. Dialogue was very good.
The author has strengths that were put to good use here, but he was weak with the storyline. I'm hoping the author got the swinging sex stuff out of his system. I’m also hoping this book just has a case of “second-book-itis” and that book #3 will be as strong as the first. I also have a personal note to Mr. Mark. I saw what you did, and if you ever break up Aector's happy home and sanctuary, I’ll be breaking up with you.
February 26, 2020
I enjoyed the first book of this series, but truly struggled to stick with this one. Not sure if I will make my way back to Aector anytime soon.
May 16, 2013
(my copy from the publisher -- thank you!)
Last November when I read David Mark's crime fiction book called The Dark Winter , I was surprised at how very good it was for a first novel. Now, with Original Skin, Mark has kicked things up a few notches to create an even better second series installment, set in the Hull, West Yorkshire area of England.
His protagonist, DS Aector McAvoy, is a member of the specialized squad known as the Serious and Organized Crime Unit under the direction of McAvoy's boss Trish Pharaoh. The unit is currently under fire from the Humberside Police Authority because of the rise of violent crime statistics, not helped much by the crimes of a gang viciously attacking and torturing smaller growers as a means of taking over their farms and intimidating them. After doing his best to convince the Police Authority committee members that the unit is working hard to solve the case, McAvoy decompresses by taking a walk along the towpath by the Humber, where a) he sees two people talking that may be committee members, and b) in the water among the litter of supermarket carts, bottles, mattress springs etc., he finds a cell phone and picks it up. Curious, he picks it up, thinking he might be able to fix it. What he finds on the phone starts another investigation rolling, one that leads to a very clever and rather nasty killer whose first crime, as it turns out, was written off as a suicide. If what I've written so far doesn't spark your interest (although for serious crime readers it should whet some measure of curiosity), and you're more of a Fifty Shades of Gray type person, you can add into the mix a young woman with a unique tattoo who belongs to the world of swinging sex parties, sexual submission and sex for thrills with people she's only met online.
Keeping the action up over 427 pages in any novel of crime fiction is a tough job, but the author does not disappoint. With his excellent characterizations, a well-plotted and rather twisty core murder mystery and his look at how the local area is primed for "high crime" -- for example, the decline of local industry, lack of investment, lack of "impetus on education," and the geographical "sense of isolation," -- all working together harmoniously, the 400+ pages fly by in no time. My own small niggle here is the amount of time spent with Aector's home life, but that's a personal issue, because I'm more about the crime, less about crying babies keeping both parents awake over several nights. It's all about character development, but I'm an impatient reader.
While McAvoy is a gentle giant of a policeman and a family man, the author takes him down some very dark paths in this book, so I'd recommend it to fans of more darkly-oriented police procedurals. While cozy readers may find this book a bit overwhelming, readers who enjoy more serious crime will definitely be glued. Do not, however, start the series with this novel, but instead with Dark Winter, as things in Original Skin build from the first book. Overall -- much better than the first book and an intriguing read any serious crime reader will want to read.
Last November when I read David Mark's crime fiction book called The Dark Winter , I was surprised at how very good it was for a first novel. Now, with Original Skin, Mark has kicked things up a few notches to create an even better second series installment, set in the Hull, West Yorkshire area of England.
His protagonist, DS Aector McAvoy, is a member of the specialized squad known as the Serious and Organized Crime Unit under the direction of McAvoy's boss Trish Pharaoh. The unit is currently under fire from the Humberside Police Authority because of the rise of violent crime statistics, not helped much by the crimes of a gang viciously attacking and torturing smaller growers as a means of taking over their farms and intimidating them. After doing his best to convince the Police Authority committee members that the unit is working hard to solve the case, McAvoy decompresses by taking a walk along the towpath by the Humber, where a) he sees two people talking that may be committee members, and b) in the water among the litter of supermarket carts, bottles, mattress springs etc., he finds a cell phone and picks it up. Curious, he picks it up, thinking he might be able to fix it. What he finds on the phone starts another investigation rolling, one that leads to a very clever and rather nasty killer whose first crime, as it turns out, was written off as a suicide. If what I've written so far doesn't spark your interest (although for serious crime readers it should whet some measure of curiosity), and you're more of a Fifty Shades of Gray type person, you can add into the mix a young woman with a unique tattoo who belongs to the world of swinging sex parties, sexual submission and sex for thrills with people she's only met online.
Keeping the action up over 427 pages in any novel of crime fiction is a tough job, but the author does not disappoint. With his excellent characterizations, a well-plotted and rather twisty core murder mystery and his look at how the local area is primed for "high crime" -- for example, the decline of local industry, lack of investment, lack of "impetus on education," and the geographical "sense of isolation," -- all working together harmoniously, the 400+ pages fly by in no time. My own small niggle here is the amount of time spent with Aector's home life, but that's a personal issue, because I'm more about the crime, less about crying babies keeping both parents awake over several nights. It's all about character development, but I'm an impatient reader.
While McAvoy is a gentle giant of a policeman and a family man, the author takes him down some very dark paths in this book, so I'd recommend it to fans of more darkly-oriented police procedurals. While cozy readers may find this book a bit overwhelming, readers who enjoy more serious crime will definitely be glued. Do not, however, start the series with this novel, but instead with Dark Winter, as things in Original Skin build from the first book. Overall -- much better than the first book and an intriguing read any serious crime reader will want to read.
May 9, 2013
In this second excellent Aector McAvoy novel, David Mark sets Trish Pharaoh’s Serious and Organized Crime Unit, a specialized English police squad, after two markedly different, but nasty criminals. While one investigation involves a nasty drug gang, McAvoy looks into the death of a bisexual dancer, who was into orgies, swinger parties and illicit sexual trysts. Mark has shown a penchant for dark mysteries and this involved mystery will not disappoint.
Pharaoh’s Unit is looking into a series of brutal attacks against illegal marijuana growers. A new gang is muscling into the area and uses extreme violence and torture against growers to intimidate them into working for the new gang. The police, however, have cultivated an informer, an ex wrestler, who has given them details about the gang. The police plan a raid, but somehow the criminals know about the raid. The police van is bombed, the informant is missing and her boyfriend, a member of a gang, is tortured, burned horribly, his hands nailed to his knees.
Trish Pharaoh is mauled by dogs while interviewing a possible suspect at his home. A young foul mouthed gypsy punk, set the dogs on Pharaoh and makes his escape during the ensuing chaos.
While Pharaoh recuperates in the hospital, the Unit is led by Colin Ray, who has his own bias against the "gyppos". Can Ray and his mates force the owner of the dogs to turn on the punk, find him and uncover how the criminals knew about the undercover raid. Ray may be biased, but he uses his wits and police know how to lead the Unit against the gang.
At the same time, McAvoy is pursuing his own little investigation on the side. He stumbled upon two men talking and saw one toss a cell phone into a mucky river. He retrieves the phone and while taking care of his new baby and pretty wife, puts it back together. Why would anyone throw away a fine expensive cell phone? Why indeed. Once fixed, the phone turns out to contain some lurid texts between Simon Appleyard and various men about sexual assignations. Unbeknownst to his bosses and while Pharaoh is still on the mend, McAvoy sets out to discover the truth.
Appleyard, a peacocked tattooed dancer, has been found dead in what the police initially thought was an erotic suicide, but McAvoy suspects that there is more to his death. First, there is an odd bruise, and the crime scene just does not fit the suicide scenario. Other clues suggest that Appleyard was fairly happy and had no reason to kill himself.
It also seems that some of Appleyard's boyfriends are up and coming politicians and other members of the rich and famous. By the time Pharaoh returns to help McAvoy, the investigation has turned up several possible well-to-do suspects and a political fixer is in the mix as well.
Meanwhile, Suzie, a single woman, friendly with Appleyard, with a flowery tattoo and a penchant for the same swinger parties and dominant-submissive sexual games is being stalked. Another young woman with a similar tattoo is attacked. A man she meets for a sex game is almost killed.
Can McAvoy and Pharaoh find the connection between Appleyard, Suzie and the killer, before Suzie winds up as dead as Appleyard?
It's a dark and nasty police story with strongly drawn characters, an unsettling story, a twisty plot, and a surprising ending.
It's a fast paced engrossing read from David Mark. It arrives in bookstores soon. Snap it up.
Pharaoh’s Unit is looking into a series of brutal attacks against illegal marijuana growers. A new gang is muscling into the area and uses extreme violence and torture against growers to intimidate them into working for the new gang. The police, however, have cultivated an informer, an ex wrestler, who has given them details about the gang. The police plan a raid, but somehow the criminals know about the raid. The police van is bombed, the informant is missing and her boyfriend, a member of a gang, is tortured, burned horribly, his hands nailed to his knees.
Trish Pharaoh is mauled by dogs while interviewing a possible suspect at his home. A young foul mouthed gypsy punk, set the dogs on Pharaoh and makes his escape during the ensuing chaos.
While Pharaoh recuperates in the hospital, the Unit is led by Colin Ray, who has his own bias against the "gyppos". Can Ray and his mates force the owner of the dogs to turn on the punk, find him and uncover how the criminals knew about the undercover raid. Ray may be biased, but he uses his wits and police know how to lead the Unit against the gang.
At the same time, McAvoy is pursuing his own little investigation on the side. He stumbled upon two men talking and saw one toss a cell phone into a mucky river. He retrieves the phone and while taking care of his new baby and pretty wife, puts it back together. Why would anyone throw away a fine expensive cell phone? Why indeed. Once fixed, the phone turns out to contain some lurid texts between Simon Appleyard and various men about sexual assignations. Unbeknownst to his bosses and while Pharaoh is still on the mend, McAvoy sets out to discover the truth.
Appleyard, a peacocked tattooed dancer, has been found dead in what the police initially thought was an erotic suicide, but McAvoy suspects that there is more to his death. First, there is an odd bruise, and the crime scene just does not fit the suicide scenario. Other clues suggest that Appleyard was fairly happy and had no reason to kill himself.
It also seems that some of Appleyard's boyfriends are up and coming politicians and other members of the rich and famous. By the time Pharaoh returns to help McAvoy, the investigation has turned up several possible well-to-do suspects and a political fixer is in the mix as well.
Meanwhile, Suzie, a single woman, friendly with Appleyard, with a flowery tattoo and a penchant for the same swinger parties and dominant-submissive sexual games is being stalked. Another young woman with a similar tattoo is attacked. A man she meets for a sex game is almost killed.
Can McAvoy and Pharaoh find the connection between Appleyard, Suzie and the killer, before Suzie winds up as dead as Appleyard?
It's a dark and nasty police story with strongly drawn characters, an unsettling story, a twisty plot, and a surprising ending.
It's a fast paced engrossing read from David Mark. It arrives in bookstores soon. Snap it up.
March 5, 2013
David Mark is fast becoming one of my authors to look out for! Original Skin has bettered Dark winter by far with a hugely compassionate narrative.
A real "shut the world out" read! Highly Recommended to everyone!
A real "shut the world out" read! Highly Recommended to everyone!
April 17, 2013
Following the successful Dark Winter, this is the second outing for the freckled, flame-haired warrior DS Aector McAvoy, and this sequel lacks none of the punch of the first- I would dare to say that I actually enjoyed this one more. This is an altogether darker and seedier affair from the outset, beginning with a particularly brutal murder that sparks a complicated and taxing investigation for McAvoy. When the investigation diverges into the world of local politics and police monitoring, it soon becomes clear that all is not as it would appear, causing McAvoy and his superior officer DI Pharoah to navigate their way through a world of secrets and lies. Despite the thrust of the main investigation there is also ample time for McAvoy's horse-whispering skills and bare knuckle fighting as you will discover...
I've really taken to the character of the slightly lumbering but incredibly thoughtful and moral McAvoy and as I've said before it's nice to see a police character not totally encumbered by the stresses of their private lives or less savoury habits. Despite the small blips caused by his marriage to Roisin who hails from a traveller background, McAvoy has the luxury of being able to pursue his police career relatively painlessly. He is a ruminator to the highest degree, much to the chagrin of his impulsive boss Pharaoh, and has an inherent compassion for people that leads him to not falling prey to snap judgements. He is what is known in the trade as a nice bloke, that consequently makes him an altogether nicer police officer if at times slightly too ponderous. His boss Pharoah, who I have compared in a previous review to a watered down DI Steele from Stuart MacBride's series, lacks none of this hesitation. She is bold, impulsive, brash and completely brilliant! Her interplay with the diametrically opposite McAvoy is a joy, and transmits a sense of fun from Mark in the way they bounce off each other, but never losing sight of the fact of the effectiveness of their teamwork and this was one of my favourite aspects of the book.
As with the previous book Dark Winter, the setting of Hull is perfectly rendered throughout the book. Like other Northern based crime novels, this book reads as a twisted appreciation of a city down on its luck through years of urban degeneration, but still carrying at its heart an indominitable spirit. McAvoy is used as a mouthpiece for this obviously encountering the worst aspects of life that this formerly prosperous city has to offer, but appreciating the essential heart and soul of the city. In reflection of its setting, this is a particularly dark tale drawing on the more unusual activities of people's sexual behaviour, and I must confess I did enjoy the bloody outcome of a misjudged night of dogging- see now you're intrigued! As the plot unfolds there are dark revelations indeed emanating from those in positions of responsibility and the unwitting victims of their personal depravations, all hedged by Mark's firm control of the novel as an entirely satisfying police procedural. Overall a good read and I'm looking forward to the next foray into McAvoy's world.
I've really taken to the character of the slightly lumbering but incredibly thoughtful and moral McAvoy and as I've said before it's nice to see a police character not totally encumbered by the stresses of their private lives or less savoury habits. Despite the small blips caused by his marriage to Roisin who hails from a traveller background, McAvoy has the luxury of being able to pursue his police career relatively painlessly. He is a ruminator to the highest degree, much to the chagrin of his impulsive boss Pharaoh, and has an inherent compassion for people that leads him to not falling prey to snap judgements. He is what is known in the trade as a nice bloke, that consequently makes him an altogether nicer police officer if at times slightly too ponderous. His boss Pharoah, who I have compared in a previous review to a watered down DI Steele from Stuart MacBride's series, lacks none of this hesitation. She is bold, impulsive, brash and completely brilliant! Her interplay with the diametrically opposite McAvoy is a joy, and transmits a sense of fun from Mark in the way they bounce off each other, but never losing sight of the fact of the effectiveness of their teamwork and this was one of my favourite aspects of the book.
As with the previous book Dark Winter, the setting of Hull is perfectly rendered throughout the book. Like other Northern based crime novels, this book reads as a twisted appreciation of a city down on its luck through years of urban degeneration, but still carrying at its heart an indominitable spirit. McAvoy is used as a mouthpiece for this obviously encountering the worst aspects of life that this formerly prosperous city has to offer, but appreciating the essential heart and soul of the city. In reflection of its setting, this is a particularly dark tale drawing on the more unusual activities of people's sexual behaviour, and I must confess I did enjoy the bloody outcome of a misjudged night of dogging- see now you're intrigued! As the plot unfolds there are dark revelations indeed emanating from those in positions of responsibility and the unwitting victims of their personal depravations, all hedged by Mark's firm control of the novel as an entirely satisfying police procedural. Overall a good read and I'm looking forward to the next foray into McAvoy's world.
April 23, 2013
You know how sometimes when you absolutely LOVE a debut novel, you approach the second in the series with some trepidation? That was me heading into "Original Skin" having pretty much adored "Dark Winter" and wondering if the terrifically entertaining David Mark could do it again. Well the title for this review should tell you.. as in "Oh Goody its FANTASTIC!" Aector Mcavoy is back and he's better than ever. This gentle giant of a man, with his inate sense of justice and quiet love for his family is just the guy you would want helping you out if you were in trouble. In this, his second outing, he is investigating the murder that never was - that of a young man, Simon, who apparently killed himself some time before. After finding a phone, the information on it leads Aector to believe that this was not, after all, the case. His boss, the wonderfully funny Trish Pharoah, supports him in his quest whilst gently berating him for adding to the crime statistics. "Do you know why we don't carry guns in this country Hector?" she asks him. "Because if we did, I'd shoot you". Yes indeed Ms Pharoah - right there with you! Ongoing over the course of the story is the continuing "Drug Trade" issues and the eclectic cast of supporting characters take on this problem with flair and grace...well, kind of. Its all highly entertaining, dark in places and humerous in others. I especially liked the involvement of the travelling community - giving us a chance to learn a bit more about the background of Roisin, wife of Aector - another lovely character who stands by her man, often in ways he'd rather she didnt. Still, that is a wife's job after all. All in all a terrific read. Now I need to moan at Mr Mark for a while until we can have a third. Enjoy!
March 27, 2021
Better late than never. I finally decided to buy the books in this series that were missing in my library. I was not disappointed!
Although the story is sometimes confusing and the characters not very likable, this book has something that makes you want to read on - and on and on...
Although the story is sometimes confusing and the characters not very likable, this book has something that makes you want to read on - and on and on...
April 23, 2019
Time taken to read - In and out over 3 days
Pages - 464
Publisher - Quercus Books
Source - Bought from book shop
Blurb from Goodreads
He squints his eyes against the glare on the glossy page. Knows, even before the image swims into focus, that the picture will be of a skinny young man with peacock feathers on his back, and a fleshy girl with blossoms and lilies upon her shoulder.
Simon Appleyard and Suzie Devlin are two pleasure seekers defined by their flamboyant tattoos. Their lust for life is matched only by their hunger for taboo pleasures – a lifestyle that has just made them the deadliest enemy imaginable.
DS Aector McAvoy has been a marked man all his life. A policeman with scars to his body and career, his fate will become linked with that of Simon and Suzie as painfully and intricately as tattooed markings on virgin skin.
My Review
So this is book two in a series but this is my first time reading this author. DS Aector McAvoy has such a history, he is married to a lady from the travelling community, he has things hanging over from the last book that are refereed back to. He is such a decent guy, honest, nice to animals and just wants to do the job. Suzie is a young lady who takes risks, she enjoys her body and sexual encounters. When her friend takes his own life she pushes boundaries a wee bit farther and finds herself attacked, is someone after her and if so why?
So the book has a lot going on, we have drugs, trafficking, bad guys, risk taking, sex, orgies and a murderer on the loose. The drugs and murders take up the first half of the book with kicks to Suzie, her lifestyle and seemingly targetted by someone. Suzie knows she is in trouble but not the how or why for.
So it took me a bit to settle to this book to be honest and I don't know if it was the writing, the dialogue when someone was talking would be a bit choppy. The beginning with the investigation and Suzie's parts seemed very separate and I wasn't sure how everything would come together or what was relevant.
The book has a lot of graphic sex scenes or references to sex so not for the easily offended. Murder, brutality and police investigation. However it isn't all filth/sex when we get to the main character McAvoy uck he is such a nice character, maybe bland for some but I liked him. I wouldn't say the book is a slow burner as things kick off quickly and graphically but it took me a while to settle to it and get into the story. I would read this author again but I won't be rushing to get book one in the series, 3/5 for me this time.
Pages - 464
Publisher - Quercus Books
Source - Bought from book shop
Blurb from Goodreads
He squints his eyes against the glare on the glossy page. Knows, even before the image swims into focus, that the picture will be of a skinny young man with peacock feathers on his back, and a fleshy girl with blossoms and lilies upon her shoulder.
Simon Appleyard and Suzie Devlin are two pleasure seekers defined by their flamboyant tattoos. Their lust for life is matched only by their hunger for taboo pleasures – a lifestyle that has just made them the deadliest enemy imaginable.
DS Aector McAvoy has been a marked man all his life. A policeman with scars to his body and career, his fate will become linked with that of Simon and Suzie as painfully and intricately as tattooed markings on virgin skin.
My Review
So this is book two in a series but this is my first time reading this author. DS Aector McAvoy has such a history, he is married to a lady from the travelling community, he has things hanging over from the last book that are refereed back to. He is such a decent guy, honest, nice to animals and just wants to do the job. Suzie is a young lady who takes risks, she enjoys her body and sexual encounters. When her friend takes his own life she pushes boundaries a wee bit farther and finds herself attacked, is someone after her and if so why?
So the book has a lot going on, we have drugs, trafficking, bad guys, risk taking, sex, orgies and a murderer on the loose. The drugs and murders take up the first half of the book with kicks to Suzie, her lifestyle and seemingly targetted by someone. Suzie knows she is in trouble but not the how or why for.
So it took me a bit to settle to this book to be honest and I don't know if it was the writing, the dialogue when someone was talking would be a bit choppy. The beginning with the investigation and Suzie's parts seemed very separate and I wasn't sure how everything would come together or what was relevant.
The book has a lot of graphic sex scenes or references to sex so not for the easily offended. Murder, brutality and police investigation. However it isn't all filth/sex when we get to the main character McAvoy uck he is such a nice character, maybe bland for some but I liked him. I wouldn't say the book is a slow burner as things kick off quickly and graphically but it took me a while to settle to it and get into the story. I would read this author again but I won't be rushing to get book one in the series, 3/5 for me this time.
February 21, 2014
Sex, violence and misogyny...a losing combination...
When Detective Sergeant Aector McAvoy finds a lost phone, the images and messages on it lead him to believe that a death that had been ruled a suicide may in fact have been a murder. The victim is a flamboyantly tattooed young man who was clearly involved in the dangerous game of arranging sexual encounters with strangers. The reader knows a little more than Aector since the prologue shows us the murder taking place and tells us that the murderer is also hunting down another possible victim, Simon’s friend Suzie. Meantime, a drugs war is kicking off on the streets of Hull, involving Vietnamese drug lords and the brutal torture and killings of competitors.
This book seems to be getting a generally positive reaction so I’m afraid my review will be swimming against the tide - again. Hard-hitting and noir seem to be becoming synonymous with graphic and sleazy in current crime-writing, so Mark is probably on track for major success. There’s no doubt that he has the ability to tell his story well. The drugs plot seems a bit pointless, thrown in purely to give a reason for some pretty graphic descriptions of violence and torture (including of course the obligatory tortured naked woman incident), but the murder plot is quite original, intriguing and brought to a reasonably satisfying, if unlikely, conclusion.
The character of Aector is fairly poorly drawn, I felt. Pretty much all that we learn about him is that he is the one moral man in the whole of Hull, he’s tall, blushes a lot and loves his wife. We know these things because we are told them repeatedly (and boy, do I mean repeatedly) but there’s no real depth to the characterisation. The other male officers are mainly as violent and lacking in morals as the criminals, and behave in ways that wouldn't be tolerated in even the laxest of police departments, and would certainly destroy any chance of a prosecution holding up in court. In Hull, apparently violence is the main male currency.
The women on the other hand come straight from the Misogyny section of Central Casting, and their currency is sex. The stay-at-home wife – foul-mouthed (as are all the women) but great in the kitchen and better in the bedroom; the female boss who sexually harasses her subordinates; the female detective who dresses like a hooker and hopes that allowing suspects to look down her blouse while she sexily crosses and uncrosses her legs will tempt them into confession; and Suzie, the nymphomaniac (literally), whose sexual fantasies and activities, while admittedly integral to the sleazy plot, are graphically described in endless gratuitous detail. There isn’t a woman character who is not defined in one way or another by her sexuality.
But if you can overlook all this and ignore the constant use of the foulest of foul language, it must be admitted that the story flows fairly well and, despite my feeling that Suzie’s story is mainly there to provide an excuse for titillation, Mark manages to make her the most believable and sympathetic character in the book.
So overall, as sex, violence and misogyny go, this is pretty well-written sex, violence and misogyny. But not to my taste – I see no reason why crime-writing has to wallow in the gutter. There are plenty of authors out there who can tell a hard-hitting story without descending to this level. 4 stars for the basic flow of the writing and the plotting of the murder element - less 1 for the gratuitous foul language, 1 for the repeated graphic violence and torture, and 1 for the constant soft-porn sex. All adds up to a 1-star rating for me. And I haven’t even deducted anything for the misogyny…
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Quercus.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
When Detective Sergeant Aector McAvoy finds a lost phone, the images and messages on it lead him to believe that a death that had been ruled a suicide may in fact have been a murder. The victim is a flamboyantly tattooed young man who was clearly involved in the dangerous game of arranging sexual encounters with strangers. The reader knows a little more than Aector since the prologue shows us the murder taking place and tells us that the murderer is also hunting down another possible victim, Simon’s friend Suzie. Meantime, a drugs war is kicking off on the streets of Hull, involving Vietnamese drug lords and the brutal torture and killings of competitors.
This book seems to be getting a generally positive reaction so I’m afraid my review will be swimming against the tide - again. Hard-hitting and noir seem to be becoming synonymous with graphic and sleazy in current crime-writing, so Mark is probably on track for major success. There’s no doubt that he has the ability to tell his story well. The drugs plot seems a bit pointless, thrown in purely to give a reason for some pretty graphic descriptions of violence and torture (including of course the obligatory tortured naked woman incident), but the murder plot is quite original, intriguing and brought to a reasonably satisfying, if unlikely, conclusion.
The character of Aector is fairly poorly drawn, I felt. Pretty much all that we learn about him is that he is the one moral man in the whole of Hull, he’s tall, blushes a lot and loves his wife. We know these things because we are told them repeatedly (and boy, do I mean repeatedly) but there’s no real depth to the characterisation. The other male officers are mainly as violent and lacking in morals as the criminals, and behave in ways that wouldn't be tolerated in even the laxest of police departments, and would certainly destroy any chance of a prosecution holding up in court. In Hull, apparently violence is the main male currency.
The women on the other hand come straight from the Misogyny section of Central Casting, and their currency is sex. The stay-at-home wife – foul-mouthed (as are all the women) but great in the kitchen and better in the bedroom; the female boss who sexually harasses her subordinates; the female detective who dresses like a hooker and hopes that allowing suspects to look down her blouse while she sexily crosses and uncrosses her legs will tempt them into confession; and Suzie, the nymphomaniac (literally), whose sexual fantasies and activities, while admittedly integral to the sleazy plot, are graphically described in endless gratuitous detail. There isn’t a woman character who is not defined in one way or another by her sexuality.
But if you can overlook all this and ignore the constant use of the foulest of foul language, it must be admitted that the story flows fairly well and, despite my feeling that Suzie’s story is mainly there to provide an excuse for titillation, Mark manages to make her the most believable and sympathetic character in the book.
So overall, as sex, violence and misogyny go, this is pretty well-written sex, violence and misogyny. But not to my taste – I see no reason why crime-writing has to wallow in the gutter. There are plenty of authors out there who can tell a hard-hitting story without descending to this level. 4 stars for the basic flow of the writing and the plotting of the murder element - less 1 for the gratuitous foul language, 1 for the repeated graphic violence and torture, and 1 for the constant soft-porn sex. All adds up to a 1-star rating for me. And I haven’t even deducted anything for the misogyny…
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Quercus.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
May 28, 2015
I first started reading David Mark's books last summer. I won Sorrow Bound(book 3 in the series) last summer in a Goodreads giveaway and enjoyed it enough that I decided to go back and read books 1 and 2 in the series.
This book has several threads: There is a turf war over the growing of marijuana, with new, ruthless gangsters moving in on established Vietnamese grower/sellers. The new gangsters are brutal tortuers, using nail guns and paint stripping burners to torture and murder their way into the business. The second thread concerns a murder written off as a suicide, which Aector Mcavoy suspects may not be a suicide.
The other threads are inter police politics and a family dispute.
I like the author's sense of humor, wherein a character has a 3 course meal--"bag of peanuts, packet of crisps and pickled egg."
I give it 4 out 5 stars.
This book has several threads: There is a turf war over the growing of marijuana, with new, ruthless gangsters moving in on established Vietnamese grower/sellers. The new gangsters are brutal tortuers, using nail guns and paint stripping burners to torture and murder their way into the business. The second thread concerns a murder written off as a suicide, which Aector Mcavoy suspects may not be a suicide.
The other threads are inter police politics and a family dispute.
I like the author's sense of humor, wherein a character has a 3 course meal--"bag of peanuts, packet of crisps and pickled egg."
I give it 4 out 5 stars.
May 13, 2015
3.5 stars
See my review of the first McAvoy novel, The Dark Winter, here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....
In my review of The Dark Winter, I complained about both Mark's plotting (predictable) and his characterization (flat). I'm pleased to report that the plot of Original Skin is much better, but McAvoy's character continues to be underdeveloped. I am also becoming increasingly aware of a writing quirk which may develop into an irritant: Mark uses a lot of sentence fragments, particularly at the beginning of a chapter. Here, for example, are the first four full paragraphs of Chapter 11:
One warning, though: I seriously considered skipping Original Skin because of its $7.99 ebook price tag (I purchased the first book on sale and received free copies of books 3 and 4 from publisher Blue Rider Press). I am very glad that I didn't. Unlike another series I am currently reading and reviewing (the Peter Bragg series by Jack Lynch), the McAvoy series cannot be read out of order. There is a much larger and more complicated plot running behind the crimes of immediate interest in each book; even reading all four books virtually back-to-back as I did, I had trouble remembering all of the relevant developments from one book to the next. Mark plans to write 10 books in 10 years for the McAvoy series; I suspect this may end up being one of those series that, once finished, you immediately start re-reading from the beginning to focus on and follow the larger plot.
ADDENDUM: Aha! My analogy above to a screenplay was spot on. According to a January 16, 2014 article in the Hull Daily Mail, Mark wrote the McAvoy series with the thought of turning it into a TV series: "How it was pitched to the publishers was that it had been written in an easily adaptable style for TV."
See my review of the first McAvoy novel, The Dark Winter, here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....
In my review of The Dark Winter, I complained about both Mark's plotting (predictable) and his characterization (flat). I'm pleased to report that the plot of Original Skin is much better, but McAvoy's character continues to be underdeveloped. I am also becoming increasingly aware of a writing quirk which may develop into an irritant: Mark uses a lot of sentence fragments, particularly at the beginning of a chapter. Here, for example, are the first four full paragraphs of Chapter 11:
Electric fire, lit to the third bar.What this technique brings to mind, more and more frequently, are stage setting instructions in a screenplay. While some might argue that this type of "setting the scene" helps the reader visualize what's happening, I find the choppiness distracting, pulling my attention away from the story itself like a small child tugging on my sleeve and saying, "Look! Look!" Nevertheless, I enjoyed Original Skin and am happy to continue on to the third book in the series, Sorrow Bound.
Glowing red: hot against his cheek.
No other light in this stuffy, airless room.
McAvoy, squinting, struggling to see the words he is scribbling in his notebook with a pen that tears holes in the damp pages.
One warning, though: I seriously considered skipping Original Skin because of its $7.99 ebook price tag (I purchased the first book on sale and received free copies of books 3 and 4 from publisher Blue Rider Press). I am very glad that I didn't. Unlike another series I am currently reading and reviewing (the Peter Bragg series by Jack Lynch), the McAvoy series cannot be read out of order. There is a much larger and more complicated plot running behind the crimes of immediate interest in each book; even reading all four books virtually back-to-back as I did, I had trouble remembering all of the relevant developments from one book to the next. Mark plans to write 10 books in 10 years for the McAvoy series; I suspect this may end up being one of those series that, once finished, you immediately start re-reading from the beginning to focus on and follow the larger plot.
ADDENDUM: Aha! My analogy above to a screenplay was spot on. According to a January 16, 2014 article in the Hull Daily Mail, Mark wrote the McAvoy series with the thought of turning it into a TV series: "How it was pitched to the publishers was that it had been written in an easily adaptable style for TV."
September 11, 2016
Original Skin is the second book in the DS McAvoy series set in Hull. The strengths of the story are the characterisation and sense of place. Mark provides vivid descriptions of his characters, whom have emotional depth and resonance. McAvoy, in particular, is a likeable character – a gentle, somewhat naïve giant who likes to believe the best about people despite all the evidence to the contrary. He has an endearing relationship to his wife and kids and a nice chalk/cheese one with his sassy boss, Trish Pharaoh. And the other characters in the story are three-dimensional. There is also a clear sense of Hull and its contemporary history and problems. Where the story is weaker, however, is with respect to the plot. While the context is interesting – a battle within the cannabis trade, swinging and sex parties, and local political scandal – the tale relies extensively on a string of coincidences rather than good detective work. McAvoy always seems to be in the right place at the right time to find a clue or intervene or accidentally nudge pieces into plot devices into place. Moreover, the cannabis plot all but disappears in the last third of the book and is weakly and incompletely resolved. The result was a tale where I cared for the characters but didn’t believe in the story, which was a shame.
June 22, 2013
I really liked the debut of this series and eagerly awaited this one, #2. I couldn't get into the story as much and I felt like the plot was quite fragmented. I gave it a 3 just because I like the McAvoy character. The next book will determine whether I will stick with this series or not.
April 27, 2014
Excellent as always. Great local author.
October 24, 2020
I was happy to delve in to the world Detective Sergeant Aector McAvoy again in the second installment of the series. After reading some of the reviews below (after finishing the book) I can agree that the plot is a bit disjointed at times in jumping from one irrelevant scene to another, but the consistency of McAvoy remains solid and enjoyable.
Sergeant McAvoy & his wife Roisin remain a formidable pairing in the series - and again the author shines a light on their growing bond as husband & wife as McAvoy tries to juggle his odd hours in work with his growing family.
There is drugs and sex involved this time around in two seperate cases. Some gruesome deaths related to Vietnamese drug goons, as Trish Pharoah and her team try to piece together who is behind these awful attacks. Whilst McAvoy unearths another case himself that he feels that may have been overlooked. The apparent suicide of Simon Appleyard - who was a homosexual involved in the swinging scene and dating sites. McAvoy finds the man's phone and tries to trace back the final days of Simon's life to see if there was anything the police missed first time round.
From 60% on yesterday I binged the rest of the book in less than 1 evening. Fast paced finish and tidied up everything nicely. Will continue to read the series :)
Sergeant McAvoy & his wife Roisin remain a formidable pairing in the series - and again the author shines a light on their growing bond as husband & wife as McAvoy tries to juggle his odd hours in work with his growing family.
There is drugs and sex involved this time around in two seperate cases. Some gruesome deaths related to Vietnamese drug goons, as Trish Pharoah and her team try to piece together who is behind these awful attacks. Whilst McAvoy unearths another case himself that he feels that may have been overlooked. The apparent suicide of Simon Appleyard - who was a homosexual involved in the swinging scene and dating sites. McAvoy finds the man's phone and tries to trace back the final days of Simon's life to see if there was anything the police missed first time round.
From 60% on yesterday I binged the rest of the book in less than 1 evening. Fast paced finish and tidied up everything nicely. Will continue to read the series :)
January 1, 2025
I liked this book less than the first one ... I found myself skimming pages. I am having a hard time relating to the characters -especially at the end when McAvoy fought the grandfather - and that his wife demanded/expected him to - that it was an indication of him being a man. I don't know -the gender roles bug me sometimes. The thing with his boss is still happening. I am going to try one more in the series and see what I think
May 4, 2021
Like, the first in this series, the characters are well drawn and appealing. Since this is the second, we learn a little more about each main character which draws the reader in. I look forward to reading the next one.
April 18, 2023
In the author's own words McAvoy is a procedural, methodical detective, given to only occasional flashes of instinct and hunch but he is just the kind of detective that provides the reader with an intriguing mystery to follow.
March 23, 2021
Review to come.
February 28, 2021
I didn't care much for this novel the 2nd in the Aector McAvoy series. The first book I was given as a gift and thought it was great. This book I couldn't figure out what the hell was going on half the time plus it was down right vulgar. I read for fun but this book was not fun to say the least.
May 14, 2013
Original Skin is the second book in the DS Aector McAvoy series, set in the gritty, down-at-heel northern port city of Hull. The debut book, The Dark Winter, introduced us to this very different kind of copper. Aector is a lumbering gentle giant, with red hair and a face that shows his every emotion. Despite all he's experienced, and being surrounded by tough-as-nails colleagues and villains, he hasn't learned to be cynical. He is a compassionate soul, through and through, no matter what that costs him.
The Dark Winter started with a hard-to-take crime, the public murder of a young girl, but Original Skin begins with a far more dark and brutal murder. The multi-threaded plot also includes a violent drug war over the marijuana market, the gamesmanship of local politics, played at the level of a full-contact sport, and the dark side of an adult sex games club.
As in The Dark Winter, Aector's refuge from the trials of his job is his home, with his wife Roisin, who comes from a "Traveller" family, and their two small children. In this book, we learn a little more about Roisin's past and about the Traveller world she came from.
In many ways, each thread of the plot is about the clash of different worlds. The social values of the Travellers are sometimes so opposed to Aector's that the difference threatens his relationship with Roisin. The drug war represents a new, highly organized and shadowy criminal hierarchy displacing the old-time, homegrown villains. The sex club, which had seemed like an environment to play at taking risks, was confronted by a new element that turned the play-acting risks real––and deadly.
A more comic-relief kind of clash occurs in Aector's relationship with his brash boss, Trish Pharaoh. The two couldn't be more different, which is probably why they work so well together. Though, I suppose, "well" might not be the correct adverb for a relationship in which Pharaoh tells Aector that she frequently wants to club him over the head.
Somehow, Aector always seems to stumble into the oddest situations: having to chase down a runaway horse in city traffic and horse-whisper him into compliance, thus saving the horse from a tranquilizer-gun shot at best; being challenged to a bare-knuckled fight to preserve his honor; bringing cops and suspects home for breakfast with the wife and playtime with the kids.
If you're looking for a refreshingly different protagonist and a gritty, north-of-England style police procedural, give the Aector McAvoy series a try.
The Dark Winter started with a hard-to-take crime, the public murder of a young girl, but Original Skin begins with a far more dark and brutal murder. The multi-threaded plot also includes a violent drug war over the marijuana market, the gamesmanship of local politics, played at the level of a full-contact sport, and the dark side of an adult sex games club.
As in The Dark Winter, Aector's refuge from the trials of his job is his home, with his wife Roisin, who comes from a "Traveller" family, and their two small children. In this book, we learn a little more about Roisin's past and about the Traveller world she came from.
In many ways, each thread of the plot is about the clash of different worlds. The social values of the Travellers are sometimes so opposed to Aector's that the difference threatens his relationship with Roisin. The drug war represents a new, highly organized and shadowy criminal hierarchy displacing the old-time, homegrown villains. The sex club, which had seemed like an environment to play at taking risks, was confronted by a new element that turned the play-acting risks real––and deadly.
A more comic-relief kind of clash occurs in Aector's relationship with his brash boss, Trish Pharaoh. The two couldn't be more different, which is probably why they work so well together. Though, I suppose, "well" might not be the correct adverb for a relationship in which Pharaoh tells Aector that she frequently wants to club him over the head.
Somehow, Aector always seems to stumble into the oddest situations: having to chase down a runaway horse in city traffic and horse-whisper him into compliance, thus saving the horse from a tranquilizer-gun shot at best; being challenged to a bare-knuckled fight to preserve his honor; bringing cops and suspects home for breakfast with the wife and playtime with the kids.
If you're looking for a refreshingly different protagonist and a gritty, north-of-England style police procedural, give the Aector McAvoy series a try.
August 19, 2014
If you thought David Mark's striking debut novel, THE DARK WINTER, was a gritty, dark crime tale, then you are in for a real treat with ORIGINAL SKIN.
Darker, malevolent, and more heart-hammering violent, Mark raises the bar higher with his second Dt. Aector McAvoy novel, ORIGINAL SKIN. The use of nail-guns and hammers will guarantee gut-wrenching nausea for some readers.
Mark can scare his readers and paint a macabre nightmare with his stylish and sinister one-liners. He sets the mood immediately with his seemingly simple writing structure. Short, punchy sentences, but they are enough to ruffle any reader's feathers. "Darkness. Now red clouds. A sensation of friction at his back and pressure at his wrists." Or, when McAvoy sits down with a victim's family member, "Carrie Ford was probably very pretty twenty years and five thousand cheeseburgers ago. She looks as though six months of grief have carved a lifetime of wrinkles into her skin."
And if this is your first foray into the world of Detective Aector McAvoy and you want to know who McAvoy really is, Mark describes his main protagonist in one quick, incisive sentence: "He is a procedural, methodical detective, given to only occasional flashes of instinct and hunch."
Mark writes with fiendishly fast-moving prose, and the reader will have a hard time closing the book and waiting until July 2014 for the third installment, "Sorrow Bound".
Violence, sex and the use of drugs escalate the already captivating story of ORIGINAL SKIN. Mark's characterization is just as impressive, however, creating people that seem to fly off the pages and into the reader's mind, as if his characters were true to life and going about their own business. ORIGINAL SKIN, with its fleshed-out, deeply flawed characters, makes this book richly satisfying. The reader is along for a twisty ride in this second installment that is becoming one of my favorite crime books this year.
No doubt: David Mark is one of my new favorite authors. And after you read this book, he might be an author to keep on your reading list as well. Highly recommended. Bravo!
Darker, malevolent, and more heart-hammering violent, Mark raises the bar higher with his second Dt. Aector McAvoy novel, ORIGINAL SKIN. The use of nail-guns and hammers will guarantee gut-wrenching nausea for some readers.
Mark can scare his readers and paint a macabre nightmare with his stylish and sinister one-liners. He sets the mood immediately with his seemingly simple writing structure. Short, punchy sentences, but they are enough to ruffle any reader's feathers. "Darkness. Now red clouds. A sensation of friction at his back and pressure at his wrists." Or, when McAvoy sits down with a victim's family member, "Carrie Ford was probably very pretty twenty years and five thousand cheeseburgers ago. She looks as though six months of grief have carved a lifetime of wrinkles into her skin."
And if this is your first foray into the world of Detective Aector McAvoy and you want to know who McAvoy really is, Mark describes his main protagonist in one quick, incisive sentence: "He is a procedural, methodical detective, given to only occasional flashes of instinct and hunch."
Mark writes with fiendishly fast-moving prose, and the reader will have a hard time closing the book and waiting until July 2014 for the third installment, "Sorrow Bound".
Violence, sex and the use of drugs escalate the already captivating story of ORIGINAL SKIN. Mark's characterization is just as impressive, however, creating people that seem to fly off the pages and into the reader's mind, as if his characters were true to life and going about their own business. ORIGINAL SKIN, with its fleshed-out, deeply flawed characters, makes this book richly satisfying. The reader is along for a twisty ride in this second installment that is becoming one of my favorite crime books this year.
No doubt: David Mark is one of my new favorite authors. And after you read this book, he might be an author to keep on your reading list as well. Highly recommended. Bravo!
April 17, 2015
3.5
Hmm... Where do I begin? I must admit I struggled through the first two chapters, nauseated by the use of present tense and clipped sentences - NOT to my liking AT ALL. I very nearly gave up, but I'm pleased I persevered. By chapter three I was invested in the building suspense of the story and that's what drew me in and kept me there.
The plot was well thought out and cleverly presented, giving just enough at the end of each chapter to keep you turning pages. There were a couple of questions that were still unanswered at the end (chapter 3 anyone???) but not enough to ruin an otherwise juicy tale.
I must admit, with my own knowledge of policing, I struggled to get on board with the idea of such high ranking officers pounding the streets, but then this is not London, so I will chalk that up to the characters working for a smaller force!
As for the main character - what a sweetheart! The embodiment of a gentle giant. I think his kindness was a bit overplayed in places; the man blushed/flushed/coloured/reddened more than most women I know and there were a couple of things that he did that made me think, "Yeah, right!" I fell in love with him though; it was hard not to.
All in all, a satisfying read. I now have David Mark's first McAvoy offering, The Dark Winter , on my shopping list, and his upcoming offering, Sorrow Bound , is on my wish list.
Please note, I received a copy of this book free through First Reads.
July 15, 2015
David Marks debuut 'De mazen van het net' was al zeer goed en heb ik vier sterren toebedeeld, deel 2 in de Aector McAvoy-reeks is nog beter. De auteur lijkt de beginnersschroom van zich afgeworpen te hebben en is zelfs enigszins overmoedig geworden, waardoor ik toch weer op vier sterren uitkom en niet op vijf, al zit het er heel dichtbij ... Want: de opstart van de diverse verhaallijnen is nogal complex, waardoor je van hot naar her lijkt te switchen. Natuurlijk begrijp je als lezer dat bepaalde zaken samen gaan vallen, maar je moet in den beginne en nog vele bladzijden daarna moeite doen de draad niet kwijt te raken. Op zeker moment wordt het overzichtelijker en vanaf daar is Mark niet meer te stuiten, evenals zijn protanogist Aector McAvoy.
McAvoy vaart op zijn speurdersinstinct en heeft maar weinig handvatten nodig om tot de conclusie te komen dat een moord op een jongeman is aangezien voor een zelfmoord. McAvoy verdiept zich met het schaamrood op de kaken in de ver van hem afstaande scene van seksfeesten, parenclubs, parkeerplaatsseks en wat dies meer zij. Verder is er van alles loos in de drugsscene, waar Vietnamezen het voor het zeggen lijken te hebben, maar ook Roma een dubieuze rol spelen. McAvoys echtgenote Roisin is van Roma-komaf en helpt via oude connecties haar man een handje ... Tatoeages, paarden, rottweilers, politici, slapeloze nachten, (pogingen tot) moord, het kan niet op. In positieve zin, maar net iets te veel van het goede.
Spannend verhaal, met de nodige verrassingen. De karakters van McAvoy en zijn baas Trish Pharaoh ontwikkelen prettig door. Ook de overige personages, en met name Suzie, worden krachtig neergezet. Suzie is bepaald geen alledaags type en nog dapper ook. Zij zou best wel eens terug kunnen keren in een van de volgende delen van de serie. In Engeland is men inmiddels twee delen verder, laat maar komen!
McAvoy vaart op zijn speurdersinstinct en heeft maar weinig handvatten nodig om tot de conclusie te komen dat een moord op een jongeman is aangezien voor een zelfmoord. McAvoy verdiept zich met het schaamrood op de kaken in de ver van hem afstaande scene van seksfeesten, parenclubs, parkeerplaatsseks en wat dies meer zij. Verder is er van alles loos in de drugsscene, waar Vietnamezen het voor het zeggen lijken te hebben, maar ook Roma een dubieuze rol spelen. McAvoys echtgenote Roisin is van Roma-komaf en helpt via oude connecties haar man een handje ... Tatoeages, paarden, rottweilers, politici, slapeloze nachten, (pogingen tot) moord, het kan niet op. In positieve zin, maar net iets te veel van het goede.
Spannend verhaal, met de nodige verrassingen. De karakters van McAvoy en zijn baas Trish Pharaoh ontwikkelen prettig door. Ook de overige personages, en met name Suzie, worden krachtig neergezet. Suzie is bepaald geen alledaags type en nog dapper ook. Zij zou best wel eens terug kunnen keren in een van de volgende delen van de serie. In Engeland is men inmiddels twee delen verder, laat maar komen!
December 21, 2013
Detective Aector McAvoy is a hulking ginger-headed policeman who's married to a natural healer (Roisin) once of the travellers. He has been assigned to a small unit that investigates serious crimes; his boss is Trish Pharoah, who prefers biker boots and short dresses, smokes black cigarettes, and curses like a sailor.Together they choose to investigate what originally was considered a suicide (or possibly an accidental death by autoerotic means); they're also under the eye of the new Councilor on the Police Board. They've been assigned to follow drugs cases, along with a follow-up on a Vietnamese gang that seems to have taken over the local territory. An unfortunate accident with a bottle rocket, another with a couple of attack dogs, keep Pharoah out of things for a few days, leaving Aector to carry on alone. Other officers have been assigned to the drugs cases, among them a nasty piece of work who's angling for Pharoah's job. Well developed characters, great plot involving kinky sex and voyeurism, local politicians and their families, and at times even McAvoy's kin. Engrossing, involving, intriguing.
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January 6, 2017
*Won through the first-read giveaway programme on GoodReads.
An interesting quick-read crime thriller. I recall the plot strongly, which is quite strange for a quickie; rarely does that happen. It was original and competently written, though it had a few typos and often I felt there were times when a sentence had to be re-read a few times as it was a little difficult to get around.
I liked the non-obvious happy marriage of Aector McAvoy. Most crime thrillers have a detective or policeman who is so unhappy they immerse themselves in to their work so much it becomes all consuming, leaving their relationships in tatters. I've not read one where someone actually has a successful relationship.
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An interesting quick-read crime thriller. I recall the plot strongly, which is quite strange for a quickie; rarely does that happen. It was original and competently written, though it had a few typos and often I felt there were times when a sentence had to be re-read a few times as it was a little difficult to get around.
I liked the non-obvious happy marriage of Aector McAvoy. Most crime thrillers have a detective or policeman who is so unhappy they immerse themselves in to their work so much it becomes all consuming, leaving their relationships in tatters. I've not read one where someone actually has a successful relationship.
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August 27, 2017
Original Sin by David Marks
The second in the series bought rapidly after reading the first.....
My reading habit could be described as addictive. For many years, murder mystery has been my chosen genre. It is in this context, I find myself enjoying the novelty of the lead character of this series: physically large and intimidating; socially clumsy; mistrustful of his own detective skills and with great emotional intelligence but with little emotional literacy. Not your usual 'hero' and all the more reason to be intriguing.
A second surprise is the connectedness to the world of the travellers. A fascinating and generally overlooked (unless as the criminal element) community functioning within our society but often by their own rules and standards.
A thoroughly good main story that held me captive. A second (substantive?) story with some crossover to the other crime. A believable main character and sub-characters, good stories that are compelling..... I now have the third book but will force myself to read other books to enjoy the deferred gratification I am sure it will bring. Mr Marks, you have made a fan.
The second in the series bought rapidly after reading the first.....
My reading habit could be described as addictive. For many years, murder mystery has been my chosen genre. It is in this context, I find myself enjoying the novelty of the lead character of this series: physically large and intimidating; socially clumsy; mistrustful of his own detective skills and with great emotional intelligence but with little emotional literacy. Not your usual 'hero' and all the more reason to be intriguing.
A second surprise is the connectedness to the world of the travellers. A fascinating and generally overlooked (unless as the criminal element) community functioning within our society but often by their own rules and standards.
A thoroughly good main story that held me captive. A second (substantive?) story with some crossover to the other crime. A believable main character and sub-characters, good stories that are compelling..... I now have the third book but will force myself to read other books to enjoy the deferred gratification I am sure it will bring. Mr Marks, you have made a fan.
October 18, 2013
A British police procedural set in Hull, the book combines sex clubs, politics, drugs and travelers. While the plot was original and the language colorful, I did not find it a compelling story until the last quarter of the book. The book is written in the present tense, which felt awkward, like reading a transcript of surveillance notes. The main character is a police detective sergeant with a traveler wife. His chief characteristics are that he is very tall and loves his family. These characteristics do not constitute a personality. I was given a free advance copy of this book with the expectation that I would review it. Were it not for that, I would not have finished the book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 173 reviews