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Timothy Blake #4
Headcase
Timothy Blake returns in a tense, unputdownable thriller from the author of Hangman.
A Chinese astronaut is found dead in a NASA training environment in Houston, Texas. No one can explain how he got there. Amid fears of a diplomatic catastrophe, the CIA dispatches Timothy 'Hangman' Blake to investigate, because a convicted kidnapper works in the facility - someone Blake put away a long time ago.
Blake is deeply insane, afflicted by terrible urges he can barely control - but he's also brilliant. Zara, his beautiful and deadly CIA handler, suspects a secret Chinese spacecraft is surveilling the United States, but Blake can see something much more sinister is going on. Something connected to the kidnapping seven years ago, to the technologies being developed at NASA, and to the serial killer known as the Texas Reaper.
Will Blake survive long enough to uncover the truth? And if he does, will anyone even believe him?
A Chinese astronaut is found dead in a NASA training environment in Houston, Texas. No one can explain how he got there. Amid fears of a diplomatic catastrophe, the CIA dispatches Timothy 'Hangman' Blake to investigate, because a convicted kidnapper works in the facility - someone Blake put away a long time ago.
Blake is deeply insane, afflicted by terrible urges he can barely control - but he's also brilliant. Zara, his beautiful and deadly CIA handler, suspects a secret Chinese spacecraft is surveilling the United States, but Blake can see something much more sinister is going on. Something connected to the kidnapping seven years ago, to the technologies being developed at NASA, and to the serial killer known as the Texas Reaper.
Will Blake survive long enough to uncover the truth? And if he does, will anyone even believe him?
406 pages, Paperback
First published November 29, 2022
About the author
Jack Heath
70 books871 followersJack Heath wrote his debut novel, The Lab, in secondary school and sent it to a publisher at age seventeen. He's now the award-winning author of forty novels for adults and children, including the international bestsellers Hangman, The Wife Swap and 300 Minutes of Danger. His books have been translated into ten languages, optioned for TV and adapted for film. He lives on Ngunnawal/Ngambri country in Canberra, Australia, with his wife, their children, several chickens, a few fish and a possum named Oreo.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
March 31, 2023
Another gory and completely off the wall visit into the troubled psyche of our (beloved?) Timothy Blake. Orphan/CIA assistant/cannibal/prosthesis wielding/nice bloke?
I'll give up my other arm. I'll never eat another person. I'll do anything. Just don't let Thistle be dead.
The trouble with this protagonist is that his appetite is deplorable, but his back story and psychological make up show us readers he has not had it easy. At all. To like or not to like?
He is rewarded with flesh for service, and this time is no different. Or is it? This time he is working along side Zara, his CIA offsider with problems/quirks/failings of her own. A body has turned up in a spacesuit in a NASA training location in Texas. I noticed there were many references to there being ‘anything can happen in Texas’ type of comments!
Timothy ends up undercover in a locked psych ward where he learns a thing or two, and us the reader also does about the inner workings of this conflicted man.
The plot was extremely convoluted, but written ever so well, and I very much enjoyed Timothy grow as a person and seeing Reese Thistle turn up again. Timothy is whip smart and self-deprecating, and Mr Heath equally so writing these amazingly original stories.
I enjoyed the acknowledgments where the author thanks every aspect of his readership and teams and he also appreciated the readers that shared their mental health journey along the way.
This author is so unique with his storytelling, this book is not straight up horror, it is funny and clever and warped in only the way Jack Heath can deliver. And a cliff hanger? Of course!
I'll give up my other arm. I'll never eat another person. I'll do anything. Just don't let Thistle be dead.
The trouble with this protagonist is that his appetite is deplorable, but his back story and psychological make up show us readers he has not had it easy. At all. To like or not to like?
He is rewarded with flesh for service, and this time is no different. Or is it? This time he is working along side Zara, his CIA offsider with problems/quirks/failings of her own. A body has turned up in a spacesuit in a NASA training location in Texas. I noticed there were many references to there being ‘anything can happen in Texas’ type of comments!
Timothy ends up undercover in a locked psych ward where he learns a thing or two, and us the reader also does about the inner workings of this conflicted man.
The plot was extremely convoluted, but written ever so well, and I very much enjoyed Timothy grow as a person and seeing Reese Thistle turn up again. Timothy is whip smart and self-deprecating, and Mr Heath equally so writing these amazingly original stories.
I enjoyed the acknowledgments where the author thanks every aspect of his readership and teams and he also appreciated the readers that shared their mental health journey along the way.
This author is so unique with his storytelling, this book is not straight up horror, it is funny and clever and warped in only the way Jack Heath can deliver. And a cliff hanger? Of course!
June 16, 2025
Booking my therapy app asap bcz I am shamelessly in love with this cannibal goofball with a heart of gold😭😭😭😭😭😭
This was my fav book in the series yet! This series better outlive me Mr. Heath! (respectfully ofc)
Timothy and Thistle forever 🫶🫶🫶
p.s this would make such a good tv show!
This was my fav book in the series yet! This series better outlive me Mr. Heath! (respectfully ofc)
Timothy and Thistle forever 🫶🫶🫶
p.s this would make such a good tv show!
December 3, 2022
Everybody's favourite cannibal, Timothy Blake is back! And his urges are as strong as ever. I love this crime series by Australian author, Jack Heath. It is smart and funny. The minute this one landed on my doorstep I started to read it.
Timothy is now working as a CIA consultant with his handler, Zara. They are called to a NASA training facility in Houston, Texas, where the body of a Chinese astronaut has been found. Who is he and where did he come from? is this an international incident or something else? Timothy soon discovers that somebody from his past is working at the location and his suspicions rise. At the same time, the Texas Reaper is still killing, and authorities are no closer to locating them. This will take all of Timothy's puzzle solving skills to solve - and stay alive.
It is hard not to love Timothy. yes, he eats human flesh and organs. But he is a good guy, who always wants the case to be solved. And he is funny! How could you not love him.
If you have not read this series, then what are you doing? Seriously! Crime readers will love these books and characters. Headcase is book 4 and is published in Australia on November 29th. Thanks to the team at Allen and Unwin for sending me an advanced copy to read.
Timothy is now working as a CIA consultant with his handler, Zara. They are called to a NASA training facility in Houston, Texas, where the body of a Chinese astronaut has been found. Who is he and where did he come from? is this an international incident or something else? Timothy soon discovers that somebody from his past is working at the location and his suspicions rise. At the same time, the Texas Reaper is still killing, and authorities are no closer to locating them. This will take all of Timothy's puzzle solving skills to solve - and stay alive.
It is hard not to love Timothy. yes, he eats human flesh and organs. But he is a good guy, who always wants the case to be solved. And he is funny! How could you not love him.
If you have not read this series, then what are you doing? Seriously! Crime readers will love these books and characters. Headcase is book 4 and is published in Australia on November 29th. Thanks to the team at Allen and Unwin for sending me an advanced copy to read.
December 11, 2022
Headcase is the fourth book in the Timothy Blake series by award-winning Australian author, Jack Heath, and follows on some three months after the events of Hideout, which left our favourite cannibal half a limb poorer, rejected by the love of his life, and coming to terms with the death of a heretofore-unknown son.
Now, Blake is outlining, at the request of the psychiatrist treating him in the Behavioural Health Unit of the George Clark Red Memorial Hospital, just what happened two weeks earlier to see him admitted there. He begins with the astronaut, but occasionally has to digress when Dr Renée Diaz requires clarification on some point.
His CIA handler, Zara (whom readers may recall from Hideout) had sent Blake to check out the report of a dead astronaut in a Mars simulation field at Johnson Space Centre. Blake can’t help noticing details: the man is in a worn Chinese astronaut suit, visibly bruised and in a strange position. Did he fall from an undetected Chinese Space Station? A researcher from the Centre tells him this is impossible. And there’s a large footprint nearby...
Before Blake finally figures out this mystery, the who, how, where and why take quite a few turns. On the journey to the answer, Blake visits a CIA black-ops morgue, a children’s ward, spends an unpleasant episode in a hypobaric chamber, is beaten up, tasered, suspected of being the latest serial killer (The Reaper), gets to use a nail-gun, and spends time mooning over (and stalking) Reese Thistle. He does get to eat a bit of his favourite food, but he spends a lot of time hungry.
Blake’s inner monologue and his unsaid asides are often laugh-out-loud (if darkly) comical. He assesses everyone he meets: “He was in his forties, bald, Black. Thin legs and arms, but with a gut straining the buttons of his business shirt. I imagined his liver would be rich and buttery. Nutritious, too” and “A thought popped into my head, the same one that appears any time I’m in an elevator with another person: ‘If we get stick between floors, how long should I wait before I suggest we draw straws?’”
Once again, Heath gives the reader an engrossing (although some might say gross) read. There are so many twists in this cleverly constructed plot that it would be wise to prebook a chiropractic appointment before starting. There’s a dramatic climax, and a killer last line. As with past books in the series, Heath prefaces each chapter with a riddle, a clue to which appears in that chapter. Again, there are spoilers for the previous book(s) so it is important to read this series in order. Every bit/e of this is hilarious and hugely entertaining.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by Allen & Unwin.
Now, Blake is outlining, at the request of the psychiatrist treating him in the Behavioural Health Unit of the George Clark Red Memorial Hospital, just what happened two weeks earlier to see him admitted there. He begins with the astronaut, but occasionally has to digress when Dr Renée Diaz requires clarification on some point.
His CIA handler, Zara (whom readers may recall from Hideout) had sent Blake to check out the report of a dead astronaut in a Mars simulation field at Johnson Space Centre. Blake can’t help noticing details: the man is in a worn Chinese astronaut suit, visibly bruised and in a strange position. Did he fall from an undetected Chinese Space Station? A researcher from the Centre tells him this is impossible. And there’s a large footprint nearby...
Before Blake finally figures out this mystery, the who, how, where and why take quite a few turns. On the journey to the answer, Blake visits a CIA black-ops morgue, a children’s ward, spends an unpleasant episode in a hypobaric chamber, is beaten up, tasered, suspected of being the latest serial killer (The Reaper), gets to use a nail-gun, and spends time mooning over (and stalking) Reese Thistle. He does get to eat a bit of his favourite food, but he spends a lot of time hungry.
Blake’s inner monologue and his unsaid asides are often laugh-out-loud (if darkly) comical. He assesses everyone he meets: “He was in his forties, bald, Black. Thin legs and arms, but with a gut straining the buttons of his business shirt. I imagined his liver would be rich and buttery. Nutritious, too” and “A thought popped into my head, the same one that appears any time I’m in an elevator with another person: ‘If we get stick between floors, how long should I wait before I suggest we draw straws?’”
Once again, Heath gives the reader an engrossing (although some might say gross) read. There are so many twists in this cleverly constructed plot that it would be wise to prebook a chiropractic appointment before starting. There’s a dramatic climax, and a killer last line. As with past books in the series, Heath prefaces each chapter with a riddle, a clue to which appears in that chapter. Again, there are spoilers for the previous book(s) so it is important to read this series in order. Every bit/e of this is hilarious and hugely entertaining.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by Allen & Unwin.
January 14, 2023
*Possible spoilers for earlier instalments are unavoidable. Read the books out of order at your peril.*
I don't know how he does it, but Jack Heath has managed to keep this series fresh and thrilling with the fourth instalment of the Timothy Blake series. It's just going from strength to strength.
An interesting dual-timeline is established within the first few pages, that tells us two important things about our favourite anti-hero: 1) he's in therapy and 2) these days, he is working for the CIA, under the handler wing of Zara, who we met in Hideout. The timelines are only two weeks apart, with the therapy happening later, so what on earth has happened in between?
Well, whether it happened on earth or not is debatable, because the case that Blake and Zara are investigating (on the very-QT, as the CIA does not conduct clandestine operations on American soil...) is the mysterious death of an unidentified Chinese astronaut at the Johnson Space Center. Blake is highly motivated to make progress on the case because he is hungry. And his deal with the CIA is comparable with the one he previously had in his FBI days - the big difference being he doesn't seem to get paid anywhere near as often as he'd like under Zara's supervision. He figures that's probably deliberate. And smart.
I think that covers the key ingredients that make this instalment so successful. Firstly, the working relationship between Blake and Zara is fresh; they click and they need each other. Also, the cannibalism is still there (very much), but it's no longer the focus. Finally, the mystery part of the story was the best yet - Blake is a very clever man, but he can't do it all on his own. Especially not with his new physical limitations.
I sincerely hope Jack Heath is already working on #5.
I don't know how he does it, but Jack Heath has managed to keep this series fresh and thrilling with the fourth instalment of the Timothy Blake series. It's just going from strength to strength.
An interesting dual-timeline is established within the first few pages, that tells us two important things about our favourite anti-hero: 1) he's in therapy and 2) these days, he is working for the CIA, under the handler wing of Zara, who we met in Hideout. The timelines are only two weeks apart, with the therapy happening later, so what on earth has happened in between?
Well, whether it happened on earth or not is debatable, because the case that Blake and Zara are investigating (on the very-QT, as the CIA does not conduct clandestine operations on American soil...) is the mysterious death of an unidentified Chinese astronaut at the Johnson Space Center. Blake is highly motivated to make progress on the case because he is hungry. And his deal with the CIA is comparable with the one he previously had in his FBI days - the big difference being he doesn't seem to get paid anywhere near as often as he'd like under Zara's supervision. He figures that's probably deliberate. And smart.
I think that covers the key ingredients that make this instalment so successful. Firstly, the working relationship between Blake and Zara is fresh; they click and they need each other. Also, the cannibalism is still there (very much), but it's no longer the focus. Finally, the mystery part of the story was the best yet - Blake is a very clever man, but he can't do it all on his own. Especially not with his new physical limitations.
I sincerely hope Jack Heath is already working on #5.
June 20, 2023
In this, the 4th book in the Timothy Blake series we rejoin the cannibal as he sits in a psychiatrist’s room explaining what makes him tick. The room is inside the mental facility where he is now housed, the compulsion to eat human flesh having finally caught up with him in the eyes of the law.
But a few things happened that led him to his incarceration and so we backtrack a further two weeks to begin to find out what crazy stuff he’s been involved in. First of all, he’s now working with Zara who recruited him (she knows what he is) at the end of Hideout. And secondly, he still holds a torch for Reese Thistle, the FBI agent and his one true love.
What appears to be an astronaut is lying on the faux Martian landscape on a Houston NASA communications site. The man is dead and is wearing what appears to be a Chinese uniform. The implications are explosive and Timothy Blake, as a CIA asset, is on the scene to investigate the circumstances surrounding the man’s presence. Not a simple task when everyone he deals with is well versed in misinformation and diversion.
The pressing questions are: Where did the “astronaut” come from? How did he die? Who is he? Does his presence represent a diplomatic emergency? Can Timothy take a bite out of him without anyone else noticing?
As a CIA asset Blake has to find out as much about this unusual situation and then put a lid on it so the public don’t hear about it. But, apart from his cannibalistic tendencies which are quite dominant in his waking thoughts, Blake is also a dogged and determined investigator who picks apart anomalies with precision to work out the truth behind the gloom.
It doesn’t take terribly long before what is already a head-scratcher of a case becomes an increasingly complicated one. The NASA training center seems to be loaded with potential suspects with motives and opportunities galore.
On the periphery of the investigation there’s another case unfolding. This is a serial killer case with the killer having been dubbed The Reaper. At rare intervals we’re reminded that this case is ongoing. It’s seemingly separate, but then, why is it constantly pushing its way into our consciousness? Another thread to be aware of, if nothing else.
It feels more than ever that Timothy Blake is walking a treacherous tightrope between genius and insanity. He demonstrates that his powers of deduction are as strong as ever, as is his weird sense of humour and it’s these factors that makes Headcase another success. As the case becomes increasingly involved and confusing, Blake’s there to make light of the situation and then unpicks the knots for us.
Sure, there’s plenty of twists, some outrageous scenes and the occasional moments of absolute pandemonium. It’s compelling reading as a whole slew of disparate threads are drawn together for an almost-neat finish.
On a final note, given that, on balance, I enjoyed this book, I feel I should point out that we’re into book 4 of the series here and there appears to be an even greater need to ram through the fact that Blake is a cannibal. With every person he meets we’re given a description about how delicious they look. I find this extremely strange, after all, as a carnivore I definitely don’t wander around checking out cows or sheep with a view to imagining how delicious their legs, rumps or livers might taste. All’s I’m saying is, it gets a bit much when we’re reminded every second page about just how much of a cannibal he is. I found it unnecessarily distracting and added little to what turns out to be a thoughtful and well-contrived mystery.
But a few things happened that led him to his incarceration and so we backtrack a further two weeks to begin to find out what crazy stuff he’s been involved in. First of all, he’s now working with Zara who recruited him (she knows what he is) at the end of Hideout. And secondly, he still holds a torch for Reese Thistle, the FBI agent and his one true love.
What appears to be an astronaut is lying on the faux Martian landscape on a Houston NASA communications site. The man is dead and is wearing what appears to be a Chinese uniform. The implications are explosive and Timothy Blake, as a CIA asset, is on the scene to investigate the circumstances surrounding the man’s presence. Not a simple task when everyone he deals with is well versed in misinformation and diversion.
The pressing questions are: Where did the “astronaut” come from? How did he die? Who is he? Does his presence represent a diplomatic emergency? Can Timothy take a bite out of him without anyone else noticing?
As a CIA asset Blake has to find out as much about this unusual situation and then put a lid on it so the public don’t hear about it. But, apart from his cannibalistic tendencies which are quite dominant in his waking thoughts, Blake is also a dogged and determined investigator who picks apart anomalies with precision to work out the truth behind the gloom.
It doesn’t take terribly long before what is already a head-scratcher of a case becomes an increasingly complicated one. The NASA training center seems to be loaded with potential suspects with motives and opportunities galore.
On the periphery of the investigation there’s another case unfolding. This is a serial killer case with the killer having been dubbed The Reaper. At rare intervals we’re reminded that this case is ongoing. It’s seemingly separate, but then, why is it constantly pushing its way into our consciousness? Another thread to be aware of, if nothing else.
It feels more than ever that Timothy Blake is walking a treacherous tightrope between genius and insanity. He demonstrates that his powers of deduction are as strong as ever, as is his weird sense of humour and it’s these factors that makes Headcase another success. As the case becomes increasingly involved and confusing, Blake’s there to make light of the situation and then unpicks the knots for us.
Sure, there’s plenty of twists, some outrageous scenes and the occasional moments of absolute pandemonium. It’s compelling reading as a whole slew of disparate threads are drawn together for an almost-neat finish.
On a final note, given that, on balance, I enjoyed this book, I feel I should point out that we’re into book 4 of the series here and there appears to be an even greater need to ram through the fact that Blake is a cannibal. With every person he meets we’re given a description about how delicious they look. I find this extremely strange, after all, as a carnivore I definitely don’t wander around checking out cows or sheep with a view to imagining how delicious their legs, rumps or livers might taste. All’s I’m saying is, it gets a bit much when we’re reminded every second page about just how much of a cannibal he is. I found it unnecessarily distracting and added little to what turns out to be a thoughtful and well-contrived mystery.
December 19, 2022
Timothy Blake, former FBI consultant is back in book 4 of the Hangman series having been recruited as a CIA asset by his handler Zara, for off-the-books jobs. He’s a cannibal, rewarded with ‘meat’ and still loves his puzzles. And this one’s a doozy ...
He’s currently undercover in the Behavioural Health Unit of the George Clark Red Memorial Hospital. But it appears that he’s the only one who thinks he’s not there for real therapy. His appointed psychiatrist thinks he’s deluded and Zara’s not responding to the agreed signal he’s placed in his window. Even his former girlfriend Reese Thistle is pleased he’s seeking treatment, after ditching him when she found out his dietary secret.
Staff at the hospital don’t believe him but 2 weeks ago, landing right in the centre of Johnson Space Centre’s simulated Martian landscape in Houston is a dead Chinese astronaut. The international relations fallout could be apocalyptic and the feds are wanting this sorted hastily. The body was found by Sam Garcia, NASA engineer and convicted child abductor, who Blake arrested 7 years earlier. There’s been a break-in at the Centre’s museum, its hypobaric chamber was temporarily out-of-order, an old Chinese space suit had been stolen, the head of cybersecurity is missing, and the kidnap victim is now an intern at the facility.
Impeded by a rudimentary prosthetic arm, lacking a thumb and desperately hungry, Blake battles crazed staff and inmates of the mental health facility, the Houston Police Department and FBI who think he is the Texas Reaper serial killer, Ministry of State Security Chinese agents, and his handler, to unravel the clues and stop drawing the wrong conclusions.
If the dead guy hadn’t fallen out of orbit in a space-walk gone wrong, who was he, how did he get there, and who killed him? And who is the headcase?
Another enjoyably gripping thriller, ‘Headcase’ is written with plenty of humour by Canberra vegetarian Jack Heath. Every chapter starts with a riddle for the reader, so we’re on our toes throughout the novel. His protagonist Timothy Blake is the singular ‘one armed purple people eater’, who knows to ‘put plenty of stamps on letter bombs so they’re not returned to sender’, and appreciates the suggestion of a suspects’ ‘rich, buttery liver’ or ‘meaty thighs. What’s not to love!
Thanks to Allen & Unwin, from whom I won an advanced reading copy.
He’s currently undercover in the Behavioural Health Unit of the George Clark Red Memorial Hospital. But it appears that he’s the only one who thinks he’s not there for real therapy. His appointed psychiatrist thinks he’s deluded and Zara’s not responding to the agreed signal he’s placed in his window. Even his former girlfriend Reese Thistle is pleased he’s seeking treatment, after ditching him when she found out his dietary secret.
Staff at the hospital don’t believe him but 2 weeks ago, landing right in the centre of Johnson Space Centre’s simulated Martian landscape in Houston is a dead Chinese astronaut. The international relations fallout could be apocalyptic and the feds are wanting this sorted hastily. The body was found by Sam Garcia, NASA engineer and convicted child abductor, who Blake arrested 7 years earlier. There’s been a break-in at the Centre’s museum, its hypobaric chamber was temporarily out-of-order, an old Chinese space suit had been stolen, the head of cybersecurity is missing, and the kidnap victim is now an intern at the facility.
Impeded by a rudimentary prosthetic arm, lacking a thumb and desperately hungry, Blake battles crazed staff and inmates of the mental health facility, the Houston Police Department and FBI who think he is the Texas Reaper serial killer, Ministry of State Security Chinese agents, and his handler, to unravel the clues and stop drawing the wrong conclusions.
If the dead guy hadn’t fallen out of orbit in a space-walk gone wrong, who was he, how did he get there, and who killed him? And who is the headcase?
Another enjoyably gripping thriller, ‘Headcase’ is written with plenty of humour by Canberra vegetarian Jack Heath. Every chapter starts with a riddle for the reader, so we’re on our toes throughout the novel. His protagonist Timothy Blake is the singular ‘one armed purple people eater’, who knows to ‘put plenty of stamps on letter bombs so they’re not returned to sender’, and appreciates the suggestion of a suspects’ ‘rich, buttery liver’ or ‘meaty thighs. What’s not to love!
Thanks to Allen & Unwin, from whom I won an advanced reading copy.
March 31, 2023
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
Timothy Blake former FBI consultant is one of my favourite fictional characters in a crime series and it takes a gifted writer to make a cannibal so bloody likeable.
Headcase by Jack Heath takes us to a NASA training facility in Houston, Texas and it’s here a dead Chinese astronaut is found in their Mars simulation field. Blake has paired up with beautiful CIA agent Zara to look into the situation.
Are the Chinese spying on the USA with a secret spy aircraft? Is a kidnapping seven years ago connected? Meanwhile a serial killer known as the Texas Reaper is claiming more victims.
Blake’s dialogue is often darkly comical, he has a brilliant mind but his downfall is his terrible dark urges.
Crime readers will love this series, it’s brilliant and hugely entertaining and I highly recommend.
Publication Date 29 November 2023
Publisher Allen & Unwin
Thank you so much Allen & Unwin for a copy of the book 🙏
Timothy Blake former FBI consultant is one of my favourite fictional characters in a crime series and it takes a gifted writer to make a cannibal so bloody likeable.
Headcase by Jack Heath takes us to a NASA training facility in Houston, Texas and it’s here a dead Chinese astronaut is found in their Mars simulation field. Blake has paired up with beautiful CIA agent Zara to look into the situation.
Are the Chinese spying on the USA with a secret spy aircraft? Is a kidnapping seven years ago connected? Meanwhile a serial killer known as the Texas Reaper is claiming more victims.
Blake’s dialogue is often darkly comical, he has a brilliant mind but his downfall is his terrible dark urges.
Crime readers will love this series, it’s brilliant and hugely entertaining and I highly recommend.
Publication Date 29 November 2023
Publisher Allen & Unwin
Thank you so much Allen & Unwin for a copy of the book 🙏
December 19, 2022
Headcase (Timothy Blake #4) by Jack Heath
Synopsis /
A Chinese astronaut is found dead in a NASA training environment in Houston, Texas. No one can explain how he got there. Amid fears of a diplomatic catastrophe, the CIA dispatches Timothy 'Hangman' Blake to investigate, because a convicted kidnapper works in the facility - someone Blake put away a long time ago.
Blake is deeply insane, afflicted by terrible urges he can barely control - but he's also brilliant. Zara, his beautiful and deadly CIA handler, suspects a secret Chinese spacecraft is surveilling the United States, but Blake can see something much more sinister is going on. Something connected to the kidnapping seven years ago, to the technologies being developed at NASA, and to the serial killer known as the Texas Reaper.
Will Blake survive long enough to uncover the truth? And if he does, will anyone even believe him?
My Thoughts /
rounding up to 4.5 ⭐
First and foremost, a huge thank you to Allen & Unwin for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Headcase by Jack Heath is the fourth book in this series featuring protagonist, Timothy Blake. In this instalment, Heath has our obsessive puzzle solving, flesh eating anthropophagi investigating the mysterious death of what is ‘assumed’ to be a Chinese astronaut on a NASA training facility.
Upon reading the synopsis you would be forgiven for thinking that this story was going to be a politically based spy and espionage thriller. Ugh, e-gads, NO! But thankfully, that plot thread is only a very thin underlay to what is a worthy addition to the series.
The story opens with Blake speaking to a psychiatrist. ‘I eat people’, I say. The psychiatrist doesn’t blink. ’Tell me about that.’
The psychiatrist’s name is Dr Renee Diaz, and she works at the mental health facility in which Blake is an in-patient. ’You mentioned eating people,’ Diaz prompts. I turn back to her. ‘You heard that, huh?’ ‘Why don’t we start with your more recent history?’ she says. [Blake] ‘How recent?’ [Diaz] ‘The events leading up to your stay here.’ ‘Okay’, I say. ‘Let me tell you about the astronaut.’
The rest is pure Heath. Great writing. Awesome attention to detail. Grammatically on point (THANK YOU!). Well developed characters which are continually evolving. This last one is especially pleasing, as I know some of you are a little turned off by reading about an mc whose main favourite pastime is chomping down on an earlobe or arm or thigh or some such other tender fleshy part of a human.
In this fourth book, we see the return of Zara, whom we first read about in book 3, Hideout. It turns out Zara was a CIA undercover operative then, who is now Blake’s CIA handler. Zara’s a cool customer. As an Agent, she deadly good at her job. As a woman, she’s caught Blake’s eye. Hmmm, this might get interesting. Throughout the book Blake comments on her beauty, but he is also aware that she could slice him and dice him if he crosses her. There’s no doubt the two work well together. However attracted Blake may or may not be to Zara, his thoughts always come back to his old FBI partner, Reese Thistle.
As always Heath provides plenty of page-turning action, which he’s made all the more intense – due to Blake’s recent ‘physical’ impairment – he lost an arm during the altercations with the psychopaths in book 3.
And as for Reese Thistle?? At the end of the book, this happens…….
Then I realise Thistle hasn’t closed the door. When I turn, she’s just standing in the hallway, looking at the wall. ‘I’m such a headcase’, she mutters. Then she turns back to me. ‘Do you want to come in?”
Synopsis /
A Chinese astronaut is found dead in a NASA training environment in Houston, Texas. No one can explain how he got there. Amid fears of a diplomatic catastrophe, the CIA dispatches Timothy 'Hangman' Blake to investigate, because a convicted kidnapper works in the facility - someone Blake put away a long time ago.
Blake is deeply insane, afflicted by terrible urges he can barely control - but he's also brilliant. Zara, his beautiful and deadly CIA handler, suspects a secret Chinese spacecraft is surveilling the United States, but Blake can see something much more sinister is going on. Something connected to the kidnapping seven years ago, to the technologies being developed at NASA, and to the serial killer known as the Texas Reaper.
Will Blake survive long enough to uncover the truth? And if he does, will anyone even believe him?
My Thoughts /
rounding up to 4.5 ⭐
First and foremost, a huge thank you to Allen & Unwin for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Headcase by Jack Heath is the fourth book in this series featuring protagonist, Timothy Blake. In this instalment, Heath has our obsessive puzzle solving, flesh eating anthropophagi investigating the mysterious death of what is ‘assumed’ to be a Chinese astronaut on a NASA training facility.
Upon reading the synopsis you would be forgiven for thinking that this story was going to be a politically based spy and espionage thriller. Ugh, e-gads, NO! But thankfully, that plot thread is only a very thin underlay to what is a worthy addition to the series.
The story opens with Blake speaking to a psychiatrist. ‘I eat people’, I say. The psychiatrist doesn’t blink. ’Tell me about that.’
The psychiatrist’s name is Dr Renee Diaz, and she works at the mental health facility in which Blake is an in-patient. ’You mentioned eating people,’ Diaz prompts. I turn back to her. ‘You heard that, huh?’ ‘Why don’t we start with your more recent history?’ she says. [Blake] ‘How recent?’ [Diaz] ‘The events leading up to your stay here.’ ‘Okay’, I say. ‘Let me tell you about the astronaut.’
The rest is pure Heath. Great writing. Awesome attention to detail. Grammatically on point (THANK YOU!). Well developed characters which are continually evolving. This last one is especially pleasing, as I know some of you are a little turned off by reading about an mc whose main favourite pastime is chomping down on an earlobe or arm or thigh or some such other tender fleshy part of a human.
In this fourth book, we see the return of Zara, whom we first read about in book 3, Hideout. It turns out Zara was a CIA undercover operative then, who is now Blake’s CIA handler. Zara’s a cool customer. As an Agent, she deadly good at her job. As a woman, she’s caught Blake’s eye. Hmmm, this might get interesting. Throughout the book Blake comments on her beauty, but he is also aware that she could slice him and dice him if he crosses her. There’s no doubt the two work well together. However attracted Blake may or may not be to Zara, his thoughts always come back to his old FBI partner, Reese Thistle.
As always Heath provides plenty of page-turning action, which he’s made all the more intense – due to Blake’s recent ‘physical’ impairment – he lost an arm during the altercations with the psychopaths in book 3.
And as for Reese Thistle?? At the end of the book, this happens…….
Then I realise Thistle hasn’t closed the door. When I turn, she’s just standing in the hallway, looking at the wall. ‘I’m such a headcase’, she mutters. Then she turns back to me. ‘Do you want to come in?”
December 7, 2022
My favourite fictional cannibal Timothy Blake is back in the fourth instalment of the Blake series that began with
Hangman
, and continued on with
Hunter
(and my inclusion in the praise section) and
Hideout
. The latest is aptly titled Headcase and if you were concerned the talented Aussie author from Canberra might have lost his penchant for kick arse female characters, clever plots, skilful subterfuge, electrifying tension or tantalising riddles during the pandemic, you needn't have worried.
Headcase is a crime thriller with a refreshing difference. If you're a fan of the series, then this will deliver on all your bloody hopes and nightmarish expectations, but my advice is not to read the blurb. There's mention of an astronaut which initially made me roll my eyes as I'm not a fan of cartoonish hijinks when a character suddenly finds themselves in a thematically dissonant or cringeworthy situation. Fortunately the astronaut angle is free from cringe, and Blake has teamed up with a CIA handler by the name of Zara who is a force to be reckoned with, but certainly no replacement for Agent Thistle. Blake finds himself in therapy (hence the Headcase reference), yet he remains a charismatic anti-hero with no clear boundaries in terms of character motivation or development.
Fans will find a satisfying update since the events of Hideout (published in December 2020), and it was hard not to notice that since then, Heath seems to have continued honing his craft with the release of standalone crime novel Kill Your Brother in January this year, and is clearly in no danger of delivering a dud or running out of ways to make us gasp out loud.
In a recent review, I lamented that I might be reaching saturation point with regard to the number of emerging and existing Aussie crime authors, but Jack Heath is a clear exception to this - and any - rule. I also appreciated seeing praise from fellow Australian author Benjamin Stevenson as his book Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone is a brilliant whodunnit which breaks the fourth wall and sits on the pile of potentials for my Top 5 Books of 2022 list.
Headcase by Jack Heath is an entertaining and finely crafted bloody mess recommended for fans of the series and crime thrillers more generally. As the year draws to a close and I begin to look back and assess my favourite reads of the year, it's hard not to consider Headcase for one of the prestigious five spots.
* Copy courtesy of Allen & Unwin *
Headcase is a crime thriller with a refreshing difference. If you're a fan of the series, then this will deliver on all your bloody hopes and nightmarish expectations, but my advice is not to read the blurb. There's mention of an astronaut which initially made me roll my eyes as I'm not a fan of cartoonish hijinks when a character suddenly finds themselves in a thematically dissonant or cringeworthy situation. Fortunately the astronaut angle is free from cringe, and Blake has teamed up with a CIA handler by the name of Zara who is a force to be reckoned with, but certainly no replacement for Agent Thistle. Blake finds himself in therapy (hence the Headcase reference), yet he remains a charismatic anti-hero with no clear boundaries in terms of character motivation or development.
Fans will find a satisfying update since the events of Hideout (published in December 2020), and it was hard not to notice that since then, Heath seems to have continued honing his craft with the release of standalone crime novel Kill Your Brother in January this year, and is clearly in no danger of delivering a dud or running out of ways to make us gasp out loud.
In a recent review, I lamented that I might be reaching saturation point with regard to the number of emerging and existing Aussie crime authors, but Jack Heath is a clear exception to this - and any - rule. I also appreciated seeing praise from fellow Australian author Benjamin Stevenson as his book Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone is a brilliant whodunnit which breaks the fourth wall and sits on the pile of potentials for my Top 5 Books of 2022 list.
Headcase by Jack Heath is an entertaining and finely crafted bloody mess recommended for fans of the series and crime thrillers more generally. As the year draws to a close and I begin to look back and assess my favourite reads of the year, it's hard not to consider Headcase for one of the prestigious five spots.
* Copy courtesy of Allen & Unwin *
March 5, 2023
Just a couple of things ...
1) I still love my favorite cannibal!
2) "Chinese spy balloons" - wtf Jack Heath, do you have a working crystal ball at home? 😅
1) I still love my favorite cannibal!
2) "Chinese spy balloons" - wtf Jack Heath, do you have a working crystal ball at home? 😅
June 17, 2023
When I started reading about astronauts, Mars and the psych ward, I had no idea where this was going. Against all odds, Timothy Blake continues to cheat death and make it out (with a few bruises of course).
You will eat this one up (pun intended)! Also, the ending *screams internally* - RT & TB forever!
You will eat this one up (pun intended)! Also, the ending *screams internally* - RT & TB forever!
January 30, 2024
Timothy Blake !
I’m anxiously awaiting book 5. I love this series. You have to love Blake despite his flaws. He’s so human.
I’m anxiously awaiting book 5. I love this series. You have to love Blake despite his flaws. He’s so human.
January 12, 2023
Jack Heath’s 4th book has tied up this series perfectly. But don’t get comfortable, Headcase is packed with twists & turns that will keep you riveted to your seat.
Each chapter has a question, the answers to these can be found within that chapter, yet another brilliant way Jack Heath engages his readers into his works of art.
A Chinese astronaut is found dead in a NASA training environment in Houston, Texas. Did he fall from space, good question.
The CIA team him up with a new partner, Zara who has her very own hang ups. The thought of Thistle in danger stirs up old feelings for Blake, but being a cannibal throws up a wall that can’t be broken down.
Hang in there is an excellent tag line, and suits this read brilliantly.
Each chapter has a question, the answers to these can be found within that chapter, yet another brilliant way Jack Heath engages his readers into his works of art.
A Chinese astronaut is found dead in a NASA training environment in Houston, Texas. Did he fall from space, good question.
The CIA team him up with a new partner, Zara who has her very own hang ups. The thought of Thistle in danger stirs up old feelings for Blake, but being a cannibal throws up a wall that can’t be broken down.
Hang in there is an excellent tag line, and suits this read brilliantly.
January 23, 2023
My favorite cannibal is back!! (Words I never imagined saying, in any context, hahahaha) . Something about Timothy Blake is so compelling, and I was so excited when this book was finally in my greedy little hands. I'll admit I was a little concerned at the beginning when things seemed a little weird and slow-going, but before I knew it I was 200 pages in.
These stories just read so damn well. The central plot is intriguing, the characters - main and side- are interesting, and the twists keep coming nicely. The only downside is the cliff-hanger endings and the wait for the next book!
These stories just read so damn well. The central plot is intriguing, the characters - main and side- are interesting, and the twists keep coming nicely. The only downside is the cliff-hanger endings and the wait for the next book!
January 15, 2023
3.5 stars.
Blake is one of those great characters that you love and hate at the same time. He's flawed but means well. Maybe a mental hospital was the right place for him. Or maybe he's cured and the next book will involve a more vegetarian cuisine. For the first time, Blake didn't lose any more body parts, though some where damaged.
The first half of this book was pretty long winded. Three clashing timelines and a lot of scientific space talk kept me pretty confused. I know the point is the book is one big riddle but did we really need astronauts, fighter jets, satellites, hypobaric chambers, experiential drugs, CIA, FBI... It was a lot. Especially for a one armed, four fingered man to solve.
Whilst I still love Blake and Zara, there really wasn't anyone else to root for. I'm hoping for a Thistle come back in the next book. The second half is where things kicked into high gear. All of the seemingly random riddles and clues started to make sense and I powered through the last 100 pages very quickly. I should know by now not to doubt Jack Heath. Can't wait for book 5.
Blake is one of those great characters that you love and hate at the same time. He's flawed but means well. Maybe a mental hospital was the right place for him. Or maybe he's cured and the next book will involve a more vegetarian cuisine. For the first time, Blake didn't lose any more body parts, though some where damaged.
The first half of this book was pretty long winded. Three clashing timelines and a lot of scientific space talk kept me pretty confused. I know the point is the book is one big riddle but did we really need astronauts, fighter jets, satellites, hypobaric chambers, experiential drugs, CIA, FBI... It was a lot. Especially for a one armed, four fingered man to solve.
Whilst I still love Blake and Zara, there really wasn't anyone else to root for. I'm hoping for a Thistle come back in the next book. The second half is where things kicked into high gear. All of the seemingly random riddles and clues started to make sense and I powered through the last 100 pages very quickly. I should know by now not to doubt Jack Heath. Can't wait for book 5.
May 25, 2023
I have really enjoyed these books, its not often you get to root for a purple people eater! This felt like a last book but so far he has ended them in a way where you just can not imagine him being able to go on. This was especially so with the third book so I can live in hope that we will see another book in the Timothy Blake series. Jack Heath has been very good at putting Blake in situations where you can not imaging him surviving but of course finds a way through. I am not suggesting that other authors do not also do that but that Heath does a better job of it than most. In this book Blake has to solve the case of an apparent Chinese astronaut who landed outside of an NASA facility. The twists and turns in this are very enjoyable, just when you think you have it figured out there is another twist that takes it in another direction.
#purplepeopleeater
#mystery
#purplepeopleeater
#mystery
January 27, 2023
It breaks my heart a little to confess that for the first time, I struggled with a Timothy Blake. The plot was too complicated, to the point of feeling convoluted, and despite all the twists and turns, it didn't engage me at all. Plus the new character, Zara, is impossible to invest in.
However, I loved the third act. It finished strong, so I am, once again, very impatient to read the next instalment. Get on it, Jack.
However, I loved the third act. It finished strong, so I am, once again, very impatient to read the next instalment. Get on it, Jack.
March 14, 2026
Poor Timothy Blake. So much sacrifice. So much pain. So many juggling stories to keep straight… in a mental health facility no less! Loved to see the different person in this one.
November 29, 2022
Jack Heath's Hangman books are dark, gruesome and an absolute rollercoaster ride of a crime novel series. The protagonist, Timothy Blake, is a cannibal who's worked for the FBI and has, more recently, been recruited by the CIA for off-the-books jobs based in the U.S. In Headcase he's investigating the suspicious death of a Chinese astronaut found in a NASA training facility that has ties to a case he was involved in seven years earlier. What seems like a simple case of international espionage turns out to be far more convoluted and complicated than expected and Blake has to uncover friend from foe from all sides as he tries to uncover the truth.
I can't believe it's been two years since the last Hangman story! And, admittedly, it did take me a little bit to remember what happened in the last one (but I blame that on it being nearly December 2022!) but I was immediately gripped. In part because I'm a ridiculous space nerd, but also because Heath's crime novels are the kind of crime novels I love to read - interesting characters, outlandish plot that sucks you in like a great action movie, and a web of lies to unravel to get to the truth. What more can I ask for?
Headcase is told in multiple timelines through the book - while Blake is admitted to a mental care facility, two weeks prior to that while he's investigating the death of the astronaut, seven years earlier while he's investigating a case that seems to be connected to the death of the astronaut, and then eventually the 'present day' where he solves the case - and I loved it. It has twists and and turns and as a reader I was constantly second-guessing myself about what was really going on, and that's always a great sign for a crime novel.
I also appreciated the exploration of human beings as flawed and that just because we perceive others (or even ourselves) one way, doesn't mean that it's correct. Blake's experiences in talk therapy lead him to question his own understanding of himself, but we also see how he understands the people around him. Zara returns in this book as his handler who has her own motives, and his path crosses with Thistle which is another source of conflicting emotions for him.
Each chapter begins with a riddle/puzzle to solve (and I'm getting much better at these) related to the story, which makes for a fun way to be fully invested, and each chapter has its own elements of suspense that pull you through and make you keep reading... even when you should probably call it a night.
This book, like the others in the series, will not be for everyone - there's a lot of disturbing imagery described, particularly around Blake's cannibalism - but if you're looking for a smartly written, oddly charismatic anti-hero it's definitely one to try.
I can't believe it's been two years since the last Hangman story! And, admittedly, it did take me a little bit to remember what happened in the last one (but I blame that on it being nearly December 2022!) but I was immediately gripped. In part because I'm a ridiculous space nerd, but also because Heath's crime novels are the kind of crime novels I love to read - interesting characters, outlandish plot that sucks you in like a great action movie, and a web of lies to unravel to get to the truth. What more can I ask for?
Headcase is told in multiple timelines through the book - while Blake is admitted to a mental care facility, two weeks prior to that while he's investigating the death of the astronaut, seven years earlier while he's investigating a case that seems to be connected to the death of the astronaut, and then eventually the 'present day' where he solves the case - and I loved it. It has twists and and turns and as a reader I was constantly second-guessing myself about what was really going on, and that's always a great sign for a crime novel.
I also appreciated the exploration of human beings as flawed and that just because we perceive others (or even ourselves) one way, doesn't mean that it's correct. Blake's experiences in talk therapy lead him to question his own understanding of himself, but we also see how he understands the people around him. Zara returns in this book as his handler who has her own motives, and his path crosses with Thistle which is another source of conflicting emotions for him.
Each chapter begins with a riddle/puzzle to solve (and I'm getting much better at these) related to the story, which makes for a fun way to be fully invested, and each chapter has its own elements of suspense that pull you through and make you keep reading... even when you should probably call it a night.
This book, like the others in the series, will not be for everyone - there's a lot of disturbing imagery described, particularly around Blake's cannibalism - but if you're looking for a smartly written, oddly charismatic anti-hero it's definitely one to try.
April 9, 2023
Timothy Blake is back - the cannibal, CIA agent (not FBI this time around!). Another complex thriller, with some very dark humour. Nice twist/reveal near the end with the scenes set in the mental hospital, lots of gore, great characters, a very complex set-up with lots of possible solutions. Particularly loved the mention of the purple people eater at the end, and I'm sure the cryptic riddles at the start of each chapter are getting harder! With thanks to Allen and Unwin for my copy.
December 15, 2022
Immensely huge fan of Jack Heath and the Hangman series. I just finished reading Headcase and it doesn’t disappoint. A very different story as our hero/cannibal Timothy Blake looks into a case at a Space Station as a consultant with the CIA. A lot of twists and turns including action in a mental health facility. All I’ll say is read this book and with the ending…please Jack Heath I hope you’re already writing book 5 😁
January 10, 2023
I love all the books in this series but I think so far this has been my favorite
This went a totally different direction than I was expecting, and I grew to love Timothy even more he really is a great character. We got introduced to a host of new characters, plus some new ones and a brand new mystery to solve. I really loved this
This went a totally different direction than I was expecting, and I grew to love Timothy even more he really is a great character. We got introduced to a host of new characters, plus some new ones and a brand new mystery to solve. I really loved this
January 25, 2023
I loved it. A great thriller with cliffhangers all the way through. Timothy is such a wonderfully flawed character, and his adventures are so fun, and complex. The bloke takes a beating, but just has to solve the puzzle and so often gets into trouble for it.
April 30, 2023
Book #4 in the Timothy Blake series and I’m still hugely entertained by my favourite people-eater.
Audio via the BorrowBox app
Published by Bolinda audio
Narrated by Christopher Ragland
Duration: 12 hrs, 12 min. 1.25x Speed
Audio via the BorrowBox app
Published by Bolinda audio
Narrated by Christopher Ragland
Duration: 12 hrs, 12 min. 1.25x Speed
May 2, 2026
5-Word Review:
Likable one-armed cannibal with conscience
Memorable Quotes
Likable one-armed cannibal with conscience
Memorable Quotes
"Behind a curved blue desk sat a forty-something receptionist with several earrings, nose rings, eyebrow rings and a tongue ring. He probably spent his whole life avoiding magnets."
"She and I seemed to have led parallel lives, from birth onwards. She was the Earth, damaged but beautiful, while I was the Moon, cold and lifeless. We were on the same trajectory around the sun but couldn’t have been more different."
"Betrayal is a familiar emotion. I barely feel the sting of it."
"At the highest levels, the government and the Mob are indistinguishable—wealthy people who eat in Michelin-starred restaurants, reward loyalty over ability, and pride themselves on how untouchable they are. Sometimes the overlap reaches the lower levels, too."
"I’m surprised to see Harmony with a novel. I assumed she only read manifestos and declassified documents. Maybe there’s a crazy person pamphlet tucked between the pages."
January 13, 2023
Another fast paced cannibalistic crime story to enjoy
November 24, 2023
This is the fourth book in the series and I feel that to fully understand things you need to have read the previous books of the series. Timothy Blake is an unusual character, certainly damaged, but highly intelligent, in the Sherlock Holmes way. He is also a cannibal and has taken bodies as payment for his deductive talents.
He is now working with a CIA agent on a highly illegal case as it's within the USA and they are not suppose to work their, that's the job of the FBI. However, they are looking into the discovery of a body at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston and nothing makes much sense for them.
And it doesn't make much sense for the reader at times. The main story line is confusing and convoluted with lots of false leads, made more confusing by all the other story lines in the book.
It all works out in the end and you even get a hint of the next book in the series, if there is one.
Could have had a tighter and more focused story line to make it better.
He is now working with a CIA agent on a highly illegal case as it's within the USA and they are not suppose to work their, that's the job of the FBI. However, they are looking into the discovery of a body at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston and nothing makes much sense for them.
And it doesn't make much sense for the reader at times. The main story line is confusing and convoluted with lots of false leads, made more confusing by all the other story lines in the book.
It all works out in the end and you even get a hint of the next book in the series, if there is one.
Could have had a tighter and more focused story line to make it better.
February 7, 2023
There’s something about Timothy Blake that makes him one of my favourite anti-heros. I mean how can a cannibal spy be such an awesome character and, dare I say it, a good guy. He’s self-deprecating, funny, and quick as a whip.
Blake finds himself (with CIA handler Zara) looking into the discovery of a Chinese astronaut’s body in a NASA training facility in Houston. Of course everything isn’t as it seems. HEADCASE alternates between the past and present across therapeutic and in the field settings including Blake’s former employer (the FBI) and we get a little more inside Blake’s head as he unpacks his experiences and feelings for a love interest, who understandably struggles with his ‘eccentricities’.
I rarely know where Heath is going with his Timothy Blake series, and this book was no exception. The writing is sharp and detailed but not so much as to bore me which when talking about spies, espionage, the CIA etc can sometimes happen. Instead Heath uses humour and features intrinsic to his characters to ensure your investment and I found I was really all-in with this one, as Blake found himself in one predicament after another. There’s a few connections to Blake’s past that means reading the previous books in the series is ‘handy’ (pardon the pun, Blake only has one arm and uses a prosthetic) but I started on book 2 and have managed okay, as far as I can tell.
HEADCASE is fast-paced and laden with snippets of clues, that are masterfully woven together. And the ending - should have guessed it, could have guessed it … didn’t.
Loved it.
Purple people eaters for the win.
Blake finds himself (with CIA handler Zara) looking into the discovery of a Chinese astronaut’s body in a NASA training facility in Houston. Of course everything isn’t as it seems. HEADCASE alternates between the past and present across therapeutic and in the field settings including Blake’s former employer (the FBI) and we get a little more inside Blake’s head as he unpacks his experiences and feelings for a love interest, who understandably struggles with his ‘eccentricities’.
I rarely know where Heath is going with his Timothy Blake series, and this book was no exception. The writing is sharp and detailed but not so much as to bore me which when talking about spies, espionage, the CIA etc can sometimes happen. Instead Heath uses humour and features intrinsic to his characters to ensure your investment and I found I was really all-in with this one, as Blake found himself in one predicament after another. There’s a few connections to Blake’s past that means reading the previous books in the series is ‘handy’ (pardon the pun, Blake only has one arm and uses a prosthetic) but I started on book 2 and have managed okay, as far as I can tell.
HEADCASE is fast-paced and laden with snippets of clues, that are masterfully woven together. And the ending - should have guessed it, could have guessed it … didn’t.
Loved it.
Purple people eaters for the win.
December 4, 2024
I love this series. This addition was no exception.
The plot was almost too detailed, it was so complex. There's a lot of balls in the air with this one, but he concluded all the important details by the end and also left enough to continue the series. And naturally I can't wait for it to continue.
The plot was almost too detailed, it was so complex. There's a lot of balls in the air with this one, but he concluded all the important details by the end and also left enough to continue the series. And naturally I can't wait for it to continue.
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