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FalconClaw: Säters
Monsters create monsters; Frank kept telling himself. Since his father was killed by a serial killer when he was only fourteen, Frank was on the path of becoming one himself.
Then, on Easter Sunday of 2019, less than two years after The Schuylkiller wreaked havoc on the City of Philadelphia, a new killer reared his head and began his own reign of terror.
When Frank settles into a quiet life with his former partner, Penny, and their infant daughter, he is pulled out of retirement and must go it alone if he’s to save his family and his soul.
What Frank discovers next will have him second-guessing himself and the motives of the killer; or, is it killers? Frank will be taken to Montreal and Sweden to uncover the true identity of the killers and the truth of the kind of man he is or might become. Will it take a monster to kill a monster? Frank will find out, but at what cost?
Then, on Easter Sunday of 2019, less than two years after The Schuylkiller wreaked havoc on the City of Philadelphia, a new killer reared his head and began his own reign of terror.
When Frank settles into a quiet life with his former partner, Penny, and their infant daughter, he is pulled out of retirement and must go it alone if he’s to save his family and his soul.
What Frank discovers next will have him second-guessing himself and the motives of the killer; or, is it killers? Frank will be taken to Montreal and Sweden to uncover the true identity of the killers and the truth of the kind of man he is or might become. Will it take a monster to kill a monster? Frank will find out, but at what cost?
422 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 19, 2022
6 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 9, 2022
FalconClaw Säters opens outside of a mental hospital in Sweden and leaves the reader no doubt they’re in for a departure from Michael Cook’s previous books in the FalconClaw series. Cook’s first book, Old Man Winter was a cozy in all but the bookstore shelving-selection. The Sleep Room was a visceral, street-level police procedural, FalconClaw Säters is psychological thriller with grit and grisly detail.
It also delivers on the promise in Cooks’ previous books while ratcheting up the stakes right along with the body-count.
There are beats in FCS that remind me of George Pelecanos’ work, especially in the use of time and place within the fragmented story structure. Cook’s attention to characters and what moves them that makes FCS so much fun to read. He uses each character like a piece in a mosaic, each fragment a picture of the larger story.
But the tight-rope writing required for high-stakes thrillers is something that Cook does well. In previous reviews, I commented on the use of seeping cold that underscored Cook’s first "FalconClaw book, Old Man Winter." In "The Sleep Room" it was the moldy smell of outdated squadrooms and wrung-out cars. But in "FalconClaw Säters" it is dread that underscores the tone of the story and the contemporary setting.
Our killer here, as in TSR, is out for revenge, not visceral thrills. In pursuit of his own twisted justice for generational scars, the killer is plotting and methodical. Which, of course, is even more frightening than the stark-raving mad psycho.
A note on tone. This in my review of The Sleep Room:
"While the tone is different, the focus, and the killer are completely different, what Cook has retained is his sensibility for the reader. There is violence, (more so than in OMW) but this is no gore-fest. While there is coarse language, indeed, grown-up discussions, there is no explicit sexual scenes or any sexual violence."
Mostly, this still holds true. The violence here is more emotional than in previous books. But do note, this is not a cozy.
As with the previous work, FCS is fast. The 400-odd pages fly by. Philadelphia natives will delight at recognizing factual events and factual people that fill out this work of fiction. Ultimately, FalconClaw Säters is a fun read for a dark and stormy night. Check it out, here.
It also delivers on the promise in Cooks’ previous books while ratcheting up the stakes right along with the body-count.
There are beats in FCS that remind me of George Pelecanos’ work, especially in the use of time and place within the fragmented story structure. Cook’s attention to characters and what moves them that makes FCS so much fun to read. He uses each character like a piece in a mosaic, each fragment a picture of the larger story.
But the tight-rope writing required for high-stakes thrillers is something that Cook does well. In previous reviews, I commented on the use of seeping cold that underscored Cook’s first "FalconClaw book, Old Man Winter." In "The Sleep Room" it was the moldy smell of outdated squadrooms and wrung-out cars. But in "FalconClaw Säters" it is dread that underscores the tone of the story and the contemporary setting.
Our killer here, as in TSR, is out for revenge, not visceral thrills. In pursuit of his own twisted justice for generational scars, the killer is plotting and methodical. Which, of course, is even more frightening than the stark-raving mad psycho.
A note on tone. This in my review of The Sleep Room:
"While the tone is different, the focus, and the killer are completely different, what Cook has retained is his sensibility for the reader. There is violence, (more so than in OMW) but this is no gore-fest. While there is coarse language, indeed, grown-up discussions, there is no explicit sexual scenes or any sexual violence."
Mostly, this still holds true. The violence here is more emotional than in previous books. But do note, this is not a cozy.
As with the previous work, FCS is fast. The 400-odd pages fly by. Philadelphia natives will delight at recognizing factual events and factual people that fill out this work of fiction. Ultimately, FalconClaw Säters is a fun read for a dark and stormy night. Check it out, here.
October 26, 2022
Such A Masterfully Written Psychological Thriller It's a must Read For All!
Whether familiar with The FalconClaw Detective Series or just browsing for a good psychological crime thriller - "FalconClaw: Saters" is the perfect choice to keep you hanging on the edge of your seat! Page after page the reader will find themselves fully immersed in the lives of the characters and events as the story unfolds! This author continues to hone his craft in not only skillfully telling a phenomenal crime thriller, but also, in seamlessly incorporating his previously written installments ("Old Man Winter: Heavenly Gates" and "FalconClaw: The Sleep Room"). Further, his style of writing connects the reader so closely to the individual characters and events they're left feeling the same fear, intrigue, suspense, pain, heartache, remorse and so much more as a savage killer once again terrorizes the streets of Northern Philadelphia!
Join veteran and renowned detectives, Frank Collazo & Penelope (aka Penny) Bristow, as they and their team hunt for the madman once again dubbing himself the Schuylkiller. The very same monster Frank and Penny thought they killed 2 years earlier making them the celebrated Detectives they are today. As the death count increases at the hands of this madman so do the questions! To find the answers all one has to do is read. This reader couldn't stop until the last word of the epilogue was read resulting in hours of the best reading entertainment since his last installment! It is this reader's opinion, Mr. Michael Cook has successfully completed and produced another magnificent work of art!
Whether familiar with The FalconClaw Detective Series or just browsing for a good psychological crime thriller - "FalconClaw: Saters" is the perfect choice to keep you hanging on the edge of your seat! Page after page the reader will find themselves fully immersed in the lives of the characters and events as the story unfolds! This author continues to hone his craft in not only skillfully telling a phenomenal crime thriller, but also, in seamlessly incorporating his previously written installments ("Old Man Winter: Heavenly Gates" and "FalconClaw: The Sleep Room"). Further, his style of writing connects the reader so closely to the individual characters and events they're left feeling the same fear, intrigue, suspense, pain, heartache, remorse and so much more as a savage killer once again terrorizes the streets of Northern Philadelphia!
Join veteran and renowned detectives, Frank Collazo & Penelope (aka Penny) Bristow, as they and their team hunt for the madman once again dubbing himself the Schuylkiller. The very same monster Frank and Penny thought they killed 2 years earlier making them the celebrated Detectives they are today. As the death count increases at the hands of this madman so do the questions! To find the answers all one has to do is read. This reader couldn't stop until the last word of the epilogue was read resulting in hours of the best reading entertainment since his last installment! It is this reader's opinion, Mr. Michael Cook has successfully completed and produced another magnificent work of art!
November 18, 2022
I will begin by saying that Michael Cook has become one of my favorite authors and I look forward to all the new books he puts out. Saters picks up two years after Sleep Room and follows Penny and Frank as they scramble to figure out a series of murders that appear to be connected to the Schuykiller serial killer.
The story moves briskly, and even at 430 +/- pages, it zips by. Some of the murder scenes are described in graphic detail, bringing the story to life. The author even educated me on the plight of the children born of Nazi soldiers and Scandanavian women to advance the Arian race and how their lives were ruined after Germany lost the war. I highly recommend this book and it can be read as a standalone story because the author does an excellent job explaining plot lines that flowed from the previous book when needed. Give it a try, you will not be disappointed.
The story moves briskly, and even at 430 +/- pages, it zips by. Some of the murder scenes are described in graphic detail, bringing the story to life. The author even educated me on the plight of the children born of Nazi soldiers and Scandanavian women to advance the Arian race and how their lives were ruined after Germany lost the war. I highly recommend this book and it can be read as a standalone story because the author does an excellent job explaining plot lines that flowed from the previous book when needed. Give it a try, you will not be disappointed.
December 12, 2022
When reading this psychological thriller, the boy in the box finally received a name in Philadelphia. The real life facts that align with admitted fiction in all three books thus far is audacious yet very relatable, very heart wrenching and authentically and traumatically real. Loss. Revenge. Fear. Love. Empathy. Self doubt. Rage. When realities are dreams is a common theme in this psychological thriller. The three book series captured aspects of The Shining, The Sixth Sense and lastly, A Beautiful Mind but with a detective angst and rigid frame of reference. Living history aligns with fictional adaptations that demand a yearning to know what’s next.
May 25, 2023
What a delight it was to be able to delve back into the lives of Detectives Frank Collazo and Penelope Bristow. After being introduced to the Falcon Claw series on Goodreads I was hooked, and so glad to see the series continue with Saters. The 39th police district in Philadelphia will unfortunately be again rattled by what seems to be a copycat Schuylkiller. Frank will need to decide if he will be strong enough to give up his comfortable life with Penny and their baby daughter, forgo retirement, and attempt to solve this mystery. His attempts to get to the root of the killer's demons include a trip to Sweden and the Saters asylum. He knows that monsters are created by other monsters and the horror he discovers affect him to his core. This is a thriller extraordinaire, and I couldn't wait to get to it every chance I got. Enjoy it for yourselves!
October 28, 2022
Full Disclosure - I'm the author.
Of my five novels, this is my proudest achievement. The story of Frank and Penny, two Philly Homicide Detectives, and their never-ending journey to rid the world of bad guys takes the reader on an emotional thrill ride. The FalconClaw Detective series contains emotion, intrigue, mystery, and real-life drama. A character-driven series that puts the reader in the middle of the investigation and delivers unexpected twists and turns that the reader doesn't see coming.
Along the journey, you'll encounter a ghost or two and be taken to Montreal, Canada, and Sweden.
I hope you'll give this book (great as a stand-alone) and series a try. Thank you in advance for your support. Warm Regards, Michael Cook
Of my five novels, this is my proudest achievement. The story of Frank and Penny, two Philly Homicide Detectives, and their never-ending journey to rid the world of bad guys takes the reader on an emotional thrill ride. The FalconClaw Detective series contains emotion, intrigue, mystery, and real-life drama. A character-driven series that puts the reader in the middle of the investigation and delivers unexpected twists and turns that the reader doesn't see coming.
Along the journey, you'll encounter a ghost or two and be taken to Montreal, Canada, and Sweden.
I hope you'll give this book (great as a stand-alone) and series a try. Thank you in advance for your support. Warm Regards, Michael Cook
March 25, 2025
This is an excellent continuation of the Falcon Claw Series! I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it and once I did, I could not put it down! This book has so much suspense and was extremely well-written. Every chapter puts you right there in the action. Michael’s attention to detail is phenomenal. I enjoyed following Frank and Penny once again! It is always extremely important to bring to the forefront mental health issues surrounding those forgotten children being cast away by society for numerous reasons and the effect it has on these children. This book brought to light the mental health aspect of Isak and what he had dealt with his entire life. This book is very fascinating and captivating! Thank you Michael for another fabulous book! Looking forward to the next one!
August 17, 2025
WOW!! This is my favorite book of the series so far. I was so impatient to who it was, and when I did figure it out, I wanted him caught right then. I liked everything about this read. I couldn't keep the book down. When I was at a suspenseful part of the book, I was startled when my dad said hello! I jumped! I feel I'm friends with the main characters. I don't want the author to kill off Frank or Penny in the next books; I have a gut feeling it will happen. I hope I'm wrong.
I'm starting Falcon Claw Fraternal #4 this week.
I'm starting Falcon Claw Fraternal #4 this week.
November 2, 2022
Having followed the story from the very first book, I can say that this was the best and most satisfying read in the series. I have become so invested in these characters, and the ending absolutely took my breath away in the most unexpected way. Great read and highly recommended.
June 30, 2023
Institutions can be fatal.
Thankfully industrial sized mental institutions along with electric shock therapy and frontal lobotomies are consigned to history. Unfortunately self medication seems to be replacing the former tortured souls.
Thankfully industrial sized mental institutions along with electric shock therapy and frontal lobotomies are consigned to history. Unfortunately self medication seems to be replacing the former tortured souls.
May 22, 2023
Saters - A Must Read
This psychological thriller will grab hold of you when you first journey to Sweden and learn about Saters Mental Hospital and Sanitarium and the 2 month old baby who arrived there. Michael Cook shares the horrid stories of how for decades wealthy families placed their children born with mental or physical disorders or even undiagnosed ailments to avoid public shame or embarrassment in places like Saters. Saters also housed some of the children from the Lebensborn project where the Nazis sought to breed a superior race but when the Germans lost the war, those children were ostracized, institutionalized and suffered brutal mistreatment.
The author transports you to Philadelphia and immerses you into the lives of 2 former Philly P.D. Detectives who are pulled from retirement to be swept into the havoc sweeping their city. Will they be able to stop this monster or monsters; or, will they be the next victim.
This book is written in a way that you feel the emotions, the fear, the doubts, the pain and the love each character is experiencing. It is a breathtaking mystery that you will not be able to put down.
Michael Cook is my new, best author who will become yours once you start reading his series
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews