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Briguella
After several women fall victim to a serial killer, journalist Kate Rivendale becomes embroiled in the manhunt. The authorities have no suspect, and only one forensic link that dates way back to the 1930s. Detective Chief Inspector William Beckley wants to save his career; he has too many deaths on his conscience. Beckley entices Kate to go undercover, a decision which backfires with devastating consequences. While DCI Beckley reaches a horrifying conclusion about the murderer, Kate enters a desperate fight for her life - while battling to keep her own secrets buried. But how far is she willing to go to get the story?
- GenresThriller
358 pages, Paperback
Published August 8, 2021
5 people are currently reading
61 people want to read
About the author
Vicki Fitzgerald
9 books67 followersPsychological Thriller Author
Sweet on the surface but 'Disturbingly Dark' inside.
Vicki FitzGerald has been writing professionally since 2017 and has no intention of slowing down anytime soon. She is the author of two crime thrillers Briguella and Kill List, and her new memoir, Still Standing.
Kill List (pending publication) is currently being considered for a movie/ TV series adaption in Hollywood.
Vicki lives in the West Country with her two children, Matthew and Emily. When she is not writing her hobbies include travelling to new countries to chase the sunshine and making homemade bath bombs, soaps and bath salts. She also enjoys going to the gym, running, great food and wine!
Ever since she was a child, Vicki was always inventing stories and sharing them with anyone who would listen.
After graduating from university, Vicki embarked on a career as a regional journalist and later established her own Public Relations firm. Her dream was to become an author and Vicki chose to close her company and write full time. She plans a long and successful career in writing.
Get in touch if you would like to chat to Vicki, she would be happy to hear from you!
Get in touch via www.vickifitzgerald.com or social media.
Facebook www.facebook.com/vickifitzgeraldauthor/
Twitter @AuthorVickiFitz
Instagram authorvickifitzgerald
Sweet on the surface but 'Disturbingly Dark' inside.
Vicki FitzGerald has been writing professionally since 2017 and has no intention of slowing down anytime soon. She is the author of two crime thrillers Briguella and Kill List, and her new memoir, Still Standing.
Kill List (pending publication) is currently being considered for a movie/ TV series adaption in Hollywood.
Vicki lives in the West Country with her two children, Matthew and Emily. When she is not writing her hobbies include travelling to new countries to chase the sunshine and making homemade bath bombs, soaps and bath salts. She also enjoys going to the gym, running, great food and wine!
Ever since she was a child, Vicki was always inventing stories and sharing them with anyone who would listen.
After graduating from university, Vicki embarked on a career as a regional journalist and later established her own Public Relations firm. Her dream was to become an author and Vicki chose to close her company and write full time. She plans a long and successful career in writing.
Get in touch if you would like to chat to Vicki, she would be happy to hear from you!
Get in touch via www.vickifitzgerald.com or social media.
Facebook www.facebook.com/vickifitzgeraldauthor/
Twitter @AuthorVickiFitz
Instagram authorvickifitzgerald
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
February 2, 2018
* 4.5 Stars*
* Thank you to the author Vicki Fitzgerald for my ARC, I have given an honest review in exchange *
Kate Rivendale is a journalist, and like journalists everywhere, she dreams of scooping that headline grabbing story, something that will launch her career to another level. Kate's about to get her big break, but in doing so, the story she's about to report on will put her life in danger as she becomes an integral part of the headlines, and becomes the focal point for a serial killer.
This serial killer has a particular type of victim, they're young, blonde, pretty, and outgoing, and as the body count rises, Detective Chief Inspector Will Beckley is desperate to catch him. Beckley already has a guilt complex after failing to save a child and his mother in a previous unconnected case, so he'll do whatever it takes this time around. If he messes up on this case his career will be over.
Beckley approaches Kate in a plea to help him catch the killer by going undercover and enticing the killer to strike. With Kate under surveillance 24/7, she'll be perfectly safe won't she? Well no, she isn't safe, and what follows is the most nerve jangling experience that sets the old heart pounding fifty to the dozen!
It's clear that the author has carried out extensive research to enable her to set the scene for the autopsies carried out as part of the investigations. In addition to that, the storyline was completely gripping - it really was without question, edge of the seat stuff. I had my suspicions about who the killer was fairly early on, and though my suspicions were confirmed, it didn't spoil the experience, it was such a tense and compelling read. If I have one minor negative it was that I thought the narrative was overly descriptive in general, but that’s just a personal preference, and it really was just a minor thing, as this was a terrific debut from Vicki Fitzgerald. With a start like this, I'm expecting exciting things from her in the future.
* Thank you to the author Vicki Fitzgerald for my ARC, I have given an honest review in exchange *
Kate Rivendale is a journalist, and like journalists everywhere, she dreams of scooping that headline grabbing story, something that will launch her career to another level. Kate's about to get her big break, but in doing so, the story she's about to report on will put her life in danger as she becomes an integral part of the headlines, and becomes the focal point for a serial killer.
This serial killer has a particular type of victim, they're young, blonde, pretty, and outgoing, and as the body count rises, Detective Chief Inspector Will Beckley is desperate to catch him. Beckley already has a guilt complex after failing to save a child and his mother in a previous unconnected case, so he'll do whatever it takes this time around. If he messes up on this case his career will be over.
Beckley approaches Kate in a plea to help him catch the killer by going undercover and enticing the killer to strike. With Kate under surveillance 24/7, she'll be perfectly safe won't she? Well no, she isn't safe, and what follows is the most nerve jangling experience that sets the old heart pounding fifty to the dozen!
It's clear that the author has carried out extensive research to enable her to set the scene for the autopsies carried out as part of the investigations. In addition to that, the storyline was completely gripping - it really was without question, edge of the seat stuff. I had my suspicions about who the killer was fairly early on, and though my suspicions were confirmed, it didn't spoil the experience, it was such a tense and compelling read. If I have one minor negative it was that I thought the narrative was overly descriptive in general, but that’s just a personal preference, and it really was just a minor thing, as this was a terrific debut from Vicki Fitzgerald. With a start like this, I'm expecting exciting things from her in the future.
May 17, 2021
Ok thriller/mystery
[spoiler]
[/spoiler]
** spoiler alert ** Briguella (Brighella) is a character out of Italian classical drama and the serial killer in this mystery wears the mask representing this character who was known to be cunning and deceitful. Random girls are being attacked and Kate, a newspaper investigative reporter, has been covering the story. After her sister is attacked as a warning to her, she feels compelled to help Det. Beckley by being bait to try to catch the elusive killer and put an end to the maniac's rampage. The tables are turned on her when she is abducted right out of her bed while the police are supposed to be protecting her, and taken to a secluded location, restrained and abused. The suspense in the book was good, but I was disappointed in the ending. For me it had a good pace, then at the end fell flat. The premise was good-- the good, loving and caring husband of the reporter is behind all of it in revenge of his twin brother's death, but usually there seems to be little "off" things periodically, that during the course of the story one might not put much into, then when it all wraps up and the reader looks back, they can say "Ah ha! I see it now!" But there was none of that... I progressed through the story expecting that sort of thing with one of the characters, and when it turned out to be the husband, which was so out of character for him I couldn't believe it, I was let down. I was disappointed that the story had been going so well, and then let down. I received this book in exchange for a free review. Thank you.
[spoiler]
[/spoiler]
** spoiler alert ** Briguella (Brighella) is a character out of Italian classical drama and the serial killer in this mystery wears the mask representing this character who was known to be cunning and deceitful. Random girls are being attacked and Kate, a newspaper investigative reporter, has been covering the story. After her sister is attacked as a warning to her, she feels compelled to help Det. Beckley by being bait to try to catch the elusive killer and put an end to the maniac's rampage. The tables are turned on her when she is abducted right out of her bed while the police are supposed to be protecting her, and taken to a secluded location, restrained and abused. The suspense in the book was good, but I was disappointed in the ending. For me it had a good pace, then at the end fell flat. The premise was good-- the good, loving and caring husband of the reporter is behind all of it in revenge of his twin brother's death, but usually there seems to be little "off" things periodically, that during the course of the story one might not put much into, then when it all wraps up and the reader looks back, they can say "Ah ha! I see it now!" But there was none of that... I progressed through the story expecting that sort of thing with one of the characters, and when it turned out to be the husband, which was so out of character for him I couldn't believe it, I was let down. I was disappointed that the story had been going so well, and then let down. I received this book in exchange for a free review. Thank you.
March 27, 2018
4.5 Stars
Seven woman have been brutally murdered. First he strangles them ... just enough so that they can't scream. He beats them until they are unrecognizable. He then inserts something long and thin through the ear until it pierces the brain. And just to make sure they are no longer breathing, he stabs them in the heart.
Detective Chief Inspector William Beckley's career is on the line. In a previous crime, a mother and her young son were killed when he misread the hostage situation. He still lives with what he considers blood on his hands.
Journalist Kate Rivendale wants this story. Even more so when her sister is threatened if Kate doesn't drop the story. Beckley decides that his best bet to catch this vicious killer is to have Kate go undercover. She will be followed every minute of every day to keep her safe.
Kate and her husband are already having problems within their marriage ... this certainly isn't helping. Her husband is angry that she's putting herself out there ... and Kate has a secret that she has kept from him.
And then Kate disappears .......
This is a new author to me and one I'm sure I will be following. Her writing style is a little different than what I'm used to, but it didn't take long to grasp the tempo. The conversations seem really short ... but the thoughts that we (the reader) are subject to are full of details that make the story what it is.
The characters are solid. Beckley is a man with issues .. he truly feels for his victims and wants to bring closure to their families. Kate is a gutsy reporter who has personal issues that she has to deal with. I didn't much care for her husband ... he comes across as rather selfish when it comes to emotions. And I really didn't like Kate's mother and sister. My first thought when they were brought into the story was .. Are you kidding me????
Many thanks to the author for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Seven woman have been brutally murdered. First he strangles them ... just enough so that they can't scream. He beats them until they are unrecognizable. He then inserts something long and thin through the ear until it pierces the brain. And just to make sure they are no longer breathing, he stabs them in the heart.
Detective Chief Inspector William Beckley's career is on the line. In a previous crime, a mother and her young son were killed when he misread the hostage situation. He still lives with what he considers blood on his hands.
Journalist Kate Rivendale wants this story. Even more so when her sister is threatened if Kate doesn't drop the story. Beckley decides that his best bet to catch this vicious killer is to have Kate go undercover. She will be followed every minute of every day to keep her safe.
Kate and her husband are already having problems within their marriage ... this certainly isn't helping. Her husband is angry that she's putting herself out there ... and Kate has a secret that she has kept from him.
And then Kate disappears .......
This is a new author to me and one I'm sure I will be following. Her writing style is a little different than what I'm used to, but it didn't take long to grasp the tempo. The conversations seem really short ... but the thoughts that we (the reader) are subject to are full of details that make the story what it is.
The characters are solid. Beckley is a man with issues .. he truly feels for his victims and wants to bring closure to their families. Kate is a gutsy reporter who has personal issues that she has to deal with. I didn't much care for her husband ... he comes across as rather selfish when it comes to emotions. And I really didn't like Kate's mother and sister. My first thought when they were brought into the story was .. Are you kidding me????
Many thanks to the author for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
April 14, 2018
Briguella (Brighella) is a character out of Italian classical drama and the serial killer in this mystery wears the mask representing this character who was known to be cunning and deceitful. Random girls are being attacked and Kate, a newspaper investigative reporter, has been covering the story. After her sister is attacked as a warning to her, she feels compelled to help Det. Beckley by being bait to try to catch the elusive killer and put an end to the maniac's rampage. The tables are turned on her when she is abducted right out of her bed while the police are supposed to be protecting her, and taken to a secluded location, restrained and abused. The suspense in the book was good, but I was disappointed in the ending. For me it had a good pace, then at the end fell flat. The premise was good-- the good, loving and caring husband of the reporter is behind all of it in revenge of his twin brother's death, but usually there seems to be little "off" things periodically, that during the course of the story one might not put much into, then when it all wraps up and the reader looks back, they can say "Ah ha! I see it now!" But there was none of that... I progressed through the story expecting that sort of thing with one of the characters, and when it turned out to be the husband, which was so out of character for him I couldn't believe it, I was let down. I was disappointed that the story had been going so well, and then let down. If goodreads had fractional ratings, I would give it a 3.5.
I received this book in exchange for a free review. Thank you.
I received this book in exchange for a free review. Thank you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2018
A truly fabulous and entertaining story from start to finish. I really enjoyed Vicki Fitzgerald’s writing style, and her ability to pull me into the story with such a great plot. I can tell how much I’m enjoying a book, when I don’t register what’s going on around me, as I’m totally enthralled in the story. That takes a talented Author to achieve this. I also enjoyed the way the story moves around each of the characters, and build up to an exciting ending.
DCI William Beckley and his fellow investigators aren’t having any luck in finding clues to who the latest serial killer is. He’s been targeting young blonde-haired women at a rapid rate. What makes this monster far worse than your average murderer, is the violence and torture he is inflicting on his victims. They definitely need to stop him before the body count rises any further. Up until now the Police have only been releasing limited information to the public, in an effort to encourage women to take more precautions when they are out and about. However, as that doesn’t seem to be working, DCI Beckley approaches Kate Rivendale, a journalist from the Southern Cornicle to assist in their investigation. Kate’s boss doesn’t seem to like her very much, so Kate is going to do everything she can to land a front-page story. Even if she has to put herself in harm’s way. This is a clever story, and very well written. If you enjoy Thrillers, then this is definitely a book worth reading.
DCI William Beckley and his fellow investigators aren’t having any luck in finding clues to who the latest serial killer is. He’s been targeting young blonde-haired women at a rapid rate. What makes this monster far worse than your average murderer, is the violence and torture he is inflicting on his victims. They definitely need to stop him before the body count rises any further. Up until now the Police have only been releasing limited information to the public, in an effort to encourage women to take more precautions when they are out and about. However, as that doesn’t seem to be working, DCI Beckley approaches Kate Rivendale, a journalist from the Southern Cornicle to assist in their investigation. Kate’s boss doesn’t seem to like her very much, so Kate is going to do everything she can to land a front-page story. Even if she has to put herself in harm’s way. This is a clever story, and very well written. If you enjoy Thrillers, then this is definitely a book worth reading.
January 21, 2018
There’s a serial killer on the loose in Westhaven and it’s up to handsome DCI Will Beckley to catch the psychopath before he kills again. Pretty Kate Rivendale is an eager young journalist who annoys Will when she inserts herself into his investigation. But to Kate’s surprise, instead of telling her to stay out of the way, Will asks her to go undercover and entice the killer into the open. As the investigation progresses, their attraction to each other grows. And that’s a problem because catching the killer leaves no room for error and their relationship will blind them to the real killer and put both their lives in danger.
This is a story in the grand, classic tradition of the great British crime thriller. I found myself enthralled, anxious to find out whether Will and Kate would outwit the killer and bring him to justice. The pacing, dialogue, and narrative are perfect. The detail about forensics, pathology, and crime scenes are graphic and make the story realistic. Although I thought I knew who the killer was, instead of becoming bored or disinterested in the outcome, it made me absolutely terrified that I was wrong! There’s a twist.
Primarily, though, this is a character-driven novel, and I was especially drawn to Will. Strong, stable, good-looking. And I’d like to take this opportunity to address him: Will, if you’re still out there and single …. well, I’m getting off track. The point is—the characters feel real. You experience what they do. You feel what they feel. They step off the page. The bonus is the excellent writing and the plot that throws out an array of possible suspects that will keep you in suspense until the end. My verdict: A thrilling 5 star read.
This is a story in the grand, classic tradition of the great British crime thriller. I found myself enthralled, anxious to find out whether Will and Kate would outwit the killer and bring him to justice. The pacing, dialogue, and narrative are perfect. The detail about forensics, pathology, and crime scenes are graphic and make the story realistic. Although I thought I knew who the killer was, instead of becoming bored or disinterested in the outcome, it made me absolutely terrified that I was wrong! There’s a twist.
Primarily, though, this is a character-driven novel, and I was especially drawn to Will. Strong, stable, good-looking. And I’d like to take this opportunity to address him: Will, if you’re still out there and single …. well, I’m getting off track. The point is—the characters feel real. You experience what they do. You feel what they feel. They step off the page. The bonus is the excellent writing and the plot that throws out an array of possible suspects that will keep you in suspense until the end. My verdict: A thrilling 5 star read.
January 8, 2018
This is my own debut book so I have to say how amazing it is and that you won't want to put it down! LOL. It is based loosely around a real police investigation that I covered as a journalist. The book is set in my hometown Weston-super-Mare (called Westhaven in the book) and anyone living in this area will recognise many of the familiar landmarks. If you are a fan of crime thrillers I am hoping you'll enjoy it as it's based around a serial killer and a journalist who becomes embroiled in the manhunt.
January 17, 2018
Gripping debut psychological thriller. . . I read it in one sitting!
A gripping, compelling debut from an exciting new voice in Crime Fiction. I couldn’t put it down! Tense & original with a great twist. Brilliant, addictive read with believable characters that you can relate to. Highly recommended. I can't wait to read more from this author.
A gripping, compelling debut from an exciting new voice in Crime Fiction. I couldn’t put it down! Tense & original with a great twist. Brilliant, addictive read with believable characters that you can relate to. Highly recommended. I can't wait to read more from this author.
March 28, 2018
Book reviews on www.snazzybooks.com
Briguella is a gripping crime debut from Vicki Fitzgerald, an author I'll certainly be following!
The novel itself has two main narrators: DCI William Beckley and reporter Kate Rivendale, and having both of these characters tell us their side of the story means the readers gets just the right blend of police procedural elements and 'non-police' actions and jargon. I really warmed to Kate, though she had her faults, and found myself caring what happened to her. I have to say, I wasn't a big fan of Beckley due to the way he treated some characters and really mooned over *someone* (I found this rather irritating but I don't want to be more specific as I don't want to give away any elements of the plot). He just grated on me - and don't get me started on Kate's mother and sister - no excuses for their behaviour! At times I felt the descriptions were a bit too long and flowing, but nevertheless I hugely enjoyed reading about the police's (at times very flawed) investigation into the mysterious serial killer terrorising Westhaven's streets. The plot it moved along at the right pace and kept me really wanting to read on.
There's elements of gore and some pretty nasty parts - it is about a serial killer, after all -but this didn't feel too over the top. I had guessed the killer's identity towards the end of the book but it didn't hamper my enjoyment at all, and overall I am hugely impressed by this brilliant debut which I would definitely recommend!
* Many thanks to Vicki for providing a copy of this novel on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review. *
Briguella is a gripping crime debut from Vicki Fitzgerald, an author I'll certainly be following!
The novel itself has two main narrators: DCI William Beckley and reporter Kate Rivendale, and having both of these characters tell us their side of the story means the readers gets just the right blend of police procedural elements and 'non-police' actions and jargon. I really warmed to Kate, though she had her faults, and found myself caring what happened to her. I have to say, I wasn't a big fan of Beckley due to the way he treated some characters and really mooned over *someone* (I found this rather irritating but I don't want to be more specific as I don't want to give away any elements of the plot). He just grated on me - and don't get me started on Kate's mother and sister - no excuses for their behaviour! At times I felt the descriptions were a bit too long and flowing, but nevertheless I hugely enjoyed reading about the police's (at times very flawed) investigation into the mysterious serial killer terrorising Westhaven's streets. The plot it moved along at the right pace and kept me really wanting to read on.
There's elements of gore and some pretty nasty parts - it is about a serial killer, after all -but this didn't feel too over the top. I had guessed the killer's identity towards the end of the book but it didn't hamper my enjoyment at all, and overall I am hugely impressed by this brilliant debut which I would definitely recommend!
* Many thanks to Vicki for providing a copy of this novel on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review. *
March 9, 2018
Thank you to the author, Vicki Fitzgerald for providing me with a copy of this book in trade for an honest review.
This review is also posted in my blog :
https://onewordtoomuch.wordpress.com/...
This is a great debut crime novel by the author, Vicki Fitzgerald. It’s not quite a quick read but it sure is enjoyable, fascinating and intimate. Here we follow 2 characters: DCI Beckley and Kate Rivendale. They both have 1 thing in common: the Millbrook serial killer. The killer used a Brighella mask and he numbered his victims by cutting their fingers. The killing has been escalated into more victims within a short time of period.
The story is actually quite simple: murder by some psycho. What I find fascinating from this book is the detail of the lines that describes the event from each character point of view. It feels intimate yet fascinating at the same time, because you could see the story from a different angle. Even at times, the story is seen from the killer point of view, so we could see what he thinks. The lines didn’t just explain: there’s a dead body on the ground. Instead of stating the obvious, the author described things in a more detailed manner, taking note on the small things. Although near the end of the book, I feel there’s too much drama in it, but this is a fresh approach for me.
EXCERPT:
The mangled doll like corpse forms a stark silhouette against the estate; limbs sprawled gracelessly and bathing in blood stolen from her veins. The stench of rotting flesh blankets the air with a suffocating abattoir aroma. Crimson streaks solidify, congealing on her mottled skin and seeping beneath her between pavement cracks. No one can save her; the deathlike pallor of her face indicates she’s long been devoid of life. Her previous beauty marred by violence; nose shattered and plugged by crisp obsidian blood.
The plot is not too twisty but interesting to follow. What I like is there are quite some serious references to the pathology part. The pathology process is well researched and quite detailed. For the mystery, clues were thrown all over the place. But what overthrow me is that the murderer is so much closer than I thought.
For Kate and DCI Beckley, somehow there’s something brewing between them. It’s kind of unusual since both are scared and unsure about their feelings. Is there something between them? There are some lines from both characters that shows intimacy but not spoken out loud. I hope there’s a sequel for DCI Beckley and Kate’s story.
This review is also posted in my blog :
https://onewordtoomuch.wordpress.com/...
This is a great debut crime novel by the author, Vicki Fitzgerald. It’s not quite a quick read but it sure is enjoyable, fascinating and intimate. Here we follow 2 characters: DCI Beckley and Kate Rivendale. They both have 1 thing in common: the Millbrook serial killer. The killer used a Brighella mask and he numbered his victims by cutting their fingers. The killing has been escalated into more victims within a short time of period.
The story is actually quite simple: murder by some psycho. What I find fascinating from this book is the detail of the lines that describes the event from each character point of view. It feels intimate yet fascinating at the same time, because you could see the story from a different angle. Even at times, the story is seen from the killer point of view, so we could see what he thinks. The lines didn’t just explain: there’s a dead body on the ground. Instead of stating the obvious, the author described things in a more detailed manner, taking note on the small things. Although near the end of the book, I feel there’s too much drama in it, but this is a fresh approach for me.
EXCERPT:
The mangled doll like corpse forms a stark silhouette against the estate; limbs sprawled gracelessly and bathing in blood stolen from her veins. The stench of rotting flesh blankets the air with a suffocating abattoir aroma. Crimson streaks solidify, congealing on her mottled skin and seeping beneath her between pavement cracks. No one can save her; the deathlike pallor of her face indicates she’s long been devoid of life. Her previous beauty marred by violence; nose shattered and plugged by crisp obsidian blood.
The plot is not too twisty but interesting to follow. What I like is there are quite some serious references to the pathology part. The pathology process is well researched and quite detailed. For the mystery, clues were thrown all over the place. But what overthrow me is that the murderer is so much closer than I thought.
For Kate and DCI Beckley, somehow there’s something brewing between them. It’s kind of unusual since both are scared and unsure about their feelings. Is there something between them? There are some lines from both characters that shows intimacy but not spoken out loud. I hope there’s a sequel for DCI Beckley and Kate’s story.
Recommend for those who like crime and mystery with interesting and intimate lines, a fresh read from the character’s point of view and surely love reading pathology details.
February 8, 2018
I would like to thank the author, Vicki Fitzgerald, for very kindly sending me a review copy of Briguella, a police procedural cum thriller set in Somerset.
Westhaven is reeling when the police uncover two murdered women but with one missing three fingers and the other missing four they suspect that there are still two bodies to find and that they are dealing with a serial killer. DCI Will Beckley is leading the investigation and with no forensics or witnesses he is stumped. Kate Riverton is reporting for the Westhaven Chronicle and reluctantly agrees to go undercover for the police when events start hitting close to home.
I thoroughly enjoyed Briguella which is a pulse pounding, exciting read. It helps, in this novel, that the narrative is first person, told alternately by Will and Kate, as it brings the emotions closer and makes them immediate with a strong impact. I really liked the characterisation which is very well done. Will is guilt driven through events in his past and the way things work out in his current case only compounds it. Kate is much more emotional with mood swings and fluctuating feelings. At times she is annoying and then I recognise her thought patterns and think maybe she's just human. Two flawed individuals who bare their souls in the course of the novel - it's great stuff.
The plot is a bit slow to get started with much detail about many things but most obviously the pathology. Vicki has obviously done her research and it shows to great effect. I don't think I have read another novel with so much detail and I found it fascinating rather than the bore it could have been. Once the novel gets going, however, it is a thrill ride, not just in terms of action but in the emotional turmoil and suspense and it had me turning the pages feverishly. In comparison the ending feels a bit rushed but I suspect this is probably very true of real life investigations where one clue turns the tide. I will admit to guessing the perpetrator early on in the novel, not with any firm conviction, but some tiny hints put me on the right track. It did not spoil my enjoyment of the novel.
Briguella is a creditable début and has made me keen to read Vicki's next offering so I have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.
Westhaven is reeling when the police uncover two murdered women but with one missing three fingers and the other missing four they suspect that there are still two bodies to find and that they are dealing with a serial killer. DCI Will Beckley is leading the investigation and with no forensics or witnesses he is stumped. Kate Riverton is reporting for the Westhaven Chronicle and reluctantly agrees to go undercover for the police when events start hitting close to home.
I thoroughly enjoyed Briguella which is a pulse pounding, exciting read. It helps, in this novel, that the narrative is first person, told alternately by Will and Kate, as it brings the emotions closer and makes them immediate with a strong impact. I really liked the characterisation which is very well done. Will is guilt driven through events in his past and the way things work out in his current case only compounds it. Kate is much more emotional with mood swings and fluctuating feelings. At times she is annoying and then I recognise her thought patterns and think maybe she's just human. Two flawed individuals who bare their souls in the course of the novel - it's great stuff.
The plot is a bit slow to get started with much detail about many things but most obviously the pathology. Vicki has obviously done her research and it shows to great effect. I don't think I have read another novel with so much detail and I found it fascinating rather than the bore it could have been. Once the novel gets going, however, it is a thrill ride, not just in terms of action but in the emotional turmoil and suspense and it had me turning the pages feverishly. In comparison the ending feels a bit rushed but I suspect this is probably very true of real life investigations where one clue turns the tide. I will admit to guessing the perpetrator early on in the novel, not with any firm conviction, but some tiny hints put me on the right track. It did not spoil my enjoyment of the novel.
Briguella is a creditable début and has made me keen to read Vicki's next offering so I have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.
January 15, 2018
This was an amazing all-consuming book that I read in a day. Once I started I literally could not put it down it was so good. It is wonderfully written, the writing of this story is very deep and detailed which I really did enjoy given the subject matter. You could tell a lot of time and research had gone into this book to make it an addictive read.
A serial killer is on the loose, DCI Beckley is in charge of this harrowing case and journalist Kate Rivendale gets involved deeper than she ever thought she would. Kate is passionate about her job but just how far will she go to catch this evil dangerous man; can DCI Beckley continue to do his job properly and catch this killer ignoring that small spark of chemistry that they both feel towards each other. The characters were all expertly written, I found them very, very easy to connect with and their personalities and characters shone through in this story.
Reading this book was like being suspended on the precipice of a very high mountain; not knowing if you were going to fall, that knot in your stomach, the feeling of anticipation was an all-time high, the excitement, the pressure, the twists, the gruesome moments were just magnificently captured in these pages.
A fantastic book that I would recommend to anyone who likes a good thriller, the chase and the kill - you won't be disappointed !!!!
A serial killer is on the loose, DCI Beckley is in charge of this harrowing case and journalist Kate Rivendale gets involved deeper than she ever thought she would. Kate is passionate about her job but just how far will she go to catch this evil dangerous man; can DCI Beckley continue to do his job properly and catch this killer ignoring that small spark of chemistry that they both feel towards each other. The characters were all expertly written, I found them very, very easy to connect with and their personalities and characters shone through in this story.
Reading this book was like being suspended on the precipice of a very high mountain; not knowing if you were going to fall, that knot in your stomach, the feeling of anticipation was an all-time high, the excitement, the pressure, the twists, the gruesome moments were just magnificently captured in these pages.
A fantastic book that I would recommend to anyone who likes a good thriller, the chase and the kill - you won't be disappointed !!!!
February 27, 2018
A tense thriller in which a young reporter Kate finds herself at the centre of a hunt for a serial killer, who's been terrorising the community with a mounting body count. The killer wears a mask known as Briguella to conceal his face from his victims.
Kate's character is already on edge when we first come upon her. She struggles with personal loss, trying not to let it eat away at her and her marriage. When she finds herself targeted by the same brutal killer of women she's been covering for her newspaper, she has to fight to keep it together and to survive.
I found Kate well developed and layered as a character. More so than DCI Beckley, who's the detective on the case. Beckley grapples with his own demons as he tries to zero in on the murderer. And when his attempt to use Kate to lure the murderer takes a catastrophic turn, he finds himself pushed to the brink. I did enjoy the connection he and Kate form through the case though.
The description at every stage is meticulous. I felt this was most effective in the action-packed scenes of the book, where the writer evokes a breathlessly vivid and exciting picture for the reader. I was definitely at the edge of my seat!
Kate's character is already on edge when we first come upon her. She struggles with personal loss, trying not to let it eat away at her and her marriage. When she finds herself targeted by the same brutal killer of women she's been covering for her newspaper, she has to fight to keep it together and to survive.
I found Kate well developed and layered as a character. More so than DCI Beckley, who's the detective on the case. Beckley grapples with his own demons as he tries to zero in on the murderer. And when his attempt to use Kate to lure the murderer takes a catastrophic turn, he finds himself pushed to the brink. I did enjoy the connection he and Kate form through the case though.
The description at every stage is meticulous. I felt this was most effective in the action-packed scenes of the book, where the writer evokes a breathlessly vivid and exciting picture for the reader. I was definitely at the edge of my seat!
March 12, 2018
When Vicki Fitzgerald contacted me about her debut book Briguella, I was instantly curious. The synopsis sounded wonderful, and I was wanted to find out more. As a big fan of British crime thrillers, I was more than willing to dive into this one. When I found out it was based around real life events Vicki Fitzgerald covered as a journalist, I was even more excited to dive into this one.
Although I did enjoy this one, it did take me quite a bit of time before I was sucked into the story. Things start off hard and fast, as you would hope from a good crime thriller, but it was a while before the characters sucked me into this one. As much as I love hard and fast events, it’s always the characters that win me over in a good crime thriller – I want officers I can love, victims I can connect to, and bad guys I can hate. With this one, it was a while before I started to feel anything towards the characters, before they became more than just a means of telling a story.
Once I was pulled in, however, I did find this to be an interesting read. Clear research has occurred with this one, bringing to life the details and events. You’re curious as to how things are going to come together, soaking in all the information you’re given, all the while waiting to see whether your beliefs are to be confirmed by the end of the book.
I know many consider a three-star rating to be a bad rating, but it’s not. I did enjoy this one, and I am curious to see what else Vicki Fitzgerald will bring to the table, I had just been hoping for a little bit more from this one. It was enjoyable, but it wasn’t quite enough to leave me obsessed in the way some crime thrillers do.
Although I did enjoy this one, it did take me quite a bit of time before I was sucked into the story. Things start off hard and fast, as you would hope from a good crime thriller, but it was a while before the characters sucked me into this one. As much as I love hard and fast events, it’s always the characters that win me over in a good crime thriller – I want officers I can love, victims I can connect to, and bad guys I can hate. With this one, it was a while before I started to feel anything towards the characters, before they became more than just a means of telling a story.
Once I was pulled in, however, I did find this to be an interesting read. Clear research has occurred with this one, bringing to life the details and events. You’re curious as to how things are going to come together, soaking in all the information you’re given, all the while waiting to see whether your beliefs are to be confirmed by the end of the book.
I know many consider a three-star rating to be a bad rating, but it’s not. I did enjoy this one, and I am curious to see what else Vicki Fitzgerald will bring to the table, I had just been hoping for a little bit more from this one. It was enjoyable, but it wasn’t quite enough to leave me obsessed in the way some crime thrillers do.
January 15, 2018
This was an amazing all-consuming book that I read in a day. Once I started I literally could not put it down it was so good. It is wonderfully written, the writing of this story is very deep and detailed which I really did enjoy given the subject matter. You could tell a lot of time and research had gone into this book to make it an addictive read.
A serial killer is on the loose, DCI Beckley is in charge of this harrowing case and journalist Kate Rivendale gets involved deeper than she ever thought she would. Kate is passionate about her job but just how far will she go to catch this evil dangerous man; can DCI Beckley continue to do his job properly and catch this killer ignoring that small spark of chemistry that they both feel towards each other. The characters were all expertly written, I found them very, very easy to connect with and their personalities and characters shone through in this story.
Reading this book was like being suspended on the precipice of a very high mountain; not knowing if you were going to fall, that knot in your stomach, the feeling of anticipation was an all-time high, the excitement, the pressure, the twists, the gruesome moments were just magnificently captured in these pages.
A fantastic book that I would recommend to anyone who likes a good thriller, the chase and the kill - you won't be disappointed !!!
A serial killer is on the loose, DCI Beckley is in charge of this harrowing case and journalist Kate Rivendale gets involved deeper than she ever thought she would. Kate is passionate about her job but just how far will she go to catch this evil dangerous man; can DCI Beckley continue to do his job properly and catch this killer ignoring that small spark of chemistry that they both feel towards each other. The characters were all expertly written, I found them very, very easy to connect with and their personalities and characters shone through in this story.
Reading this book was like being suspended on the precipice of a very high mountain; not knowing if you were going to fall, that knot in your stomach, the feeling of anticipation was an all-time high, the excitement, the pressure, the twists, the gruesome moments were just magnificently captured in these pages.
A fantastic book that I would recommend to anyone who likes a good thriller, the chase and the kill - you won't be disappointed !!!
April 8, 2018
Briguella is Vicki Fitzgerald's debut psychological thriller and it's exceptionally good.
A psychopathic serial killer is on the loose, DCI William Beckley (who is trying to salvage his career) has little to go on. A young journalist Kate Rivendale gets caught up in the manhunt to dire consequences.
It is evident Vicky had done her research. I liked the fact her book wasn't overly gruesome but really had you on the edge of your seat like a good Hitchcock film!!
I look forward to her next book !!
A psychopathic serial killer is on the loose, DCI William Beckley (who is trying to salvage his career) has little to go on. A young journalist Kate Rivendale gets caught up in the manhunt to dire consequences.
It is evident Vicky had done her research. I liked the fact her book wasn't overly gruesome but really had you on the edge of your seat like a good Hitchcock film!!
I look forward to her next book !!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2018
A serial killer is on the prowl and this time, young, blond and attractive women are his prey. DCI Beckley had enough on his plate already; he didn’t need this new guilt-ridden case. But, he’s the primary on it and he’s roped in the help of reporter Kate Rivendale to stop these gruesome murders. But, when the murderer begins to retaliate back, her life is put on the line and DCI Beckley is racing against time to keep her alive.
It’s a thriller. There’s a serial killer who attacks pretty blond women- check. He has a specific MO that will eventually escalate- check. We have a handsome policeman and a pretty journalist tracking him- check. See, the book checks all the corners…but, maybe that’s the reason I felt I could predict where it’s going.
The story holds water. There are good clues smattered throughout the narrative leading to the killer. The deaths are shocking and the turn of events manages to convey that sense of urgency and despair quite well. You want to catch the killer as well, as much as, DCI Beckley- because you can feel his cruelty, his madness. In fact, the chapters written from his POV, I quite liked.
The prose now- the prose is where the problem lies.
The prose is in first person- which I’m not too fond of. I’ll tell you why: because seldom are
characters written whose every thought you want to hear. Kate and Beckley are no different. It’s just a little more difficult to read them, because they are some of most guilt-ridden, self-censuring adults I’ve met in fiction; to the extent that there were times when I wanted to tell them to shut their whining, get over themselves and just live.
Also, the prose is repetitive and the ending was hurried. I knew the conclusion was coming- so, I wished for it to be a big grand reveal. Instead, after pages of deploring, suddenly, in the length of a chapter, it wraps up. I felt cheated, I tell you! I need more! Half the fun in reading a serial killer story is gloating over the catch at the end!
One other thing I noticed was weird- halfway through some fiftieth chapter, Beckley’s narration, without warning, shifts from addressing the reader to addressing Kate. It put me off for a bit before I could digest the sudden change.
Another thing was the use of certain words like screech, scorn, contempt and some others- I felt they were misused. As in you would shout for the nurse to get the defibrillator or you would yell; but, screech doesn’t fit right in that situation. The transition, in emotions especially, didn’t come off naturally during interactions due to such jarring usages at places.
The author shines while writing introspectively. I was pulled into the book for that very reason initially. But, introspection can’t fill an entire thriller, especially when you’re dangling a serial killer in front of my nose. However, I applaud the writer for attempting to write two damaged characters who’re dealing with some really hard situations in life.
BOTTOMLINE: The book needs a merciless, but objective editor. That’s the feeling I got by the end of it. I’ll say read it for the story. Don’t expect too much of the characters, don’t mind their hyperbolic statements about how damaged they are and don’t take notes during the narrative. Just read it for the story and make a movie out of it in your head.
Happy Reading!
For more reviews, please visit: www.overratedsensibilities.wordpress.com
It’s a thriller. There’s a serial killer who attacks pretty blond women- check. He has a specific MO that will eventually escalate- check. We have a handsome policeman and a pretty journalist tracking him- check. See, the book checks all the corners…but, maybe that’s the reason I felt I could predict where it’s going.
The story holds water. There are good clues smattered throughout the narrative leading to the killer. The deaths are shocking and the turn of events manages to convey that sense of urgency and despair quite well. You want to catch the killer as well, as much as, DCI Beckley- because you can feel his cruelty, his madness. In fact, the chapters written from his POV, I quite liked.
The prose now- the prose is where the problem lies.
The prose is in first person- which I’m not too fond of. I’ll tell you why: because seldom are
characters written whose every thought you want to hear. Kate and Beckley are no different. It’s just a little more difficult to read them, because they are some of most guilt-ridden, self-censuring adults I’ve met in fiction; to the extent that there were times when I wanted to tell them to shut their whining, get over themselves and just live.
Also, the prose is repetitive and the ending was hurried. I knew the conclusion was coming- so, I wished for it to be a big grand reveal. Instead, after pages of deploring, suddenly, in the length of a chapter, it wraps up. I felt cheated, I tell you! I need more! Half the fun in reading a serial killer story is gloating over the catch at the end!
One other thing I noticed was weird- halfway through some fiftieth chapter, Beckley’s narration, without warning, shifts from addressing the reader to addressing Kate. It put me off for a bit before I could digest the sudden change.
Another thing was the use of certain words like screech, scorn, contempt and some others- I felt they were misused. As in you would shout for the nurse to get the defibrillator or you would yell; but, screech doesn’t fit right in that situation. The transition, in emotions especially, didn’t come off naturally during interactions due to such jarring usages at places.
The author shines while writing introspectively. I was pulled into the book for that very reason initially. But, introspection can’t fill an entire thriller, especially when you’re dangling a serial killer in front of my nose. However, I applaud the writer for attempting to write two damaged characters who’re dealing with some really hard situations in life.
BOTTOMLINE: The book needs a merciless, but objective editor. That’s the feeling I got by the end of it. I’ll say read it for the story. Don’t expect too much of the characters, don’t mind their hyperbolic statements about how damaged they are and don’t take notes during the narrative. Just read it for the story and make a movie out of it in your head.
Happy Reading!
For more reviews, please visit: www.overratedsensibilities.wordpress.com
February 26, 2018
Clearly this is my preferred genre, but this book just blew my mind! I loved the two main characters: Will, the flawed detective who is battling his own demons and Kate, the young journalist who harbors secrets of her own. As they come together to solve the mystery of a serial killer who is targeting beautiful blonde women, tensions run high as the killings escalate. This is one of those fast-paced thrillers that has your heart racing. Yes, it's gritty and gruesome--not for the faint of heart--but you will fall in love with these multi-layered characters and cheer for them. Told in alternating points of view, the novel will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end! Hard to believe this is a debut novel! I look forward to Fitzgerald's next book and am hoping she'll write a sequel to this one!
February 15, 2018
4.5 stars!
Author Vicki Fitzgerald hooks you from the first paragraph in her debut novel Briguella. You feel the emotions of DCI Beckley as you are introduced to the murders from page 1. You can't help but root for Southern Chronicle reporter Kate Rivendale and her quest for the truth. You can't help but get sucked in by the murders and the quest to find the killer. You will be gripped with anxiety as the novel progresses to find out who is terrorizing the women of this English town.
Being a fan of psychological thrillers I found myself wanting to read more just to get to the end. By the last few chapter you will be so transfixed that you will not want to put it down. I found myself on the edge of my seat, goosebumps on my arms when the identity of the killer was revealed.
I do wish that author Vicki Fitzgerald spent a little more time on the significance of the Briguella mask.
I want to thank Vicki Fitzgerald for allowing me a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
Author Vicki Fitzgerald hooks you from the first paragraph in her debut novel Briguella. You feel the emotions of DCI Beckley as you are introduced to the murders from page 1. You can't help but root for Southern Chronicle reporter Kate Rivendale and her quest for the truth. You can't help but get sucked in by the murders and the quest to find the killer. You will be gripped with anxiety as the novel progresses to find out who is terrorizing the women of this English town.
Being a fan of psychological thrillers I found myself wanting to read more just to get to the end. By the last few chapter you will be so transfixed that you will not want to put it down. I found myself on the edge of my seat, goosebumps on my arms when the identity of the killer was revealed.
I do wish that author Vicki Fitzgerald spent a little more time on the significance of the Briguella mask.
I want to thank Vicki Fitzgerald for allowing me a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
January 17, 2018
I was caught up in this novel within the first paragraph.
"Death lingers like fog weaving through frosted branches across the ashen sky. The mangled doll-like corpse forms a stark silhouette against the estate; limbs sprawled gracelessly and bathing in blood stolen from her veins."*
Vicki Fitzgerald takes the reader and pulls them into two lives. The life of a Detective Chief Inspector chasing the perpetrator and a journalist covering the sex attacks on women in an English town. Vicki writes with gruesome accuracy that had me turning on lights in the middle of the night. A phenomenal novel that sent shivers down my spine. I am an avid Stephen King reader and this novel had me on my toes. It was terrifying and suspenseful and had enough detail that I knew the author had done her research. I felt like the author had experienced this first hand.
Vicki Fitzgerald's debut novel gets into your head and has you asking if you would have been able to do what Kate does. It has you suspecting every one right down to the last pages. I stayed up until 2 am so I could finish it.
I loved the visual descriptions used throughout the novel, even if it was gruesome, was kind of like a poetic gruesomeness that I didn't ever want to stop.
The characters were bold and real, although I was angry with Kate's sister and mother for laying the blame on Kate. I found myself screaming or cheering on the characters inside my head, for it was 1 am. I loved Kate, she was spunky yet familiar at the same time.
I would have liked to see more details about Briguella and the story behind it, but other than that I absolutely loved this novel and can't wait to read more from Vicki Fitzgerald.
*A direct quote from page one of Vicki Fitzgerald's debut novel Briguella.
I would like to thank Vicki Fitzgerald for giving me a digital copy of her novel in exchange for an honest review.
"Death lingers like fog weaving through frosted branches across the ashen sky. The mangled doll-like corpse forms a stark silhouette against the estate; limbs sprawled gracelessly and bathing in blood stolen from her veins."*
Vicki Fitzgerald takes the reader and pulls them into two lives. The life of a Detective Chief Inspector chasing the perpetrator and a journalist covering the sex attacks on women in an English town. Vicki writes with gruesome accuracy that had me turning on lights in the middle of the night. A phenomenal novel that sent shivers down my spine. I am an avid Stephen King reader and this novel had me on my toes. It was terrifying and suspenseful and had enough detail that I knew the author had done her research. I felt like the author had experienced this first hand.
Vicki Fitzgerald's debut novel gets into your head and has you asking if you would have been able to do what Kate does. It has you suspecting every one right down to the last pages. I stayed up until 2 am so I could finish it.
I loved the visual descriptions used throughout the novel, even if it was gruesome, was kind of like a poetic gruesomeness that I didn't ever want to stop.
The characters were bold and real, although I was angry with Kate's sister and mother for laying the blame on Kate. I found myself screaming or cheering on the characters inside my head, for it was 1 am. I loved Kate, she was spunky yet familiar at the same time.
I would have liked to see more details about Briguella and the story behind it, but other than that I absolutely loved this novel and can't wait to read more from Vicki Fitzgerald.
*A direct quote from page one of Vicki Fitzgerald's debut novel Briguella.
I would like to thank Vicki Fitzgerald for giving me a digital copy of her novel in exchange for an honest review.
February 17, 2018
Briguella- Vicki Fitzgerald- 5*
This is a very different crime/psychological thriller. Written from two points of view in the first person it gives wonderful descriptions from each side in mostly alternating chapters. this to me gave it a very personal feel from each perspective and made me want to know more. Kate is a reporter and has her own demons to deal with having lost a baby to miscarriage and a relationship with her husband which has drifted in the meantime. Like any other journalist, she is keen to get a good story that will put her on the front page. The other side of the story is from DCI Beckley. Two women have been found murdered with the same MO. There are clues that these may not be the first from this killer. Forensics find other details that link the women, unique to these cases. A serial killer is on the loose and the hunt is on. This is a well written book that keeps the pages turning as the plot thickens. Things start to get personal for Kate and you feel for her vulnerability. A brilliantly written book. If you like your crimes that little bit different this one certainly has the edge. The perpetrator is not revealed until the last few pages….. and I didn’t see it coming.
For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/
or follow me on Twitter @nickijmurphy1
This is a very different crime/psychological thriller. Written from two points of view in the first person it gives wonderful descriptions from each side in mostly alternating chapters. this to me gave it a very personal feel from each perspective and made me want to know more. Kate is a reporter and has her own demons to deal with having lost a baby to miscarriage and a relationship with her husband which has drifted in the meantime. Like any other journalist, she is keen to get a good story that will put her on the front page. The other side of the story is from DCI Beckley. Two women have been found murdered with the same MO. There are clues that these may not be the first from this killer. Forensics find other details that link the women, unique to these cases. A serial killer is on the loose and the hunt is on. This is a well written book that keeps the pages turning as the plot thickens. Things start to get personal for Kate and you feel for her vulnerability. A brilliantly written book. If you like your crimes that little bit different this one certainly has the edge. The perpetrator is not revealed until the last few pages….. and I didn’t see it coming.
For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/
or follow me on Twitter @nickijmurphy1
February 6, 2018
Very compelling first book from this talented author - the realism and attention to detail means that she manages to avoid the inaccuracies that plague lesser crime novels, making for a believable and enjoyable read for fans of crime fiction. Very much recommended.
January 17, 2018
A brilliant first book from this talented new author. A gripping and tense storyline which keeps you guessing to the end.
March 18, 2018
Brigella By Vicki Fitzgerald
Title - Brigella
Author - Vikki Fitzgerald
Published - Dec '17
Publisher - Independently Published
Pages - 297
Price on Amazon - Paperback £11.99 Kindle - £2.99 Kindle Unlimited £0.00
ISBN - 1973443376
A serial killer is loose and so far seven women have been killed, now journalist Kate Rivendale joins the manhunt. There is no suspects and the only forensic evidence links back to the 1930's. Can Kate get out of the manhunt alive and can she keep her own secrets buried
I found this book to be very slow, I struggled to get into the story and must admit I could not finish the book. I found it didn't hold my attention as I didn't find it gripping and I didn't get that feeling where I just had to read on and find out what happens next.
Unfortunately, this book was not for me. For someone who enjoys slower paced books then this book is for you. I personally need a book to be faster paced and really gripping in the first few chapters to keep me reading.
Thank You to author for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating - One out of Five stars
Would I Read Again? - No
Would I Recommend? - Maybe
Would I read other books by the same author? - Yes
Reviews for this book can be found on
Amazon under Lu's Reviews
Goodreads,
Net Galley (If a NetGalley Book)
My Blogs at http://www.readingbeyondobsession.co.uk/
www.lusreviewsblog.wordpress.com
SmashWords (LusReviews)
Barns & Noble (Lus-Reviews)
Links to this review can be found at:
Twitter: @lusreviews
Facebook: @lusreviews
Instagram: lusreviews
Title - Brigella
Author - Vikki Fitzgerald
Published - Dec '17
Publisher - Independently Published
Pages - 297
Price on Amazon - Paperback £11.99 Kindle - £2.99 Kindle Unlimited £0.00
ISBN - 1973443376
A serial killer is loose and so far seven women have been killed, now journalist Kate Rivendale joins the manhunt. There is no suspects and the only forensic evidence links back to the 1930's. Can Kate get out of the manhunt alive and can she keep her own secrets buried
I found this book to be very slow, I struggled to get into the story and must admit I could not finish the book. I found it didn't hold my attention as I didn't find it gripping and I didn't get that feeling where I just had to read on and find out what happens next.
Unfortunately, this book was not for me. For someone who enjoys slower paced books then this book is for you. I personally need a book to be faster paced and really gripping in the first few chapters to keep me reading.
Thank You to author for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating - One out of Five stars
Would I Read Again? - No
Would I Recommend? - Maybe
Would I read other books by the same author? - Yes
Reviews for this book can be found on
Amazon under Lu's Reviews
Goodreads,
Net Galley (If a NetGalley Book)
My Blogs at http://www.readingbeyondobsession.co.uk/
www.lusreviewsblog.wordpress.com
SmashWords (LusReviews)
Barns & Noble (Lus-Reviews)
Links to this review can be found at:
Twitter: @lusreviews
Facebook: @lusreviews
Instagram: lusreviews
March 26, 2018
Many thanks to the author Vicki Fitzgerald for the opportunity to review this book.
Briguella is the debut novel from crime journalist Vicki Fitzgerald. Her experiences working on crime scenes, attending conferences and speaking with the victims of serious crime are what inspired her to write this story. Vicki's past experiences shine through on this novel and help to paint a vivid picture of what it may be like to be a journalist working "the case".
Briguella starts as it means to continue, with a horrific attack on a female victim. One of our viewpoint characters, DCI Beckley, has arrived on the scene of a brutal murder. The scenes here are quite chilling and really drive home how hard hitting it would be to arrive on a scene such as this. This does not let up throughout, remaining very graphic, and it quickly becomes apparent that we are dealing with a serial killer.
Our author takes us through the story from two main view points, DCI Beckley, who is desperately trying not to mess up this case have done so in the past, and Kate, a journalist who is always trying to get the next scoop while also suffering from a dying relationship at home. The two eventually cross paths and a plan is hatched that the police may be able to use Kate to help catch our serial killer. We see glimpses of our serial killer throughout the book giving us a little insight into why they are committing these awful crimes.
The story here is excellent. A hard hitting crime thriller that I couldn't get enough of. While it takes a while for the story to really "get going" I think the build up was entirely necessary and added a great depth to the characters. This book certainly deserves more attention and I would recommend it to all lovers of crime fiction. It could use a little polish here and there, but make no mistake, it is a striking debut from the author and I will certainly look forward to reading more from her in the future.
4/5Vicki Fitzgerald
Briguella is the debut novel from crime journalist Vicki Fitzgerald. Her experiences working on crime scenes, attending conferences and speaking with the victims of serious crime are what inspired her to write this story. Vicki's past experiences shine through on this novel and help to paint a vivid picture of what it may be like to be a journalist working "the case".
Briguella starts as it means to continue, with a horrific attack on a female victim. One of our viewpoint characters, DCI Beckley, has arrived on the scene of a brutal murder. The scenes here are quite chilling and really drive home how hard hitting it would be to arrive on a scene such as this. This does not let up throughout, remaining very graphic, and it quickly becomes apparent that we are dealing with a serial killer.
Our author takes us through the story from two main view points, DCI Beckley, who is desperately trying not to mess up this case have done so in the past, and Kate, a journalist who is always trying to get the next scoop while also suffering from a dying relationship at home. The two eventually cross paths and a plan is hatched that the police may be able to use Kate to help catch our serial killer. We see glimpses of our serial killer throughout the book giving us a little insight into why they are committing these awful crimes.
The story here is excellent. A hard hitting crime thriller that I couldn't get enough of. While it takes a while for the story to really "get going" I think the build up was entirely necessary and added a great depth to the characters. This book certainly deserves more attention and I would recommend it to all lovers of crime fiction. It could use a little polish here and there, but make no mistake, it is a striking debut from the author and I will certainly look forward to reading more from her in the future.
4/5Vicki Fitzgerald
April 13, 2018
This book was clearly a labour of love for the author, as the detailed descriptions demonstrate a dedicated level of research, in order to paint a very realistic, quite graphic and, at times, spine-tingling picture of investigative procedures. Very occasionally, I felt that perhaps there was a little too much detail - but then I thought, if I had spent as much time on research as Vicki clearly has, then I'd probably want to reflect this on the written page, too.
What I really liked about this was how it was told predominantly - but not wholly - from inside the minds of two of the key characters; a world-weary senior police officer, who lives for his job, which is why he takes it very personally when things don't go well, and a feisty, ambitious, young journalist who wants to scoop her rivals and get that career-defining exclusive.
Alternating between their inner thoughts, for me, added an extra dimension to this engaging serial-killer thriller, which crept up on me slowly; I did not find it a compulsive page-turner to start with, but it then grew on me, and I found the second half to be tense and traumatic.
There were two things that prevented me from giving it five stars; one concerned a matter of procedure which I found difficult to believe; the other was the fact that I felt it just a little clichéd in the sense that three of the main characters were each harbouring some sort of angst/grief/historic piece of emotional baggage. However, this did not detract from the overall enjoyment this confident debut, and I found myself quite compulsively working my way through the final third of it, taking every snatched opportunity I could to read just a little bit more.
I could easily picture watching this on the big screen, the author's style and level of description making it very easy to visualise what was happening, which also helped to bring this alive.
All in all, a descriptive, dramatic, confident debut.
What I really liked about this was how it was told predominantly - but not wholly - from inside the minds of two of the key characters; a world-weary senior police officer, who lives for his job, which is why he takes it very personally when things don't go well, and a feisty, ambitious, young journalist who wants to scoop her rivals and get that career-defining exclusive.
Alternating between their inner thoughts, for me, added an extra dimension to this engaging serial-killer thriller, which crept up on me slowly; I did not find it a compulsive page-turner to start with, but it then grew on me, and I found the second half to be tense and traumatic.
There were two things that prevented me from giving it five stars; one concerned a matter of procedure which I found difficult to believe; the other was the fact that I felt it just a little clichéd in the sense that three of the main characters were each harbouring some sort of angst/grief/historic piece of emotional baggage. However, this did not detract from the overall enjoyment this confident debut, and I found myself quite compulsively working my way through the final third of it, taking every snatched opportunity I could to read just a little bit more.
I could easily picture watching this on the big screen, the author's style and level of description making it very easy to visualise what was happening, which also helped to bring this alive.
All in all, a descriptive, dramatic, confident debut.
April 27, 2018
I really enjoyed the thriller Briguella by Vicki FitzGerald. It was a longer book told from the first person’s point of view between the journalist Kate and the police man DCI Beckly. In the beginning I didn’t understand how those two characters fit together but reading some more I quickly saw the connection. These characters are excellently developed and easy to relate to. There are some terrifying scenes in this book, especially involving Kate, so it’s not for the faint hearted. There are many descriptions of the characters in the book, but I would say some of the minor characters could have done without the extra attention. When I started reading Briguella, I was wondering about the title. It’s not the name of a person, but the name of a type of mask. The title was really creative and made me want to read the book to find out what Briguella was. I found out when I was 41% through. Some may say this book starts out slow, but once you get a little into it, it really picks up the thriller pace. There are some grammatical errors, (for example missing words,) but not so much that it detracts from the story. If you like books about murder and serial killers, this would be a great book for you to read.
August 26, 2019
Vicki Fitzgerald builds a wonderfully descriptive and tense crime thriller in Briguella! When the deputy police chief asks reporter Kate Rivendale to go undercover in a serial killer case, she jumps at the job, but things quickly turn sideways leading Kate in a struggle of life and death. I loved Fitzgerald’s descriptions and the powerful thread of tension driving the story to its exciting climax. This one’s perfect for anyone that loves a good gritty crime novel!
March 22, 2018
I want to thank the author for allowing me to read this book! At first I had trouble getting into this story, I was over thinking it. My mind was trying to figure things out and what the characters were all about too quickly, but once I got to chapter 5 it all started to come together, I got accustomed to the cadence of the story. some of the descriptions were a bit too flowery for my tastes, but that is just me. I would definitely recommend this for anyone who enjoys crime thrillers, it was worth the read.
March 21, 2018
Vicki told me that her novel is the result of her time spent as a Journalist in the South West, UK and is based loosely on real events that she covered involving a serial attacker.
The book starts with the police examining the crime scene where a young woman has been discovered murdered. She is the second body in 10 days, but the police believe there are 2 more undiscovered corpses out there. This is because the killer is taking fingers as trophies, 4 of hers and 3 from the previous victim. DCI Will Beckley is in charge of the case to find the serial killer. Meanwhile Kate Rivendale, journalist from the Southern Chronicle is looking on from beyond the police cordon, here to report on the incident.
A few days later the killer is interrupted and his latest victim Hannah survives in a coma, but dies a few days later without regaining consciousness. Another body is discovered on Christmas Eve badly decomposed with 2 fingers missing who could have been the second to be killed. Meanwhile the killer strikes again. Kate is persistent in trying to get the story and Beckley gives her the scoop in advance of a press conference. Also the police discover their first forensic clue which is fibres of a material not made since the 1930s, perhaps an old blanket is used by the killer to wrap the murder weapon.
The killer reacts to Kate's exclusive news report by attacking again. But now things are getting personal. It is Louise, a close relative of Kate's who lies badly injured in hospital, and who blames Kate for her situation. Beckley asks Kate to go undercover for them. She isn't keen but agrees after seeing Louise.
The story gets even more thrilling, but I'm stopping now to avoid spoilers.
What a page turner. A really gripping read. This is Vicki's debut novel, so I can't wait to see what she writes next.
Disclosure. This post is a review of an e-book I was sent for free. All opinions are my own.
The book starts with the police examining the crime scene where a young woman has been discovered murdered. She is the second body in 10 days, but the police believe there are 2 more undiscovered corpses out there. This is because the killer is taking fingers as trophies, 4 of hers and 3 from the previous victim. DCI Will Beckley is in charge of the case to find the serial killer. Meanwhile Kate Rivendale, journalist from the Southern Chronicle is looking on from beyond the police cordon, here to report on the incident.
A few days later the killer is interrupted and his latest victim Hannah survives in a coma, but dies a few days later without regaining consciousness. Another body is discovered on Christmas Eve badly decomposed with 2 fingers missing who could have been the second to be killed. Meanwhile the killer strikes again. Kate is persistent in trying to get the story and Beckley gives her the scoop in advance of a press conference. Also the police discover their first forensic clue which is fibres of a material not made since the 1930s, perhaps an old blanket is used by the killer to wrap the murder weapon.
The killer reacts to Kate's exclusive news report by attacking again. But now things are getting personal. It is Louise, a close relative of Kate's who lies badly injured in hospital, and who blames Kate for her situation. Beckley asks Kate to go undercover for them. She isn't keen but agrees after seeing Louise.
The story gets even more thrilling, but I'm stopping now to avoid spoilers.
What a page turner. A really gripping read. This is Vicki's debut novel, so I can't wait to see what she writes next.
Disclosure. This post is a review of an e-book I was sent for free. All opinions are my own.
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