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Malcolm Fletcher #0
Scream
Flehe um dein Leben. Es wird dir nicht helfen. Der Mann ist gefesselt und geknebelt, die Wand gegenüber blutverschmiert. Er scheint gelähmt vor Angst, und doch versucht er, die Polizei zu warnen. Sekunden später explodiert eine Bombe. Jack Casey, ehemaliger FBI-Profiler, kennt die Handschrift dieses Täters nur zu genau: Vor Jahren quälte und tötete der „Sandmann“ Jacks Frau. Er selbst entkam nur knapp dem Tode. Und sucht seitdem den Killer. Doch nun gibt es eine Spur. Sie führt zu einem obskuren Forschungslabor. Einer brisanten Studie. Einem Geheimnis, das es um jeden Preis zu hüten gilt.
528 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
16 people are currently reading
538 people want to read
About the author
Chris Mooney
48 books524 followersHailed as “one of the best thriller writers working today” by Lee Child and “a wonderful writer” by Michael Connelly, Chris Mooney is the international bestselling author of twelve novels, most recently, The Snow Girls. His fourth book, The Missing, the first in the Darby McCormick series, was a main selection of the International Book of the Month Club and an instant bestseller in over thirteen countries. The Mystery Writer’s Association nominated Chris’s third book, Remembering Sarah, for an Edgar Award for Best Novel. Foreign rights to his novels have been sold to twenty-eight territories. He has sold nearly two million copies of his books.
Chris teaches writing courses at Harvard and the Harvard Extension School, and lives in the Boston area with his wife and son. His new novel, Blood World, will be released in August of 2020.
International Praise for Chris Mooney:
“Scary voice, scary talent. Mooney is one of the best thriller writers working today.”
– Lee Child
“A wonderful writer . . . Compelling, thrilling and touching.”
– Michael Connelly
“Harrowing, gripping, haunting, gut-wrenching and beautifully written.”
– Harlan Coben
“Chris Mooney has written his finest novel, and that’s saying something indeed.”
– Dennis Lehane
“It will keep you up past your bedtime.”
– Karin Slaughter
“A thriller that will chill your blood, break your heart and make your pulse race.”
– Mark Billingham
"Chris Mooney is an exceptional thriller writer, with the rare gift of being able to of balance action with compassion, and grit with humanity. I envy those who have yet to read him."
– John Connolly
“The Missing is the season’s most unrelenting thriller. It will keep readers enthralled from its gripping opening chapters to its shocking last page.”
– George Pelecanos
“Mooney writes like a man on fire.”
– Linda Fairstein
“The smart money has long been on Chris Mooney, one of crime fiction’s rising stars.”
– Laura Lippman
Chris teaches writing courses at Harvard and the Harvard Extension School, and lives in the Boston area with his wife and son. His new novel, Blood World, will be released in August of 2020.
International Praise for Chris Mooney:
“Scary voice, scary talent. Mooney is one of the best thriller writers working today.”
– Lee Child
“A wonderful writer . . . Compelling, thrilling and touching.”
– Michael Connelly
“Harrowing, gripping, haunting, gut-wrenching and beautifully written.”
– Harlan Coben
“Chris Mooney has written his finest novel, and that’s saying something indeed.”
– Dennis Lehane
“It will keep you up past your bedtime.”
– Karin Slaughter
“A thriller that will chill your blood, break your heart and make your pulse race.”
– Mark Billingham
"Chris Mooney is an exceptional thriller writer, with the rare gift of being able to of balance action with compassion, and grit with humanity. I envy those who have yet to read him."
– John Connolly
“The Missing is the season’s most unrelenting thriller. It will keep readers enthralled from its gripping opening chapters to its shocking last page.”
– George Pelecanos
“Mooney writes like a man on fire.”
– Linda Fairstein
“The smart money has long been on Chris Mooney, one of crime fiction’s rising stars.”
– Laura Lippman
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
March 1, 2014
This book introduced too many characters, had a spotty back story and seemed like it should have been a sequel to another book, but I don't believe it was. To me, it was too "all over the place" and lacked the continuity that a good thriller should. Additionally there was no mystery, the "killer" is identified, you have no idea who he is and has limited relationship with everyone and it apparently terrorizing a cop he doesn't know, hooks up with a different killer from what should have been a previous book and gets so convoluted that it is impossible to follow. That said, I read the entire book, and wasted a few hours of my life, my take on it is skip it unless you have nothing else to read!
June 16, 2016
Amazing book, absolute page turner and couldn't put it down. Just love these type of books, I have read previous Chris Mooney novels and will continue to look for more. Would recommend.
July 17, 2014
Deviant Ways is a fast-paced, action-packed thriller with loveable characters that play on your mind all day long.
The Opening Chapter
The opening chapter lured us in slowly to the book. Despite wanting a more immediate start, there was still enough interest to get the juices going. The use of stereotypes was acceptable as the foundation of character building.
Style and POV changes
Chris Mooney's combination of fantastic similes and metaphors created lovely (and gruesome at times) imagery that only a finesse author can achieve. His decision to change POV throughout the book was not received well at the first, but when it was used as a device to increase tension with page-turning cliff hangers, I gave him a round of applause.
However, the Alan Lynch and Munn story was late in the development. Therefore, due to the lack of empathy and care to the those characters, when story changed from Jack Casey to these pair, I found myself disappointed. As the story progressed, it soon caught up and I wasn't as bothered.
Writing from the Sandman's POV was a bad move. It revealed too much and confirmed readers' suspicions, which can be seen as a lack of respect for us. The same applies for Mike's POV, which actually disrupted the fast-paced action in a negative way.
Character Development
I loved the character development. From the very beginning, I fell in love with Casey and his past. It wasn't until Taylor's lack of understanding that I realised how great Mooney had encouraged the readers' empathy for Jack. In my head, I was screaming at Taylor, demonstrating the author's ability to portray realistic emotions. Heck, one night I dreamt I read the rest of the book and my brain started to piecing together the ending. When you start thinking about a book whilst sleeping, you know it's damn good!
Fletcher's Mystery
Despite knowing Fletcher from The Killing House, I loved the mystery and the kick-ass character he is. He has to be my favourite character.
Maybe too many bombs
A final negative point is that perhaps there are too many bombs. I understand this is the Sandman's method, but sometimes it felt like a B-Movie, rather than the Hollywood film it should be.
Conclusion
Overall, this was a great read and I felt gutted to finish it. For Mooney's first novel, this is fantastic and lives up the standard of his later ones. I really, really want this to be adapted into film!
The Opening Chapter
The opening chapter lured us in slowly to the book. Despite wanting a more immediate start, there was still enough interest to get the juices going. The use of stereotypes was acceptable as the foundation of character building.
Style and POV changes
Chris Mooney's combination of fantastic similes and metaphors created lovely (and gruesome at times) imagery that only a finesse author can achieve. His decision to change POV throughout the book was not received well at the first, but when it was used as a device to increase tension with page-turning cliff hangers, I gave him a round of applause.
However, the Alan Lynch and Munn story was late in the development. Therefore, due to the lack of empathy and care to the those characters, when story changed from Jack Casey to these pair, I found myself disappointed. As the story progressed, it soon caught up and I wasn't as bothered.
Writing from the Sandman's POV was a bad move. It revealed too much and confirmed readers' suspicions, which can be seen as a lack of respect for us. The same applies for Mike's POV, which actually disrupted the fast-paced action in a negative way.
Character Development
I loved the character development. From the very beginning, I fell in love with Casey and his past. It wasn't until Taylor's lack of understanding that I realised how great Mooney had encouraged the readers' empathy for Jack. In my head, I was screaming at Taylor, demonstrating the author's ability to portray realistic emotions. Heck, one night I dreamt I read the rest of the book and my brain started to piecing together the ending. When you start thinking about a book whilst sleeping, you know it's damn good!
Fletcher's Mystery
Despite knowing Fletcher from The Killing House, I loved the mystery and the kick-ass character he is. He has to be my favourite character.
Maybe too many bombs
A final negative point is that perhaps there are too many bombs. I understand this is the Sandman's method, but sometimes it felt like a B-Movie, rather than the Hollywood film it should be.
Conclusion
Overall, this was a great read and I felt gutted to finish it. For Mooney's first novel, this is fantastic and lives up the standard of his later ones. I really, really want this to be adapted into film!
July 11, 2016
4.5 stars. Detective Jack Casey used to be an FBI profiler but now he's with the Marblehead police department north of Boston. Jack has mostly recovered from seeing his wife's throat cut right in front of him. Jack's experience is going to come in very handy on the 4th of July as an unknown person butchered an entire family. And this butcher seems to know everything about Jack. As the serial killer taunts Jack, he proceeds to plant cameras as well as bombs at all the crime scenes. As the body count mounts, Jack tries to keep those around him safe while trying to outwit a serial killer's devious mind.
The violence is very graphic, as you would expect a story about a serial killer to be. There is also quite a bit of detail about bombs. The story showed a good cat and mouse game being played between the two protagonists. Good debut novel.
The violence is very graphic, as you would expect a story about a serial killer to be. There is also quite a bit of detail about bombs. The story showed a good cat and mouse game being played between the two protagonists. Good debut novel.
January 23, 2012
The first book I read by this author was "Remembering Sarah." I loved it and began reserving his earlier books. Deviant Ways was his first novel and he has grown as an author. I enjoyed this novel but at times had to suspend belief. I just didn't see how the bad guy could have pulled off all that he did and gotten away with it for so long. Still, this was an engrossing thriller that held my interest.
July 24, 2018
Loved this book. Not as much as The Missing, but still great. Great author, very suspenseful novel.
January 19, 2020
Wow, from beginning to end this is a page turner alright!
May 3, 2025
I’m flabbergasted. Truly I am. How is this book getting such good reviews?
This book sees a serial killer on a mission (he’s trying to embarrass the FBI for reasons that become apparent if you read the book, but if you’re interested, the FBI worked to reprogramme maladjusted youth, making mistakes along the way). On the way, he decides to taunt the local detective. Because reasons, I guess.
Anyhow, the book is beyond daft. The premise for the serial killer’s actions is beyond daft. I won’t bore you with the details, but it is SO FAR BEYOND DUMB, it makes dumb look Mensa material. Oh and there’s like 7 stories in this book. There’s the FBI. There’s the serial killer. There’s the detective, his backstory, and his girlfriend. There’s a retired FBI agent who knows too much. There are psychologists. There are links all over the place. There is lots of backstory. Lots and lots of back story. It’s almost as if the author and his editor couldn’t make up their minds about which story they wanted to use, so threw all the stories in, in the hope that at least one would stick. None did. For me at least.
So all, too busy. I didn’t enjoy.
This book sees a serial killer on a mission (he’s trying to embarrass the FBI for reasons that become apparent if you read the book, but if you’re interested, the FBI worked to reprogramme maladjusted youth, making mistakes along the way). On the way, he decides to taunt the local detective. Because reasons, I guess.
Anyhow, the book is beyond daft. The premise for the serial killer’s actions is beyond daft. I won’t bore you with the details, but it is SO FAR BEYOND DUMB, it makes dumb look Mensa material. Oh and there’s like 7 stories in this book. There’s the FBI. There’s the serial killer. There’s the detective, his backstory, and his girlfriend. There’s a retired FBI agent who knows too much. There are psychologists. There are links all over the place. There is lots of backstory. Lots and lots of back story. It’s almost as if the author and his editor couldn’t make up their minds about which story they wanted to use, so threw all the stories in, in the hope that at least one would stick. None did. For me at least.
So all, too busy. I didn’t enjoy.
April 21, 2014
Great book!
September 12, 2016
DNF. Hard to follow.
March 26, 2018
I felt that I had walked into the room halfway through a film and I couldn't ever quite get a grasp on it as I read 'Deviant Ways'. I checked a few times as to whether this was part of a series, but I believe that it was just a standalone but with one heck of a back story.
I liked the tortured-by-the-dead-wife storyline and how it fed into Jack's mental well-being and the current killer's M.O. I felt that the Slavitt storyline was one back story too far, and that it shouldn't have been included in this novel at all. It just added another set of names and events that I had to remember, and yet it had no real impact on the main plot, unlike the wife-murder plot.
As a whole I felt that the book was quite repetitive, and though I was absorbed in the early stages by the tension, the high danger situations and the constant exploding bombs, by halfway I was really struggling to maintain interest and put the book down a few times with every intention of not carrying on. I did however, because there were some elements that I did enjoy and despite myself, I wanted to see how it came together.
A lot of my dislike was triggered by a particular bug-bear of mine which is the whole 'everyone in power is involved and trying to cover it up' storyline. I find them pointless and frustrating and I rarely finish books that use it as a premise.
I also didn't take to the dreams and conversations that Jack had with various dead people. It made him feel unhinged and I wondered how we were supposed to champion him when he was little better than all the murderers in the book. Again, it felt like bulk to up the word count rather than to progress the plot.
I also kept finding inconsistencies in the story telling. I know that these are only minor points but they sort of undermined the writing and storytelling.
I did finish the novel, but I really had to force myself to go back to it a couple of times. It was just too repetitive and a bit too long. It read like a screenplay for a big-budget American action film where everything just blew up and the 'hero' kept dodging death and surviving despite it all. The back stories were essentially books in their own right, but instead of making them books and just recapping in 'Deviant Ways', we essentially just got three books in one which was confusing and unduly complex.
I liked the tortured-by-the-dead-wife storyline and how it fed into Jack's mental well-being and the current killer's M.O. I felt that the Slavitt storyline was one back story too far, and that it shouldn't have been included in this novel at all. It just added another set of names and events that I had to remember, and yet it had no real impact on the main plot, unlike the wife-murder plot.
As a whole I felt that the book was quite repetitive, and though I was absorbed in the early stages by the tension, the high danger situations and the constant exploding bombs, by halfway I was really struggling to maintain interest and put the book down a few times with every intention of not carrying on. I did however, because there were some elements that I did enjoy and despite myself, I wanted to see how it came together.
A lot of my dislike was triggered by a particular bug-bear of mine which is the whole 'everyone in power is involved and trying to cover it up' storyline. I find them pointless and frustrating and I rarely finish books that use it as a premise.
I also didn't take to the dreams and conversations that Jack had with various dead people. It made him feel unhinged and I wondered how we were supposed to champion him when he was little better than all the murderers in the book. Again, it felt like bulk to up the word count rather than to progress the plot.
I also kept finding inconsistencies in the story telling. I know that these are only minor points but they sort of undermined the writing and storytelling.
I did finish the novel, but I really had to force myself to go back to it a couple of times. It was just too repetitive and a bit too long. It read like a screenplay for a big-budget American action film where everything just blew up and the 'hero' kept dodging death and surviving despite it all. The back stories were essentially books in their own right, but instead of making them books and just recapping in 'Deviant Ways', we essentially just got three books in one which was confusing and unduly complex.
February 5, 2023
If you enjoy psychological thrillers then I strongly recommend this. A dark tale of the effects that PTSD can have on the mind. 'The Sandman', seeking revenge for years of abuse at the hands of the FBI and Detective Jack Casey, small town cop and ex-FBI profiler who is still coming to terms with the brutal murder of his wife and unborn child at the hands of a psychopath, leading the investigation to track down 'the Sandman' while attempting to protect those he loves and maintain his own sanity. Throw in Jack's girlfriend and niece, a 'government sanctioned' assassin, Jack's animosity towards Alan Lynch, his previous FBI boss, the mysterious Malcolm Fletcher (who reminded me of James Spader's character from 'The Black List') along with copious amounts of C4 and Semtex and the recipe for chaos is complete.
December 21, 2021
This is book was recommended by a regular reader of this list. Thanks, Sherry! This is Mooney's first novel and it's a great start. Jack Casey used to be an FBI profiler until his job hit too close to home. Now, he's on the force in his hometown and a case raises it all again. There's a creepy serial bomber and an even creepier cast of characters who are working with Casey to solve this case. There were some rough edges and a few leaps of credibility but I'm thinking those were more symptoms of first-time-novel-itis and will be smoothed out with the second effort.
August 3, 2018
includes vague hockey mention;
"a device the size of a hockey puck"
Like many of the books on my list I didn't get round to adding them until too long after I read them to be able to say much - or anything.
"a device the size of a hockey puck"
Like many of the books on my list I didn't get round to adding them until too long after I read them to be able to say much - or anything.
April 29, 2019
Yes, "over the top" - but a great read.
A psychopath who has been harmed by the FBI - wants to get back at them. He devises some over the top ways to destroy them... along with Jack Casey, the lead detective who is trying to stop him
A psychopath who has been harmed by the FBI - wants to get back at them. He devises some over the top ways to destroy them... along with Jack Casey, the lead detective who is trying to stop him
December 12, 2024
Excellent book that kept me on edge throughout!
Loved that even the font used made me feel slightly uncomfortable and on edge! I was never quite sure where the story was going to go and it was tied up nicely.
Loved that even the font used made me feel slightly uncomfortable and on edge! I was never quite sure where the story was going to go and it was tied up nicely.
September 17, 2018
Whilst fast-paced and fairly interesting, this was just too far-fetched.
July 21, 2019
Action packed, fast read with quite a clever killer.
February 21, 2021
Another very good book by Chris Mooney.
April 25, 2021
This was a good book. Gripping. I will look out for more books by Chris Mooney.
November 5, 2025
3.5 more like. Loved the story line but soooo many characters to keep track of and all the POVs.
September 30, 2023
Really good and interesting read, short chapters which worked really well
June 29, 2022
I read The Missing on Goodreads recommendation so decided to give some other Mooney books a try. I liked the book through the first 200 some pages but like so many other authors Mooney got lazy and over the top. First of all he had two characters talking about traveling to Germany and visiting Auschwitz. The only problem is that Auschwitz is in Poland not Germany. Not even on the border but way in Poland. Later a character is described as having an eye that's messed up because it's one "big black retina." The retina is in the back of the eye and isn't black. That's the pupil. A simple Google search or an editor with common sense should have fixed these things. The 4 year old niece of Taylor is staying with them for a few weeks but the Sandman's deeds have made world news so wouldn't the niece's mother call and try to get get daughter out of there? It just seems strange that they never hear from the mother throughout all of this. I realize it was a plot device put there to increase the danger but it was not very well done on the author's part. To be fair these are little errors but generally when I'm reading something and there's a bunch of careless mistakes, it starts to kill it for me.
I enjoyed the story and the bombs going off kept me on edge with the characters. However it seemed to me that the killer had better technology than the government had at the time. Some of this technology didn't exist or was in the early stages of development. The car being driven remotely by the killer was beyond farfetched. (I checked just to be sure). He's using a dial-up internet connection dialing from a cell phone so it's portable. In 2000 when this book came out, cell reception was sub par and dropped calls were the rule rather than the exception. Not to mention that dial-up internet was slow as shit. This guy would have needed real-time access to the car computer to be able to drive it remotely (if he even had access to that technology which again, was still in early development then). He's somehow able to see everything going on inside and outside the car in real time to be able to swerve and slam into other cars? This would have been virtually impossible with a cell phone dial-up connection. Earlier in the book, the killer did not have real time access to cameras he had planted inside the victims' house. He was getting pictures a minute behind real time. Somehow the technology managed to catch up in the space of a few days when he had real time access to the car to be able to drive it remotely and see everything around it. Then the driver is freaking out and can't move because she can't unlatch her seatbelt. Huh?? Even if the belt is stuck or locked by the killer, why couldn't she just unwind the top of seatbelt which would free her arms?? I do that all the time when I'm driving long distances and get tired of the shoulder belt strap. Jack had to get into her car to plug into the lighter because he said she was wedged in her seatbelt. Regardless of what kind of fancy device was keeping the belt locked, it's still made of a flexible nylon material that can be moved aside or stretched. They acted as though the seatbelt was a metal straitjacket that didn't have any give. I think the author was just imagining things that might exist someday and banking on his readers' ignorance of technology. Oh and of course Taylor is hateful and angry toward Jack after he almost kills himself trying to save her life. That's totally plausible. Sigh
Cell phones in 2000 were so unreliable as to be unusable at times. Just seems rather unbelievable that the killer was controlling everything through the internet and bombs going off were reliant upon whether some cell tower was in range. And all the cameras and listening devices around everyone's houses? How on Earth did not one person ever notice anything? Jack's house was bugged using an alarm clock that was connected to a laptop under his bed! How could he not see something that's right under his own bed regardless if he's spending time they're or not? I would notice if a strange laptop suddenly appears in my house and I'm not even a detective.
I'm going to try to read the next Chris Mooney book and see what happens. I liked some of the storyline in this one thought the government conspiracy thing seemed like it belonged in a Baldacci or Grisham book. I would have preferred if it was just some rogue agency that was in charge of the program or even someone who just abused their power. Why does it always have to stretch to the president?
I enjoyed the story and the bombs going off kept me on edge with the characters. However it seemed to me that the killer had better technology than the government had at the time. Some of this technology didn't exist or was in the early stages of development. The car being driven remotely by the killer was beyond farfetched. (I checked just to be sure). He's using a dial-up internet connection dialing from a cell phone so it's portable. In 2000 when this book came out, cell reception was sub par and dropped calls were the rule rather than the exception. Not to mention that dial-up internet was slow as shit. This guy would have needed real-time access to the car computer to be able to drive it remotely (if he even had access to that technology which again, was still in early development then). He's somehow able to see everything going on inside and outside the car in real time to be able to swerve and slam into other cars? This would have been virtually impossible with a cell phone dial-up connection. Earlier in the book, the killer did not have real time access to cameras he had planted inside the victims' house. He was getting pictures a minute behind real time. Somehow the technology managed to catch up in the space of a few days when he had real time access to the car to be able to drive it remotely and see everything around it. Then the driver is freaking out and can't move because she can't unlatch her seatbelt. Huh?? Even if the belt is stuck or locked by the killer, why couldn't she just unwind the top of seatbelt which would free her arms?? I do that all the time when I'm driving long distances and get tired of the shoulder belt strap. Jack had to get into her car to plug into the lighter because he said she was wedged in her seatbelt. Regardless of what kind of fancy device was keeping the belt locked, it's still made of a flexible nylon material that can be moved aside or stretched. They acted as though the seatbelt was a metal straitjacket that didn't have any give. I think the author was just imagining things that might exist someday and banking on his readers' ignorance of technology. Oh and of course Taylor is hateful and angry toward Jack after he almost kills himself trying to save her life. That's totally plausible. Sigh
Cell phones in 2000 were so unreliable as to be unusable at times. Just seems rather unbelievable that the killer was controlling everything through the internet and bombs going off were reliant upon whether some cell tower was in range. And all the cameras and listening devices around everyone's houses? How on Earth did not one person ever notice anything? Jack's house was bugged using an alarm clock that was connected to a laptop under his bed! How could he not see something that's right under his own bed regardless if he's spending time they're or not? I would notice if a strange laptop suddenly appears in my house and I'm not even a detective.
I'm going to try to read the next Chris Mooney book and see what happens. I liked some of the storyline in this one thought the government conspiracy thing seemed like it belonged in a Baldacci or Grisham book. I would have preferred if it was just some rogue agency that was in charge of the program or even someone who just abused their power. Why does it always have to stretch to the president?
August 30, 2017
Remember, one man's bookflap plot summary may be another man's spoiler.
This book underwhelmed me, though originally I had high hopes based on the book jacket blurbs.
The main character,is Jack Casey, an ex-FBI profiler, who was widowed when a nut job killed Jack's pregnant wife. Jack did a stint in mental-health rehab then re-started life as a detective in a small East Coast town.
Despite Jack's detailed back story, I never felt much depth to him.
Story involves reappearance of the nut job, who's going by the handle "Sandman" as he uses extensive electronic surveillance and sophisticated time bombs to wipe out a series of seemingly unconnected families. Well, unconnected initially, except for the fact that the families reside in Jack's neck of the woods.
Story then expands to covert research FBI is doing, and has done, into controlling the impulses of abused, criminally minded children.
Revenge is the key to all the crimes that Jack has to face. He does survive, after close calls both for himself and his girlfriend.
Title derives from fact that Sandman taunts Jack by claiming they're both equally deviant. (How else could Jack track him down, if he weren't up on deviant thinking?)
This book underwhelmed me, though originally I had high hopes based on the book jacket blurbs.
The main character,is Jack Casey, an ex-FBI profiler, who was widowed when a nut job killed Jack's pregnant wife. Jack did a stint in mental-health rehab then re-started life as a detective in a small East Coast town.
Despite Jack's detailed back story, I never felt much depth to him.
Story involves reappearance of the nut job, who's going by the handle "Sandman" as he uses extensive electronic surveillance and sophisticated time bombs to wipe out a series of seemingly unconnected families. Well, unconnected initially, except for the fact that the families reside in Jack's neck of the woods.
Story then expands to covert research FBI is doing, and has done, into controlling the impulses of abused, criminally minded children.
Revenge is the key to all the crimes that Jack has to face. He does survive, after close calls both for himself and his girlfriend.
Title derives from fact that Sandman taunts Jack by claiming they're both equally deviant. (How else could Jack track him down, if he weren't up on deviant thinking?)
July 26, 2011
I'm giving this one 4 stars, because it was a good thriller. I had just read "The Soul Collectors" and Jack Casey had featured in that one, so it was going backwards to read Deviant Ways. I should have read that one first. Casey is investigating the "Sandman" murders, a killer who kills families and then bombs their home, when the police arrive on the scene. Also, this is the one where Malcolm Fletcher first appears, he later appears again in the Soul Collectors. This explains the background in more details on Casey and Fletcher. Again, one thing I found here, the killer is way too clever, he seems to be a super-intelligent guy who can outwit the top profilers in the F.B.I., the C.I.A. and the police, not believable. Still, a good read, plenty of edge of the seat stuff and it should be read in sequence.
July 22, 2012
Oh wow, this is one hell of a clever thriller; I was hooked from the very first page and could not put it down. I freaked myself out reading this at bed time, so had to reduce the reading hours to day time only.!
Apart from Peter James, Chris Mooney certainly knows how to write and keep his readers hooked, its a novel that's filled with such believable characters, such vivid storytelling, with such breath taking intensity.
This is the story of the Sandman, a killer who knows your every thought, your every move, and there's nowhere for you to hide from him. I won’t say any more as don’t want to spoil it for others.
I can’t believe Chris was just 26 years old when he wrote this first debut novel, incredible, so cleverly thought out, it comes with lots of twists, turns and has your heart racing.
Simply a first class thriller!
Apart from Peter James, Chris Mooney certainly knows how to write and keep his readers hooked, its a novel that's filled with such believable characters, such vivid storytelling, with such breath taking intensity.
This is the story of the Sandman, a killer who knows your every thought, your every move, and there's nowhere for you to hide from him. I won’t say any more as don’t want to spoil it for others.
I can’t believe Chris was just 26 years old when he wrote this first debut novel, incredible, so cleverly thought out, it comes with lots of twists, turns and has your heart racing.
Simply a first class thriller!
November 15, 2014
Jack Casey used to be an FBI profiler until his job hit too close to home. Now, he's on the force in his hometown and a case raises it all again. There's a creepy serial bomber and an even creepier cast of characters who are working with Casey to solve this case.They term it a sexual/erotic book but it is anything but. This is about a serial killer who was created by a secret government project. He blows up buildings and people who were associated with the program. There is violence galore, but little mention of sex (just one scene where the killer is watching the family.) It is quite suspenseful in places but sometimes Casey goes marching in without thinking just a little too often. You'd think he'd learn. Still not a bad read.
October 28, 2008
I just re-read this book because I got in trouble for a kid taking it off of my desk a few years ago and I wanted to look at it again to see how inappropriate it really was. I was correct in my previous thoughts. They termed it a sexual/erotic book and it was anything but. This is about a serial killer who was created by a secret government project. He blows up buildings and people who were associated with the program. There is violence gallore, very little mention of sex (just one scence where the killer is watching the family). It is suspenseful and in my opinion worth the read.
January 21, 2012
A call is placed to say a family has been shot. Jack Casey (ex FBI) goes to investigate and realises there is a bomb in the house which is set off using a motion detector. When another crime is committed in a similar way and Jack starts receiving phone calls from The Sandman it gets personal especially when his girlfriend is threatened. I found I was slightly confused by whether some of the other characters in the book were out to kill Jack or support him.
September 21, 2012
This book was SO TENSE I felt like I couldn't breathe at some points. My main gripe was that it became quite repetitive with all the dangerous situations - I understand that the author put them in to make the villain seem more threatening but at the same time Jack would get into danger, then think that he should be more careful, then get into danger, then think that he needed to be careful...etc. However I did really enjoy it.
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