The Saints Go Dying

by Erik Hanberg

Arthur Freeman, a computer hacker turned detective, is hunting a serial killer targeting modern day saints. Every two months, a new body turns up--and the world is left with one less good person.

Against him is an unscrupulous reality TV show, whose sole premise is that the police are corrupt and incompetent. As the intensifying public reaction pushes all of Freeman's resources to the limits, he dusts off his old habits--computer hacking--to dig up evidence he couldn't find legally.

But when he accidentally leaves a cyber-trail, he finds himself targeted by a member of his own department, who doesn't know the hacker she's tailing is in the office next door.

It's a deadly cat-and-mouse game set against the lights of Hollywood.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Amazon, Murder Mystery, Thriller, Ebooks

220 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2010

About the author

Erik Hanberg is the author of several books, including a science fiction trilogy, mysteries, and several nonfiction books for nonprofit leaders.

He currently lives in Tacoma with his wife Mary and their two children where he is also an elected official.

Reviews

[Alicen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now that I have figured out to read e-books :) I was finally able to read this book, written by my cousin. What a pleasure it was to read something written by someone I know! I was really impressed by the way this murder mystery played out and I thought the main character cop was particularly interesting in his quirks and the way he used his skills and tricks to solve the crime. Well done, Erik! I look forward to reading the next two.

[Carl · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a pretty good read despite all the grammar mistakes. Come on authors, how do you publish a book with even one grammar mistake?
The plot was fun and believable and a breezy read thanks to the author not getting in to too much detail.
This is a good tip for other writers by the way, often writers get too intricate with all the plot twists and details and this can actually bog the story down and make it easier to find the holes. Nice broad strokes lets the reader fill in the details they need for the story to make sense.
I also like the main character, Arthur Beautyman, though he is drawn a bit thin.
Overall it was a nice quick read, nothing special, not a writer I will seek out but if a simple detective tracks down serial killer story is what you are in the mood for, this should work just fine for most readers.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid, well written crime thriller with a decent detective and a pretty good plot. 3.5. stars rounded up to 4 because the SPaG was good.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really blessed when I saw Erik asking me to review his book. My favorite genre is mystery, crime, thriller, suspense. Once I read the synopsis of this book, I was hooked. I was hoping beyond hope that the ending of this book would not leave me hanging like so many books I have read in the recent pass.

I read the 1st chapter of the book, and by the end of the first chapter I was laughing so hard my family was wondering what in the world I was laughing at! I then went and explained what I was laughing about and then they too were laughing as hard as I was. I then told my husband that this book was priority number one (1) because I just had to know what else was going on within the story.

Detective Beautyman had me. I liked how this detective thought, how he worked, and how he was willing to forgo everything to solve the case at hand. I personally did not like Sandy Ewson, which I do believe that Erik did very well in his writing to make us not like him.
I must talk about the ending. Since I mentioned at first that some of the books I have read recently have been...well...for lack of better word....lacking. Oh no, not this one. Erik had us reading every word till the end. It was such a thrilling ending. I love how the case ended and I like how Erik left it open for another Detective Beautyman tale. I cannot wait for the second one coming, and the greatest part about reading this on the Kindle, you get the very first (1st) chapter of his next book: The Marinara Murders.

The story that Erik winds within this novel keeps you guessing what is going on and who-done-it. The way he writes keeps you guessing. He winds the stories of everyone involved extremely well. You are not left wondering "Why is this character in the story?" "Where does this character fit in?"

The dynamic of all the characters are an awesome thing to read. I am so happy that I decided to read this wonderful book. It is everything I am looking for in this type of genre.

****I was given a copy of this book for an honest review****

[Sandra Holladay · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read with a good premise; too many grammar errors though. Would have liked a bit more character development on the main detective, Beautyman. I did like the fact that he wasn’t incredibly handsome like so many authors feel their main characters should be (mouthwatering, drop-dead gorgeous type people). This makes it easier for ‘normal’ people to relate to.

[Heather Doughty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great idea for a book - not great execution.

The actual cat and mouse part of this book is fun and entertaining. Can catching a serial killer be fun? Ok, so it's the idea of it. And the idea of the reality-like crime solving tv show was intriguing.

However, the timeline doesn't flow well. There aren't appropriate spacing delineations to show the passing of time. Sometimes, time is glossed over. I found myself rereading sections trying to figure out when the new action was taking place.

There are few instances of editing issues - primarily missing words. That also added to some difficulty with flow.

It was hard to get into this book because the writing was very dry and factual. The characters are not very fleshed out. I don't really understand Beautyman's motivation to be a detective and a computer hacker. The backstory on the other characters is weak, as well.

Overall, I was disappointed. The promise was there, but the execution was not.

[Nini · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book I started it two days ago and just finished. I found the book to be well written and fast paced, I did wonder where the story could go when the killers were discovered rather early but the twist was throughly enjoyable. The characters was great and you really good a sense of good and bad I was on team Beautyman. It was refershing to read a book with a police detective that bent the rules a little without having to spend his time alone drinking to gain insights into more his more challenging cases. I will definitely be looking out for more of this authors work.

[LLona Cunningham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good serial killer and detective mystery; everyone can relate to the tired detective who has been chasing the same killer far too long, and without the kind of support he should be getting. Turned into a stretch of my willingness to suspend disbelief when the detective suddenly remembers he has skills (especially computer skills to do research) to make real progress. He didn't take a new class to gain the skill -- he just so happens to have it. He should have used them in the beginning.

[Sharon Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good, solidly plotted police procedural which progressed rationally, with well developed characters and good storyline.

I did find the plot a little bit of a stretch in some ways and the motive for the serial killings somewhat underdeveloped. It didn't detract from the read but did seem to make the ending just a slight bit flatter than it might have been otherwise.

[Julia Alberino · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a real page turner even though the identity of the killer is known early on. The actions that trap the killer make for interesting reading. Hamburg has the knack for getting inside his characters heads. I finished the book in two sittings because the author made me want to keep reading. I look forward to reading more from Erik Hamburg.

[Hans Doreleyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story

Good story

I would love to elaborate further if I could find way to turn off this STUPID auto correct, which has to be the most useless piece of software ever invented. I enjoyed the novel and will likely procure other works by this author.

[Bette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arthur Beautyman is a detective in Los Angeles Sheriff Department. He is the lead investigator of a series of vampire-style murders. Murders of good people who volunteered their help to others in the community, some might call them saints. After 14 months he is exhausted and haunted by the deaths of these people.

The reality show "The Watchdog" has been hiding important information. They plan to attack Beautyman in an interview, making him appear incompetent or corrupt, to increase their ratings.

I liked this mystery. The characters are well-drawn and believable, while the plot is fast-paced.

[bex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather dark. Not really my style. But pretty good anyway anyway. Solid 3*

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book

You people should just read this novel yourselves and I really enjoyed reading this novel very much so. Shelley Ma

[Graham Downs · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good mystery with an interesting premise and a ticking clock. I think I figured out the main culprit a page or two before the lead character did, so it kept me guessing, which is what you want in a mystery. Plus, I did NOT see the twist coming. No complaints there.

Editing-wise, it’s not perfect, with some formatting inconsistencies, weird mid-sentence tense changes, and missing words here and there. But that’s not what bothers me. It’s the “hacker detective” that just doesn’t ring true. Having been coding professionally for twenty-two years, I’m super sensitive to how books and movies portray IT. And this one missed the mark.

First, a hacker or coder would never describe themselves as “a bit of a computer whiz.” The only people who use that phrase know nothing about computers or what we do. Real hackers love to go into intimate detail, to SHOW you (heh, “Show, not tell” rears its head again) how much of a “computer whiz” they are.

At one point, he tells how he hacked into someone’s computer, saw “the cookies in his cache”, and that told him that the suspect had multiple anonymous Hotmail accounts. Umm, no. You might have a sign-in cookie for Hotmail in your browser’s cache, but as soon as you signed in with a different account, it’d overwrite that cookie with the new one. There’s no way you could see from cookies how many accounts a person had at a single site. You’d see that if you hacked into the person’s saved PASSWORDS, but that’s a different story. Or maybe if the person used multiple browsers (Chrome for account x, Firefox for account y, Internet Explorer for account z), but that’s such a unique scenario that I’d expect the hacker to mention it specifically.

Elsewhere, we learn that you can get someone’s IP address, but to discover their geographical location, you need to discover their MAC address. Sorry, but I don’t think the author understands what a MAC address is, let alone what “MAC” stands for. 

Finally (this has nothing to do with IT), I’m not a medical professional, but it seems unlikely that the same dose of a particular anaesthetic, injected into a victim, would be enough to knock them out without killing them. Every time and in every situation. One would think it’d depend on each individual’s body weight and metabolism, at least. Which is probably why anaesthetists make so much money.

All-in-all, I think this is a good book with an interesting premise, and if you like Mystery/Thrillers and don’t mind suspending your disbelief somewhat, you’ll probably enjoy it.

Click here to find out where you can get the ebook: https://books2read.com/u/bpEPkq

Note: That link goes to a landing page with links to other stores. Some of THOSE links are affiliate links, which means if you end up buying the book, I stand to earn a commission.

[TC · Rating 4 out of 5]

A serial killer has been targeting LA for over a year, and the police are struggling to find new leads. They are also continually exasperated by the spotlight shone on them by TV crime show Watchdog, with the show's staff taking every opportunity to ridicule the team, and worse. The killer masquerades as a modern Whore of Babylon, revelling in evil, and is killing modern day saints. As if Arthur Beautyman doesn't have enough to contend with, his secret hacking to help solve cases has brought his online persona to the attention of his unsuspecting colleague and potential love interest.

I love a good crime novel, and this definitely fits the bill for me. It is fast paced, with a bit of gory detail (not too much though), a likable lead detective and some smart twists. I found it a quick read, partly as it's not that long and partly because I got into it so easily and then had problems putting it down. Arthur is an interesting character, one who is pretty self-aware and admits to his weaknesses. Not being ultra-handsome or recovering from some major trauma as is often the case within the genre he is very human and more empathetic for it.

This storyline had a few twists and some humour to it, which helped make it such an enjoyable read, without being over-complicated. The identity of the killer was no major surprise, and I don't think it was meant to be, but the ending was very satisfying and tied up the ends nicely. I'm sure you could read a lot more into the book as a commentary on the role of the media in major investigations but I'm content to enjoy it purely as a crime story.

Looking at the negatives, there were a few typos I spotted that could do with a tidy up, and in places it seemed a bit far-fetched. However overall this was a really fun crime read, and I was pleased to see that the next book in the series is due in November.

[Vivian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A serial murderer is on the loose in the City of Angels, Los Angeles. Unfortunately this murderer clearly aligns himself with evil and is out to kill people that do good or "saints" in Erik Hanberg's THE SAINTS GO DYING.

Deputy Arthur Beautyman is the lead investigator and coordinator on the case. He is literally being overseen by the entire city thanks to a local television program called 'Watchdog.' Beautyman is definitely not a Hollywood or LA version of an investigator. He's rather short, has graying hair, and has an "average" pockmarked face. This is a case of Beautyman versus the beast, the serial killer. After fourteen months and numerous murders there isn't even a viable suspect, or is there? Is the killer really that good or is the Sheriff's department that inept? That is what 'Watchdog' would have everyone believe but is it true? Beautyman has his hands full juggling the investigation, public backlash and the ever-increasing popularity of the 'Watchdog' series.

Mr. Hanberg has provided a nicely written suspense in THE SAINTS GO DYING. The characters and the action are very believable, or at least until the end. I found the ending a bit far-fetched but fiction doesn't have to mirror reality. THE SAINTS GO DYING is a quick read and packs a suspense-filled punch to the end.

[Jessica Bronder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arthur Beautyman is a detective trying to find the Babylon murder. Fourteen months ago, the first victim was found shaved and drained of her blood. On the second victim, there was a card with a quote about the Whore of Babylon. It seems that the murder is targeting saints, those people that donate their money and time in one-way or another.

The general public is getting scared. There has not been a break on the case and the television program Watchdog is making sure they know that the police are incompetent fools. Trying to find away around this roadblock, Beautyman is elected to appear on Watchdog to portray himself in the special on the Babylon murder.

Beautyman knows that it is only time before he takes the fall for not getting results sooner. He is called into the station in the early morning hours for someone that fits the description of the murderer, he discovers that Gregory Raphael, the guy that plays the murderer on Watchdog. An odd details stands out and Beautyman thinks he has the murderer, but now he has to try and prove it.

I really liked this story. You didn’t know for sure whom the murderer is and even though Beautyman thinks he has found the answer, it’s not going to be that easy to prove. This is a quick read but well worth the time. If you like quick little mysteries, you will really enjoy this story.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read. I liked the lead character Beautyman pretty well. He had a good compassionate side but his rashness at times, did irk me a bit but it all tied into the story. The twists and turns the story took with the possible suspects was good. There were times when you were reading the story and you had your own idea of who it might be and then there were reasons shown why such and such couldn't be the killer so as the story went along, the unveiling did leave me a tiny bit surprised. I will say this, I'd have loved it had the detective gotten one on the slime bags who ran the reality cop show that was constantly screwing things up. That is why I don't waste my time with so-called "reality tv"- nothing but hot garbage. At any rate, if you're into serial killer books, you should enjoy this mystery.

[Diana Febry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Esp recommend to people who enjoy police procedurals.
A very readable book that held my interest throughout. A little formulaic but hey its a formula that works. The detective is convinced he knows the identity of a serial killer but his behaviour gets him chucked off the case. So using unorthodox methods he sets out to capture the killer in his "free time."
I liked the style of writing and was fully engaged with the story throughout. Suspense did build at a steady pace but it could have been ratcheted up a notch. The ending was satisfying and tied up the loose ends but could have been stronger.
Overall a good read and I will have a look at a later book in the series to see how it has been developed.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually don't read mysteries, but this one had been sitting on my virtual shelf for a while. I read in one evening (or night, as it is now after 1am).

I liked a lot about this: The dialogue was snappy and fairly realistic. It had me guessing the whole way through and I was not sure whether my guesses would be right or wrong. There wasn't too much time spent on gratuitous character development. I was a fun read, very much in the vein of my favorite tv mystery dramas like Monk, Law & Order, and Murder She Wrote . (I hope The author will take that as a compliment.)

[Craig Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, yeah I figured out the murderer but I think that was part of the book. No big deal. The book moved quickly, fast read but lots of fun. There were several sub plots that were all interesting. I almost was ready to give the book a 5, very rare for me, but the ending was a little complicated. I think overly complicated. Almost like the author knew what he wanted so he made it work. This ending was more interesting than mine would have been, but again, overly complicated.

[Greg Tymn · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the novel had many good qualities one would expect from a detective novel, a cold reading would lead one to believe that the author was an adolescent without much life experience. Perhaps it is targeted at a Young Adult audience? Or a TV script?

Even though it was plotted well, the novel didn't draw me in and I found little empathy with any of the characters, especially the protagonist.

It's an easy read and there are certainly many worse detective novels. Just be aware of the limitations.

[J&B Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

The tactics aren't Saintly but the result is Heavenly.

A disgraced detective with mad hacking skills tracks down a couple of egomaniac and narcissist serial killers. The ending of their murder spree comes to an abrupt halt due to a combination of computer knowledge,hard boiled detective work and criminal hubris. I would have given 5 stars but I was a bit let down by not knowing what happens to the fictional TV program 'Watchdog' that was responsible for the downfall of our hero Arthur Beautyman.

[Hayley Shaver · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book free on Bookbub. This is a delicious whodunit, well worth anyone's time. Every two months, another good person is shaved and drained of blood. After over a year, the killer is still not found. And Arthur Beautyman, the lead detective on the case, is running out of time to catch the killer before another death. With a plot like that, who wouldn't like this read? It has great surprise twists. If I didn't need my sleep so much, I would've read this book all night long.

[Gary Sedivy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay mystery. At least the protagonist is fairly normal. He really is good with hacking and computers, and uses that skill to get information to solve cases. Since he does it on the sly, he has to figure out how to get the information into the other officers' hands. The bad guy is relatively easily discerned midway through the story. How that gets revealed to the rest of the police is interesting.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a difficult time deciding my rating for The Saints Go Dying. I rounded up a little. It's closer to a four. The rest of the series will probably reach my kindle some time. I do want to learn what happens to Arthur Beautyman next. And yet, there didn't seem to be quite enough development of characters and actual mystery in this book. Maybe there will be even better thing from Erik Hanberg in the future.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, fun read. The central character, Arthur Beautyman, is really interesting and I'm hoping in future books in the series we'll get to know Fleet and Watt a little better (and Upright, too...such a great name!).

P.S. This is the first e-book I've ever read! I won't be giving up my paper versions anytime soon, but this is a great way to read something on the go.

[Carlajo Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! I've had to give up alot of mysteries and thrillers---I'm such a sensitive soul. Seriously, they are too graphic and violent. Mr. Hanburg was able to write a serious crime thriller without making putting images in my head that I can't get rid of, sleeping or awake. Thank you! I'll be sad to go back to Minnesota now.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! I finished reading this book within 6 hours of purchasing it. It was a great murder mystery/detective story...I could not put it down (figuratively, as I bought the kindle version). This is the first and currently the only book I have read by Erik Hanberg, but I will be buying all of his other books; if they are half as good as The Saints Go Dying, then they are well worth reading.