A gripping, fast-paced, read with violence and adult content – but then this is about a serial killer so you would expect that. The main cast are well drawn, and largely sympathetic, the antagonist nicely-developed and the story is captivating.

I’m not sure what to say about the plot to avoid spoiling it, but in summary it is about the efforts of a police detective to catch a serial killer, with a number of complications along the way, including departmental politics and reporters. While several of the genre mainstays appear, like the unco-operative police boss, these tropes are well-realised and it never descends into cardboard cutouts.

Overall, this is a fascinating look into the psychology (and pathology) of a killer. As a procedural, this has few flaws, and the focus on the investigation is tight and believable. I read this in one run, and it held my attention throughout. While the book does not do anything unique and won’t revolutionise the genre, it is extremely good at what it does.

The formating is clear, and the cover is fairly standard for the genre. There is very little before or after matter – not even a table of contents – although there is a bonus chapter from the next book in the edition I read.

If this series were on the shelf of my local Waterstones, it would fit in with all the professionally published titles. Crime and police readers will love this and should look it up. Cozy mystery fans should give it a miss, and it is definitely not suitable for younger readers.

An easy 4 stars.