88 Killer [Paperback]

I raved about American Devil, the author's debut novel on 2010 and was delighted to get my hands on his follow up and opened Page One with huge anticipation.

And what do I think? Always hard to produce a second novel after the excitement, thrill and pride of having your first book published, but no problems here at all. Another stonking story, quite quite brilliant and despite my determination not to read it straight away and save it up for the weekend, gave in almost immediately and bang went the rest of my day. Ironing abandoned, dirty dishes soaking in the washing up bowl, rubbish not taken out while I renewed my acquaintance with Detective Tom Harper and psychologist Denise Levene. 88 Killer starts just a few months after the serial killer in American Devil had been discovered and thwarted and Denise is having a hard time recovering from the trauma of her abduction and imprisonment by the murderer. She has not seen Tom since then, is frightened and nervous and has to resort to attending a clinic by an unusual psychologist who specialises in turning 'victims' into 'predators' in an attempt to get her life back on track.

While this is going on, a teenager Abigail Goldberg, sneaking out to attend a pop concert, is abducted. No ransom note is received and her disappearance is in danger of being filed away by the police who think it is likely she has left of her own accord.

David Capske, twenty seven, engaged to be married and very pleased with how his life has turned around is out with his fiance Lucy. All is well, they are having a good time and then later on that evening David receives a telephone call and goes off to a meeting. Next day he is found murdered in a dark alley but murdered in the most awful way as the police find when they arrive that he has been tortured before being shot by being rolled and bound up in barbed wire. An email notifying his death has been sent to TV networks and the Press who turn up in force as it turns out that the victim is a judge's son so a political motive is suspected.

Both the missing teenager and David Capske were Jewish and when a third murder occurs, also Jewish, Harper finds the numbers 88 marked up near each body. 88 refers to the eighth letter of the alphabet so equates to HH for Heil Hitler, the bullets used to kill each victim are original lead bullets used by the Nazis and as it is clear that this series of murders has a racial theme. Harper turns to the Hate Crime unit for intelligence on the anti-Semitic, Nazi loving groups in the city. He sets up his team and a recovering Denise rejoins him to help with the psychological profiling and we are plunged into the intricacies and ins and outs of the investigation.

I have set the scene and must stop as some readers of my reviews say I give away to much (they are probably right) and so am being careful here. It is difficult to review a thriller because if I go into detail and tell you of the ins and outs this is going to be a long long review; if I do this and give you details then I will also give you clues and hints and there is no way I want to even offer you a glint in a dark tunnel of puzzlement so that you can identify the murderer. No way. When I reviewed American Devil I said that 'it was tightly plotted, intricately planned, not a loose end or an unexplained action or clue anywhere". 88 Killer falls into the same category.

Difficult to realise that the author is English as he has the grittiness and background of the New York setting spot on, the language and behaviour of the team working on the case is masterly and the relationship between Harper and Levene is growing all the time. A thrilling, nail biting climax which, as with American Devil, had me on the edge of my seat and I can say once again, that Oliver Stark is an amazingly clever and thrilling writer.

Roll on No 3

Oliver Stark released his debut novel American Devil in 2010 which I devoured and absolutely loved. Sometimes when an author produces such a great debut there is an impending sense of doom. Maybe the next one won't be as good? How can it be with such a great start? Thankfully Oliver Stark has not only produced a great debut, he has produced a second book that is equally as good.

I downloaded the Kindle version and didn't realise that his second book is no less hefty than the first coming in at just under 500 pages. His first book introduced us to the two characters featuring in this story also. Denise Levene is a psychologist that was previously treating Tom Harper. Tom Harper is a copper that has a talent for catching the most evil of criminals. Both characters I fell in love with last time as they were a little different from the normal stereotypical characters. This time around we see them following the harrowing incident in the last book.

What I loved about the characters themselves is that Oliver Stark hasn't pretended the characters are indestructible. In the beginning of the book we see both Tom and Denise struggling with their demons after the fall out of the last serial killer they were up against. It makes the characters a lot more likeable as they aren't perfect. Sadly the two of them don't have time to reflect for too long as before long they are drawn into the three cases that at first glance seem unconnected.

As with his last book I found the beginning a little slow to start. However, after reading two of his books I realise that this must be a style for him, where he starts off with the background and slowly make the pace pick up speed until you are unaware how fast you are reading!

The crimes and crime scenes are gruesome and extremely descriptive and you get a real feel for what is happening. After the first third of the book I was reluctant to put this down. If you didn't know it you may mistake the author for being American as he gives a great backdrop for the American setting. He also doesn't make it to easy, you really get an understanding that solving cases is not easy and that the characters make mistakes as well as having to really work to fit the pieces together.

This book is again a true testament to a fantastic new author; a man that has a real talent for this genre and I would highly recommend.

Having read American Devil, I was very much looking forward to its sequel and I was not disappointed. Once again I was met with well drawn characters, a brilliant and engaging story and an interesting villain who is not immediately obvious. The aftermath of the first novel is dealt with well and gives the sequel an extra depth...I found myself identifying and feeling for our heroes as they picked up their lives and went headlong into another nightmare.
Oliver Stark has managed to avoid the pitfalls that affect so much crime fiction these days, you won't find short chapters with an eye towards a hopeful screenplay, a blatantly obvious ending or long drawn out passages about how attracted the main characters may be to each other. What you will find is a well written,well plotted and exciting book that you may well not be able to put down once you start!
I would highly recommend this and its prequel - don't miss them!