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It is April in the Wicklow mountains and a young woman is found dead, seemingly sacrificed. Accompanying her body is Chapter One of "The Rule Book" - a self-help guide for serial killers. The case is assigned to the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and headed by Detective Superintendent Colm McEvoy. Since the recent death of his wife, McEvoy is a shadow of his former self - two stones lighter with a wardrobe of ill-fitting suits, struggling to quite the cigarettes that killed his wife, and still getting used to being a single parent. Less than twenty-four hours later a second murder is committed. Self-claiming the title 'The Raven', the killer starts to taunt the police and the media. When the third body is discovered it is clear that The Raven intends to slaughter one victim each day until "The Rule Book" is published in full. With the pressure from his superiors, the press, and politicians rising, McEvoy goes after a killer that is seemingly several steps ahead. Is the "Rule Book" as definitive as The Raven claims?
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Detective Superintendent Colm McEvoy is called to the scene of murder where the body of a young woman has been found in a way suggesting that she passively accepted her death. The case gets even stranger when a document is found at the scene written as the first chapter in a self-help guide for serial killers. Soon after, a search of the area locates six carefully placed business cards advertising The Rule Book with a picture of a raven. Does this mean six more victims?
As bodies of the second and third victims are found on succeeding days, it becomes clear that a serial killer is at work in Dublin.
Choosing a serial killer story for your first crime fiction novel is a bold move. It is too easy for stories in this genre for the focus become one of shocking the reader with graphic gore. So I was very pleased to see that Kitchin has written a very good police procedural that features a serial killer. This isn't to say that there isn't violence, there is, but it isn't drawn out in a voyeuristic fashion. There is one exception but I looked at it as means of showing just how far the killer has separated himself from any remaining humanity.
I don't want to say too much about the killer, The Raven. The hunt is intercut with scenes from The Raven's point of view and more of his methods are revealed. He is arrogant in his feeling of superiority and disdain for the police but not infallible. The way the clues are constructed and what the police do with them is clever, unique even, and adds to the enjoyment of the story.
Colm McEvoy is sympathetic and engaging character. He is still morning the death of his wife and trying to be a good father to his daughter while conducting the hunt for a psychopath. With few clues to go on, he knows that there will have to be more deaths until a pattern emerges.
With serial killers rare in Ireland, the case gets world-wide attention and pressure from superior on the police force, politicians, and the press to produce results. Added to McEvoy's problems is Charlie Deegan, an ambitious, arrogant, and back-stabbing young detective whose interest is more in making a name for himself that being a member of the team and is not above keeping information to himself.
I liked the way Kitchin builds the tension and shows how the responsibility wears on McEvoy. I really felt his frustration and weariness as leads go nowhere and the dread of more bodies bears down on him.
The author has also developed a good cast of supporting characters. In addition to the other detectives, there is Hannah Fallon, the no-nonsense leader of the crime scene investigation, Elaine Jone, the state pathologist who is determined not to let McEvoy sink into him misery, and Kathy Jacobs, a Scottish profiler. Charlie Deegan is used effectively to add tension and will also make an excellent recurring character.
Kitchin has the foundation for a good series and I closed the book wishing that there already was a sequel available.
I enjoyed The Rule Book and the story, characters, and writing style make it one I would recommend to readers who like police procedurals and can handle some graphic gore.
As bodies of the second and third victims are found on succeeding days, it becomes clear that a serial killer is at work in Dublin.
Choosing a serial killer story for your first crime fiction novel is a bold move. It is too easy for stories in this genre for the focus become one of shocking the reader with graphic gore. So I was very pleased to see that Kitchin has written a very good police procedural that features a serial killer. This isn't to say that there isn't violence, there is, but it isn't drawn out in a voyeuristic fashion. There is one exception but I looked at it as means of showing just how far the killer has separated himself from any remaining humanity.
I don't want to say too much about the killer, The Raven. The hunt is intercut with scenes from The Raven's point of view and more of his methods are revealed. He is arrogant in his feeling of superiority and disdain for the police but not infallible. The way the clues are constructed and what the police do with them is clever, unique even, and adds to the enjoyment of the story.
Colm McEvoy is sympathetic and engaging character. He is still morning the death of his wife and trying to be a good father to his daughter while conducting the hunt for a psychopath. With few clues to go on, he knows that there will have to be more deaths until a pattern emerges.
With serial killers rare in Ireland, the case gets world-wide attention and pressure from superior on the police force, politicians, and the press to produce results. Added to McEvoy's problems is Charlie Deegan, an ambitious, arrogant, and back-stabbing young detective whose interest is more in making a name for himself that being a member of the team and is not above keeping information to himself.
I liked the way Kitchin builds the tension and shows how the responsibility wears on McEvoy. I really felt his frustration and weariness as leads go nowhere and the dread of more bodies bears down on him.
The author has also developed a good cast of supporting characters. In addition to the other detectives, there is Hannah Fallon, the no-nonsense leader of the crime scene investigation, Elaine Jone, the state pathologist who is determined not to let McEvoy sink into him misery, and Kathy Jacobs, a Scottish profiler. Charlie Deegan is used effectively to add tension and will also make an excellent recurring character.
Kitchin has the foundation for a good series and I closed the book wishing that there already was a sequel available.
I enjoyed The Rule Book and the story, characters, and writing style make it one I would recommend to readers who like police procedurals and can handle some graphic gore.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I was recommended this book and once |I had a copy it sat there waiting to be read, and to be honest it took me a while to pick it up - my mistake as this was a superb book with excellent charachters, story line and plot.
I now need the next book to be relesased ASAP as I need to have questions answered and the story continued - in some form. During the read, I became defensive and on the side of the DS Colm McEvoy and wanted the Charlie Deegan to fail and just get into trouble - and I usually don't take sides when reading books.
Many thanks for to the author and I would recomenf this to anyone who enjoys a good detective novel, especially with an Irish twist with wonderfully beleivable charachters.
I now need the next book to be relesased ASAP as I need to have questions answered and the story continued - in some form. During the read, I became defensive and on the side of the DS Colm McEvoy and wanted the Charlie Deegan to fail and just get into trouble - and I usually don't take sides when reading books.
Many thanks for to the author and I would recomenf this to anyone who enjoys a good detective novel, especially with an Irish twist with wonderfully beleivable charachters.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
a really exciting whodunnit. lots of gory murders, and a good hero character. also nice to learn a bit about Ireland.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
An intricately plotted police procedural set in 21st century Dublin
The Rule Book is an intricately plotted police procedural set in and around Dublin, in the atmosphere of impending social and political failure that eventually led to the Celtic... Read more
Published 3 months ago by G. John
Excellent whodunnit
I really enjoyed this excellent whodunnit. The ending was a little disappointing but I do hope there are more books to come.
Published 21 months ago by Genie
An unsual crime novel in Ireland: The Rule Book
This is a police procedural which focuses mainly in the daily work of the crime investigators, their internal quarrels, their difficult relationship with the media, the political... Read more
Published 24 months ago by Jose Ignacio
The rule book, my best read ever
A superb book by an author I have never heard of in fiction before. Apparently he writes textbooks for a day job. Needs to give that up and get going on the sequel - I can't wait. Read more
Published on 8 May 2009 by derek
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